WHY did I buy THIS RME INTERFACE?!?

[@MK-fw4to]

Hell yes to the interface/converter shootout!

[@lemoralisateur]

Yes ! They're such an underated piece of equipment as far as content goes !

[@AlfonsoMuchacho]

I agree with MK, something with samples we can download and compare, maybe running the same track through the different converters multiple times to hear any degradation?

[@clouded-wav]

yesss

[@LafemmebearMusic]

Agree let’s go!!

[@griffgoldsteinreference]

Agreed!

[@KazrogPlugins]

We’ve always used (and recommended) RME here in the Kazrog lab. No BS, no sponsorship, they just make the best stuff period.

[@zpurpz]

You make amazing plugins ! When is Iron part 2 coming out ? Also, i had a license to Synth warmer and then lost it :(

[@manykzdj792]

Rme adi-2 pro better than antelope amari?

[@SpectreSoundStudios]

RME has never let me down :)

[@georgebarry8640]

I know you are a straight shooter, and so I appreciate you weighing in on this. I,too, have never had an issue with my RME interface.

[@Whiteseastudio]

MOTU has let me down, so its great to hear that I’m making a good choice 😊

[@kaustik185]

@@Whiteseastudio just bought a motu.... still an upgrade from the scarlett :D

[@QbanThunder]

@@Whiteseastudio MOTU isn’t the company it once was. My friend is the audio recording gear manager for a big music store and he told me for every 5 MOTUs they sold, 3 would get returned defective. So, my friend went with the Apollo and I didn’t care for it or the hype so I went with an RME, thanks to Glenn Fricker’s videos.😊🙏🤘

[@mattiazuliani]

@@Whiteseastudio I have 24 ai and 24 ao, and I quite often hear some clicks and pops which are in playback and not in the recording. I changed USB cables, I isolated with rings, I tried to increase bandwith hence latency, but randomly they appears. Also going in and out is almost a pain in the butt for the same reason. Do you have any experience with that? Any suggestions? Thanks mate!

[@terrygray7465]

Finally purchased an RME Babyface Pro FS last year and it's the best interface I've ever owned - and I've owned a lot of them throughout the years (Focusrite, Audient, Avid, etc). The drivers are rock solid and the thing sounds phenomenal.

[@imagesofstyle]

Same: it's a great piece of equipment, even in class-compliant mode. In fact, CC mode was a factor in buying it, because my workstations run Linux. Bought it because of their reputation, staying because the Babyface FS lives up to it.

[@digitalmarketinghumans]

Yep 100% agree. Same here. I may never turn back now. RME for life!!

[@Fraeg]

RME babyface pro fs owner here as well. Absolutely love it

[@joserancel6255]

@VICTORY B STUDIO wich diferences has this interface of the review with the UCX-UCXII ?

[@tuneunleashed]

Don't know which one to get between the Babyface Pro FS or the UCX ii

[@johnspear7962]

I would love to see more videos about this topic of audio converters and how they can affect the audio quality perception it's outputting. Great video and very interesting topic.

[@bigdap100]

🧐Essentially boutique converters and/or clocks allow you to see clearer and deeper into the music, the mechanics of the clock and the analog stages inside the converter is mainly why it sounds better...and of course the power supply. They also improve the resolution of your plugins, microphones, and monitors. This is a great tool for mixing and mastering but if you are a producer singer songwriter keep using what you're using, it will get the job done wonderfully.... Now when you start thinking about spending money on plugins and maybe the UAD platform... trust me....just buy the converter...I'd rather have a $2,000 converter and beautiful sounding stock plugs than $2000 worth of decent sounding UAD plugins any day.

[@johnspear7962]

​@@bigdap100Thank you for your reply! Would you by chance know if the Komplete Audio 6 by Kontakt or the UR22C by Steinberg (Both Audio Interfaces I have) could do the same thing as the audio converter shown in the video can or are those two separate things? Thank you as always, cheers!

[@bigdap100]

@@johnspear7962 the NI and the Steinberg converters will not match the resolution of the ADI-2 but you can still master with it and it will still sound good if you already know how to master. You can achieve higher resolution at higher clock speeds like 192khz and you will hear a difference but it still won’t match the RME. You can also use internal oversampling with plugins that have that feature like Melda and DDMF Meta Plugin that will help also. If you want to get into mastering converters you can step up to a Black Lion Revolution 2x2, it doesn’t match the RME but you can step up for like $300 B-Stock and you will hear a difference. After that you can buy a used Lavry or Mytek or even a Hilo...But I would skip those and buy the Apogee Symphony Desktop for all in one production and post production needs and the mic pres are top shelf digital pres. I prefer Prism Sound but their gear has climbed up significantly in price...however there is a used Orpheus on Reverb for around $1600. The other alternative is something like a Black Lion Audio Micro Clock MKiii, it is boutique level but it will provide the least amount of utility for your overall studio needs. Lastly there is the ADI headphone version it is a few hundred dollars cheaper and can be bought used under a grand.

[@johnspear7962]

​@@bigdap100 Nice, I appreciate you so much for the super in-depth information! I'll for sure look into the Revolution 2x2 as a starting point into dipping my toes into higher resolution sound for the price but will return to this comment down the line to upgrade! Thank you again so much, high resolution quality audio is something I'm really excited about getting into and experiencing! :)

[@bigdap100]

@@johnspear7962 I went to Reverb and found a Lyra 2 for sale for a very good price....in the picture uploaded to the listing was the Lyra in great condition but guess what was sitting on top of it in the same picture.... a Black Lion Revolution. Lol, see I told you dude The Revolution has created a nice little interface that sits right in the middle of the entry level and the boutique...but for an entry level price. Great Preamps, HP Amp, and it has a really good clock inside.

[@caseylockwood5512]

RME is, and has always been, the safest bet in the entire game, their stuff just works, and it works damn well. You do pay for it though, thats the only caveat. They know their worth.

[@bits-bytes]

Indeed, look at used market ... You still see oldest firewire interfaces being sold to a decent price and some use them simply for AD and DA. And then the long term driver support and you do not have to pay for new things like: TotalMix FX, FX overhaul, TotalMix Remote, etc etc. And you get real serious manuals in two languages (except for the new AVB product line). Worth every penny!

[@TazzSmk]

in the long run, RME ends up cheapest choice, because the driver support feels like eternal, no worries with whatever clunky operating systems come up in future as well as whatever new interface comes up to be used with legacy computer system - this level of flexibility and hassle-free experience is well worth it :)

[@blakecasimir]

Buy cheap, buy twice. RME is worth it.

[@partialobject]

There are exceptions. The BF I got two years ago didn't work at higher buffer sizes on both my Macs and in both DAWs I tried it. Support was absolutely useless - the guy claimed the RME couldn't be the problem and did zero tests on his side. I ended up getting and Apogee Duet and the problem vanished. It's a shame, because the BF sounded super nice. After this episode, I won't ever buy from them again.

[@BeauStephenson]

I mean, I agree with you, but the price for performance is so much bang for your buck, it's stupid.

[@k.ollektiv]

I paired this one with an Audeze LCD-X and i have never heard music as good before! So direct, clean, detailed, authentic and still nice to listen to. I had the same thought like you: change all the system to RME? It is awesome how stable it works with my computer. If you switch the computer on and off and change cables, and have fun just pulling out the USB cable an putting it back in 50 times - the RME is always in the right mode within a millisecond and without making any noises. I love that!

