Topic: Questions about the ADI 2 Pro

Hi all, newbie on forums here, but not a new RME user.

Currently I have a UCX II and am thinking of adding the ADI 2 Pro into the mix.

So as of now my set up consists of:

1 x analog input (DJ mixer into UCX)
2 x digital input (coaxial from TV and optical from Bluesound Node)
2 x analog output (Into one pair of Genelec speakers, and another into a pair of Pioneer DJ speakers - planning to change to Neumann KH150s for spdif)
1 x USB (Connected to macbook)


I'm considering buying the ADI 2 Pro mainly for the headphone amp, but I do have a few questions.

Since I'm using a UCX II at the moment, I use Total mix to change between all the different profiles I have (for desk usage, for DJ, for Netflix/playstation)

If I add the ADI 2 into the mix, I plan to connect it digitally.

-Bluesound Node (optical) into UXC II, and UCX II (optical) into ADI 2 Pro. From there the ADI 2 will output into 1 x analog speakers and 1 x digital AES (genelecs). Total Mix will also be utilized.

-TV I will change from Coaxial into Optical and connect it to Bluesound Node.

Basically I plan to use the UCX II for only input and the ADI 2 Pro as purely output unit.

My main concern is whether the Pro can output one set of AES signal and another analog (with possibility of spdif output in future) to two separate sets of speakers independently. And whether the volume control can control the volume on 2 pairs of speakers as well as controlling the volume to two different sets of headphones all independently from each other.

Before telling me to read manual, I've spent a week reading it and am actually even more confused about it mainly towards how to set it up how I have planned.

Any help would really be appreciated!

Thanks

2 (edited by KaiS 2023-03-22 08:42:51)

Re: Questions about the ADI 2 Pro

georgemcfly wrote:

...whether the Pro can output one set of AES signal and another analog (with possibility of spdif output in future) to two separate sets of speakers independently. And whether the volume control can control the volume on 2 pairs of speakers as well as controlling the volume to two different sets of headphones all independently from each other.

ADI-2 Pro can do this, but not all individually at the same time.

ADI-2 Pro has 2 fully independent DSP / DAC signal paths, 1/2 and 3/4.

1/2 can serve:
• Analog Line Out.
• Digital AES, Coax and Optical Out.
• Front PH 1/2 Headphones Out.

3/4 is serving Front PH 3/4 Headphones Out.


There are options to switch front/back just by plugging headphones, but:
Most comfortably, using “Setups”, you can activate the outputs you need for the very moment, leaving all plugged.

“Setups” can be recalled by a button push.
You can even cycle through a number of setups with a single button.

Re: Questions about the ADI 2 Pro

So if I'm understanding, only output 1/2 can be assigned to either rear XLR/TRS outputs, digi outputs and headphones, but not all at same time.

Output 3/4 is only for the front headphone 3/4 and cannot be changed to anything else?

4 (edited by KaiS 2023-03-22 10:27:19)

Re: Questions about the ADI 2 Pro

georgemcfly wrote:

So if I'm understanding, only output 1/2 can be assigned to either rear XLR/TRS outputs, digi outputs and headphones, but not all at same time.

Output 3/4 is only for the front headphone 3/4 and cannot be changed to anything else?

Exactly.
If this fits depends on how many destinations you want to feed at the same time.
For a single person this typically is just one.

ADI-2/4 Pro SE expands on this, as Rear TRSs can be assigned to Output 3/4.

Re: Questions about the ADI 2 Pro

Another question, which I forgot in my original post.

For those who have speakers connected to the ADI 2 Pro or Adi 2/4 via digital, do they ever go on standby?

I had speakers connected digitally to my UCX II, but they never went on standby as long as my UCX was on. It doesn't seem to have a standby function either. If I turned it off they would eventually go on standby. I did not like doing that often so that's why everything is connected via analog even if it has a digital option.

This will be one of the deciding factors on whether I'll purchase an ADI 2 Pro or 2/4.

6 (edited by KaiS 2023-03-22 11:44:46)

Re: Questions about the ADI 2 Pro

georgemcfly wrote:

For those who have speakers connected to the ADI 2 Pro or Adi 2/4 via digital, do they ever go on standby?

I had speakers connected digitally to my UCX II, but they never went on standby as long as my UCX was on. It doesn't seem to have a standby function either. If I turned it off they would eventually go on standby. I did not like doing that often so that's why everything is connected via analog even if it has a digital option.

This will be one of the deciding factors on whether I'll purchase an ADI 2 Pro or 2/4.

• There’s an Auto-Standby function in ADI-2 with options from 30 min to 4 h inactivity / no audio signal.

• I’ve connected an ADI-2 Pro to an ADI-2/4 Pro SE and Auto Standby worked this way too, so there ‘s nothing on ADI-2’s side to stop it.

• In my studio I use groups of centralized mains power switching, so do save max. energy without caring about automatics.

Re: Questions about the ADI 2 Pro

That alone would not be a criterion for me for the device selection in the DAC area.

Why don't you just get a power strip where you can switch all devices on and off together?

