It shows where the capitalisation of markets is different and how products can compete - a bit like some digital audiophile products competing with those in the pc world. Audiophiles demand alu cases, whereas is this really necessary for sq reasons? Sometimes I think audiophiles just buy stuff because it is expensive.

It is exactly like that!

Hello, can I ask I am soo confused, because imagine you investing 1K$ into DAPS, if you listen music via wired earphone connected to iPhone, is it really worth and different to buy a DAP (SP2000 etc) to listen music compared to it? A&K Sp2000 or iBasso dx320 or Fioo m17 or iBasso Dx320 or shanlang m9? I am soo confused should I buy Hugo 2 DAC or DAP or RME ADI 2 DAC? Also do you think buying decent DAP (Sp2000, FiooM17…) is better than buying these DAC? (In Terms of soundqualilty)? If Dac, what is the best DAc you can recommend? Hugo 2? Thank you

Hi. I am also a Pro audio user. and recently moved over to RME from my 13 years old trusty MOTU interface. I am at present using the Fireface ufx III. Had it about a month. So far. Rock solid build quality, along with very nice and full sounding.

Thank you very much for your awesome comments, it’s a very popular one because of my honesty which I always do, otherwise what is the point of a review?

As an owner of RME for a few years who then got a Mola Mola Tambaqui and a denagrips Venus II, let me tell you DACs make a huge difference in the overall sound. Rme is a solid piece of a kit but it’s not end game or anything.

yan garzon thanks very much. Sorry for tardy reply.

Thanks you. Definetely true that the quality of the dac is much more important than the format assuming you use cd quality or above.

@@13thnotehifireviews7 I do. When a conversion is complete I'll have about 120,000 tracks of CD quality or higher. Then my plan is to leave the concept of albums behind by getting rid of CDs and vinyl, and keep the best 20,000 tracks or so on harddisks as the endgame music collection.

@@colanitower if sound adjustment is important for you (as it is very important for me) you should look at minidsp flex it is amazing and the new dac inside of it is very good too or you can use your own DAC with it.

synthaxtv thanks very much. This is my honest and credible opinion, which is what my website/project is aimed at which means that when I make these judgements, hopefully they are taken seriously by consumers, and great products like this DAC sell through honesty. Best wishes Simon

Interesting. Also how they swapped the AKM chip for the ESS Sabre and they out out a video I saw on that. No doubt due to the pandemic and chip shortages. Possibly that AKM factory fire a while back.

Enjoy - it’s a great DAC, just been zoom chatting to a supporter in Australia who bought one who loves his. 😀

thanks for your message. unfortunately I cant answer as Im not familiar with the Motu. maybe your dealer can help you.

Are you in the Salvador Bahia area?

You can do it with the pro version if you want to

Instablaster...

Goran Aunes enjoy, it’s a great DAC. Maybe I can compare it to the Pro version at some point.

13th Note HiFi Reviews As long as pro version aka ADI-2 FS R BE now has a remote control you probably should.

Hi Marc, glad you are enjoying them. I’m doing a video on some Adam audio actives currently. A7v. Using the Eversolo and RME into them. Sounds tremendous bw simon

True, but is a lot of hard work that goes into my videos.

@@13thnotehifireviews7 of course, but what else have you got to do? You have two wild and crazy teenage boys?

Hi Ryan, have you got your head around the manual. I didn’t know you can run an iPhone straight into it with an iOS camera adapter. Tried it the other day.

@@13thnotehifireviews7 Oh not yet I have had the DAC right on a week, and still trying to get a hang of it. That said I do like it.

Did that in my atc review.

13th Note HiFi Reviews great! Let me check it out.

Hi, do you keep running the ADI with the h90? I'm looking for an upgrade on my h95 dac, hence chord mojo seems to bring more body and depth on the sound when I use it on my system. Do you think the ADI could bring this sort of hollographic sense (compared with hegel's built in Dac) into my two channel system, as the mojo does?

