Re: ADI 2 DAC FS as pre amp

Happy_amateur wrote:

Not exactly at -18 db no, but I have done a similar setup yes. You should absolutely listen to KaiS advice. What he is refering to is where Auto reference level will work at optimal in the mentioned setup. He knows all this to his finger tips.

My advice would be to try every way to set this. You learn the ins and outs, and you will find what suits you best. You shouldnt be in a hurry to put this in a fixed setup.

Personally I prefer to go with a locked volume + a suitable reference level for speakers. Set to 3.76v I think for XLR out, example in the manual. For headphones I use Auto reference level, constantly. In practical I dont do much level change with speakers. I often use dim or mute if I need to put my ears elsewhere. With locked volume the unit will become a source like a CD player, and you have a constant output with top SNR. I have PRO so i ran an optical cable to my amp, but Im not impressed by the inbuilt Hegel dac(one of the reasons I got an external dac in the first place)just an experiment.

Not so much discussion here these days, but I would encourage you to make the manual your bedtime reading. This forum thread, you should start at page one and just skim through it all. Use the search function. There are so many brilliant minds here and every question has probably been answered already, twice atleast. ASR is usefull too. Im just a novice like you. I understand math, but don really have the patience or precision for it. So for those who are deep into the numbers here there is probably a 100% correct way to do this, and you should listen to them, but you shouldn be afraid to fool around with it no. Just start at low levels.

I have this setup now, but im looking to buy a poweramp or powered monitors. For that I will use Auto reference level and a fixed attenuator attached to cables to put it in sweetspot for max SNR. I like Cambridge products, I think they are one of the good guys, but I consider a Parasound a23. The new ADI 2/4 is also around the corner, and sadly I dont have a money printing press.

Right now im just hanging around for the ADI-2/4 PRO se manual to release.

Agree, not only read but study the RME manual. Also they have some useful YouTube videos with good screen visuals you can follow for basic settings. 
Your investment of some time with these items will increase your music  listening enjoyment and help you understand the powerful technology in the device.
Ent

WY

CD Transport>optical>RME ADI-2 DAC FS(AKM)>XLR balanced >GLM software>Genelec Monitors 8340A

Re: ADI 2 DAC FS as pre amp

hi KaiS can you please tell me if are using an external power supply 12V and if the answer is yes which one you have installed.
thanks
Nikolaos

KaiS wrote:
Happy_amateur wrote:

... I think maybe apple devices is just so much better at this, popular with the pro audio crowd. So developers prefer it too. ...
If I where to go forward with this myself I woud get a home measurment mic/software package and take it from there.
....

A used iPhone goes for a few bucks.

Re: ADI 2 DAC FS as pre amp

ntsaf1 wrote:

hi KaiS can you please tell me if are using an external power supply 12V and if the answer is yes which one you have installed.
thanks
Nikolaos

KaiS wrote:
Happy_amateur wrote:

... I think maybe apple devices is just so much better at this, popular with the pro audio crowd. So developers prefer it too. ...
If I where to go forward with this myself I woud get a home measurment mic/software package and take it from there.
....

A used iPhone goes for a few bucks.

I’m using the RME supplied standard 12 V / 2 A PSU.
I don’t see a reason to use a different one, at least not in my setup.

Re: ADI 2 DAC FS as pre amp

ok, thanks

KaiS wrote:
ntsaf1 wrote:

hi KaiS can you please tell me if are using an external power supply 12V and if the answer is yes which one you have installed.
thanks
Nikolaos

KaiS wrote:

A used iPhone goes for a few bucks.

I’m using the RME supplied standard 12 V / 2 A PSU.
I don’t see a reason to use a different one, at least not in my setup.

Re: ADI 2 DAC FS as pre amp

I sold the CXA 81 and instead I am using the power amp Krell fpb 300cx

ntsaf1 wrote:

ok, thanks

KaiS wrote:
ntsaf1 wrote:

hi KaiS can you please tell me if are using an external power supply 12V and if the answer is yes which one you have installed.
thanks
Nikolaos

I’m using the RME supplied standard 12 V / 2 A PSU.
I don’t see a reason to use a different one, at least not in my setup.

56 (edited by KaiS 2022-09-25 13:58:25)

Re: ADI 2 DAC FS as pre amp

ntsaf1 wrote:

I sold the CXA 81 and instead I am using the power amp Krell fpb 300cx

• Use balanced XLR cables.