I would also tend to connect active monitors as analog as possible.
Loudspeakers are changed less frequently.
With DAC devices, there is more movement because there are always new generations of converters or interesting new features in devices (see, for example, ADI-2/4 Pro SE).

With monitors there is also no such fine gradation as e.g. with the ADI-2 DAC/Pro with 4 different reference levels.
The new ADI-2/4 Pro SE offers even 5 (to keep SNR/DR over a wider volume range at optimal values).

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14

Re: Questions about the ADI 2 Pro

ramses wrote:

I would also tend to connect active monitors as analog as possible.
Loudspeakers are changed less frequently.
With DAC devices, there is more movement because there are always new generations of converters or interesting new features in devices (see, for example, ADI-2/4 Pro SE).

With monitors there is also no such fine gradation as e.g. with the ADI-2 DAC/Pro with 4 different reference levels.
The new ADI-2/4 Pro SE offers even 5 (to keep SNR/DR over a wider volume range at optimal values).


The thing is almost all modern monitors all have DSP built in. Genelecs, neumann, dynaudio etc. Even if you input an analog signal, it will be converted to digital at some point.

I'm asking about the standby function because both my speaker setups are utilized quite often throughout each day. I don't like turning them off for only 8 hours or less each day so I rely on standby, which both have but currently I can only experience it via analog connection due to what I stated in my previous post.

I'd just like to know of the auto standby function of the 2 Pro or 2/4 affects the digital connection too or whether it's only available on analog connection.

9 (edited by KaiS 2023-03-22 14:54:13)

Re: Questions about the ADI 2 Pro

georgemcfly wrote:

...I'd just like to know of the auto standby function of the 2 Pro or 2/4 affects the digital connection too or whether it's only available on analog connection.

The Auto Standby Function switches off ADI-2 completely, including the digital outs.
It does not send any specific “Go to Standby”-Signal to the outside, as such signals do not exist in AES /SPDIF.

So finally it’s your monitors that have to decide e.g. if a “No Audio present ”-condition over a period of time triggers their standby.
Usually it should.

Re: Questions about the ADI 2 Pro

georgemcfly wrote:

...
For those who have speakers connected to the ADI 2 Pro or Adi 2/4 via digital, do they ever go on standby?
...

My chain is foobar 2000 >>> ASIO MADIface USB >>> ADI-2 Pro FS >>> Coaxial Cable >>> Dynaudio Focus 600 XD: the speakers go to standby mode.

Ralf
(ADI-2 Pro FS with ThinkPad Yoga L13, Dynaudio Focus 600 XD or Focal Clear — and a lot of Jazz)

Re: Questions about the ADI 2 Pro

Is there any way to utilize Totalmix FX with an Adi 2 pro or 2/4 connected?

I think I read or saw somewhere that you need to have both ADAT in and ADAT out connected to do so?

12 (edited by KaiS 2023-03-24 10:35:02)

Re: Questions about the ADI 2 Pro

georgemcfly wrote:

Is there any way to utilize Totalmix FX with an Adi 2 pro or 2/4 connected?

I think I read or saw somewhere that you need to have both ADAT in and ADAT out connected to do so?

You need an audio interface supporting TotalMixFX for that:

• RME Babyface is the least expensive with “FX”.
• Digiface USB supports TotalMix without “FX”.

Both are limited to stereo I/O with ADI-2 Pro.

Re: Questions about the ADI 2 Pro

Reviving this thread from a month ago. I have an additional question.

Can the Adi 2 pro save different profiles for different scenarios?

For example:

Profile 1: spdif output to speaker set 1

profile 2: AES output to speaker set 2

14 (edited by KaiS 2023-04-27 15:15:25)

Re: Questions about the ADI 2 Pro

You can store and use a “Setup” for each configuration.
Read manual page 29 (DAC), 30 (Pro) or 29 (2/4 Pro SE).

Loading certain “Setups” can be assigned to a button push on the device or remote.
Read manual page 26 (DAC), 28 (Pro) or 30 (2/4 Pro SE).

Watch out:
The  “Remap key” configuration is part of each individual “Setup” and needs to be set for each individual “Setup”.
This can be used to toggle through 2 or more Setups with one single button.

Works like this:
As the button assignment isn’t global, but part of each “Setup”, you can even have different assignments to the same button in each Setup - a nice feature that we can use for the following:
Choose ONE single button that you usually don’t need.
In Setup 1 assign: “load Setup 2”
In Setup 2 assign: “load Setup 1”
Now this single button toggles between both Setups.

This method can be extended to load even more Setups if needed, like:
In Setup 1 assign: “load Setup 2”
In Setup 2 assign: “load Setup 3”
In Setup 3 assign: “load Setup 4”
In Setup 4 assign: “load Setup 1”
Now the single button circles through Setup 1-4, clever, isn’t it?!

As for loading Setups ADI-2 asks for confirmation, a double-push is needed to execute the load.
Holding the button more than 1s, the button‘s original function is available.
Therefore I typically assign the SETUP button to load Setups – sic!

Re: Questions about the ADI 2 Pro

Brilliant...

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

16

Re: Questions about the ADI 2 Pro

We need to add this to Tips&Tricks, or even the manual...

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME