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RME User Forum → ADI-2 & 2/4 Pro series, ADI-2 DAC series → Recording/streaming with ADI-2 DAC
So I've found a sweet mic preamp that outputs optical. Am I right to think that I can configure the ADI-2 DAC (Fs) to handle mic input via optical like a normal I/O audio interface? I want to upgrade to an ADI-2 DAC, but I still need AD for a microphone, and this seems to be my best option without running an audio interface alongside the ADI-2 DAC.
Then you need to make the mic preamp clock master and ADI-2 DAC needs to become clock slave.
Ok! And this is possible without too much hassle? FWIW the preamp is an Apogee Mini-Me (without USB).
Looks to me that this won't work for these two reasons:
a) https://www.amazona.de/test-apogee-mini-me-usb/ This review sounds as if this unit can not send audio and clock at the same time. "The Mini-Me can also act as a clock source by selecting one of the BLK modes. In these modes there is no digital audio signal at the digital outputs. Only a master clock is sent."
b) neither of these two devices support WC (word clock)
These two devices cost €966 + €1350 = €2316.
In the review above the preamps has been described as neutral sounding, so without "mojo" / "colorization".
Then IMHO you can also use RME Mic pres which are also very good and RME is also known for their transparent / non-colorizing sound.
So for this price you can also have the following nice working setups with TotalMix FX and other cool features:
- UFX+ (USB3/2 + TB) (€2198)
- UFX II (USB) (€1879)
- UCX (USB2+Fw400) with ADI-2 DAC FS (€1099+€966 = €2065)
- UC (USB2) with ADI-2 DAC FS (€845+€966 = €1811)
- RayDAT (PCIe) with ADI-2 DAC FS (€585+€966 = €1551)
Definitively with more useful features than only the combination of that preamp and the ADI-2 DAC FS.
Ideal combination: UFX II and ADI-2 DAC/Pro FS.
Integration of ADI-2 into your setup, see here: https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … our-Setup/
Also consider .. for recording you always want a possibility for near-zero latency monitoring.
For this you need a recording interface with TotalMix FX.
Otherwise you will always have the higher latency through USB which also depends heavily on the ASIO buffer size that you need to use depending on various factors (project size, quality/performance of PC in terms of how good it is designed and how well the components and drivers interact with the HW).
Don't forget: the ADI-2 DAC/Pro have been designed mainly as converter / phones preamp, not as recording interface with near zero latency monitoring and extensive routing capabilities.
Therefore my recommendation to get a RME recording interface with TotalMix FX 1st as a basement..
Thanks for your reply! I actually got the Mini-Me preamp for closer to €100, so if the review correctly implies that it can't transmit sound and clock at the same time, I should be able to recoup my loss.
Thank you so much for your suggestions, I'm going to look more into them.
You're welcome 
For a comparison of RME FW, USB, TB recording interfaces please look here in my blog:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … B-MADIfac/
And there the direct link to the Excel comparison sheet in DE/EN:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/index.ph … 0-08-xlsx/
For what it's worth and for the record, this post makes the same point as the review but doesn't seem to make an issue of it. Could it perhaps be that the difference is simply that one of the modes is just a clock, while the other is both audio and a clock?
For what it's worth and for the record, this post makes the same point as the review but doesn't seem to make an issue of it. Could it perhaps be that the difference is simply that one of the modes is just a clock, while the other is both audio and a clock?
Then check with the support of the vendor or download and read the manual.
My other comment is still valid to look for a recording interface as a basement for recording.
My other comment is still valid to look for a recording interface as a basement for recording.
Certainly true. For a somewhat cheaper budget it's perhaps better for me to get a Babyface Pro. I may be able to get a used non-Fs one cheaply!
Thanks for your reply! I actually got the Mini-Me preamp for closer to €100, so if the review correctly implies that it can't transmit sound and clock at the same time, I should be able to recoup my loss.
Thank you so much for your suggestions, I'm going to look more into them.
With SPDIF, coax or optical, clock is ALWAYS part of the audio stream.
So connecting the mic pre to ADI-2 DAC would work.
For occasional recording this setup would be OK.
Else I’d go with a TotalMix compatible interface, like Ramses proposed.
ADI-2 DAC is a great DAC/Preamp/Headphone amp, but it’s not meant to be a Studio Interface.
Sorry for disagree to Ramses. Kai is right.
Connect the SPDIF Out of the Mini-Me to the ADI-2 and there you go. No need for any setting, the Adi-2 is automatic recognize syc and lock to it.
But for sure the better setup would be a Babyface any.
Thanks for new information KaiS and waedi! I had a bit of a discussion over at AVS before making a thread here, and someone seem to claim that the DAC doesn't really support SPDIF -> USB at all?
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/foru … ost-658044
To be honest, the DAC/preamp/headphone part of it is most important to me, but being able to record/stream/do Skype calls with a decent microphone would cover pretty much all my bases.
Sorry for disagree to Ramses. Kai is right.
Connect the SPDIF Out of the Mini-Me to the ADI-2 and there you go. No need for any setting, the Adi-2 is automatic recognize syc and lock to it.
But for sure the better setup would be a Babyface any.
No problem waedi. I recommended to check with the vendor anyway.. I only cited the review and I think we all know that the quality of internet reviews is not always the best and Amazona is no exception.
Thanks for new information KaiS and waedi! I had a bit of a discussion over at AVS before making a thread here, and someone seem to claim that the DAC doesn't really support SPDIF -> USB at all?
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/foru … ost-658044
To be honest, the DAC/preamp/headphone part of it is most important to me, but being able to record/stream/do Skype calls with a decent microphone would cover pretty much all my bases.
When looking to the block diagram, then it should be possible to record from SPDIF.
https://www.rme-audio.de/download/adi2dac_e.pdf
https://www.rme-audio.de/download/adi2dacr_e.pdf
Please remember that PC headsets need a different (lower) power that only sound cards deliver.
If you want to operate a PC headset on a normal Mic input of a recording interface with phantom power,
then you need something like this: https://www.thomann.de/de/rode_vxlr_416774.htm
According to a friend on another forum this worked nicely for him. Please check, I never tried something like this.
I only cited the review and I think we all know that the quality of internet reviews is not always the best and Amazona is no exception.
That’s why I avoid plain citing and stay with my own knowledge as much as possible, or gain additional information if necessary.
ramses wrote:I only cited the review and I think we all know that the quality of internet reviews is not always the best and Amazona is no exception.
That’s why I avoid plain citing and stay with my own knowledge as much as possible, or gain additional information if necessary.
Basically, I don't do anything differently. But somewhere you have to rely on sources, you can't own everything yourself and you can't try everything yourself.
It also seemed strange to me, and that's exactly why I recommended that he clarify this again with the manufacturer.
But basically it's also nice when you support and complement each other here.
Ultimately, nothing goes wrong in the thread and I'm happy about the good cooperation and for the questioner it is certainly interesting to participate from the opinion and experience spectrum of all participants here in the forum.
I certainly value all your contributions, and I'm just happy to find people engaged and interested in working it out 
Seems like I'm pretty much in the clear then for my use case! If anyone wants to try it out for themselves and tell me if it's passable, or better yet make a YouTube video or something to show how, I'd be very interested to hear it I haven't bought an ADI-2 DAC yet, so I'll have to wait and see whether I eventually pull the trigger on it!
RME User Forum → ADI-2 & 2/4 Pro series, ADI-2 DAC series → Recording/streaming with ADI-2 DAC
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