ADI-2 DAC FS now ships with ESS Chips
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 19 авг 2021
- We are living in times of a global chip crisis with extreme never before encountered production and distribution challenges.
Apart from that, at the end of 2020 a fire destroyed AKM's production facilities for AD and DA converter chips. A resumption of production and thus availability of these components is not expected before 2022. Therefore, many manufacturers - like RME - are forced to either discontinue products based on AKM chips, or to use other chips for the foreseeable future.
The updated ADI-2 DAC uses ESS's ES9028Q2M in a special circuit variant developed by RME engineers that allows the chip to perform at its best. There are no significant changes in operation, features and behavior compared to the predecessor, which is why neither appearance nor name have changed. All differences are explained in the detailed manual of the ADI-2 DAC.
---------------------------------------------
Make sure you subscribe to our channel:
ruclips.net/user/RMEAudio?...
Follow RME Audio on Facebook:
rme.to/facebook
Follow RME Audio on Twitter:
rme.to/twnews 
Видеоклипы
Big complements on sharing the how and what of the need for this chip change, This is far from common practice amongst manufacturers!
We always try to be transparent, especially when it comes to emotional topics such as sound quality and signal path design.
@@RMEAudio Thank you for doing that, and i hope you will never change in this regard because it means a lot to us.
@@RMEAudio ❤️
Other companies would just have switched chip without saying anything about it. Good job RME!
Thank you :)
Bravo RME!
I wish all companies were as transparent as you are. Comprehensive and detailed explanations. Could not have been better. Thank you.
Thank you :)
This is exactly why i bought my Adi2Pro - lucky to have still the AKM in it...RME is a insanely good company. best is the manual....
@@metastaticmince2386 I had a look at the Pro but was not sure about how to "convert" xlr4 to double 6,3mm. How do you use it? Adapter?
Exactly.
I already been using a loooot of hours doing researching for my first AD/DA converter. I ended up between and Antelope and a RME, thanks to this video I took a decision, will be an RME. Not just for the amazing reputation regarding sound, but this video shows the transparent company that you are, that's represent me, and I want to be part of this. Congrats RME, you made it!.
Thank you for being so open about the change and giving a decent explanation why the actual converter chip matters less than many people think.
Many other manufacturers would have changed the chip without even mentioning it.
We try to be as open as possible. :)
@@RMEAudio ❤️
wow, I've been looking for a great DAC for mastering work in headphones and after deliberating between topping, SMSL and a few other I stumbled upon this DAC and after watching a short video then reading the PDF manual I'm sold but what makes me even more sure is the sheer transparency and honesty when it comes to RME, the insane warranty protection on all the products and the honourable nature of the company and their business practices, I can really see why RME has and will continue to be a staple in the pro audio world.
I bought mine in March of this year. Easily the best upgrade I EVER did to my system. No matter what chip is in my unit... Because of this, I can enjoy listening to music like never before. God bless you people for the pleasure you provide to us audiophiles.
Thank you Bill! :)
I can't believe how transparent you are. This is true dedication to your customers. Thank you
We always want to be as transparent to our community as possible.
Good to see transparency from an audio company. Rare and appreciated,
The audio quality that comes from this product is as transparent as the company itself :)
Congratulations RME for this video! This is the ultimate proof of a reputable manufacturer. Saying truth with technical data. Well done guys!!!
Thx ! It's how a company build trust !
RME as a company is as transparent as their superb products! Thanks so much for this comprehensive video on the chip change!
Thank you for the video. Useful explanation to pass on to clients
Hey Mike, glad you like it!
I appreciate the entirety of this video. Proud to own RME.
:)
Although I am perfectly happy with my original AD1-2 DAC and do not envision changing any time soon for my PC/home office set-up, I commend you for being transparent on the chip situation and explaining the (small) differences.
The American made ESS chip is actually better than its AKM counterpart! Bravo. RME is amazing.
I don't think so
@@Notinpotatoquality the top dacs often use ess chips
if they were, I think RME would have gone with ESS right away (unless it wasn't in production yet)
@@JohnSmith-sh1sy AKM, all else being the same, is a bit less expensive
I just bought a unit and noticed that it does not have "DSD direct" as a bad surprise. The included brochure mentioned "not in ESS units" and a few clicks away I found this video. I already have a good dac, but it is an older one and it does not have any DSD. I was never interested in DSD to PCA conversion as I could do it using the software. Since I had RME products in the past, when I "randomly" came across ADI-2 DAC FS, it seemed a no-brainer to me. But, now that I know I am missing "DSD direct" I am no longer sure. While mentioning this, the video does not elaborate enough. I really liked the idea of four hardware volume settings in combination with DSD direct - sounded like a killer to me. This is the key element I was looking forward to try. Perhaps I will return and wait until this feature is back in 2022. The last comment on PCM files tested with this DAC. While a good headphone amp is a plus indicating a well-designed output stage, I mostly listen via line-out directly going into a tube amp (BAT) and a pair of decent speakers. I can say that PCM sound is to my liking. I also like that all the features controlling the sound are very transparent from the technical point of view (no snake oil here). I really wish there was "DSD direct". Maybe it is not such a big deal, I do not know and I do not have all that many DSD files anyways, but this was the "main" interest point for me.