[@tbronzwaer]

I also use the ADI-2 with Audeze cans and love it - have you checked out the oratory1990 EQ curves?? If not, try inputting those values into the ADI-2 EQ and watch it take the Audeze to yet another level...

[@PerKiilstofte]

Thanks for this. I was just wondering if I should invest in this for my LCD-X's.

[@bits-bytes]

Yes it's a nice combination indeed. With a tight bass (Rob Katz told, even better compared to his Stax). I cross tested LCD-2, -3, -X with a few others. My preference was the LCD-3. The only issue for me was that the wood broke, but this has been serviced. Other issue is that the Alcantara ear-pads are not available anymore from Audeze anymore and they made a difference in sound. I got now luckily other earpad replacements from Dekoni. I am satisfied now with "Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin" ear-pads which cost around €98 in Germany. If you buy in the US, you can get sometimes special offers from them. Nothing for me, tax/customes would have come on top .. no real advantage anymore.

[@k.ollektiv]

@@tbronzwaer thank you, i will try!

[@Aquiiin]

@@zweiklangmusic has the Anubis EQ? I think the converters sound quite sterile and clinical, compared to the hapi 2020 even a bit gritty in the transients

[@BruceRichardsonMusic]

I bought into RME about ten years ago, and I have never looked back. It's not just the high-high end converter you bought. Every unit I've purchased from them has that same, tight sound. They're just excellent, all around. The drivers are flawless. Just fine products.

[@manykzdj792]

Rme adi-2 pro better than antelope amari?

[@BluffMunkey]

I made the switch to RME about 10 years ago and would NEVER go back to anything else at this point. I'm currently running a UFX2, and the depth of excellence means it would be difficult to downgrade to another brand. The software alone is such a giant leap ahead compared to the alternatives. In terms of support, I've always found them to be superb, especially on their own forums. It's possible they're snowed under right now, as far as I'm aware they're revamping the entire lineup with new chips because of the global chip shortage.

[@BluffMunkey]

Furthermore, I did try MOTU for a while and it was a fucking disaster. Terrible build quality, constant connection issues (across two identical models) and a completely non existent support service unless you lived in the USA. Horrendous company.

[@imslicc]

how would you compare RME UFX with some other A/D converters like LYNX and such?

[@AirArtStudiosOfficial]

@@imsliccLynx slightly better to my ears but RME also have the best drivers which needs to be taken into account

[@BluffMunkey]

@@imslicc Like for like the Lynx products are in a completely different price bracket than RME. Subjectively a lot of people prefer the sound of Lynx vs RME, but the differences are subtle. As a package, the RME is a far more sensible buy for most users, and arguably all home users.

[@bigdap100]

I still use the trusty RME UFX mk1....not a single issue for 10 years. Its not my daily driver but it is the ultimate problem solver.

[@cassmyers]

When looking at desktop interfaces for my mobile recording rig I've been putting together, I was initially convinced I wanted to buy an Apollo Twin. Their marketing has been everywhere for years and I had come to assume they were the gold standard of desktop audio interfaces. I fell into a gear review rabbit hole as we often do, and stumbled across endless positive reviews for RME interfaces and their drivers. After a few hours of reading, I decided to go with a Babyface Pro FS instead and it's been great. Everything just feels cleaner. I was afraid I'd suffer from lack of inputs, but tying in my old 18i20 via ADAT was really simple. My first impressions with RME are super solid.

[@edmo-l4d]

I have had an Apollo Twin for many years. The whole ecosystem is a big turn off for me. I hate looking at that huge list of plugins in my DAW that I am never going to use but I am forced to keep on my computer. The constant marketing to demo and sell more plugins. Discounts that are not really discounts at all. Also, thinking of switching to RME and going with a more minimalist setup of things I know and use.

[@quantumsound2423]

Recently upgraded from UAD Apollo to RME babyface FS. Just wow, not only it sounds better but the drivers and software are rock solid

[@soundgenius9226]

yea but its ancient 2.0 usb lol I'll pass and wait on usb4

[@massivebeatzz]

Yeah the old Apollos are too colored. The new ones X6, X8 , different story.

[@1972OGTony]

@@soundgenius9226 You don't need much bandwidth for audio interfaces or converters going back in forth from your computer and RME writes solid drivers with arguably the lowest latency in the game.

[@AndrewCCM]

@@massivebeatzz I just exchanged my X8 for a UFX+... For me, it was not as much the sound quality, but the ADAT/Expandability that the RME offered over the UAD for the price. I needed 24ch of i/o and was going to have to purchase another X8 or X16 since the Apollos only allow a single 8 channels of ADAT regardless of sample rate. With the RME, I can add some lesser ADAT devices to both sets and get myself to 24 more easily and less expensive. I did keep my Octo Satellite though, so I still have some DSP for the plugins...

[@massivebeatzz]

@@AndrewCCM That sounds like a pretty good move!

[@zwsh89]

I guarantee Dan Worall could explain in great detail exactly what is going on at the sample-capture level, perhaps an opportunity for these two KZbin influence legends to join forces?

[@zwsh89]

(Join forces *once again* I should say! Who didn’t love when Dan guest hosted an episode?!)

[@williampryor9742]

I switched to RME this year, purchased a secondhand fireface UFX and its absolutely killer.

[@JonasTatit]

Hi, congratulations on the channel! I already have an Apollo 6x here. I'm thinking about buying the RME adi-2 pro fs. Do you think the difference in my monitoring would be obvious and significant? I already have a well-maintained room. I work with mixing and mastering. Thank you for your attention!

[@manykzdj792]

Rme adi-2 pro better than antelope amari?

[@manykzdj792]

U can keep apollo for uad plugins if u need to

[@thaexception3406]

I bought the UFX II - latest version last month and it was enough for me to not use and maybe sell my Apollo X6. A bigger difference in the AD when testing my rap vocals (my main reason to test) than the DA just listening to my music and music from Apple Music. Noticeable differences either way so maybe even more with the product you’re considering.

[@nj1255]

To me personally, everything I buy from RME is definitely worth it. I know I'll have no problems with the products, I know the quality will be good enough for 20+ years of use and they pretty much only make stuff that sound pristine.

[@PabPapp1]

20years?

[@cassmyers]

@@PabPapp1 From what I've gathered, that's one of the reasons they're so highly praised. They claim they'll continuously update drivers so you don't ever have to worry about your hardware becoming obsolete or unusable on future operating systems.

[@AllenMarkel]

My RME UFX is 10 years old. Bulletproof and it still is the center of my studio. 😎

[@troelsknudsen253]

Their stuff definiltely does not sound always "pristine", not even for "prosumer". I've owned several of their interfaces and listened to pretty much everything they've put out. it works and is reliable but their i/o stages are by no means best in class.

[@AllenMarkel]

@@troelsknudsen253 Which ones?

[@belleepoque4597]

I have a very tiny home studio, in an alcove of my apartment, completely not properly optimized, it's what I have to work with, and I bought a fireface ucx ii, and..... it made a noticeable difference in the sound quality of my home studio productions. My setup is far from professionally optimized and the RME interface instantly made everything sound so much better. If you can afford an RME interface, do it. It will be worth every penny, and then some.

[@originunknown3209]

I’ve been using RME sound cards for 15 years! Absolutely first rate!!!!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@MarcoPrimeau]

Hey Welcome to the RME family.. I have the old Fireface 800 powering my headphone amps while being a backup and I use a Fireface UFX as main interface.. RME are the best about driver support and their realtime mixer (Totalmix fx) is very handy. . . BTW the 800 was made in 2001 and still runs like a charm.. Have Fun ! !

