RME has just announced the ADI-2 Pro EX, the next evolution of their all-in-one reference converter concept. Building directly on the ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition, the EX version brings a redesigned chassis, improved output performance, and a set of hardware protection upgrades that make an already thorough unit even more reliable in professional settings. Studio Economik has them on order and shipping in one to two weeks.
What the ADI-2 Pro EX Does
The ADI-2 Pro EX is one of the more complete single units you can put in a studio. It functions simultaneously as a high-end AD/DA converter, a dual headphone amplifier, a multi-format digital converter supporting AES, SPDIF, and ADAT, a DSD recording and playback converter, and an AD/DA frontend for audio measurements up to 768 kHz PCM and native DSD256. The converter section is built around the AK5574 ADC and AK4493 DAC.
On the analog side, the unit includes two servo-balanced analog inputs on combo XLR/TRS, two separate balanced and unbalanced outputs on XLR and TRS, and two stereo Extreme Power headphone outputs on the front panel. Digital connectivity covers optical SPDIF/ADAT, coaxial SPDIF (RCA), and AES/EBU via an included breakout cable. As a computer interface it runs in stereo mode (2 in / 2 out) or multichannel mode (6 in / 8 out), and the USB-C port supports Class Compliant (UAC 2) operation for macOS out of the box, with full WDM and ASIO compatibility under Windows via RME's MADIface driver.
What Changed in the EX Version
The chassis is the most visible update. RME moved to a larger enclosure with improved ventilation, bringing the ADI-2 Pro visually in line with the ADI-2/4 Pro and giving the unit better thermal management for longer sessions. Chrome feet from the ADI-2 DAC FS have been carried over as well, which is a small but considered detail for desktop installations.
The USB connection has been updated to a lockable USB-C port running USB 2.0, with a 1.8m locking cable included. The headphone outputs have received a bump in output power in both unbalanced and balanced modes, now incorporating RME's Advanced Balanced mode, which provides a direct balanced signal path from the DAC through to the headphones rather than relying on a conventional differential design.
A new TS trigger output via 3.5mm mono jack delivers a 12V switching signal that can power-sync connected amplifiers or external gear. On the protection side, a new channel-independent DC protection circuit replaces the previous design, and a fuse-less active PSU protection system handles wrong polarity and overvoltage conditions without requiring manual fuse replacement. The included lockable NT-RME-13 power supply is lightweight, universal voltage, and semi-grounded to prevent leakage current without introducing a ground loop.
DSP and Display
The ADI-2 Pro EX carries forward the full DSP feature set from the previous generation: 5-band parametric EQ per output, adjustable bass and treble controls, binaural crossfeed, adjustable loudness filter, selectable AD/DA filters, M/S processing, stereo width adjustment, and four discrete I/O reference levels. The high-resolution IPS display runs RME's Spectral Analyzer, a 30-band biquad-filtered analysis tool that gives you a real-time visual read of what is passing through the converter. All settings are storable.
Remote control is handled by RME's MRC, which covers standby, volume, balance, bass and treble, input selection, mute, loudness, and four programmable buttons with access to 52 different functions.
SteadyClock FS
The clocking architecture is SteadyClock FS, RME's reference-class digital clock system. It maintains low jitter and high jitter immunity regardless of which clock source the unit is locked to, which is particularly relevant when the ADI-2 Pro EX is used as a converter frontend in a larger studio setup with an external word clock.