most "DSD" files are PCM converted to DSD as most mixing are done in PCM so theres very few tracks that benefit from it but its understandable if you do have the few tracks that are DSD all the way
Thanks for sharing this info! I was holding out getting a Pro FS to see if they were going to be upgraded, so good to know I can go ahead and get one!
Glad we can help out!
There are alternatives for DAC chip but having a vintage Sennheiser headphones at a test desk - priceless!!! 😎👍
Danke fürs ausführliche Aufklären!
Sehr gerne!
Just ordered one. Can't wait to hear it.
Muss meinen noch Registrieren aber normalen Home User gibt es nicht in der Auswahl ( sollte dann wohl student auswählen ) ,
Danke an Eure Arbeit und Herzblut für so ein Produkt ! Schönes Weihnachtsfest und Guten Rutsch
Good to know! Thanks!
You're welcome :)
Great to understand this, thanks
Great company and a great DAC.
Very much appreciated!
Thank you for ADI-2 DAC/PRO!
Also thank you for intersample peak test signal, really no difference.
The successor with a streaming component integrated would be a jackpot, a slightly larger screen.
Sennheiser HD-414's on the desk there, very cool!
Thank you
Hab den ADI-2 gekauft und wusste bis vor kurzem nichts von der "AMK vs ESS" Thematik.
Ich kann den RME nur mit meinem bisherigen Gerät der Marke "Audient" vergleichen können und da liegt der RME ehrlich gesagt so weit vorne dass ich den ohne zu zögern behalte...
Pueden decir lo que quieran, pero sí hay diferencia entre los chips AKM y los ESS y la diferencia es grande y notoria, cualquier persona con el oído medianamente entrenado puede apreciar con claridad que los DAC con AKM suenan sustancialmente mejor que los que tienen chip ESS.
Will you go back to using the AKM chips once their factory production is resumed, or is the change now permanent?
We can't answer this question. Global production is very complicated at the moment.
Yes it's very unlikely you would be able to hear a difference between these versions.
The noise might not be inaudible in all situations though (was true also for the previous version) but it's very hard to reach that.
After reading the manual, I wonder if it's possible to use several parametric filters under 130 Hz at the same time. Thank you very much.
I have been using a Benchmark DAC1 HDR for some time. The input is USB from my PC and output via XLR to Focal Shape 65 monitors. Would this ADI-2 FS be a significant upgrade?
Any help here would be appriciated. For headphones I use 250 Ohm Beyer DT770 Pro.
Just noticed the headphone lying on the table - that's a dinosaur, Sennheiser HD414 from the seventies. So at least 40 years old! These guys at RME are really crazy - in a funny way...Is that some kind of easter egg? Have to check the other vids again...
Haha, you are the first one who takes notice. Yes, it's a little easter egg. Matthias bought the HD414, because it was the "best" headphone when he was young. We thought this would be a nice little hint :)
@@RMEAudio Ha I guess those were the first "proper" headphones for quite a few of us who already have some grey hair. Always puts a smile on my face when I see these yellow ear pads. ;)
Just out of curiosity, I am aiming this question towards @RME Audio. I recently picked up an RME ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition. How do I know exactly which DAC Chip my unit is equipped with? Thanks!
Don't matter about chips, it's work equivalent
YES... fine! Thank you! But what about Fireface UFX+? Is that one vanished in the air?
I’m wondering the same about the AIO Pro PCIe card.
What DAC chip does the new RME ADI-2/4 Pro Se use? Is it also es9028q2m like the adi-2 dac fs? Or Is it AK4493 like the ADI-2 Pro Fs R?
What converters are used for the RME UCX II or the ADI-2-Pro FS R BE or the Babyface pro FS.
I have a question for RME, in video is stated that in todays DAC audio difference came from different analogue output stages. This mean that Dac from Chord or Denafrips can actually sound different from RME because of different output stage ?
Yes.
I have the ADI 2 DAC FS and i respect the RME as a company for speaking the science and truth boldly. Can you also recommend some speakers and an integrated amplifier (~100W RWS 8ohm) that just performs well without the audiophile voot?
Is the RCA output variable or Fixed ?
the circuitry at 6:00, looks interesting! what is functionality of the one op amp (with lots of other components) installed between 2 I/V op amps and 2 LPF/buffer op amps?