[@simonemarcuzzi926]

I own the ADI-2 DAC FS which is basically an ADI-2 Pro without the AD conversion capability. Stellar unit with both speakers and headphones. My unit features the ESS converter because I bought it after the worldwide semiconductor shortage; RME posted a video a while ago to explain this fact and how to tell what converter your unit is equipped with if you're interested in this kind of technicalities. Regardless, it sounds awesome no matter the chip used.

[@manykzdj792]

Rme adi-2 pro better than antelope amari?

[@jaifarrell]

I have the DAC only version of this unit, and it's superb! It shouldn't be underestimated how much of a difference the analogue side of AD/DA equipment plays a role in the overall performance. Pure AD/DA conversion has been developed and improved upon for a very long time now, and it's unusual to find even off-the-shelf chips that do a poor job. The way these components are integrated into the greater product however, still rely on the expertise of the engineers designing them to maximise performance. Drivers and control software are also a big deal. An investigation into the differences between cheap and expensive digital equipment would be cool, but I think discussion about digital audio in general needs to be done with great care. I'm not saying that you fall under this category, but there are many misconceptions about how digital audio actually works, even in the professional world, and these misconceptions are sometimes repeated by very reputable personalities. The videos and articles by Monty Montgomery are some of the best I have come across when it comes to explaining digital audio, and of course there are others too. Happy new year!

[@PylonRecordsdotcom]

I don't we can put the new Akai Mpc machines in the group of standard AD/DA converters for 2023, they have managed to wreck this brand and everything it has stood for.

[@JanneF]

Yes to the shoutout. I used RME pci-cards in my studio and RME Babyface as mobile Interface. Before that i used other -very qualified brands - but, RME kicks them all.

[@ardierr.2525]

just like me , i use adi 8 qs with raydat and babyface pro fs with my laptop, i wonder how "fast" is the adi 2 pro fs in latency in asio mode and how different the converter are from the adi 8 qs

[@TheGarageRecordingSC]

So many people say that you cannot hear the difference between good converters and average converters and that’s complete garbage. When I went from a focusrite liquid sapphire to my apogee, the difference was immediately obvious. The stereo image was so crystal clear, you could close your eyes and place every instrument. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@xXValomatXx]

I have been using RME interfaces since I started home producing back in the days and never had any problem. Atm I use the UCX II and it satisfies all my needs. I clearly recommend to check RME out...

[@TazzSmk]

I'm surprised you didn't mention the important thing - the REMOTE control - I have ADI-2 DAC and the remote control is SOO USEFUL being able to dim or mute, listen further away being able to change volume or switch input sources, it's a completely new level of workflow for me :) also with recent firmware updates, both ADI-2 Pro FS R and ADI-2 DAC feature own internal loopback via usb, so it's easily possible to record computer output back into a DAW, which is super useful even for things like advanced analysis (scope, LUFS etc..) with RME DigiCheck or any other software like Ozone Insight etc....

[@manykzdj792]

Rme adi-2 pro better than antelope amari?

[@garret765]

Switched to RME 6 months ago. Didn't want to pull the trigger because of the price. Now I wish I would have gone RME from the start. On windows I find they have the best drivers and stabilty.

[@tbronzwaer]

Possibly my favorite piece of gear ever. I use it with the Audeze LCD-4z, and as you say, it sounds brilliant; then I discovered oratory1990's EQ curves for headphones, which I can't recommend enough. The ADI-2's excellent built-in EQ allows me to get much, much more out of the Audeze's, and THEN I discovered the ADI-2 also does loudness correction, i.e., at lower volumes, our ears perceive less high/low freqs, so you have to EQ the signal at lower volumes to compensate, and the ADI-2 can do this automatically. All of this put together makes it unbelievably good for monitoring. I recently fried mine by accidentally plugging in the wrong PSU, and just bought a new one - couldn't be without it! (Fortunately they were able to repair my old one for free, just a cheap diode got burned out.)

[@bits-bytes]

Recommendation: check out LCD-3 (optional: with Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin ear-pads). I am not sure, whether there is so much difference between LCD-3 and LCD-4 that it justifies the price difference. I would cross check.

[@cesjr]

I love my ADI-2 Pro for music listening. I mainly use this as a DAC/headphone amp, plus able to switch to powered monitors. Question: If I wanted to use the ADI-2 Pro as a recording interface, could I simply add something like the RME QuadMic II? Microphone > QuadMic II > ADI-2 Pro > Computer. Any disadvantages going this route, instead of a dedicated recording interface like the Fireface UCX II (minus the extra ins/outs). Thanks!

[@LaminarSound]

I would go on the RME forum. I used to have questions and Mathias and other from RME were VERY responsive and active there.

[@manykzdj792]

Rme adi-2 pro better than antelope amari?

[@hemantishwaran5741]

I have Genelec 8351b's and use the RME for connection to them. For cabling, I started with XLR but switched to AES because it sounds better (maybe 5% improvement). So why use the RME you might ask since I’m fully digital? Many reasons it turns out. Number #1, I connect my turntable to RME (analog to digital and then digital all the way thereafter). Number #2, even with GLM room correction, I like the option of adding parametric EQ and treble and bass as the need arises. So I can have no parametric EQ or I can have EQ and importantly I can do this from the comfort of the remote (using the new features available from RME firmware update). Finally Number #3, don’t overlook the fantastic FS steady clock that takes over once you connect to the RME. The steady clock is what makes RME so famous.

[@jeffblack5024]

I invested in an expensive RME HDSPe AES card for my PC and (apart from having to shave a bit off of a breakout cable to fit my case) the quality has improved tremendously. Latency is a non-issue as well now. You get what you pay for.

[@dekatronmusic524]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and information with the world. You are a great KZbin presenter / audio engineer and funny as well. May God be with you in all that you do!!

[@URanInTheUglyForest]

I bought the ADI 2 Pro FS a few months ago. The price is a big pill to swallow, but I have zero regrets. It has many features that I don't currently use, but its nice to have them when needed.

[@manykzdj792]

Rme adi-2 pro better than antelope amari?

[@paul.j.diwiak]

RME is great! Especially the drivers! I only got the RME Babyface Pro (I think the cheapest one by RME), but even with this one you can hear a huge difference!

[@ronallen2458]

If you do a shootout, I think you should make friends with Julian Krause and do it together. That would be awesome.

[@lastdaysguitar]

I was just going to suggest this as well! :)

[@levondarratt787]

all the European disgruntlers and fact checkers..lol.... plus Paul Third - and the holy trinity of consumer protection is complete!

[@D.3TH13R]

I’ve owned a few high end converters, Prism, Crane Song, Lynx and was really impressed with the ADI-2 Pro FS R. The headphone amp with the extreme power and crossfeed option is probably the best Ive heard with my Heddphones. The transients / impulse response had a similar feel to Crane Song’s Solaris which has been my favorite DAC. Love the different filter options, Slow and NOS at higher sample rates in particular. Very wide 3d image. My only wish is that it had word clock and dedicated digital I/O instead of using a dongle but as a standalone unit its great.

[@lindsaywebb1904]

Yep The lack of word clock is a huge buzz kill

[@michaels5166]

How was the Prism and the Lynx?

[@D.3TH13R]

@@michaels5166 I love them both. Just for clarity I’m referring to the Prism Lyra 2 and Lynx Hilo. I sold my Hilo not at all because I disliked it but just because I was looking to try something different after a few years. Both have very similar imaging and transient response in my opinion. The Hilo has a very flat sound. Both have a very center image, whereas the RME felt much more wide. The Hilo has finer control over volume than the Prism. Both headphone amps are decent but not as good as the RME. The Prism is my main interface.