@@funcionyforma Yes, and it is a significant upgrade over the built in dac. It is also better than a mojo, in my opinion. This pairing is now my second system though, doing tv/home theatre duties but it is still performing admirably. I do continue to play music on it from time to time, but my main DAC is now the Audio-gd R7 with a pre & power setup in the main system.

@@infn thanks so much for your insight!

Maybe but it’s got a lot for the money. I suppose the equaliser is already a form of room correction. Dirac is a very good tool to use for setting up speakers.

@@13thnotehifireviews7 that's one way of going about it but if it was self contained in the ADI-2 DAC and be able to export/import the DSP. The good thing tho is the ADi-2 can enable duplex in USB and use it's headphone to monitor so you can pretty much DSP software to model your sound for that specific headphone/s and save it as presets. You pretty much have full control on how you want your DAC's output to sound. With other fixed sounding DACs you are basically tied to the manufacturers preferred sound, RME let's you get away from that.

Hello, can I ask I am soo confused, because imagine you investing 1K$ into DAPS, if you listen music via wired earphone connected to iPhone, is it really worth and different to buy a DAP (SP2000 etc) to listen music compared to it? A&K Sp2000 or iBasso dx320 or Fioo m17 or iBasso Dx320 or shanlang m9? I am soo confused should I buy Hugo 2 DAC or DAP or RME ADI 2 DAC? Also do you think buying decent DAP (Sp2000, FiooM17…) is better than buying these DAC? (In Terms of soundqualilty)? If Dac, what is the best DAc you can recommend? Hugo 2? Thank you

Joe Gunawan fotosiamo thanks for comments. When I see you mention tubes Joe I get that with chord. I’ve never been a tube person myself as dynamics are often a bit squashed to my mind, and I love electronic music . My recommendation would be that if you want more dynamics swap to solid state. This is the newest iteration of the Rme too btw

Couldn’t have said it better myself. Well done.

Get a decent power supply for your dac m8

@@jonasDoguedeBordeaux I tried the iFi Silent Power. It did improve things. I've upgraded to the Denifrips Aries II now.

@@HiFiMusicLover better choice m8 great musical dac

You have to compare similar at the same price to do a comparison.

Not a good comparison between hugo tt2 and RME. TT2 is on another level. You compare Qutest to rme because it’s a similar price, but I thought that would be stating obvious.

it does not have headphone amp and nor pre, it just adjusts the volume in the digital domain - it's called dsp. also if one listens to dsd and wants to use its volume control, the dsd is converted pcm. you can set it to dsd direct, but then the volume control is deactivated, hence the need for pre or headphone amp. i got fooled too :(

steve rees hi Steve. It’s possibly not as classy looking but saying that there is an appeal in functionality and for HiFi most people aren’t after ornaments perhaps. I like both of them tbh, but the thing with milled cases is you pay for it. Maybe if spending thousands that’s fine but for a dac at a grand then maybe not so much. I think the notion of a house sound in between DACs of the same brand is possibly a misnomer with Chord. The 2Qute I owned is close to the Qutest but the tt2 is more audiophile sounding with thicker bass still, and the DAVE is maybe a touch lighter on bass but has layering and detail all over the place. I think the point with this DAC here is that it may do things different to the chord - midrange and deeper bass to the chords detail chucking projection with big soundstage, but the differences aren’t like differences of two types of cheese. They are more like subtle differences between wines of the same grape. In other words both good wines but doing things slightly different. A lot of the reason why people will buy the Qutest is possibly due to the marketing of the Chord brand. They still produce extremely good DACs mind, but then so too do RME! Sometimes it’s difficult to get past that like car buying - ford or Peugeot etc.

@@13thnotehifireviews7 If it had been around when I bought the 2Qute then I may have gone for it instead, as I am not a brand snob, but instead I by what I like. BTW I've owned both Fords and Peugeots lol!