Hey Yue, that circuit operates as super-low noise voltage supply for the ESS chip.
@@RMEAudio Thanks, Matthias, Great work!
Does the RME ADI-2-PRO-FS-R Black Edition still use the AKM DACs? Thanks
Yes, just got mine. RME on their site says the AKM chips , for now, are sufficient for the black edition models. I’d get one while you can. You never know when they may or may not switch to ESS as well for the black edition in the near future.
I purchased the PRO FS R a couple months ago and fortunately received the AKM 4493 as well.
Does this mean there will be separate firmware updates for both versions of the DAC? What will the update policy be? Will both continue to be supported, and for how long?
There will only be one flash update for all ADI-2 units. It will also be updated in the future, just as all RME interfaces since 2001 are supported with current drivers and firmware.
@@RMEAudio Thanks! 👍
i just spent 7 months of savings buying the RME dac, should I be worried that i have an inferior dac chip? when chips are available will there be options to offer customer an opportunity to get AKM?
What about the ADI-2 Pro FS series? Are they also shipping with the ESS like the ADI-2 DACs?
And one more question. Recently I bought a rme adi-2 pro fs R, but it was only printed 'ADI-2 Pro FS(BLACK EDITION below)' on the front panel.
It must have been printed 'ADI-2 Pro FS R' but there was no 'R'. Have you change the logo?
As of right now, the ADI-2 Pro FS R BE will be untouched.
@@RMEAudio Thanks for the response. What about the logo? Have you changed the logo?
@@user-vc1hn9rx5s There was a limited edition ADI-2 Pro FS Black Edition of 500 units without remote and with AKM AK4490.
If your device has a remote control, it is the ADI-2 Pro FS R with AKM AK4493.
@@RMEAudio I thought there was a AK chip shortage how can this be.
Don't want to sound like a "phile" but I just purchased a Black Edition and there's no "C" near the serial number. This video is about the "FS" version. Does the "C' thing apply to the "FS R"?
This only concerns the ADI-2 DAC FS. Not the ADI-2 Pro FS R.
is ADI-2 DAC has upsampling function?
I like to try this and review it. Hope to have the opportunity. :)
Write us a mail ;)
i'm confused. you say ess cannot do dsd direct but later you say it can. you say volume control still works, but my uderstanding is volume cannot be changed for true 1 bit dsd decoding. please explain. danke.
Has the AKM chip been reintroduced now that the AKM facility is operational again?
Well explained 👏🏻
I have this version. There is a high pitch sound when the screen brightness is above 30%. The old version had it? Will there be a fix or not possible with software update?
I don’t have it on my AKM system. I’m sure this isn’t normal. Contact RME.
Did you update to the latest version? And update the firmware?
@@raztube90 I returned it long time ago and can't say if a newer firmware fix the issue but I doubt it. It was with the latest firware at that time.
@@ognyankoynashki did you get a replacement ? It might have been your unit was faulty. 😩😢
@@raztube90 I got the money back. Just cheap components. I had similar issue in a very expensive keyboard in which they cheap out on the dc to dc related to led brightness where there was noise whenever the led brightness is lower then 100% and higher then 0.
Just ordered one. But RME won't tell me what R.M.E stands for.
Hello, and how do you explain the raised price point?
no DAC direct on ESS? dang - overall i think i'm glad I have the pre-ESS version
dsp so bad?
what is DAC direct?? I want to use it in my studio for critical listening... Hope all the gimmicks can be bypassed.
The DAC is perfect as it is. Independent from the DAC chip :)
Can I trade mine for the ESS one? With a penalty fee? Thanks.
0:53"We are living in times of a global chip crisis with extreme,never before encounter production and distribution challenges......The new chip should have similar tax textbacks and features as the former akm(4493). "
1:40-----"Our goal was be able to continue production. Not to make a new or updated unit that makes the former units(ASI-2 DAC FS with AKM 4493) look outdated"
Can this be use as preamp to a power amplifier. Please I need advice
Yes
how can i check what chipset it has ?
6:25 Check the Serial Number!
Would ADI-2 PRO FS also change to ESS chips?
This has been answered before -- No.
At 5:59 a wire seems to be soldered by hand, which is quite weird. Is the photo from an unfinished prototype or this is this the way RME manufactures the ESS Sabre edition? Thanks
I read somewhere that this is normal in this version.
@@aussie8114 It is not normal until we have an official answer... ;-) As long as they fixed it a few months later i suppose it is not normal...otherwise it wouldn't be fixed...
Thank you for this video. Really useful.
However we have a small "audiophile" group, where most of the people found the AKM 4490 version really good all-rounder with many headphones and the AKM 4493 version "boring", and too "dry". That is kind of a thing that cannot be really measured, but kind of a "taste" question. But this looks like the best place to share this information with you.
Sorry, but wrong channel ..this is RME Audio and not Voodoo Audio.
@@wmt16 LOL! so true.
Ah, the flat Earthers of the audio domain.
@@RNDMID Correct, where personal perception is personal reality.
@@wmt16 I laughed outloud. That was a good one!
I’d rather have the 38 then the 28… not really an ESS fan … they tend to sound artificial to me
My first ever DAC (AudioLab MDAC) had an ESS Sabre chip and it was awful; gave me a headache. Why would I choose ESS again?
It’s not the chip. It sounds like your first DAC had an output stage displeasing to you, subjectively.
The only thing that's keeping me from buying one of these is the fact they don't have either a 4 pin XLR or 4.4 mm pentacann headphone out. The IEM out was a mistake and is rarely used i'm sure. People want to listen on this unit with their high end headphones and most use their balanced cables. Please RME, make a version that has either one of those balanced headphone output connectors.
Your dream comes true with the ADI-2 Pro FS R with balanced headphone outputs. Also a 4 pin XLR to 2x TRS adapter cable will be available soon.
@@RMEAudio I appreciate the quick response RME, but using a 4 pin XLR to 2x TRS is messy and bulky to run balanced cables. Not to mention it doesn't make much sense when XLR and 4.4 exists. No idea why you guys decided to go that way with a €1700 unit and not include a default XLR or 4.4mm balanced connector. It's just another adapter/dongle that could've been avoided.
@@drconflict629 There are 2 separate headphone outputs in the ADI-2 Pro FS R, which can be used to drive such headphones through the Balanced Headphone option. This way the ADI-2 Pro FS R can be used for many different situations.
@@RMEAudio Yeah that's fair. Well, balanced headphone out or not, i'm buying this unit either way. I just can't help myself. I know you guys make the best stuff available. Anyway, thanks again for the quick reply. You guys rock.
Measurements and numbers are one but there are some aspects which are not quantifiable. I had an LG V30S with ESS9218P it was a solid machine and superb quality however it is extremely fatiguing in the mid range and high end, low end is solid. I think many mention the "fatigue" of ESS chips. I wish RME produced the AKM4493 again. Now the news is RME is working on a new unit, I would not buy it because ADI2 DAC FS is the perfection of this design. If they use same foundation then maybe, but I think it will be a totally new system and architecture. Just like Automobiles, we should avoid the Rev 1. Shame I have cash ready but the AKM ADI2 DAC FS is not there. Will wait for AKM based version if it ever happens else I will purchase the ESS one.
Resolving and detailed DAC but with minimal sound stage and minimal sound stage depth.
With ESS chip in RME, can we expect MQA decoder in upcoming DACs?
One can only hope that RME will never support MQA. There have been a few comments on the RME Forum about MQA and feedback so far is "no MQA in the foreseeable future".
Who wants MQA in a professional product?
MQA is a scam, it's lossy.
Btw, MQA requires the USB chip to support it, to so-called "unpack" the MQA files, NOT the DAC chip to support it. AKM chips already so-called support MQA as seen on the various Topping and SMSL DACs.
Unfortunately i looked through the gaps with a torch and i confirm that there is a wire manually soldered in there... too disappointed...I don't want to be misunderstood, the device is terrific as whole, and the sound is phenomenal (i have not heard akm version). But it is a little odd and confusing that wire, because it seems like a manufactural degrade...I dont know what is the cable's durability after years, and how one can know if it is properly soldered if it is done by hand manually. That is why it would be useful some reply from @RME Audio and perhaps upload of better pictures from PCB of this ESS version.
Why disappointed? Some time ago, many professional high end recording consoles would have been built with hundreds of manually soldered cables inside. If it's properly done, it's not a problem at all.
@@StefanWiesendanger there were to threads at audioscience review and rme forum but they both were closed from the admins… this confused me and made me believe that they had something to hide. Also there was not any reply from Rme (that generally take part at forums…) about it. If it was nothing to be afraid about they should reply a simple “ dont worry about it, it is normal “ or something like it… however they closed the threads and never replied 😉😉😏😏
@@tnarch wtf are you on about, you are nitpicking over nothing. Seems like youve got an agenda.
@@TheOriginalBagelstein i am sorry if you perceive my question like that. I asked just for an official reply. If this consist a reason for blaming me for "an agenda" then you should reconsider. I asked for a simple official reply from the creators of the unit (who know better than anyone). I don't think it is that much. I also did not say anything as fact but i used words like ''seems", "confusing" ect. Also i said about its phenomenal sound qualities...so i don't understand your aggression...
Most of the people complaining are the same types that raved about how they could tell the difference between their MOFI "analog" releases and "inferior" digital releases.
LOL!!