[@michaels5166]

@@D.3TH13R Thank you.I have a hybrid system,moving from mostly analog to an equal amount of digital,and I wanted clarity over most anything else.I got the Wami 24 for almost nothing,pristine,yet I know I need something more modern.I use a lot of samplers,and I want to stream mixshows.So it's basically turntables,live instruments,samplers,MiDi Interfaces,a few synths,one totally analog,etc.

[@adl0815]

Made the switch from UAD Apollo X4 to Babyface Pro FS and I really could hear a difference. UAD just sounds more low mids boosted and warmer (less highs). Guess they try to mimic a somewhat "analog" sound, but I just found it to be a bit muddy sounding and less clear, compared to ultra clean sound of the Babyface Pro FS. Also I can go way lower latency wise with the Babyface, mind you that I'm on windows and UADs windows driver just aren't comparable to RMEs windows driver. Happy I made the switch, also because Babyface runs bus powered, so it's a truly mobile setup with my laptop.

[@1972OGTony]

"UAD just sounds more low mids boosted and warmer (less highs)." That's the sound of bad converters lol it can't reproduce the sound going into it.

[@joeyboswell9644]

I purchased the RME ADI-2 PRO FS R 5-months ago and it's one of the best converters I have ever heard. I own 2 Lynx converters, RND and Burl and hands down the RME has become my goto.

[@joeyboswell9644]

@@devianthousend BURL Bomber ADC (x2), RND MBC, Lynx Hilo, Lynx Aurora 32TB

[@joeyboswell9644]

@@devianthousend I run all my converters through a Grace Design Black Edition (Digital) the RME is chained to my RND MBC & Burl Bomber for final output flavors if needed. The Grace Design Controller is setup so I can choose between any of my interfaces at any time on the fly. The BURL and MBC gives me "flavors" if needed and depending on artist needs. So in summary the RME is my primary converter to start and build a chain with. Burl offers an amazing sound but to me its just a flavor.

[@joeyboswell9644]

@@devianthousend Make sure to Download the latest firmware V.111 it offers some great updates to the converter

[@LaminarSound]

Im a huge RME fanboy, even though i currently use an Apollo Twin. 🤦🏻‍♂️ i ran a Fireface UFX for 6 yrs and that thing was incredible. I only sold it because at the end there i wasnt using all the IO. I sold it for $1100 even though it was over 6 yrs old. Thats amazing. I went with Apollo for the the UAD access and its been great but i miss RME and TotalMix FX every day.

[@TazzSmk]

you can "upgrade back" to new half-rack RME UCX II now ;)

[@amaurythewarrior]

i've had a fireface UC for 9 years, just had to have it fixed after it stopped powering up this summer. i've always been interested in the UA stuff but i'm not sure their plugins are really any better that waves or plugin alliance. there's always the preamp plugins... but i've got a LA610 alrady, and will be probably do a 1073 clone at some point. 1 year later, is the balance in favour of UA?

[@LaminarSound]

@@amaurythewarrior Nope! I sold my Apollo Twin X right after I posted this and bought a UCX II. Let me tell you, there was an obvious and immediately noticeable increase in clarity and detail moving to UCX II from the Apollo. It kinda blew my mind. Ive been on UCX II for about 10 months now and its been amazing.

[@amaurythewarrior]

@@LaminarSound i wonder how much better the UCX II is compared to the original UC i have. there is a considerable price gap, but RME has no product in that price segment now. (although, i bought mine in 2013 so it wasn't very new)

[@LaminarSound]

@@amaurythewarrior id say the difference would be substantial.

This could be a dumb question but I still haven’t figured out yet - what is the crucial difference between AD/DA converter such as this one(ADI-2 PRO FS) and audio interface such as Fireface UCX? They are essentially both AD/DA converters that can work with computer. So what’s the difference? Is converter simply better at converting? When “converter” doesn’t have USB-out I understand the difference because it doesn’t work with computer (such as DAW) but when it has - what’s the difference?

[@unc1589]

So yeah I bought one. In a treated room with Focals this thing is amazing. Gotta get used to the clarity lol. Playing older mixes reveals many mistakes. The headphone outs feed hardware samplers with detailed audio that gets warmed up and sent back in. Individual 5 band EQs on all outputs make for some interesting scenarios. Super deep menu’s on a DAC is a very good thing. Your video reminded me that I may wanna look into a DAC just to make sure I’m getting the best out of my room and boy was I right! The filters make a huge contribution. Bravo!

[@manykzdj792]

Rme adi-2 pro better than antelope amari?

[@JulianChown]

Can't go wrong wtih RME! I LOVE my ADI2 Pro FSR too, which is alongside a pair of Neuman KH310 monitors, NS10s and Auratones 😀. The ADI2 Pro FSR has 4x4 ins and outs and is a little mission to setup, though RME are amazing with helping there if need be. So glad you're enjoying the amazingly precise sound too which for me was a major stepup from my faithful Fireface 800, which am still using for synth inputs . Am patching vocals directly to the ADI2 through pres, which works beautifully. I love the headphone monitoring too directly out of this, which is something else!!!

[@manykzdj792]

Rme adi-2 pro better than antelope amari?

[@stevenewtube]

Hi. Great news, this should do you well. I have owned a Fireface 800 for for a long time but have now just purchased the new 802 model. One thing that makes these more solid sounding is the steady clock. This seems to keep the jitter down. I love these converters.

[@ravichandran4589]

I am new user of RME ADI 2 DAC FS. I got it just to feed thru my preamp by XLR and preamp to power amp. Pure music listening for my home audio reasonably high end. My exp so far is its very distinct in mid range. Vocal and high frequency. Bass is normal. But one can adjust the eq. I use it with ref volume at 13 and volume at -4.5. All digital connections are thru RME. SPIDF Sound stage is not very large but my listening area is not acoustically treated. I m still evaluating it as an audio chain dac. It certainly sounds clean compared to the preamp with a built in dac. Probably a Bluetooth receiver with this would make it more desirable for hifi users and a sub woofer out. Thx for reading

[@jgfjfgjfhjf]

I've been using this thing (well, the "dac", not "pro", but they are basically the same thing, but "dac" haven't got ADC stage) for couple of years - incredible piece of gear, not only does it sound great (especially with the non-oversampling filter), but also has onboard dsp for room and loudness correction, and hrtf for headphones.

[@breezyoakk]

pardon me, what is rtmf?

[@jgfjfgjfhjf]

@@breezyoakk Sorry, for whatever reason I've made a mistake, I meant "hrtf", which stands for head related transfer function

[@breezyoakk]

@@jgfjfgjfhjf thanks! :)

[@bdduke1]

As I've switched to newer interfaces over the years, its clear that newer analog and digital components are improving / performing better and that translates into clearer stereo imaging and less mud and/or brightness. IMO this is very obvious on PC laptop audio where they are trying to save money on cheap DA converters and not so great analog stages. I've got a motu M4 here and its obvious when I compare it to other onboard laptop audio. These question(s) you raise in this video go right to the heart of "What is going on and why is it such a big difference" ? I hope you will cover 1) what is going on with the analog stage on RME 2) what is RME's SteadyClock and how does this compare to Motu's clock ? 3) how does DC Coupled Outputs affect the sound ? 4) what does Black Lion Audio do to a MOTU interface that makes them sound better ? I suspect the real answer here is that RME over the years have really paid attention to feedback from pro customers and spent money on R&D to understand the "sound" of different implementations. Looking forward to your follow-up video.

