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Topic: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

As already mentioned in this forum the current state for developers and manufacturers is a mixture of hopeless and catastrophy. We face and fight with Corona, a global chip crisis, a never seen before component allocation (translation – unexpectedly cancelled shipments), AKM’s missing chips due to their manufacturing plant burning down, and some more. This all blocks a big amount of time and resources. Consequently the planned firmware updates for Pro and DAC with many improvements and new features are much delayed.

A few days ago we released firmware 249 for the Pro series (and 35 for the DAC series), which bring a completely overhauled SteadyClock. Today we release version 250 (FPGA) and 102 (DSP) for the ADI-2 Pro series, and 35 (DSP) for the ADI-2 DAC. Once working on the firmware we couldn’t hold back and added at least a few, easy to change points from our long list of upcoming stuff.

But let me start with the topic SteadyClock again. If one measures its jitter attenuation over frequency the attenuation will be high at higher jitter frequencies (1 kHz and up), and  lower at frequencies below 200 Hz. The reason is that one needs to follow the incoming clock, and if that one varies slowly or a bit quicker (intentional detuning, varipitch) you don't want to loose sync. But that would happen when the PLL filter – which also defines the jitter attenuation - does not let through such slow changes.

In version 249 (and 35 for the DAC) we finished what we had begun in version 238 (and 34). In those versions the jitter attenuation was 4 x times higher than before, but the PLL a bit unstable in the low frequency area. This is now resolved by adding a special, multiple filter stage of up to 65k samples (1k before, which indeed means 64 times higher filtering), and dynamically switched reaction times on frequency changes. As a result the new SteadyClock acts exactly like before, locks and syncs very quickly, and is able to follow varipitch sample rate changes with no or minimal sync loss. Testing this in detail you won’t find a difference to before. Which is good, as SteadyClock was absolutely unique and simply perfect in this regard.

Now on top of that jitter attenuation has a corner frequency of around 1 Hz, instead of 200 Hz before. That means more than 50 dB jitter reduction also at 50 Hz and similar real-world jitter frequencies (power lines, magnetic fields etc.). Absolutely top-notch for any kind of incoming clock signal. This improvement is added to all Pro models, even the non-FS ones, and all DAC models. Illustrating measurements will be released later.

Furthermore the firmware updates add these features/changes:

Sample Rate Converter (SRC) improvements (all Pro models)
The ISP (Intersample Peak) headroom for the SRC has been reduced from 6 dB to 3 dB. This improves low level accuracy and SNR, and improves low level THD. 6 dB was not necessary (plus  the Pro FS R BE already has 2.5 dB digital headroom).

So far this SRC ISP headroom was available for the analog outputs by turning down the output volume below 0 dB (level meters would clearly show Overs, so dialing volume back in such a case is intuitive and logical. ADI-2 Pro FS R BE and ADI-2 DAC V2 have 2.5 dB additional DAC headroom, so are mostly not affected even at a 0 dB volume setting).

But what about the digital paths, USB Record of the SPDIF/AES input signal and the SPDIF/AES pass-through in Basic Mode Dig Thru? Here the SRC signal clips at the maximum digital signal level, so the additional headroom during SRC conversion is lost again. The new option SRC Gain dig in SETUP / SPDIF / Remap Keys maintains the SRC ISP headroom also for these digital paths (SPDIF/AES In – SRC – USB Record and SPDIF/AES In – SRC – SPDIF/AES Out). Setting this option to -3 dB both digital paths will show -3 dBFS for a full scale sine. And undistorted 0 dBFS if one plays a +3 dBFS test tone through the SRC.

Level meter improvements (ADI-2 Pro FS R BE and ADI-2 DAC V2)
The level meter of  Analog Out 1/2 XLR and TRS rear, as well as the IEM out of the ADI-2 DAC V2, now shows OVR at output levels higher than +2.5 dBFS (before at 0 dBFS). This equals the real overload situation, as these outputs have a digital headroom of +2.5 dB (as mentioned in the manual VOLUME can be upped to +2.5 dB without clipping).
The level meter of Phones Out 1/2 and 3/4 now show OVR at output levels higher than +1 dBFS (before at 0 dBFS). This equals the real overload situation, as these are limited by the analog hardware stages to such a headroom.

Setup Load improvement (all ADI-2 DAC)
Loading a setup does not affect the current sample rate anymore. This feature made sense in the Pro, but not in the DAC, and has therefore been removed.