Chord designs are very eye catch indeed. However in the pursue of making very attractive designs they sacrifice too much “Human Machine Interface” capabilities. I’ve owned Chord products and industrial design in terms of ease to use is very poor. Low to no feedback to user and so on. Not Friendly at all. One of the this I love from RME is how the unit is informing you in every moment how your files have being processed. Format, type, output, frequency response, volume level, balance, clock, etc etc. Blessingfor digital audio enthusiast like me :)

Classy looking is the last description I would use for the Qutest. It looks like it was designed by a 5 year old. It's hideous!

Cool, thanks too. Glad you like like it. 🎼😀👍

Thank you too. re dac chip change I think sq is reputedly similar.

@@13thnotehifireviews7 The Black version still has 2, AKM chips (as of mid-March).

Hooman Rabieh thanks for your nice words. I might do Hooman if I can get round to it. At the moment it’s more boxed tech like amps, DACs and speakers which I concentrate on plus headphone systems.

Thankyou v much. Not tried others, but rme ….some beating….

Thank you very much Shane.

It’s a great dac. Easily beats everything under and around a grand I’ve tried so far.

I'm thinking this will be my endgame DAC headphone amp and pre amp

Thanks very much. It’s good I got this one right as I agonise over reviews sometimes.

@13th Note HiFi Reviews: i shockingly blown by this dac how my system become sooooo good. You can watch here kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Zpp-iMuVstWun5s.html .

I wouldn’t be thinking that cd transports are massively better than others. It’s much more nuanced. The new rme has a different dac chip than my one I reviewed as they said on their KZfaq channel but I wouldn’t be thinking that will massively effect things too.

From now on I’m trialing providing comparison advice to those who invest in my site via PayPal or patreon and who want advice, even if in small ways. Links in latest vids.

David Simpson pretty decent David but use primarily as a DAC

In my tube mono blocks, it’s superb.

Thanks,

Hi John, please sign up if you want me to answer as you have asked me lots of questions and tbh I don’t have time on single people as I takes away from the time I spend on reviews thanks simon

Simon fully understand and no problem at all, all for the best for now, Regards, John

If you want to make donations no matter how small, I can answer you fully. Go to my patreon page or PayPal links on the last film on kef ls50. All helps as I make very little money from this.

Thank you, great speakers I’ve got the new emits at the moment. I think combo will work well

mike mullins thanks Mike, gonna be appreciating it with the lock down we have in U.K. Keep safe.

David Joshua Hernandez thanks for feedback David - I thought it did. What sort does it have? I thought it was of the same type on some mobiles. Must admit though not a technical audio channel but corrections always helpful.

13th Note HiFi Reviews manual says “high resolution IPS panel" which is most likely an led panel

David Joshua Hernandez in plane switching for wide angles. Looks like it’s an lcd panel. Thanks for correction.

I should do a pro versus standard model.

@@13thnotehifireviews7 YES! I am little bit sad that I didn't go in that direction, I was thinking that I don't need it... Now I am connecting even my turntable over RME to use help of DSP and equalise some LP problems sometime ... So I was left with a few of RIAA preamps with digital output, if I chose more wisely in the past, I would have now better choice of phono preamps. I am connecting Project DS2 phonobox to a RME over optical output.

Please subscribe or donate for advice

@barbosa pereira i had all three of them in my system at the same time, rme ADI2FS, pontus first version and Chord Qutest. I decided for a RME, i am not sure what would i decide today with pontus second version and my new listening habits... Pontus first version had some things better than RME, more 3D ssound stage and more meat on the bones, but it was to much of good things for me in my system with Harbeth m30.1. Today with Magnepan LRS in my system, little bit different listening habits, I don't need anymore headphones amp and I am using room correction on my computer, i think that i will probably chose Pontus. But all of those DACs are pretty close. RME ADI2FS and Chord Qutest are really close, Pontus is more different. I think that you need to try it in your system with your speaker and room presentation... Harbeth and dead room with some bass room modes, go with the chord or RME, Kef ls50 type of speakers and not so dead room with no room modes in the bass region, go with denafrips... But differences between those DACs are not so huge, so there isn't clear winner, except if you need usability, then RME ADI2FS is a clean winner!