[@Bthelick]

RME user for 20 years. I actually made money on the last unit it held its value so well! . They support the drivers forever, the units last forever, the drivers are their own not farmed out like many companies, and are rock solid too, the software is the most flexible of any brands I've tried / seen and the sound quality is truly great for the money. they look expensive to some people but its actually very cheap economy when you consider they last over a decade no problem.

[@SakariKaripuro]

Been really happy with my RME Fireface UCX - only goes up to 192k, but the sound is smooth and conversion and features are great. not busy buying replacement / upgrade yet.

[@natevirtual]

"only"? Dude, that frequency difference is negligible to the human ear. I'd say 192k is overkill. That said, what I love about RME is they keep updating firmware on 20 year old equipment! Not like greedy Universal Audio...

[@TheBucknessofficial]

i LOL'd at "only"

[@Yannleon_video]

Used to own RME, and was a big fan for almost 15 years. Sounded great, but had a few bad experiences with support, and a few time, they were quite condescending. I switched to UAD, and I must admit, it sounds a bit less precise... but the support is A1, and it works flawlessly. So... screw RME in the end. By the way, you might take a look / ears to Lynx Aurora (n). My top is : 1) Lynx aurora (n), 2) UAD, 3) RME.

[@IntiniOfficial]

I recently got a RME UFX+ and it performs beautifully indeed. I wrote to them to ask some questions and they kindly replied. I feel their company focus on performance, reliability and long term support.

[@eazyhiro9689]

Ohayo Wytse, I'm actually thinking about buying a new DAC / HP amp and struggling to decide between the new Neumann MT 48 & the RME ADI-2 PRO FS R. Do you have any advice or opinion? Have you tested, tried or heard the MT 48?

[@TonyPelosi-music]

Years ago I changed from Motu to RME (UCX) and for sure that was a huge sound quality difference. I had some issues installing it and ( at that time) RME's support was quite useless, so I asked help to my fellow engineers and kept going. Then I heard Lynx's Aurora and decided to make a try. The differenced were quite subtle - they're both high grade converters - but to my taste Lynx had little more transparency and depth. To my OTB workflow, I have no need for bells and whistles, DSP facilities and so on. I just need as much fidelity as possible and for any extra 'color' I can use my gear. Recently I bought the new Aurora(n) and - yes!- that made a HUGE better sound difference from my great old Aurora, awesome indeed. I guess this new technology from those hi-end companies is worth investing, specially if you do a lot of bouncing over bouncing which slowly degrades sound. Anyway, congratulations, you did an excelent choice.

[@massivebeatzz]

yeah, all the companies do that new tech now... Ultralite MK5, Babyface Pro FS....Clarett+, everybody is getting better, since there are new chips on the market.

[@thewaxbiscuit]

As someone with an RME UFX± it's nice to see RME get some love.

[@Themosaicsound]

I remember first hearing the difference between two converters. I had an old mbox2 and upgraded to a mbox3 and it sounded like i took a blanket off my speakers. The difference was incredible. Technology has come along way

[@RGMDG]

Just bought one of these last week along with an RME UCX II Interface. The sound is amazing.. The headphone amps on the ADI-2 Pro FS are outstanding too. I'd tell you to enjoy, but I already know you are.. Peace..

[@kadiummusic]

Damn... now you're making me think I need one. I use a Clarett 4 pre and I think it sounds fine but I not sure about the headphone outputs. Looking forward to a shootout.

[@levondarratt787]

Why waste your money? The headphone AMP, per RME's website are the same on the UCX II and ADI-PRO FS, LolZ! Middle of the pack by the way - Many audiophile garden headphone amps from the audiophile community trumps the RME stuff.

[@kadiummusic]

@@levondarratt787 What do you use for headphones?

[@RGMDG]

@@kaankucuk1612 Really it is such a subjective question I don’t know anyone can give you the answer you are looking for. My advice is (if possible) go to a high end audio store and listen to a lot of DACs with your IEMs. Only YOU can decide what sounds best to you. Best of luck in your search. As a side note, I couldn’t be happier with my RME ADI Pro FS. Great sound through my speakers and headphones.

[@patrickguth3796]

Moneywise I donwgraded from Lynx Hilo to the ADI-2 Pro FS but I will be honest here: It is by far the best DA converter I used in the last 15 years. Congrats, from my point of you it's worth every single penny...

[@bobsmoot8454]

I vote yes, do an interface shootout, if you please. I’ve been using a RME-UFX from 2010, it’s reliable and works flawlessly with no hiccups. My impression of my unit is it’s super clean - aka little distortion and if any guessing odd order, a little lean sounding, great width but depth not so great, and the sound is “quick”. I’ve been intrigued about picking up one of these for 2 channel work. Thanks for your thoughts about this piece, RME for the semi pro market is absolutely killer stuff.

[@jensbuchholtz7880]

I have two of these for monitoring mains and subwoofers (via Audio Vero Acourate & Convolver digital crossover) in my mastering studio and a UFX as central hub. Couldn't recommend RME products more! Great build, great quality, excellent drivers and community&support!

[@RenardeauGuy]

Are the analog inputs also suitable for a guitar signal? Because of this!!! The ADI-2 Pro has two analog line inputs that can operate with levels up to +24 dBu. The electronic input stage uses a servo balanced design which handles unbalanced (TS jacks) and balanced signals (TRS / XLR) correctly, automatically adjusting the level reference. When using unbalanced cables with the XLR inputs, pin 3 of the XLR jack should be connected to ground. Otherwise noise may occur, caused by the unconnected negative input of the balanced input.

[@focuspixvideoaudioservices68]

The designer of funktion one live sound speakers, the guy who designed turbosound, Tony Andrews once spoke in an article about this very thing with regard digital mixers in live sound. He also mentioned the catch up process in filtering High end with sample rates is a major problem. He stated that to eliminate bad filtering one needs to sample at least 384kz. So you are correct there... He lives up the road from me in the UK I'll see if I can get him to elaborate more... The article is floating about but can't find it right now.. Thanks malc.

[@AntiTeatarMusic]

Got the same ADDA thanks to this video ! indeed a huge upgrade to the monitor transparency. Thanks for this review.

[@PeterJaquesMusic]

Just chiming in late here. I just picked up an RME Fireface UCX II, to be my new main tracking interface. Even though my monitoring (Kali LP6 monitors, not ideal room) is decidedly not high end, I am hearing a *big* difference in the monitoring, vs my previous, a Focusrite Clarett 4Pre TB (which were supposed to have excellent converters, for the price). The soundstage and detail are *noticeably* improved. I wasn't even expecting an improvement, and wasn't even listening for one, but it just struck me because it was obvious. And the Fireface isn't even on the level of the DAC you just picked up... All in all, an excellent upgrade. Plus, they still support products that came out *18 years ago*, so we don't have to worry about premature obsolescence.

[@ThePdeHav]

I too would like to see more videos about the RME and other converters. Happy New Year

[@dykodesigns]

I wouldn’t mind an audio interface / converter test, maybe do this in collaboration with Julian Krause. He’s the king of audio interface tests with measurements and stuff. He tests all sorts of aspects like input noise / latency etc. Could be a nice thing if you get tired of making plugin reviews.

[@massivebeatzz]

He tests things that are under $800. Otherwise, big fan!

