RME
ADI-2 DAC FS
Introduced 2018$1,299 MSRP
The RME ADI-2 DAC FS is a compact, studio-pedigree desktop DAC and headphone amplifier from German pro-audio manufacturer RME, prized by both objectivist reviewers and headphone enthusiasts for its exceptionally low distortion, extensive DSP-based tone controls, and dual high/low-power headphone outputs in a single rack-half-width chassis. It uses the ESS ES9028Q2M DAC chip in current production, having switched from an AKM AK4490 chipset after the October 2020 AKM factory fire disrupted supply of AKM converters industry-wide.
MSRP
$1,299
Used market · Excellent
$874
-33% vs MSRP
as of Sep 1, 2026MSRP to used market
From $850 at launch to $874 today.
Specifications
- Price
- $1,299 USD
- THD n
- 0.00016%
- Inputs
- USB, coaxial, optical
- SNR
- 120 dB
- Weight
- 2.2 lb
- Max DSD
- DSD256 (native)
- Max PCM
- 32-bit/768kHz
- Outputs
- RCA, XLR, 6.35mm headphone, 3.5mm IEM output
- DAC chip
- ESS ES9028Q2M (current production; originally AK4493 before the October 2020 AKM factory fire)
- Dimensions
- 8.5″ W × 2.05″ H × 5.9″ D (not including feet)
- Clock jitter
- RME SteadyClock FS, claimed >50 dB on-the-fly jitter rejection regardless of source
- Digital inputs
- USB, S/PDIF (TosLink optical and RCA coaxial), AES/EBU (via adapter on RCA input), ADAT (via TosLink)
- Headphone output
- 6.3mm TRS "Extreme Power" output, 0.1-ohm output impedance, up to 1.5W; plus separate mini-TRS Super Low Noise IEM output
- Output impedance
- 100 ohms (RCA), 200 ohms (XLR)
- Sample rate support
- PCM up to 192kHz
- Chip or architecture
- AKM AK4493, SteadyClock FS
- Signal to noise ratio
- 120 dB unweighted at highest output level (RCA/XLR); 118 dB unweighted on IEM output
- Sample rate support USB
- PCM up to 32-bit/768kHz; DSD up to DSD256
- Sample rate support other digital inputs
- PCM up to 192kHz
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