Topic: ADI-2 DAC Firmware updates

I have had one of these for about a year as the main converter in my domestic hifi set up. I have been very pleased with it as it does everything it should without any trouble. I occasionally play about with the settings but in all honesty it hardly gets touched. I haven't updated the firmware at all and I suppose I should. The question is to get from where it is to the latest version do I have to do each upgrade in turn or will the latest upgrade contain all the previous ones?
Regards
Martin

2 (edited by KaiS 2022-09-17 17:52:46)

Re: ADI-2 DAC Firmware updates

Martin86 wrote:

... I have been very pleased with it as it does everything it should without any trouble.

... I haven't updated the firmware at all and I suppose I should. ...

Those two statements interfere with each other.

Remember the golden rule:
Don‘t fix it if it’s not broken.


In fact I can’t say anything bad about the current firmware.
It even contains all changes of earlier ones.

So if you still suffer from updateritis, go for it.


One thing:
If you don’t have the RME ADI-2 driver installed on your music PC, absolutely leave it like this, DON’T change it’s configuration!
If you don’t know, just run the firmware update tool.
If it can’t find ADI-2 the driver’s not present.

Use some other PC that usually never will see ADI-2, install the driver and do the update there.


Remark:
For firmware updates, and for use with Pro Audio ASIO compatible recording software the dedicated RME ADI-2 driver needs to be present.

For normal Hifi use this driver can mix things up.
Specially automatic sample rate switching works one way or the other, but not both.

Re: ADI-2 DAC Firmware updates

I'll be honest Kais, I don't know whether this was a go for it or not, so I did on the basis that I could always do a factory reset if necessary. As it is it tells me it has updated the firmware and who am I not to believe it. It all still works and at first try I can hear absolutely no difference. I don't understand what you mean about automatic sample rate switching, could you explain that bit further.
Thanks
Martin

4 (edited by KaiS 2022-09-17 20:47:20)

Re: ADI-2 DAC Firmware updates

There are various ways to deal with the different sample rates of the files you typically play.
Your player soft, your PC system, or ADI-2 can handle it.

It’s a wide field, very system and software dependent, and if everything works nicely just don’t care about it.


My primary warning was about a trap some fall in when faced with the wish to update firmware, but it seems you didn’t have this problem.

Re: ADI-2 DAC Firmware updates

KaiS
OK, I am getting digital signals from an Innuos Zen via USB or a Cambridge CXnV2 via SPDIF , both I think at 48kHz. Personally I don't think anything higher makes any difference, Nyquist and all that, but even if it does my hearing, normal for my age, rolls off quite nicely after 8Khz so top end signals are becoming a memory. Thanks for explaining things, I'm not certain why anyone should have any difficulty with firmware updates, the printed manual and on-line info are plain enough, even if the actual process doesn't quite follow the printed manual.
Best wishes
Martin

6 (edited by KaiS 2022-09-18 17:16:51)

Re: ADI-2 DAC Firmware updates

If you ask why the warning to not change a flawlessly working system, read cross this thread:

https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=31210

This does not mean it’s happening with everybody’s system, the thread of course collects those that have problems.

Re: ADI-2 DAC Firmware updates

Interesting, it appears to apply to Windows users who are also using the computer as an audio source, I am not so I don't suppose I'll have an issue, I certainly haven't detected any signs thus far. I do fail to understand, apart from this specific matter, why you are warning people off updates. Are you saying that for domestic hifi use the updates are unimportant and make no difference, or what may I ask?
Martin

8 (edited by Muffin 2022-09-21 20:44:39)

Re: ADI-2 DAC Firmware updates

Martin86 wrote:

Interesting, it appears to apply to Windows users who are also using the computer as an audio source, I am not so I don't suppose I'll have an issue, I certainly haven't detected any signs thus far. I do fail to understand, apart from this specific matter, why you are warning people off updates. Are you saying that for domestic hifi use the updates are unimportant and make no difference, or what may I ask?
Martin

Like with all firmware or driver updates from any manufacturer they can cause problems, even though only for very few users. If you use this device for professional reasons (making income based upon) then the usual recommendation is to be conservative in your updates, unless you deem the updates very important for various reasons or have a backup of some kind (say, another PC and/or device). So, if an update fails you still need to have some way to fulfil your professional obligations or taking on new projects.

I use my ADI-2 mostly for home hi-fi but sometimes work related (video calls), but I do update drivers and features from RME as they contain bugfixes and new features as RME are very good at this. Similar for my Fireface UCX II.

However, in these times it might be hard to get a replacement device if you need it.

My take on what KaiS meant.

Edit: Meant KaiS and not Ramses.

9 (edited by KaiS 2022-09-19 23:08:26)

Re: ADI-2 DAC Firmware updates

This might have come through wrong.

My warning is not so much against firmware updates (RME isn’t perfect in avoiding bugs, but close), but against installing extra drivers on a perfectly working Windows system only for that task.

This is why I suggest to use a different, non-audio related PC just for the updates.


Personally I’m running 113 on my ‘Pro, so quite up to date.
The 115 fixes don’t affect my use-case, so I don’t bother!

Re: ADI-2 DAC Firmware updates

Thanks Kais, I understand your view. I ran the updates on my PC which is not used for any audio purposes. The DAC is working fine, if I could get the rest of the network to behave it would be good.
Thanks for your help.
Martin