[@dykodesigns]

@@massivebeatzz I know, but his video's are very informative as a buying advice and are very educational if you like to know the technical nitty gritty's. What I've learned from watching his video's is that most interfaces use the Cirrus Logic converters (a lot of them use the CS4270 chip) and that Shure SM7B mics are a worst case scenario for some budget friendly interfaces when it comes to mic input noise. I like that he often opens the unit to show the circuit board which gives you a good impression of the built quality. Also he covers things like driver stability. A lot of other reviewers don't go that indepth as Julian.

[@massivebeatzz]

@@dykodesigns oh I am a big fan of the channel! Party time everytime he posts a video.

[@pyratellamarecordingstudio1062]

Just a note to everyone reading this. This adi2 pro fs r is the only rme interface that sounds this good. None of their other converters are even close to this thing. So don’t think that getting a babyface is going to get you this level of perfection

[@pyratellamarecordingstudio1062]

@@devianthousend it’s pretty close actually. I need to do a better shootout using the same AD converter on a loop test to really tell the difference. But just by listening they’re both incredible

[@levondarratt787]

it's a DAC, not an audio interface. There are better audiophile DACS out there by the way.

[@pyratellamarecordingstudio1062]

@@levondarratt787Not exactly. the adi2 is a dac. The adi2 pro is an interface with a dac and an adc… there really aren’t many better dacs than the adi2 pro fs r. Yes there are a couple that are better, but they’re very expensive.

[@mixphantom0101]

I felt the same "upgrade" with Antelope Audio... no one thing specifically, everything was just cleaner!

[@timsamsung3736]

The only problem with them its owful drivers on Windows! Terrible drivers

[@SteveAdamsChannel]

@@timsamsung3736 Tell me about it! I recently (end of the year) purchased the Discrete Synergy 4 thinking I was on my way to a cleaner and more updated sound. After 2 weeks, It's still not installed on my computer. Every time I try to install it it shuts my internet connection down. I can't tell if it's my Windows 10 Pro (I even tried safe mode), my web browser (i tried 3) or my Provider. I've had technicians from each working on it trying to get around the problem to no avail. I did get the program to load on my daughters Surface Pro laptop (useless for me). It's hard to look at this $1400 paper weight everyday. Loading a driver/app/whatever shouldn't be this hard. The hardware may be premium but the software has left much to be desired for me.

[@TimeLimey]

@@SteveAdamsChannel Sounds like you got other hardware issues in your computer. I ve got a Discrete 4 and the main issue for me is sometimes it doesn't connect to the computer on boot and you have to remove the power lead and re connect it to jump start it. They are great interfaces sound wise, a serious leap from my old Audient ID 14 but I agree the software is a bit lame. Wish I went with RME now but there hasn't been any stock in the UK for months now.

[@SteveAdamsChannel]

@@TimeLimey Yes, after some troubleshooting I found out that the wifi link I use for years and everything else wouldn't hold to access the Antelope website so I could install it. I decided to "just try" a Ethernet/Cat 5 cable/hard connection and it worked! I even called Antelope to tell them that was an issue for me and possibly others in case someone else is faced with the same problem! I've been using it for a couple of months now. Still having some recording issues but mixing previously recorded audio on it sounds great and it has been stable! I'm getting an undesired audible echo/latency that I have to figure out how to eliminate now! It was working ok and then boom. I could be because of the recent "update" they sent out! The saga continues!

[@PaulAnnis]

RME are just solid and sound great, would never go back.

[@jonathankessler9853]

+1 to the interface/converter shootout! I’ve been looking at getting some new converters mostly because I’m wanting to upgrade my headphone system but I figured if I’m gonna spend the money might as well also just upgrade my conversion and the RME has been catching my eye. My room’s pretty well treated for what it is, I run a pair of Adam Audio A5X’s and I’ve got them tuned through an Antelope system so I think I’m at a point where upgrading my converters might not be such a bad thing.

[@fredscofield180]

Ive been in love with RME for years. Just the cleanest ive ever found.

[@groovedealerfeaturing-ashl6476]

Long time RME user here, ZERO complaints! Rock solid, superb build quality, sounds fantastic!

[@troutstudio]

I do a lot of drum recording. Had a great sound - with a Presonus RM16AI ! Those pres sounded good with drums. When it died, I tried a few different brands. Ended up with a Fireface 802 plus Octamic. When you record drums, you hear 12+ channels of I/O all the time. So the differences really show up. With RME, the signal leaves even happier than when it arrived! Glad to hear you describe this so well.

[@meomarte]

Back when I had Tascam FW-1082 I had trouble hearing what I was doing because the converters were shitty. Then got a Cambridge Audio DACmagic to help with monitoring chain. It was great. Now with RME, no problem. So the DACmagic does conversion from UFX and Oppo to hifi receiver. Every sound everywhere, anytime.

[@RambowMusik]

You can also try to contact them in the forum. They are super active there.

[@artysanmobile]

No matter what RME product you buy, you will certainly get WAY more than what you expected. That is a hard hill to climb for them. When I got my first RME product, I remember being amazed at how fast and stable, how predictable and perfectly laid out the controls were, and how much better its software was than anything else I owned up to that time. It’s not immediately easy to see, but it never fails. They give so much, and they fully justify their prices. Their’s are ‘buy now, use the rest of your life’ products.

[@levondarratt787]

With lifespans averaging 90 to 110 these days, or when we get there - unfortunately that is not true. There will always be newer tech, and nobody hangs on to longer than 16, 20 or 30 year old audio interfaces, even if they work... constant arms race.

[@channel-ls4uv]

Ja man! Goed dat je bent geswitcht. Heb er al een sinds 2017 en ben nog steeds net zo enthousiast over deze conversion wizard! Veel luister plezier🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

[@ulrikslgaard-nielsen5035]

Thanks for this. Good to hear that you approve of RME :) I'm looking at the RME M-32 AD PRO and DA PRO with the HDSPe MADI FX for when I build my new 200 square meters studio. For monitors I think I'll go for the Focal Trio 11be or a Dynaudio Core system.

[@ProducerDudes]

That's awesome. I went through a few interfaces in the past few years adventuring through converters that come in them. Apogee symphony, antelope Orion Studio SC, and UAD stuff. I landed on the antelope and used it for several months before I decided to downsize so the family could start saving for a house. RME is on the my list for sure but I'm currently pretty happy with the apogee Duet 3 right now. Please do a shoot out! Eventually, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna be all in on RME

[@Newerasamearea]

Apogee element was the winner for me v downsizing.

[@gerarddewar9710]

Yes please , put this converter up against known rivals; Apogee, Antelope, Universal etc. Would value your input

[@andrewtolson2566]

I want to see some blind audio testing. I try to stay out of these arguments, but over the last eight years or so I've seen so many blind test between high-end converters and low and converters and nobody seems to be able to blindly pull out the differences. One of the blind test that I saw was a focusrite gen1 Scarlet versus an apogee Symphony. The guy said nobody even tried to pick out which converter was which. But when people say they hear the differences they seem pretty convincing.

[@1972OGTony]

I own a first gen 18i20 and gave it to my son when I upgraded to a UFX+. At first hook up I couldn't tell the difference between the two. After months of only using my UFX I hook back up the 18i20 once I learned more about audio and what to look for with converters. Everything sounded smeared and like shit on the Focusrite and so I tested the conversion from Studio One Pipeline plugin going out and back in and let me tell you all the low-end was gone from the original track. I hook the RME back up and the audio sounded so clean, big and accurate to the original recorded audio. My mixes were still bad until a couple months ago that I finally figured things out. But a good professional mix sounds like being at the movies listening on high quality system. That's why big studios pay big money for the high-end converters to get high grade audio. People don't just waste their money for no reason.