• Switch ON ADI-2's "Auto Reference Level (1).
Now ADI-2 automatically adapts the reference level for best fit to your loudness demands, while maximizing it's DAC's dynamic range.

• Be a bit careful with your volume settings, like you would with an analog preamp.
The Krell is quite powerful.


SIDEMARK:
(1)
The volume figures display changes from dB to dBr when Auto Reference Level is “ON”.
The dBr relates to the highest Reference Level then.

With “Auto Reference Level “OFF” the dB-figures (without r) relate to the manually choosen reference level.

Re: ADI 2 DAC FS as pre amp

Thanks KaiS

KaiS wrote:
ntsaf1 wrote:

I sold the CXA 81 and instead I am using the power amp Krell fpb 300cx

• Use balanced XLR cables.

• Switch ON ADI-2's "Auto Reference Level (1).
Now ADI-2 automatically adapts the reference level for best fit to your loudness demands, while maximizing it's DAC's dynamic range.

• Be a bit careful with your volume settings, like you would with an analog preamp.
The Krell is quite powerful.


SIDEMARK:
(1)
The volume figures display changes from dB to dBr when Auto Reference Level is “ON”.
The dBr relates to the highest Reference Level then.

With “Auto Reference Level “OFF” the dB-figures (without r) relate to the manually choosen reference level.

Re: ADI 2 DAC FS as pre amp

Hi Kais can you tell me if you have chosen the option of polarity on RME. Is this option audible ?
thanks



ntsaf1 wrote:

Thanks KaiS

KaiS wrote:
ntsaf1 wrote:

I sold the CXA 81 and instead I am using the power amp Krell fpb 300cx

• Use balanced XLR cables.

• Switch ON ADI-2's "Auto Reference Level (1).
Now ADI-2 automatically adapts the reference level for best fit to your loudness demands, while maximizing it's DAC's dynamic range.

• Be a bit careful with your volume settings, like you would with an analog preamp.
The Krell is quite powerful.


SIDEMARK:
(1)
The volume figures display changes from dB to dBr when Auto Reference Level is “ON”.
The dBr relates to the highest Reference Level then.

With “Auto Reference Level “OFF” the dB-figures (without r) relate to the manually choosen reference level.

Re: ADI 2 DAC FS as pre amp

ntsaf1 wrote:
ntsaf1 wrote:
KaiS wrote:

• Use balanced XLR cables.

• Switch ON ADI-2's "Auto Reference Level (1).
Now ADI-2 automatically adapts the reference level for best fit to your loudness demands, while maximizing it's DAC's dynamic range.

• Be a bit careful with your volume settings, like you would with an analog preamp.
The Krell is quite powerful.


SIDEMARK:
(1)
The volume figures display changes from dB to dBr when Auto Reference Level is “ON”.
The dBr relates to the highest Reference Level then.

With “Auto Reference Level “OFF” the dB-figures (without r) relate to the manually choosen reference level.

Thanks KaiS

Hi Kais can you tell me if you have chosen the option of polarity on RME. Is this option audible ?
thanks

I’ve written something about that,

here:
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 39#p184839
Polarity:

With certain headphones connected and about 70% of the tracks I am playing, I can hear a difference.
With the tracks where I can hear a difference, again about 70% normal polarity (Phase Invert = OFF) sounds better to me.
When using STAX headphones the opposite (Phase Invert = BOTH) is true, which perfectly makes sense as those have reversed polarity themselves.
The difference is subtle, by no means night and day and not always easy to detect.
The preference for a positive (normal) polarity makes sense, as in the studio we try to maintain exactly that - first pulse of a bassdrum e.g. is pressure increase, = positive.
Other instruments are aligned to that, or mostly left in their natural polarity.
Seems, opposed to what is “common audio knowledge”, the ear can detect absolute polarity.



And here:

https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 49#p154849
... Polarity:

Depending on the headphone it can make a big difference in the bass reproduction.
I know, it shouldn't make any difference at all, as humans are said not to be able to hear the absolute phase.
In fact, as it's so easy to try, I found that it makes a significant difference.
As recording engineer I know that we are usually doing the same kind of polarity settings for certain instruments.
Most common e.g, the bass drum's first pulse goes positive with most used microphone techniques.