RME AD Converter (ADI2DAC)

I auditioned several DAC players in audio shops and spent almost a month reviewing the recommendations on the internet. I have a high end stereo system in the $40,000 range and wanted to find a DAC that could reproduce my library of LP's and CD's. The RME AD12DAC is the closet to anything that I have heard for any unit over $6000. And it will hold it's own against units that cost $10,000 or more.This unit cost app. $1000 and is worth every penny. The reviews say it's the best DAC on the market, but they scare the average buyer talking about the intricacies and complicated set up.There is nothing complicated to set it up. You have an input from a music source, laptop, I-pad, etc. (It does not support Blue Tooth.) For high end audio, a wired connection is the best source. Connect it to your receiver, I use a USB cord and turn it on. That's it, unless you want to adjust for EQ, etc. I found it to be perfect without any further adjustments with the default settings. It's German made, small in size, headphone outlets, remote control, etc. There are "bells and whistles" but they are superfluous. Music reproduction is all that counts.I tried and subscribed to three streaming services, as my musical taste is very extensive -( I own more than 1500 CD's and LP's.) The Amazon Hi-FI plan for Prime members is a terrific deal and the musical library has almost everything I could want. I play classical guitar and have a very wide range of music tastes. The RME AD12DAC and Amazon Music ULTRA Hi-FI package do all I ask.

You cannot feed the RME ADI-2 DAC bad quality sounds or it'll produce bad quality sounds. It's not one of these devices that auto-corregates an unmastered sound. It has to be tweaked with VSTfx plugins (not VSTi - which are not the virtual sound effect plugins but the virtual instrument plugins) and/or you may tweak it using the EQ built into the unit. Personally, I leave it at a flat response of 0.0 B, 0.0 T (bass and treble respectively)...which is what mastering should be done at anyway and at the mix stage beforehand.Due to its low-noise properites, I run a 1/8" to 1/4"-Y unbalanced stereo cables from the IEM port of this DAC into my RME Babyface Pro, which runs back into the digital domain on the same computer, and the sound is good - no clock jitters - everything runs on the internal clock of the computer's CPU. Remember if using USB with the DAC to make sure the USB port that you plug in into is grounded, or else you'll get a nasty ground loop noise that would have to be rectified with USB ground noise cancellor --or-- else it'll be recorded into your final masters - no plugin would remove that noise without compromising some quality of the final mastered sound.

I bought one of these DACs after careful review of many DACs to add to my collection of high-end DA-Converters. For reference, I currently own 2 Chord Hugo M Scalers, 1 Chord Hugo TT2, 1 Chord Qutest, 1 Topping D90SE, 1 FiiO K9 Pro, 1 Questyle CMA Fifteen, iFi NEO iDSD, and several "entry level" DACs such as the Zen series from iFi, FiiO K5 Pro and portables from FiiO, CEntrance, and Chord. I preface with what I currently own to demonstrate that I do not lack familiarity handling and purchasing delicate and expensive pieces of audio equipment.Looking for a DAC to use as part of my entertainment system (hook up to my AVR), I wanted something that could compete with my Hugo TT2 that was at the time processing music audio before hitting my AVR. This DAC from Synthax (the parent company) looked and sounded from reviews like it would fit the bill!! So I purchased it from a retailer I had some store credit with. Well, nightmare begins.Upon arrival, the DAC would not power on. I tried several times to power the unit on using the supplied power cord, but to no prevail. Thinking to myself that perhaps the power cord was defective, I used a different power cord that I own from the brand iFi. The unit still didn't power on. I emailed the retailer and told them about the DOA unit and the unit not turning on using either the supplied power cord or a different cord, therefore indicating something is wrong with the unit. They requested a serial number to confirm the unit is the same unit they sent me and upon confirmation provided me with a shipping label to send it back to them.Upon receipt of the unit back in February, I was informed that the manufacturer of the RME ADI2DACFS would not authorize a refund or exchange until they examined the unit to determine whether I caused damage to the unit by using a different power cord. Despite it not powering on upon unboxing the unit, they ignore this fact and refuse to honor my word. It is almost May and the unit still hasn't been "examined". I have not been refunded, given a new unit, nor have I been given regular updates. I have been threatened to be sent to collections if I initiate a chargeback with my credit card company. I have been threatened to be charged a repair fee "when [they] find that [I] caused the unit to not operate."I cannot recommend anyone purchase this product as the company does not stand by the quality of their product and will resort to using red herring arguments to avoid taking responsibility for their quality assurance problems. As of right now, I am still out over $1300, not including tax, waiting for the manufacturer of this DAC to inevitably "find" me responsible for damaging the DAC despite it arriving DOA.This is, without speaking in hyperbole, the worst customer service experience I have ever had. I without reservation cannot recommend this product or any product manufactured by Synthax or any company under it.

Excellent balanced product. Fairly complex menu system but once you get it dialed it it is a pleasure to use.

Why not just move to USB C or thunderbolt for power and data transfer? I can power it through my laptop and/or pc output and I could do much more with it but too many cables and the adapter is killing the looks of all. I like the sound but man get it together and I will buy the next gen.