[@Krypt666Norway]

Running UFX II now for normal workflow. Had digi96, fireface800, uc and ucx before. ADI-2 Pro is used as AD converters from turntable RIAA directly to Genelec DSP monitors. I run a digiface USB to sum optical source to DD coversion on the ADI-2 Pro. Did a whole record in 2017 only using Fireface800+octapre. RME works flawless to me. And they got the best 2nd hand prices 👌🏻

[@MELOPSMUSIC]

Nice ! did you notice a difference in conversion between ucx (i have this) and ucx II ? I m used to insert hardware while mixing and i m wondering if a better conversion DA AD would be really better for this or if ucx I is enough

[@brianlespoir6287]

Have been using RME Fireface UC for 10 years and I can't imagine to use anything else. As long as they support my old trusty Fireface UC, there is no need to buy something new. I'm also using the digiface with 4 octamic for inputs for all my synths and drum machines. RME is rock solid and I rely on their clock. I never had any serious jitter, only when I learned to use it.

[@tchip-bc1gp]

you think it's worth add this converter to fireface UC ?

[@brianlespoir6287]

@@tchip-bc1gp If you need extra preamps/inputs then it can be the cheapest solution. Friend of mine, who inspired me to buy the Digiface USB, has four behringer preamps and it is the cheapest solution for massive expansion of your inputs. Cheap doesn't say it isn't a good interface. It's realy good quality build and works well.

[@tchip-bc1gp]

i'm talking about the converter quality of ADI-2 compared to UC 🙂@@brianlespoir6287

[@DigitalGrease]

Your results are in line with mine. The NOS filter is my absolute favorite along with the EQ compensation for the gentle roll-off of the high end. If you want to compare against another studio DAC which I think is slightly superior (they all sound different), I also own the Cranesong Solaris Quantum D/A converter. The flexibility of the RME is better, in my opinion, but the Solaris has slightly more depth and refinement. We are talking audiophile levels of things here. As to why these two sound better than many others in the same price range, I believe that part of it is the anti aliasing filters and part of it is the clocking. The Solaris uses a sub-pico second clock, while the RME has femto second clocking. This puts them into the same clocking ball park if you ask me. I also own an external clock (Grimm CC2) that is also rated at sub pico second jitter, and it makes a great improvement when connected to other DACs and also to my Dangerous AD+ A/D converter. Jitter specification is very under-appreciated in my opinion. Also, this model of RME and the Solaris both use the AKM chips that are currently unavailable due to that factory fire.... :(

[@imdurc]

I've been looking for the eq compensation mentioned in the video and I can't find it. Could you share the settings or a link? Cheers :)

[@DigitalGrease]

@@imdurc The following is from RME about the 5 band equalization function. When I find a link to the preferred filter settings for the NOS filter by some people (use your own ears), I will add that. (I still find their interface controls to be less than intuitive...) kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHaqqHVubbprnKs

[@imdurc]

@@DigitalGrease I already know how it works. I meant the "flat" setting that WS refers to in the video. Apparently it can be found online which is why he didn't include it in the video.

[@Stick3x]

I just purchased and RME Baby face pro FS. Cannot wait to start using it.

[@LoveMeBack]

The RME Pro is on my list. The Pro version has a quality chip from AKM. The cheaper version has a different chip because of the fire that happened to the factory. The quality of the chip is import so do your research. To drive my headphones I bought the FiiO Pro 9(AKM4499) for now until I get the RME pro to drive my whole system. Can’t wait!

[@hidjedewitje]

The older version uses a AK4490, the newer versions use a AK4493. Very similar chip, but the AK4493 is ever so slightly different. The implementation of such chips is just as important though!

[@austinsummersofficial631]

Well of course the RME's are drastically better. Everyone knows the motu's are rubbish. But when you're comparing high end converters like prism, crane song, and etc vs the RME's, there's not much difference at all. The reason why you got a huge upgrade is because you ended up going from a garbage converter to a decent one.

[@levondarratt787]

You must be comparing to Motu from 2005... The new Ultralite MK5 is the clear winner, and close to RME stuff... Better latency even and more ins/outs. Software has been revamped too. Less convoluted than PC gamer style TotalMix. RME is great - but many others match or exceed their converters.

[@eman0828]

Yeah if MOTU was rubbish then explain why their products was used by Usher, Drake, Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Lopez, Coldplay, countless Oscar winning films? Dr. Dres partner Mike Elizondo owned two 828 mkiis and two midi time pieces. JunkieXL owns three motu interfaces.

[@davidgriffin79]

0:42 Yes. I have Benchmark DAC 3L as my main headphone DAC (and the Benchmark DAC1 for my speaker setup). I've got the ADI-2 DAC FS (effectively the ADI-2 Pro FS without the bells and whistles) in my bedroom headphone system; I would say that through single-ended the ADI trounces the 3L, through balanced, its the other way round (for whatever reason the 3L sounds crap through single ended - the DAC 1 doesn't, hence it's in my speaker setup). However, comparing best with best, I prefer the ADI-2 DAC FS to the Benchmark 3L and its nearly a third the price.

[@bits-bytes]

When doing comparisons you need to compare at exactly the same volume level because of psychoacoustic effects. For our ear/brain louder sounds better, therefore the loudness war in music industrie. If you plug headphones symmetric then you have automatically a higher volume. Another story/problem is, the bias that you have if you do not perform a blind test. Next thing is that the analog implementation is very important with a DAC. The ADI-2 DAC and Pro offer 4 different reference levels which make it possible to have a very high SNR and Dynamic over a range of 20dB. If you reduce the volume on other DACs by 20dB or more, then you have automatically 20+dB less SNR and dynamics. Next thing is the auto reflevel feature, which always ensures that that the best reflevel is being chosen. Even PEQ, B/T settings and dynamic loudness settings are calculated for this. Furthermore you can perform a Bittest to ensure / check for lossless operation end-to-end from player up to close before the D/A conversion. And there are so many more features, steadyclock reducing jitter and a driver where you can check for CRC (USB transport errors) to be sure that the connection is ok. ALL that has a certain price .. and no other DAC has this many useful feature which make all in all the roundest package ever for a DAC. A DAC with studio features and advanced innovative features.

[@davidgriffin79]

@@bits-bytes " If you reduce the volume on other DACs by 20dB or more, then you have automatically 20+dB less SNR and dynamics" All very interesting, theoretically, but in practice I set the ADI-2 to +19dBu permanently since the relay clicks and volume jumps as the devices switched gain levels is annoying; and as the manual correctly states: "it is unlikely that any noise will be audible, changing the Ref Level" which is a statement of the obvious given the worst case S/N for the +19dBu setting, at a reduction of 20dB on the volume, is 97dB. There are a lot of toys on the ADI-2 which will ultimately have little to no effect on the perceived audio. However, the one extraordinary useful tool on the ADI is the 5-band parametric equaliser, which has twenty programmable slots; I've used two slots, one for a pair of Dan Clark Audio Aeon RTs and the other slot for a pair of HeddPhones. The Benchmark DAC 3L doesn't have the toys that the ADI does, but it's still a very good pro/semi-pro DAC and through balanced-out is the better DAC. I don't use "balanced headphones" since the whole concept is a silly gimmick and the the headphone amplifiers I use (I don't use the headphone out of the ADI) are more than capable of providing both current and voltage to easily and fully power all my headphones "single ended".

