Topic: ADI-2 questions.
Hello. I have been using my Lavry DA10 dac for home pleasure listening for a while. I have no issue with the sound, but as it lacks a remote, and also lacks a usb input, I have considered replacing it with a Lavry DA11 which has both these features.
Then I learned of the existence of the RME ADC-2, which seems very well suited to my application. So I have the following questions:
1. Will it drive a power amp directly, with no preamp? The system I'm considering would be RME ADC-2 --- Bryston 4B cubed ---- Focal passive speakers. I think the Lavry will do this.
2. Volume control. The lavry has a "digitally controlled analog volume control".
It has worked well for years and I have gotten used to it, so I wonder how the RME compares with it's volume knob. RME claims: "With the DAC RME engineers took the opportunity to slightly enhance the DAC's analog output stage to be even more perfect as it already was. More relays, a different double symmetrical attenuator circuit and one additional buffer OP amp succeed in less noise and less THD."
I'm not clear on what it actually is - is it a digital circuit which happens to have a knob controlling analog volume (like Lavry but with a knob), or is it an analog volume pot of some sort?
3. Digital parametric eq. This is very interesting to me, because while I usually avoid eq in the path for home audio, it would be a great tool for me as I transcribe a lot of parts and the option to boost the right freqs to bring out the part I really need to hear would be great. So is it correct to assume that the digital processing can be switched out and not in any way detract from the fidelity in any way for typical listening?
I have other RME gear that I have been satisfied with, and this has the digital eq, so if there are no caveats that I'm not aware of it seems like the right piece. Any info appreciated.