Does anybody have this ADA converter? I was thinking of a Frontier Tango before this, but one became available recently and I was trying to compare them, and maybe the other ADI 8's in the line, or maybe even against the apogees just to get an idea. Opinions?

I have the ADI-8 “Pro” (I don’t know how it differs from the ADI-8), and I find it sounds much better than my MOTU 2408mk2. The MOTU sounds like it has a “smiley curve” EQ… the lo end is a bit muddy and the highs a little shrill. The RME is flatter, tighter lows, the highs not as abrasive. In general the RME sounds more “focused” than the MOTU.

The 'Pro' is limited to 48kHz, while the AE (Anniversary Edition) is the same as the DS (double sampling) which goes up to 96kHz samplerate.

The AE is not the same as the DS version. If you look the AE does not spec out as well as the DS... One of the desingers refused to sign it with their full name because of not liking the fact that it wasn't as good as the DS.

-Ben

RME ADI is an excellent converter system. I use ADI in my studio along with a 9652 soundcard. Very tight timing. I've had all the major brands/makes of converters in here for comparison and have never heard enough real difference to justify the considerable cost difference between RME and the higher-priced converters. And I'm using a lot of high-end pres and mics with a high-end monitoring system in a treated room. I've also used Tango converters, but think RME is a better choice.

The fact of the matter is that all of the converters have gotten much better in the last few years. Choosing converters is now often less about "better" and more about deciding on what shade of white paint you want.

Maybe i'm half deaf but i don't really hear a big difference between different convertors. But otoh the RME does get a lot of praise from people I Know.

RME is a solid company.

My mistake then, i never seen/heard the AE in real (only the DS), but read everywhere it was the same. Seem not then.

thanks for everybody responding. i just bought one today from somebody. i'm glad to find this, even though the specs are a little lower. overall, still a better deal than the frontier tango i was considering....

also, does anybody know any reviews for this unit? the only thing i can really find is the link to the RME page on google.

I think you'll find it considerably better than the Frontier converter.

The specs aren't as good as the ADI8DS, but it isn't to say that it is a crappy converter. It is fine, just not their absolute top end piece.

--Ben

that's what i'd read. to be honest, i'm so new that I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference, but i thought i should start with a pretty decent converter so that i can get a good frame of reference. thanks.

well great. i feel even better about my purchase then....

I've got an ADi 8 ds.

No complaints here. Put your money into pres and mics instead.

I've heard the ADI-8 AE and I really don't know what the problem is with this unit. It has a nice bottom-end and natural highs (monitored through a Benchmark DAC-1 on ADAM S-3a). I can't compare it A/B to other stuff from RME but I personally owned a RME multiface and the ADI sounds fuller in my ears.

so no problem here. maybe the S/N was 3 dBs higher something like that maybe.

i guess it was marketed as a lower cost version, with a different AD chip. for my needs i'm pretty sure it will be ok.