The winner is of rme over chord for price and features

Mike Cambridge hi Mike, thanks for compliment - it’s an AKM AK4493 , but in a special circuit variant designed by RME engineers. I think it is in the implementation of course ie analogue outputs etc. I don’t think this is just an ‘off the shelf’ implementation. I tend to go off SQ mostly anyway as that’s the acid test, and the SQ is extremely good for the money. I’ve even been thinking about selling my Qutest for the flexibility such a DAC will give me for my reviews - headphones, DAC, PRE etc. What are you using?

Hi, well headphone wise I'm using Arcam Rhead amp with schitt modi 3 dac and sennheiser hd650. But finding hd650 a little too bright. And tad lacking in bass.

Mike Cambridge this is definitely not a bright DAC. neither is the Qutest tbh. Hope helps you.

Hi Vinod, no worries. Could try that one.bw Simon

@@13thnotehifireviews7 Thanks again. Looking forward to have your inputs. Subscribing for your Channel. Wish you loads of Success

Thank you for saying so!

Hi Graeme , wish I could say. But I never comment on stuff I dont ear ball unfortunately. Regards Simon

Yes it can because on their website they talk about DSD record, then on p43 of manual which you can download on the rme website ; “The ADI-2 Pro converts the analog input data not only to PCM, but optionally also to DSD. Via I/O - Analog Input - AD Conversion the AD-converter can be switched from PCM (Default) to DSD. Based on the current mode the DSD data are then sent to the outputs AES and SPDIF (DoP), USB (DoP via ASIO or ASIO native), and the analog outputs 1/2 and 3/4 (re-converted by the DAC)...........” hope helps, cheers simon

@@13thnotehifireviews7 Thank you! A condescending genius on Audiogon suggested this was impossible. For my purposes, I use an Antelope DAC all day every day but thought it would be even better if I could rip / archive my record collection for easier playback.

I don’t think so. I was running mine with MAs audio science X5i, around $300 and the combo was awesome.

Thanks very much for saying. Don’t really know tbh as have never tried

I think it’s a compromise too because they’ll tend to put in a cheaper power supply which is combined. Keep the streamer basic but dac best you can afford

It’s not really an upgrade to the Qutest but is the better buy if someone didn’t have the Qutest. You may have seen John Darko’s video. I was saying it was a Qutest killer some time ago. My recommendation is always double the spend for a decent upgrade. Watch this space on the Denafrips Venus 2 dac I’m doing after the m10 NAd

@@13thnotehifireviews7 Thanks for your quick reply, Simon.Yes, I saw John Darko's review and then yours. You are both brilliant!

@@13thnotehifireviews7 Interesting that you mentioned the NAD streamer. I bought a Cambridge Audio CXN v2 streamer last week. I used the analog outs into my amp so that I could use the onboard DAC in the CXN. I had such high hopes but the sound is nowhere as good as the Qutest DAC. The Cambridge sounds muffled and I can't hear things that the Qutest gives me. Shame because it is a lovely, easy to use Qobuz streamer. I might try taking a coax digital out into the Qutest and see what that sounds like compared to my Zen Innuos 3 used with the Qutest.

@@nespressoman thank you !!!!! that was one of my older ones on the rme. I’m more proud of the newer ones of the Hegel and node 2i with better production, and getting content better with good script ...but they take ages..... I’m doing a really good one on the nad m10 atm. At least I got in there before Darko and called that RME a Qutest killer, which it is, Lol. Nice when a reviewer agrees with you. Another guy who has just started up says same thing, but passion for sound guy just went on personal opinion which you shouldn’t do in a review.

Thanks for your positive comments, I’m gonna say that if people want my advices from now on they should contribute to my site even if in small ways. It makes little money and is hard work. You can go on PayPal me listed in my videos or patreon. Regards simon

@@13thnotehifireviews7 That sounds like a fair trade. Expert’s time is worth something so happy to oblige. Cheers

@@alexherceg9496 thanks for your small donation. Will send you a reply in a minute. If you like to chat feel free too, that’s even better

Don’t make MQA the be all and end all. It’s about dac implementation and quality as always regardless of formats. See my dac advice video.

