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Thread: Any experience of the RME ADI-2 DAC ?

  1. #21
    Join Date: May 2018

    Location: Woking

    Posts: 803
    I'm Chris.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Filterlab View Post

    Forums are bizarre.
    Can't disagree with you there!

    The RME does have an incredible array of features especially for the price, and it looks cool as f***. I very much doubt anyone would be less than thrilled with the sound (from what others report as I haven't actually heard one). The room correction/parametric EQ features are not something found in many (any?) other DAC's either. It's got a lot of strings to its bow. Like I said before though, my personal goal was max sound quality for the budget (around £500) and the Soncoz hit a home run there.
    System 1: - Amp - Musical Paradise MP-701 mk2 - Neurochrome 686
    - Source: Audio Technica LP-5 - Custom 6V6 stage - Novafidelity X30 - Soekris 1421 (LPSU) - Custom TDA1541 C3G DAC -
    - Speakers: Martin Logan Prodigy's - Subs: - REL T3's -

    System 2 - Amp: Musical Paradise MP 303/Custom 300B SET - Custom 6SL7 Pre -
    - Source: Pioneer N-30K - SONCOZ SGD1 -
    - Speakers: Loth X BS1's - Sub: REL T3 -

  2. #22
    Join Date: Nov 2020

    Location: Leics

    Posts: 207
    I'm David.

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    Hi Rob, to be fair I made that point myself. It 's the way my mind works that if there's a price difference surely it must be justified somehow, particularly when we're looking at one product being twice the price of the other. Anyway,old ground, China v Germany etc.
    Mark Levinson 390 CD / Croft 25RS Special Preamp / Croft 7R mono Amps / Neat Ultimatum XLS Speakers

  3. #23
    Join Date: Nov 2020

    Location: Leics

    Posts: 207
    I'm David.

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    With thanks for all the input, I've just ordered the Audiolab 6000CDT and Soncoz SDG1 DAC.
    Apparently the DAC's in the middle of an unnamed ocean, hopefully in watertight wrapping, so not sure when it'll be with me.
    I'll be sure to post the result of swapping out the Oppo.

    Excited........
    Mark Levinson 390 CD / Croft 25RS Special Preamp / Croft 7R mono Amps / Neat Ultimatum XLS Speakers

  4. #24
    Join Date: May 2018

    Location: Woking

    Posts: 803
    I'm Chris.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stranraer View Post
    With thanks for all the input, I've just ordered the Audiolab 6000CDT and Soncoz SDG1 DAC.
    Apparently the DAC's in the middle of an unnamed ocean, hopefully in watertight wrapping, so not sure when it'll be with me.
    I'll be sure to post the result of swapping out the Oppo.

    Excited........
    Nice, I've had my Soncoz a few weeks now and I'm really enjoying it. One of those bits of kit which stops you looking at other kit (at least for a while . . . ).

    Hard to imagine digital decoding being done much better, although I'm sure it can be. BUT, not for anywhere near my price range.
    System 1: - Amp - Musical Paradise MP-701 mk2 - Neurochrome 686
    - Source: Audio Technica LP-5 - Custom 6V6 stage - Novafidelity X30 - Soekris 1421 (LPSU) - Custom TDA1541 C3G DAC -
    - Speakers: Martin Logan Prodigy's - Subs: - REL T3's -

    System 2 - Amp: Musical Paradise MP 303/Custom 300B SET - Custom 6SL7 Pre -
    - Source: Pioneer N-30K - SONCOZ SGD1 -
    - Speakers: Loth X BS1's - Sub: REL T3 -

  5. #25
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Sheffield/Peak District. UK

    Posts: 574
    I'm Richard.

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    My RME DAC arrived this morning. Initial impressions: The case looks little DIY on the top; I like the front panel. Wow! What a host of features!

    It's taken me a few hours of fiddling with the (somewhat non-intuitive) buttons and knobs to get to where I wanted. I've yet to adjust the individual settings for the headphones. The manual is a translation from the German and isn't the easiest manual I've ever read.

    However, it's SQ that matters eh? So far I'm impressed. I won't go into 'audiophile sophistry' but it seem to have better clarity and instrument spacing. I'm comparing this to an excellent Beresford SEG + Dorado 1 (soon to be sold I hope). The SEG has the advantage of an extra optical input. However, it's bettered (to my ears and expectation bias) by the RME. Is the RME worth 4x the price. NO (in the sense that there's not a 4x subjective improvement).

    Buying the RME also means I can sell my Schiit pre-amp and a headphone amp. So the difference in price (cf the SEG & RME) isn't as great as it first seems.

    So, if you need a great DAC, preamp and headphone amp all in one (with a plethora of adjustments (inc -'loudness' (don't laugh)) then I can recommend the RME.

    Edit: I should have mentioned that the biggest jump -to my ears- in SQ was the jump to using my MacBookPro to the DAC using USB, (this was both for the SEG and RME) rather than Airplay/Squeezebox Touch etc.

  6. #26
    Join Date: Nov 2020

    Location: Leics

    Posts: 207
    I'm David.

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    Good to hear your itch has been scratched, for now at least.
    By coincidence my Audiolab CDT arrived today. Unfortunately Captain Pugwash is still riding the high seas with me Soncoz.
    Mark Levinson 390 CD / Croft 25RS Special Preamp / Croft 7R mono Amps / Neat Ultimatum XLS Speakers

  7. #27
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Sheffield/Peak District. UK

    Posts: 574
    I'm Richard.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stranraer View Post
    Good to hear your itch has been scratched, for now at least.
    By coincidence my Audiolab CDT arrived today. Unfortunately Captain Pugwash is still riding the high seas with me Soncoz.
    The itchy bit has healed. I can't see myself buying another DAC. After a certain point (?) all relatively high-end DACs sound the same - and you're just paying extra for the 'extras'.
    My Gear:
    Source component/s:
    Cambridge CXC Cd player; Inspire Apollo deck + Roksan Nima arm + Ortofon 2M Black; Denon TU-580RD tuner; Logitech Squeezebox Touch. Rpi with Volumio. RME DAC.

    Amplification: WD KEL84+ valve amp; Rega Brio, Quad 306 (DADA modded, - in reserve)). Trichord Dino2 & Dino+ PS;

    Wiim mini, Wiim Pro, Wiim ProPlus streamers

    Loudspeakers:
    Living Voice Auditorium IBX-R2.
    Q Acoustics 2010 in the 'study'.

    Cables/stands: Chords; Van Dammes 4mm

    Any other hi-fi bits:
    Apple MacMini Pro; Senn HD598, 467,
    Linear PSs for Rpi and DAC. Pure mains conditioning.

  8. #28
    Join Date: Nov 2020

    Location: Leics

    Posts: 207
    I'm David.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bonky View Post
    The itchy bit has healed. I can't see myself buying another DAC. After a certain point (?) all relatively high-end DACs sound the same - and you're just paying extra for the 'extras'.
    Agreed. I had a wobble over the RME but knew deep down that I wouldn't have the patience to experiment with sound correction and with that out of the equation I'm thinking the Soncoz should be up to the job required.
    And to think this only started because I wanted to remotely control volume levels, which my Croft pre doesn't do.
    Now I'm thinking about it I wonder if the Dac element of the Soncoz will control the volume or am I running the Soncoz as a preamp into the Croft preamp.
    Starting to sound complicated.........
    Mark Levinson 390 CD / Croft 25RS Special Preamp / Croft 7R mono Amps / Neat Ultimatum XLS Speakers

  9. #29
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,779
    I'm Martin.

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    Just try both see which you prefer.

    I found it varied depending on the power amp.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  10. #30
    Join Date: Nov 2020

    Location: Leics

    Posts: 207
    I'm David.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Macca View Post
    Just try both see which you prefer.

    I found it varied depending on the power amp.
    If the Soncoz is a better sound than the Croft as a preamp replacement I'm gonna cry.
    Mark Levinson 390 CD / Croft 25RS Special Preamp / Croft 7R mono Amps / Neat Ultimatum XLS Speakers

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