That’s it. We hope the next big firmware update won’t take too long anymore.


Firmware downloads

Win:
https://www.rme-audio.de/downloads/fut_madiface_win.zip

Mac:
https://www.rme-audio.de/downloads/fut_madiface_mac.zip

Windows: If you need to install the driver for the flash process and uninstall it again:
https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopi … 81#p135881

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

WOW! Incredible impressive! What a product support. Thank you Matthias and the RME team. Stay safe!

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Flashed successfully.
Many thanks for the work and further improvements :-)

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

bejoro wrote:

WOW! Incredible impressive! What a product support. Thank you Matthias and the RME team. Stay safe!

Well said, and great work by RME team.

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Great work. This is why I only buy RME if I want quality and support.
And this probably has been said many times, but I greatly appreciate the manual that comes with the ADI,
haven't seen such a great and detailed manual since like the 80/90ies when I bought an IBM computer.

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Thank you from another very happy user of your products. This only validates what all of us already know about RME, and it truly separates RME from majority of vendors out there (and not just in music industry). I hope people don't take this the wrong way, but to me this is what German engineering has always been known for and it's great to see that it is still possible today to see this type of excellence and dedication to product and users (sadly in the world where this has become very rare).

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

ADI-2 Dac FS updated and running without any problem, another happy customer here. Eager to see your new jitter measurements. Great work, keep it going, thank you.

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Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

ADI-2 Pro series: A user kindly informed us that the AES input to USB Record no longer works after power on - until you change the SRC source and back, or change the SRC Gain and back. Update is on its way.

Edit: new versions are up. Changed thread title to include the new V102.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

I've flashed my ADI-2 DAC FS with the new 35/35 firmware and the menu on the unit shows SW version 34 (12/2019) - is that correct?

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Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Did you turn the unit off and on again? If so you have an older FUT. Please download the latest one again.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

MC wrote:

Did you turn the unit off and on again? If so you have an older FUT. Please download the latest one again.

I've downloaded the FUT again and it has worked this time - great.

The FUT I downloaded a few days ago must have been different even though it claimed to update to version 35/35.

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Wow, impressive changes. I'll definitely stick with RME and continue recommending it to friends and clients.

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

This is sort-of 'medical grade' customer support. RME's enthusiasm and professionalism is outstanding even in these rough times, Thank You!

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

RME:  There is NO other.

Thank You MC, and Team for adding Value to my RME via your tireless ongoing development efforts!   

Curt

Vintage 2018 ADI-2 DAC. "Classic AKM4490 Edition"
Cables:  Red, and White Ones.
Speakers:  Yes

15 (edited by weme 2021-03-31 14:57:16)

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

MC wrote:

... Illustrating (jitter) measurements will be released later.

If there should ever be free time for jitter measurements, it would be great if there were also a comparison of the firmware versions 27/nn vs 35/nn. For extreme measurements (currently still with HDSP9632, in future with ADI-2 PRO) up into the noise spectrum, I still use the 27/34 firmware and not 35/34. When listening to audio, there are of course no differences.

Update 31.03.:
"For extreme measurements ... I still use the 27/34 firmware and not 35/34" is only a problem of my old HDSP9632 and no longer up to date:
Analogue signals now go first to the ADI-2 (old) and then via SPDIF to the HDSP9632.

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

@weme, please see here for a measurement of direct loopback vs. synced via TOSLINK with the new firmware:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/foru … ost-727138

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Thanks @KSTR

In older manuals there is still a sampling jitter measurement (standard 11.025 kHz). The jitter "ADI-2 PRO vs ADI-2 PRO FS" is shown. The measurement was done with the software HpW. E.g. in the manual "07/2019. Version 2.4" - Firmware: FPGA 193, DSP 94.

Perhaps you could still carry out this measurement and then present it with the same scaling in the ASR forum. If I still have questions, I will contact you in the ASR forum.

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Dankeschön!

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Some little bug has crept in in the new firmware, at least for me (35/35) ADI 2DAC . Today I noticed that the level gauges on the display show "OVR" too often. The DAC chose a sampling frequency of 96kHz despite the fact that the signal from the Macbook USB was 48kHz. Turning off and then on again fixed the problem. The first time I noticed this today is because I don't follow the metrics on a daily basis. So far, the situation has not happened again.