I think I said it’s similar in sq in a different way but with all the features and headphone use and price it’s a killer. Unless I said differently and I’ll stand corrected

I think I would enough to prefer one over the other.

That’s true but reviewing is about more than just me and my tastes which some reviews forget. I describe and accept others views and can still rate a warm component as good. The Denafrips range are more like you said with warm et al . I’d say chord is generally neutral, so is Hegel . Warm is sugden, and the mytek Brooklyn was trebeley but it’s all about system matching too.

So in that sense I’d say I’m not unlike most, so I’d say on balance I like a neutral product. Remember most HiFi is because it is very competitive.

@@13thnotehifireviews7 Makes sense. Based on reviews and without having listened to either I'm torn between the Rme and Ares II.

If ares II like Venus II = +1 bass. Rme = 0 bass

@@13thnotehifireviews7Considering the price difference I imagine Venus is like Ares only better. Rme has tone controls so theoretically that 0 could be a 1 also.

Definetely the RME then if this is the preference between two. Is the dac you currently use in the node 2i?

@@13thnotehifireviews7yes, the Node 2i is the DAC at the moment as I am yet to find the right DAC (in the search for one now).

Rme is a mid focused sound to chords soundstaging. I have a node 2i and it is appreciably better in my set up. Doing node 2i creative vid atm. Bw.

Zoran Babić thank-you for your tremendous compliment. I’d recommend checking out something from Mytek. The Brooklyn, if budget is not too much, but the lesser priced DACs they do - the Liberty (I’ve not tried) could be good and similarly voiced. Possibly Cyrus audio too. The chord and rme are similarly balanced and neutral so *may* not be best balanced.

@@13thnotehifireviews7 thank you for reply, will check Mytek. They use Sabre dac's and mite be just the thing i need :)

I’m a tweaker, just go what sounds good to you on doing that and forget the audio science BS.

It’s pretty easy 😀

The quality is a decent step up and a good improvement with the RME!

Depends on the rest of the gear as to benefit of either but chord has a deeper soundstage

@@13thnotehifireviews7 I'm using Sennheiser 800s. I dont know if soundstage is important while gaming. For me I need to be able to hear footsteps where they come from and how far away. and if they are behind me or infront of me or above me or same level. Dac needs to have low latency aswell.

Oh sorry , I thought you were having a pop, no worries. It wasn’t me but they do sound interesting. I like the voices in the hammer horror series of films. Bw simon 😀

support.novationmusic.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360009934899-Difference-between-USB-A-B-and-C-connectors. See my video of back connections and this link.

Thank you. Best thing is to sound hound it in your phone as I’d be doing the same

@@13thnotehifireviews7 Thanks I did that, also Shazam. Neither of them finds it. What's even funnier: you get multiple artists/songs too 🙂

Looks like you can do that with the inputs it has.

hard to say if a DAC improvement as you didn't say what DAC you have or where it is, and without knowing where it is or what it is, hard to say. Worth trying on sale and return. Buy online for a trial as you've always got the opportunity of return for a full refund with no restocking fees (in the UK and Europe) Syntax Audio distribute these in the UK.

@@13thnotehifireviews7 sorry yes I have the audio lab M-dac thanks for your fast response

@@freeridemediauk316 I can recommend the new twenty5 23i speakers (or twenty5 23). I had the twenty 23 and now twenty5 23 and a big step up. That would be a bigger improvement for maybe similar money.

Sylwester Adam I really don’t know tbh. Use my judgements, take a view, then go out and try. Best thing I can say.

Giang Vu thanks very much

No not imo.

@@13thnotehifireviews7 thx

I suppose talking to an aviation geek and someone who has flown gliders and light aircraft, the me109 didn’t have the carb flaw of the spitfire early marks. But which was the better engine? The German one undoubtedly. The British spitfire had panache and was more balanced in flight, looked gorgeous like the qutest. But sound isn’t about looks but about engineering per pound, and undoubtedly the RME might be the me109 to the spits Qutest, look wise, but undoubtedly on the score of music, I know which is the better engineered for the money. It was the Schneider cup wasn’t it. I like your analogy. Good one.😀

@@13thnotehifireviews7 Schneider trophy indeed, my bad !