[@BoxRecords]

Once you buy a Rme you never want something else. The quality is just great. Funny you said they didn't write back to your requests. Usually they do and very fast . Maybe it is just the end of the year and they are busy with Santa stuff. By the way their products are never on sale and do not become cheaper over the years. Just because they are closed to perfection. And one more thing ... They always offers drivers even for discontinued products. I talked too much already. :-)) . Great video.

[@RealHomeRecording]

LOL@ Santa stuff.

[@levondarratt787]

Well yes, typically 23rd to 26th is all closed for Christmas, plus the weekends....so I doubt anybody would reply. This is Germany - people do "Christkind" stuff by the way - not "Santa" - like in most Euro countries.

[@RealHomeRecording]

Whatever makes the sandstorm sound better is well worth the money.

[@onlyforyoutube9783]

Hi dude! Thanks so much for your thoughts, loving the content overall. I´m looking into the benefits of high class converting and was wondering what´s better for the setup - would love to get your advice on this: --> I got an RME UFX and currently building an outboard chain for the mixbus. So what should I put a high class converter on - the In/Out-loop going through the outboard or the speakers? Maybe use the ADI outputs for speakers, ADI inputs to return the loop and some UFX outputs to send into the loop? Thanks again for the great content man. Big Love!

[@JohnnyFehr]

Welcome on the RME family :-) I have UFX ii by the way why you not bought an UFX II fwhich has the same price range but with lots of I/Os ?

[@annekedebruyn7797]

I wonder if the software side is a big part of the sound. Lots of interfaces/converters have pretty much similar PCB designs with similar quality components but still sound very different. The only thing left to me is not slacking the software/microcontroller bits.

[@hidjedewitje]

The quality of components is hard to judge. Things like X7R capacitors look very similar to C0G capacitors, while their measured performance is very different. In addition to that, it's not just the quality of components, it's also the implementation of the components. In addition to that, some aspects are very tricky to measure. Close in phase noise is very difficult to measure (or takes a very long time), this leads to phase modulation in the output signal. Tools like the audio precision CAN measure jitter, but the jitter spec of the APx555 is in the order of 100ps and that's integrated from 700Hz (I believe). Hence it can't really measure jitter that is very close to the carrier. Sites like ASR show a very good initial measurement, but for the true performance you have to look deeper.

[@gjkoolen]

The filters before (digital) and after (analog) the DAC's are important to correct for the sampling errors (sin(x)/x) and usually are poorly implemented because most people don't notice the difference in sound when they buy an interface. Also the circuitry for the internal (headphone) amps must have an intrinsic low output impedance. I believe those are the two main differences that make these RME's stand out. Interesting video!

[@hidjedewitje]

@@gjkoolen The filters are indeed really important. The analog output filter is typically a lot easier to design due to oversampling (and thus not so steep order is needed, 4th order for instance is sufficient). The digital filters that are present in oversampling DAC's on the other hand do influence the sound a lot, but they don't necessarily have to be a sinc filter. They don't have to be linear phase, they just need very steep attenuation while keeping very good pass band behaviour. Most manufacturers don't even bother designing their own and just use the default selection available in the DAC chip. I hate to dissapoint, but RME also does this. They just use the filters built in the AK4493. Also, regardless of what Wietse said, the filters ARE still necessary at 384kHz. Low output impedance is indeed important, but a damping ratio of ~10-15 is more than sufficient. It's also fairly easy to accomplish by applying feedback. The challenge is in keeping it low while keeping the device short circuit protected and keeping it consistent with frequency. RME actually intentionally adds a ~1Ohm resistor to prevent the output stage from shorting, this is infact harmless, because the typical headphones impedance is >16Ohms. The outputimpedance typically rises from 10-1000Hz onwards. This is because the output impedance is actually inductive due to the finite loopgain of the outputstage. This is only moderately important, because the headphone impedance will also increase with frequency (above fundamental resonance).

[@ado57]

Hey Wytse, can you pleeease invert the colors in your Intro? It always feels like losing your eyesight, when watching at night. And I always watch at night (I think as most people do).

[@jfilbert]

My personal curiosity is how much better that sounds than my old RME Fireface 400. The headphone output on my SPL 2Control was a big step up from my previous phone amp but the humble RME headphone out blows it away and the mic inputs are as good or better sounding than my Line Audio unit with no coupling caps, etc. RME just a pro outfit all around.

[@NeNNoPromo]

I have also RME adi-2 fs, great product. Can you get more deep video about settings for monitoring?

[@georgetaylor3126]

Would be really interested to know your signal path with this converter. As it's for monitoring how are you going into the device? Is it analogue from your console or digital from your main interface? Very keen to try this converter. And yes, converter shootout would be really interesting. Thanks for your great content :)

[@Edgerrin23]

Absolutely I would love to see more of these Interface / converter videos.

[@Rockky67]

My hearing isn’t good enough to distinguish much between good and great sounding which means I could save money by happily running at 48kHz and as I wanted a interface for my PC to input lots of discrete audio tracks I ended up with an RME Digiface, linked via ADAT to three ADA8200 mic pres for synths and one Focusrite Scarlett pre for vocals and guitar. It’s best thing I’ve bought, for about £1000 got a very low latency rock solid system that can handle 32 discrete audio inputs plus the RME software lets you create a virtual patchbay to create send FX buses. It’s great value.

[@alexbreyer6921]

Hey @White Sea Studio You said you mainly bought this for the DA conversion. Are you still using the MOTU for your ADC? Do you have an additional DAC for handling outboard processing?

[@elowine]

Maybe one of the reasons is that RME as far as I know is one of the only brands that still develops its own chips. I did some research when buying a new soundcard and RME is one of the few left still developing it's own chips. Which shows because under Windows it crushes the competition when it comes down to latency for example.

[@bits-bytes]

No. But they use programmable CPUs (so called FPGA's) for the internal functions of the device (DSP, routing matrix, features). Even for the communication towards the PC (be it over FW/USB/TB). By this they have (at least on their side) full control over the USB transport. They can even show you CRC errors which is good for troubleshooting bad USB etc cables. Other "consumer" interfaces use 3rd party communication chips. But if those chips have an issue, then nothing can be reprogrammed or fixed. This is the key difference with RME. They have the know how and do incredible things with the FPGA. Also SteadyClock (tm) is amazing. They can lock on even a highly jittered input and eliminate any jitter successfully. By this SNR and THD get much better values. See the quite new RME video on this topic. You can learn a lot from it and see the benefits of such a RME setup. The video is available in two languages (de/en). You find it in this blog article about the Model differences between ADI-2 DAC/Pro *. www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/index.php/Entry/98-RME-ADI-2-DAC-Pro-FS-Models-Use-Cases-EN-DE/

[@elowine]

@@bits-bytes You explained it much better thanks! I do production as a hobby so a RME soundcard felt like quite the investment. But after having used plenty of budget soundcards it was so worth it. No more latency issues, no crashing drivers.

[@RSimusic]

I have a fire face USB with ADATs pulling in 32i/o. Unbelievable interface!!

[@MichaelDowComposer]

Quick question on converters... I'm still using a MOTU 2408mk3. Sounds fine in my home studio setup.. I've kept it for so long as I can have so many inputs for a fraction of the cost of other systems. The new MOTU 16a would also suite but would I really notice any difference at all? In either A: sound quality recording inputs B: getting lower possible latencies (but that's mostly down to CPU right) C: main outputs general clarity?