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Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Doesn't look like a bug to me. If the ADI said 96 then it ran at 96 - guaranteed. That means Core Audio upsampled your playback.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

21 (edited by jlm70 2021-04-12 23:17:00)

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

You're great. Forever RME ;-)
And I like the comment above... about the manual and service on par with an IBM computer of the nineties... Well deserved!
Serious, competent and passionate company.
Keep on this great service!

PS: I'd be curious to know what manual/bible pages you've changed between v.2.2 and v.2.5 for my ADI-2 DAC FS...

22 (edited by Curt962 2021-04-13 02:16:20)

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Jim,

Re: The "Holy Manual"...

I've found it helpful to keep a copy downloaded to my Smart Device.  This way, every time there's a Firmware Revision, I can just discard the Old , and download the most up-to-the-minute Version.   RME is quite exceptional with their complete documentation.   On Par with Aerospace, and Medical Electronics who do NOTHING without supporting Paper.   

Best Part??  It's FREE!

Keep yourself Up to date, and Enjoy!

Curt

Vintage 2018 ADI-2 DAC. "Classic AKM4490 Edition"
Cables:  Red, and White Ones.
Speakers:  Yes

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

MC wrote:

A few days ago we released firmware 249 for the Pro series (and 35 for the DAC series), which bring a completely overhauled SteadyClock. Today we release version 250 (FPGA) and 102 (DSP) for the ADI-2 Pro series, and 35 (DSP) for the ADI-2 DAC.



So, a few days ago (prior to 3/25), there was a 'version 35' for ADI-2 DAC FS and now (released on 3/25) there is a different 'version 35 (DSP)' for the same product?

Or is it still called version 35? If the version released on 3/25 was an update for the ADI-2 DAC FS, how does one know by looking at the RME that it is updated (my device screen indicates it is version 35).

Great product - am a big fan!

Dankeschön!

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Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Please read completely. There is a FPGA and a DSP version - always. The DSP version is given in the display, the FPGA version can only be checked via the Flash Update Tool.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

I upgraded to this firmware but the dac has now lost most of the setup menu options, I have clock and presets only. Any ideas?

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Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Flash it again, and check which version it says in the FUT app.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Crystal,

I don't want to seemingly minimize your difficulty,, but.   

As one of the User Forum's LEAST computer savvy members,  I've found  RME's FW updates to be one of the Simpler Joys of Ownership.   Click. Poof.Reboot. Done. 

Re-Flash as MC suggests.

I hope all is OK thereafter.

Curt

Vintage 2018 ADI-2 DAC. "Classic AKM4490 Edition"
Cables:  Red, and White Ones.
Speakers:  Yes

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Hi all.
Last update for me is very interesting.
Sound on LOW MID is shadowed. HIGHT not sparky. And BASS dont go to the deep end.
But on the over hand I hear a very complex and tedious stereo image in the upper middle.  And the pressure and openness in the sound disappeared.
Mirracle;)
ADI2 Pro 1st edition.

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

integra wrote:

Hi all.
Last update for me is very interesting.
Sound on LOW MID is shadowed. HIGHT not sparky. And BASS dont go to the deep end.

Did you previously have Loudness or Bass/Treble enabled, and the update has disabled it?

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

update successful!  Please keep them coming!

31 (edited by khronik 2021-05-27 14:36:21)

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

I'm considering the standalone ADI-2 FS vs the ADI-2 DAC FS / Pro FS to sync from a HDSPe RayDat and was wondering if the issue "jitter performance when locked to an external source" that was corrected with a firmware update for the DAC FS /PRO FS mentioned in this thread would imply the standalone ADI-2 FS is subject to this issue?

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Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

It's not as it did not have a need for correction.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Hi.  I would like to thank RME for the firmware update 35/35.  Purchasing the ADI-2 DAC FS 2 was a good choice.

I think my DAC sounds amazing.  Can you explain (in layman's terms) what exactly was done to the FPGA firmware?  I don't remember seeing any release notes. 

I am interested to learn how this update improved my listening experience.  Maybe the jitter fix will put an end to my Roon playback that loses sync frequently?

Sorry for the "noob-ness" of my query.

34 (edited by ramses 2021-06-09 11:35:09)

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

salgiambruno wrote:

Hi.  I would like to thank RME for the firmware update 35/35.  Purchasing the ADI-2 DAC FS 2 was a good choice.

