excellent; I'm replacing a high-end surround preamp for one of these units :-)
the power amps are the venerable NAD 208-THXs;
unbalanced RCAs and balanced XLRs: R=20 KOhms & C=700 pF
input sensitivity: for 1 Watt out = 100 mV & for rated power = 1.6 V

hmmm ... the idea of firmware updates done by authorized resellers worries me a little bit; although I'm getting my unit from the US I'm living in Argentina and the local reseller is anything a reseller should not be: fully un-professional; they seem not to give a damn about customers; they event answers emails and the knowledge of RME products is very vague and the idea of sending the unit back to the US only to get a firmware update is out-of-the-question; well, of course nor that I need one right now, just thinking ahead ...

There is none in South America, you'd have to send it to the US. But I totally agree that a firmware update for the Premium Line devices are made for adding features, not repairing features. No need to worry.

As for the NAD inputs - I'm sure you'll have a wonderful experience combining the 8QS with your 208s :-). You should get a cable like Alva BO25MXLR8M6, D-Sub to 8 XLR male - or use balanced 1/4"-TRS-male---XLR-male cables for each channel.

Jeff: thanks for the shipping data; it really helped !

Max:

I do really know that a firmware update will be to add some new features than to fix existing ones; but I asked just in case ...

I do love the NAD 208-THX; it's quite a good amp; built like a tank with plenty of reserve and can drive almost any speaker you can through at, no matter the impedance.

I've been looking for a product like the 8-QS for almost some time; the idea to replace the pre-amp with some high-end converter is nothing new to me; to be quite frankly these days a high-end preamp doesn't make sense anymore (nor do sources) because we all do have (or will have anytime soon for others) our entire media collections on disk arrays so I think one should spend on the best DA converter he can afford and nothing else ... assuming of course power and speakers are already in place; Yamaha NS-10Ms in my case.

By the way if you want to know why I went for this product (for example instead of the Rosetta 800):

1. because being an engineer I do like when I see real-engineering done and not stupid-turnarounds with fancy names (AudioPhile 2496 turning off the outputs to achive the ?fantastic engineering achievment? of complete silence or DigiDesign claiming for so many years what incredible technology they were doing (costing many many grands of course) to end up buying M-Audio with all that this mean and the like just to name a few)

2. because I've been following RME for quite some years and you gained a reputation for things done and working the right way, not for marketing and trumpeting and then checking how it can be done

3. I choose MADI because when one fiber I'm able to place the computers far away; in the basement, and all I need is the 8QS near me giving me a multi-channel surround-sound setup that far exceeds many high-end audio setups I been checking lately, Krell and the like, in most cases thousands and thousands of dollars for fancy names and nothing more.

4. because the included REMOTE with the VOLUME knob !!! It's all I use on a preamp anyway. With the store/recall setting I'm able to set the max level that don't harm the monitors; remember the 208 is a 250Watt beast and obviously I can not depend on software controlled volume; it's too dangerous. I've seen horror stories !

All in all HDSPe MADI rocks and the 8QS rocks even more !

Thanks for the fast responses !

I really do appreciate that !

viele danke !

I just unpacked my brand-new ADI-8-QS a few hours ago so I'm very happy right now !

Managing to get the I64 option board proved more difficult than I initially expected; furthermore, an engineer from SweetWater Sound @ IN told me that the boards intended to be used on the MicStasy don't work on the QS due to some minor differences, and of course they don't have the QS ones in stock; I thought they were identical ones, am I right or what's going on here ? Is it possible that one of these I64 boards won't work on my QS ?

Without the I64 to connect to my already working HDSP MADI right away I have to find a turnaround to start investigating my QS till the new board arrives. I'm refusing to let this beast resting till I get the MADI board !

So I found an already discarded AudioPhile 2496 with RCA S/PDIFs OUTs and ... huh ... discovered there's no easy way to connect a reference 8-channel AD/DA to a stereo source !

I know this is an 8-channel device and not a stereo one but it comes from a company which have FLEXIBILITY written all over the product line and this fact surprised me a lot. Even the user guide doesn't state anything about the TOS-Link connectors operating in S/PDIF mode instead of ADAT. Is it possible ? I have a coaxial to optical gadget.

Two options left: using my BOB32 or making a custom DB25 to RCA breakout cable. The BOB32 is 8-channel IN + 8 OUT with 2 DB25s and the DB25 on the QS is 4+4 so I guess I need a DB25 Y-cable (1+2). And now this is starting to be upsetting. Having a high-end reference AD/DA converter unable to play stereo content right away doesn't seem right to me.

Is the DB25 to RCA breakout cable the only option I have ?

Please, advice.

PS: To Schubertriad: Man, of course we can ! I'll post my first impressions when I'll manage to get it working.

Matthias; I do really like your first-class respones !

The only reason I didn't order the QS with the I64 installed was because ... after a week of searching the web nobody got one in stock throught the whole US !!! Even more; I got many many mail replies stating they were unaware of the QS !

"Even the user guide doesn't state anything about the TOS-Link connectors operating in S/PDIF mode instead of ADAT. Is it possible ?"
"No."

... well man, now you have a reason to update the firmware ! this could be usefull to many people; or so I think

Regarding the BOB32; I'm re cheking the manuals: in the QS one it says AES/EBU DB25 with 4 INs + 4 OUTs in one connector right ? in the BOB one says one DB25 with 8 INs + another with 8 OUTs; if this is right and I hook the one of the BOB32 directly to the one in my QS I would end up with 4 INs + 4 OUTs in one half section of the BOB (all male or all female XLRs; but not 4 females + 4 males) right ?

message deleted.
Sorry for the BIG mistake I did. I had in mind such box that was designed for the HDSP 9632, or perhaps another product.
I will have a care look onto the BOB32 as I may have some interest as well.