RME ADI-2 Reviews

I'd been using the built-in converters on my Focusrite Saffire24 (with the Black Lion mod). I decided to up my game and get this ADC. I was not attracted to the Babyface CUTE form factor and have no attraction to Apple-ish things, so I bought the ADI-2. It was a learning curve to get the ADI-2 to work through the Saffire's ADAT In port (Saffire has cryptic routing software, and the buttons on the front of the ADI-2 are kind of mysterious also), but I was pleased to hear that the vocals are now quite a bit clearer than the old ones, which sound almost like there was a wool sock wrapped around the mic. Now I can lay down tracks that are pretty close to studio quality and I didn't have to spend a lot of money.

i was using tc electronic impact twin it was not so bad but after getting this and open an old session i knew the truth that i was wrong in some movement in my mix .... i recommend this for any one you will get more details and wide stereo image

I bought this unit to improve the converters that I have on my impact twin. I'm using Rokit 8's and the difference was huge between the converters. These make everything so clear. I can't imagine going back to my old converters.
You do not need a monitor controller for these. It is possible to adjust the level of the outputs via the headphone knob.

I give this 5 stars. I was using a neve portico with a brauner phanthera, into a digi002. And since upgrading my converter to this the sound has improved so much. I felt like all the digital grain and harshness just vanished on the a/d and on the d/a no more mud and grainyness coming from the speakers. This thing really does blow away the digi 002 in terms of converters.

I can't say enough good things about this converter. If you mix outside your DAW and want to bypass your on-board converters then the ADI-2 is a must have. Even at 48k it sounds unbelievable. I've made a million mixes without a high quality converter but no more. Go outside your box to your analogue gear and back without losing anything. You also get 2 channels of high quality tracking to your DAW.

I will never get rid of this piece of gear, unless I end up purchasing something 5x as expensive. This is fantastic--such warm and expansive sound. I bought this paired with my Focal Solo6 Be monitors and the quality change kept me in my studio for HOURS listening to my favorite jams. If you can't afford the big guns, this is the best bang for your buck--PERIOD.

After working with a host of low and medium priced converters, I am really glad I bit the bullet and purchased this unit. I have it paired with a 9652 REM card (PC) and it sounds great. This is a warm sounding unit. It reminds me of monitoring with tube type power amps. It has real nice low end with silky highs and it is easy on the ears in long sessions. Thumbs up RME!

I can't believe this. I was under the impression that the only way I could hear fantastic sound was by getting better interfaces. While this is true for the recording end of things, it's not necessarily true on the monitoring end. When you are looking to only mix/master a song, the RME ADI-2 connected spdif or adat to any cheap usb or firewire interface will improve your monitoring signal chain 1000x! I currently have an Mbox 2, and adding the ADI-2 SIGNIFICANTLY improved my mixes and masters. After my Focal Solo 6 Be monitors, the RME ADI-2 is definitely the best addition to my studio so far!

after doing my first recording and mixing with this converter i had to up my rating to 5 stars simply because this thing is great beyond words. Now i finally got that industry sound that i've been chasing for over 7 years. if you want that polished sound quality that you've been hearing on your favorite cds buy this, if not, just keep telling your self that high quality A/D D/A converters don't make a diffrence.........

If you're using an inexpensive interface, add the ADI-2 to your recording rig and you'll now have 2 channels of pro level AD/DA conversion!

I have owned this converter for 2 years now and I admit I'm a little surprised at how dependable the unit is. It will lock up to my 003 instantly and I use it as my master clock. It generally improves the sound of even the 003, but If I had the money to get an 8ch converter, I would do that instead of buying this. After you have two decent channels, you only want more...

great converter with LOTS of useful options. The only reason I give 4.5 instead of 5 is because our headphone out sometimes acted weird (turned up when you turned the knob down..?)
anyway, it's great conversion, and it just works. out of the box, it works great. The extra options make this a HUGE asset to a home studio setup. Very flexible. I personally think all the people who say it has a "clear" or "warm" sound are completely full of it. They wouldn't be able to pick it out of a lineup of other converters. Sorry, that's just how it is. That being said, I DO think it's worth it to spend money on conversion. Even if the sound doesn't jump right out at you, the conversion does matter.

I bought one of these to bypass the A/D and D/A conversion on my M-Audio 1814 FW interface. There's definitely a noticeable difference, an "opening up" of the overall sound, and an improvement in the stereo field. I no longer get caught up in that messy muddiness that can happen after tracks build up in PTMP when using the stock converters in my interface. Setup and configuration is much, much easier than you think it's going to be. I was expected a hassle to get the ADI-2 to act as master clock and get the 1814 to slave to it. But it was simple and quite effortless. I'm very pleased with this unit.

i upgraded from fw 1884 and i have to say now i can pin point where the vocals and instrument are sitting in the stereo field a lot better. i also upgraded my mic pre from a focusrite trackmaster to an api 512c and i have to admit the mic pre made a bigger diffrence than the converters did.

I definitely feel the adi-2 is an upgrade from the standard converters that are included in the audio interfaces, I own a m-audio fast track pro and i can definitely say the adi-2 made my mic sound better along with an external preamp. Also i feel the mixes are less muddy and more clear to my ears,allowing me to make better mix decisions,its not a must have but if you feel your setup is missing something its probably a standalone a/d d/a converter.