I think my DAC sounds amazing.  Can you explain (in layman's terms) what exactly was done to the FPGA firmware?  I don't remember seeing any release notes. 

I am interested to learn how this update improved my listening experience.  Maybe the jitter fix will put an end to my Roon playback that loses sync frequently?

Sorry for the "noob-ness" of my query.

> I don't remember seeing any release notes.

This information is actually in the opening post of this thread, which is exactly about this firmware update.
Otherwise there is always a README file in the ZIP archive of the firmware, which lists all changes.

The sound of a product results mainly from the DAC chip, a clean board design/layout, routing of the signal lines and a clean power supply. As I see it, everything has always been top at RME and I can't remember any change that should have really changed anything in the area of sound besides bugfixes and newer functionalities. Maybe better measurement values. But better sound? Rather no, that was always excellent.

Enjoy your ADI-2 DAC wink

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Hi! Thanks for the updates. When I flashed the firmware using the latest fut from the download section the DAC DSP updated to version 39 and USB revision 60. In the readme file it says thet the DSP is v.35. Why is there a discrepancy between the readme file and fut?
Thanks in advance!

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

bracko wrote:

Hi! Thanks for the updates. When I flashed the firmware using the latest fut from the download section the DAC DSP updated to version 39 and USB revision 60. In the readme file it says thet the DSP is v.35. Why is there a discrepancy between the readme file and fut?
Thanks in advance!

they just didn't announce it since for the non ESS DAC users the update is not needed.
see https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 52#p172952 and following two posts.

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

ning wrote:
bracko wrote:

Hi! Thanks for the updates. When I flashed the firmware using the latest fut from the download section the DAC DSP updated to version 39 and USB revision 60. In the readme file it says thet the DSP is v.35. Why is there a discrepancy between the readme file and fut?
Thanks in advance!

they just didn't announce it since for the non ESS DAC users the update is not needed.
see https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 52#p172952 and following two posts.

Thanks! Is there a way to roll back to v.35 USB 27?

38 (edited by Fabrizio 2021-07-08 12:29:23)

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

Hello everybody,
I have an ADI-2 PRO FS and I did the update ... now I have a problem: using Vinyl Studio when I go to check level I hear only a loud rustle on the right and left channels. In the headphones on ph3 / 4 I hear the music input but on the pc nothing, only rustle even disconnecting everything from the ADI-2 Pro both in and out cables and leaving only the USB cable.
Before the upgrade everything worked.
I tried to remove and reinstall the drivers but nothing changes.
Playback seems to work flawlessly, just using it to record there's that problem.
Thanks for any help you can give me.

I did other tests, the problem is solved if I put the acquisition in PCM but it appears again in DSD

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

to bracko and Fabrizio, you guys can always revert back to the previous version:
see MC's reply here
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 24#p173024

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

ning wrote:

to bracko and Fabrizio, you guys can always revert back to the previous version:
see MC's reply here
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 24#p173024

Thank you!

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

.Hi,
it's the same I already installed: ADI-2 Pro series: FPGA 250, DSP 102

A way to solve,,, a setup configuration?
Thanks

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Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

This is about DSD format - something has changed, and it wasn't the firmware of the ADI. Check your settings in VinylStudio - I expect the issue to be found there in some wrong setting.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

MC wrote:

This is about DSD format - something has changed, and it wasn't the firmware of the ADI. Check your settings in VinylStudio - I expect the issue to be found there in some wrong setting.

It worked just before updating the ADI firmware, in fact I recorded a DSF file, immediately after, without changing any settings, it didn't work, Now in DSD only a loud buzz.
I also tried asking the VinylStudio manufacturer.
We'll see if a solution is found .... I hope

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Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

I just used VinylStudio to record a 1 kHz sine as DSF file at 176.4 kHz. Zero problem. I use the current firmware 254/102.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

MC wrote:

I just used VinylStudio to record a 1 kHz sine as DSF file at 176.4 kHz. Zero problem. I use the current firmware 254/102.

but in vinylstudio how was it configured: PCM or DSD?
If I set PCM it works perfectly but not in DSD

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Re: Firmware Updates ADI-2 Pro 250 / 102 and DAC 35 / 35

For this to work I had activated DSD mode for the ADC. A PCM recording of the DSD stream would only have noise, not a sine.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME