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RME User Forum → ADI-2 & 2/4 Pro series, ADI-2 DAC series → ADI-2 Pro EX!
I'm glad to see this line of hardware continuing! I was vaguely worried I'll admit.
Is there anything else new about this unit that hasn't been mentioned?
Do we still need to unplug the USB connection when switching between stereo and multichannel?
I'll have to get my hands on one at some point 
Dustin
Based on what I see on the product page, there is nothing that would make me prefer this over the old and trusty ADI-2 Pro FS R (in fact, its deeper chassis is a disadvantage in my perspective: while the ADI-2/4 Pro SE more complex hardware and routing options would justify that, I don't see any point in having a bigger footprint here). In short, if you still can get the ADI-2 Pro FS R from an older stock, it would look like a better deal, since the new model is going to cost more.
We hoped the new generation would bring better DSP capabilities (like more PEQ bands with wider adjustment range), but it seems not to be the case. Otherwise I glad the product retains the overall philosophy of the existing lineup and its familiar design language and features, being a purely incremental update in the spirit of previous iterations (ADI-2 Pro → ADI-2 Pro FS → ADI-2 Pro FS R), so I'm happy that the lineup is not actually discontinued as it had been feared.
Based on what I see on the product page, there is nothing that would make me prefer this over the old and trusty ADI-2 Pro FS R (in fact, its deeper chassis is a disadvantage in my perspective: while the ADI-2/4 Pro SE more complex hardware and routing options would justify that, I don't see any point in having a bigger footprint here). In short, if you still can get the ADI-2 Pro FS R from an older stock, it would look like a better deal, since the new model is going to cost more.
We hoped the new generation would bring better DSP capabilities (like more PEQ bands with wider adjustment range), but it seems not to be the case. Otherwise I glad the product retains the overall philosophy of the existing lineup and its familiar design language and features, being a purely incremental update in the spirit of previous iterations (ADI-2 Pro → ADI-2 Pro FS → ADI-2 Pro FS R), so I'm happy that the lineup is not actually discontinued as it had been feared.
I'm on one of the very first ADI-2 Pro units (non-FS), so for me the upgrade is quite substantial
I hope this model returns to using the AKM4499 or an even higher-end chip
Also happy the line up continues!! Great news for everyone who was waiting.
Won't upgrade myself and agree to the comment by unplugged above. I prefer the smaller form factor of my ADI-2-DAC FS, don't need any further improvements of technical specs, instead would have wished for some more DSP options like Room EQ (+ the option to control the volume through macOS volume keys).
I hope this model returns to using the AKM4499 or an even higher-end chip
It has never used the AK4499 chip and hopefully never will.
Good news!! Hopefully the other 2 models will soon follow.
Will these still be made in Germany? Didn't see that detail in the renders.
bassfatcat wrote:I hope this model returns to using the AKM4499 or an even higher-end chip
It has never used the AK4499 chip and hopefully never will.
The older models used the 4490 to 4493 chips before switching over to the ESS series. As for the new models, they aren't expected to use AKM chips. Ironically, most of the early supporters of this series were drawn to it precisely because of AKM
unpluggged wrote:bassfatcat wrote:I hope this model returns to using the AKM4499 or an even higher-end chip
It has never used the AK4499 chip and hopefully never will.
The older models used the 4490 to 4493 chips before switching over to the ESS series. As for the new models, they aren't expected to use AKM chips. Ironically, most of the early supporters of this series were drawn to it precisely because of AKM
The AK4499EX is a totally different, esoteric DAC chip that brings no real advantage over cheaper AK4490/AK4493 options. And don't forget that it requires the AK4191 as external modulator. And you need two sets of them for the ADI-2 Pro. So it would make the final product much more expensive without any real gains.
Also we should remember that the recording chain almost always has much worse characteristics in the first place. On top of that, I don't even use the DAC of my ADI-2 Pro most of the time: I connect it digitally to the KH 750 DSP that Neumann does not even disclose the exact model of the DAC chip it has. And it sounds amazing! And when I use headphones or even IEMs, I don't feel any audible difference to my Qudelix 5K, for instance, either. PEQ and room correction make the real difference, not DAC chips.
bassfatcat wrote:unpluggged wrote:It has never used the AK4499 chip and hopefully never will.
The older models used the 4490 to 4493 chips before switching over to the ESS series. As for the new models, they aren't expected to use AKM chips. Ironically, most of the early supporters of this series were drawn to it precisely because of AKM
The AK4499EX is a totally different, esoteric DAC chip that brings no real advantage over cheaper AK4490/AK4493 options. And don't forget that it requires the AK4191 as external modulator. And you need two sets of them for the ADI-2 Pro. So it would make the final product much more expensive without any real gains.
Also we should remember that the recording chain almost always has much worse characteristics in the first place. On top of that, I don't even use the DAC of my ADI-2 Pro most of the time: I connect it digitally to the KH 750 DSP that Neumann does not even disclose the exact model of the DAC chip it has. And it sounds amazing! And when I use headphones or even IEMs, I don't feel any audible difference to my Qudelix 5K, for instance, either. PEQ and room correction make the real difference, not DAC chips.
Most people have untrained ears and think all chips sound the same. That’s a pretty normal response... not surprising at all
If the specs published by Thomann https://www.thomann.de/de/rme_adi_2_pro … p;affid=84 are right it has the AK 4493 chip.
Most people have untrained ears and think all chips sound the same. That’s a pretty normal response... not surprising at all
"Trained ears" couldn't tell differences too.
Most people have untrained ears and think all chips sound the same. That’s a pretty normal response... not surprising at all
And those with trained brains know that all DAC chips produce no sound on their own, they produce electric signals.
If the specs published by Thomann https://www.thomann.de/de/rme_adi_2_pro … p;affid=84 are right it has the AK 4493 chip.
Could be just a placeholder text. But AK4493SEQ (the current version) is more than feasible with about 1-2 dB better DR and THD+N performance compared to the original AK4493EQ.
If the specs published by Thomann https://www.thomann.de/de/rme_adi_2_pro … p;affid=84 are right it has the AK 4493 chip.
Different specs are in this writeup, including reference to specific ESS chips: https://www.musicnetwork.ch/en/latest-n … -ex-series
Update: The information about the chips used for the ADI-2 Pro EX at that "press-release style" announcement page seems to conflict with the information on RME's product page. That page says the EX line will use ESS chips. However, RME's product page for ADI-2 Pro EX states "The new ADI-2 Pro EX is equipped with the AK5574 analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and the AK4493 digital-to-analog converter (DAC)."
Does "Flexible Source Selection: ADAT channels 3 and 4 can now be selected directly as the headphone output source." relate to my feature request here https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=42710 ?
This would be awesome! But then the question would be if other variants of the ADI lineup can get this feature with a future firmware update (again I guess it it possible because everything is FPGA based).
I did not see a phono stage mentioned anywhere. Was it dismissed?
I did not see a phono stage mentioned anywhere. Was it dismissed?
It’s always been a special feature of ADI-2/4 Pro SE.
THX, so no need to upgrade for me. Money saved.
THX, so no need to upgrade for me. Money saved.
Sure? ;-)
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 80#p252380
Damn it! Too bad! 
I am happy, I am old and my hearing is what it is. Even old ADI-2 (non Pro) is more than sufficient.
A bit OT but when i bought my ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition it was advertised to have the AKM chips, so that's false?
A bit OT but when i bought my ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition it was advertised to have the AKM chips, so that's false?
Why do you suspect that? The ADI-2 Pro FS R has always had two AK4493EQ DACs inside, alongside the AK5574 ADC.
I have a fireface iii, and upgraded to planars, some people mention that the adi has a much better headphone preamp for planar headphones then the fireface, and I see this and I was sort of wondering what real difference might I get adding this onto my fireface for the better preamp for headphones for one, and two as the main dac to my monitors,and is the input convertors really that much better on the adi line, thinning of getting some high end preamps to patch my synths into like the neve 1073 I could run this in and track all my keyboards into it, or would this be overkill, also curious if this has a better clock, why not a wordclock to connect everthing to the other gear or is this mostly just for standalone use like mastering, itb reference ect
I have a fireface iii,
Do you mean the UFX III? Fireface is a "product line", the name of the device is "UFX III".
and upgraded to planars
Which planar headphones? They differ not only in impedance but also in sensitivity/efficiency of the driver (dB/mW).
Some can even be driven by a smartphone, like, if I remember right, the Audeze LCD-X.
some people mention that the adi has a much better headphone preamp for planar headphones then the fireface,
The general statement “Planar headphones need an ADI-2 Pro” is incorrect. Only some Planar headphones require a high-performance amplifier. Which one depends on the specific model; impedance alone is not a sufficient criterion.
It also depends on the efficiency of the headphone drivers (dB/mW).
For most planar headphones, the output level of the UFX III's (and other) RME recording interfaces should be sufficient,
see technical specs in the UFX III manual, ch. 39.1
- Maximum output level at 0 dBFS, High: +19 dBu
- Maximum output level at 0 dBFS, Low: +2 dBV
- Max power per channel @ 32 Ohm load, 0.02% THD: 200 mW (2.5 Vrms, +10 dBu)
- Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ High: 116.5 dB (AES17), 118.5 dBA
- Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ Low: 115 dB (AES17), 117 dBA
- Output impedance: 2 Ohm
The Reference converters deliver even more "pleasant" technical values and more features. Also unique features, that a recording interface and other headphone preamps do not have.
To mention a few (I might have forgotten some): 4-5 (model dependent) reference levels, auto ref level, dynamic loudness, extreme power headphone outputs, balanced phone output, PEQ, choice of different AD and DA filters, digital DC protection, ramp-up of volume when plugging phones or switching between phones and monitors, etc.
These were a few example regarding headphone preamp. But there are even more useful features.
See the manuals of ADI-2 Pro FS R BE and ADI-2/4 Pro SE which contain a nice overview at the beginning
https://rme-audio.de/downloads/adi2profsr_e.pdf
https://rme-audio.de/downloads/adi24pro_e.pdf
and also my blog article
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/Ent … ses-EN-DE/
and I see this and I was sort of wondering what real difference might I get adding this onto my fireface for the better preamp for headphones for one, and two as the main dac to my monitors,
You get a high quality product. According to ADI-2/4 Pro SE manual, chapter 1 "Introduction".
- A high-end AD/DA converter in professional studio quality
- A double headphone amplifier in true high-end quality
- A USB DAC like no other - the most versatile and capable one around
- A high-end AD/DA frontend and headphone amp for iPad and iPhone
- An AD/DA frontend for measurement systems at up to 768 kHz sample rate
- A multi-format converter (AES, SPDIF, ADAT) with monitoring
- An SPDIF/ADAT playback system
- A DSD record and playback solution
- A vinyl player digitizing solution on highest level
The inputs and outputs provide 4 (with the ADI-2/4 Pro* 5) reference level and input / output levels up to +24 dBu.
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/Ent … our-Setup/
and is the input convertors really that much better on the adi line,
They follow the same philosophy of RME to provide a transparent, high-quality conversion without adding any "mojo" or "house sound".
thinning of getting some high end preamps to patch my synths into like the neve 1073 I could run this in and track all my keyboards into it, or would this be overkill,
Neve is known for a "neve sound". I never had those. You would have to compare side by side whether you like/need this.
If you have a UFX III, you already have a high-quality device that will fully satisfy your needs.
If you want Neve Sound, get Neve.
If you want the additional unique features of the ADI-2 Reference converters, get one of them additionally.
also curious if this has a better clock,
UFX III and the old ADI-2 Reference converter have FS (Femto Second) clock.
They both use SteadyClock FS technology, which is explained in RME videos.
See my blog Article
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/Ent … ses-EN-DE/
Direct link to the YouTube video explaining the technology:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti0aHW-zYcs
The new series of RME reference converters puts this on the next level with SteadyClock EX.
Plus more useful features; see this article for a first overview:
https://www.musicnetwork.ch/en/latest-n … -ex-series
Regarding SteadyClock EX: Each unit is factory-calibrated for extreme sample rate accuracy of ±1 ppm. The highlight: The internal clock can be fine-tuned in small steps (0.1 ppm) by ±50 ppm using the menu. This feature allows for perfect synchronization with other devices, even without external synchronization ("Sync without Sync").
why not a wordclock to connect everthing to the other gear or is this mostly just for standalone use like mastering, itb reference ect
Wordclock has no better quality compared to clocking according to the clock information via digital link (AES, ADAT, SPDIF, MADI). In every scenario, the reference converter is connected with a digital link, which can send, besides audio information, also the clock. So why not use this for clocking?! In other scenarios, it can run, e.g., as a clock master connected via USB or work standalone.
Nobody really likes the additional WC cabling. I am avoiding it in my entire setup because it is not needed and does not deliver any advantage. In some scenarios, it is useful to be able to clock sync all devices, or if you want to prevent that the connected preamp has to become the clock master. Usually it's beneficial that the recording interface is clock master; then the application can set the sample rate, and the slaves can follow the master.
To be able to automatically follow any sample rates of the clock master also has other preconditions, see also my blog article: https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ent … ios-en-de/
It is not a recording interface with TotalMix FX, which needs to support more connectivity scenarios when, e.g., connecting preamps without a digital input. So there is not real demand to give this unit WC connectors.
My setup with two RME reference converters
In my setup, the studio and HiFi corner are kind of "melting together". The PC is not only for DAW work; it's also the music player for my setup. My HiFi I can also use well as "Monitor B", as they have a high quality.
BTW, if you have a Windows PC, then MusicBee (with ASIO driver support) is an excellent choice for a high-quality and very flexible player offering very useful features.
I am using two ADI-2 Pro FS R BE in my setup:
- one for the recording corner
- one for the HiFi corner to act as 2nd pair of monitors, music playback
and to perform all D/A conversions tasks in the HiFi corner (audio from PC, TV, BluRay Player).
This is my current setup:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ent … tup-en-de/
Here is an overview of the setup; you see there the two ADI-2 Pro FS R BE reference converters.
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/file-download/2091/
To sum up
The integration of RME reference converters make much sense, as they are delivering high-quality and outstanding features.
It's not a must; the UFX III is an excellent choice.
But, if you can afford it, I would add the reference converters for all of their additional, useful features.
This is how you can integrate the reference converter: https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/Ent … our-Setup/
I’m looking forward to the new generation of Reference Converter devices; they bring further RME-specific improvements.
If you need the "Neve sound", it is a matter of taste and personal demands/expectations.
Great to see the new ADI-2 Pro EX finally released. Is an updated version of the ADI-2 Remote planned as well?
Any chance we see a version with 4.4mm output?
I had an SE but it failed and I got the cable to match now it's not there.
Any chance we see a version with 4.4mm output?
I had an SE but it failed and I got the cable to match now it's not there.
You can get an adapter, like this one:
RME User Forum → ADI-2 & 2/4 Pro series, ADI-2 DAC series → ADI-2 Pro EX!
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