Berkut you can have a fly in one near me at goodwood , Sussex, uk. A mark 9 I think . Costs lots of money.

@@13thnotehifireviews7 something I have to do once in my life, most definitely !

WelkySchullin no haven’t but want to try some r2r designs

@@13thnotehifireviews7 ... just got the Audio GD R1 in ... it’s ok. Has that warmer R2R kind of sound. It’s not going to come that close to a Qutest or even the Mytek Brooklyn Bridge. If one enjoys a warmer tone then it suits them. With R2R DACs I find that pairing is important. Was the same with the Denafrips Pontus. The R1 paired better with my Silbatone JL-107 than my Audia Flight FLS10

Check out the 390 review.

@@13thnotehifireviews7 Thx

BTW. Have you tried room correction with H390?

@@KK-bc3tq no not yet tbh

On the agenda I should say. Mini dsp is one brand.....

Arturo Martinez Gracida you’d have to contact your dealer or the distributor there. Not sure. Or if buying used, ask the seller when they bought. I know they changed last year didn’t they.

I think it’s pretty intuitive and settings wise it’s got the lot although I don’t really use cross feed. You can get the manual on the rme website.

Don’t know , check the specs. Will depend on headphones

I kind of did with the mx dac vid I did but other two in a different league understandably for price 😀

@@13thnotehifireviews7 Haha, yup understand theres a price difference, but just curious to know how much more "sound" will we get for the cost.

@@ravag3r94 think I’ve explained that in various videos. Check them out, or subscribe

No idea unfortunately

You can plug and play with it and literally two or three buttons and a volume knob, I had the 2qute too

@@13thnotehifireviews7 good to know. For now it was a question of budget. A used 2qute fit it, a new ADI didn’t... stopped using my headphones mainly and just wanted a step up in dac from the marantz dac1 I was using.

Why does that matter if they sound similar

@@13thnotehifireviews7 because this item is very expensive and even though they might sound close to similar the akm one sounds better. If my friend had both and he was giving me one for free then it would not matter so much but that's not the case here.

That info is all in the video.

13th Note HiFi Reviews thank you, but i am not a native speaker and dont understand all what you say in the video

Sn0w bl1nd ok no worries. it works as a pre amp and a DAC. you can attach it direct to a power amp

13th Note HiFi Reviews thank you!

13th Note HiFi Reviews may I ask. How is the quality of the preamp?

Thank you. Did you check out the manual on the RME website ?

@@13thnotehifireviews7 Hello, That was good advice. I think i was being lazy. Just a heads up to anyone reading this i have the following. 1) RME Instruction Manual - The rear RCA and XLR outputs and the front outputs Phones and IEM are fed from the same DAC, hence carry the same signal. They all have individual driver stages with different output levels. 2) Also RME replied to this: "Yes, that is possible. The XLR and RCA outputs have the same output signal. If you want to EQ the signal differently, you can also use the headphone output as line output." Also look forward to watching more of your reviews ! Thank You

Niyant thank you . Doing one on kef lsx this week

Hi Oystein, I agree very much but I think sometimes there are times when it’s similar for all and tastes are fairly uniform. Bw simon

@@13thnotehifireviews7 yes, but I also have disliked highly acclaimed hifi gear. That's why I only trust my ears in the final judgement of gear. And the difference between DACs are much smaller than difference between speakers and amplifiers when it comes to sound signature.

@@13thnotehifireviews7 the difference between DACs usually is about how they convey details, and how they present the soundstage, and how realistic natural sounds are presented. The frequency response is fairly uniform for most of them. I'm on the fence when it comes to the Qutest as they are made with a unique philosophy behind them.

@@oysteinsoreide4323 The DAC in the H390 is as good as Qutest I think making the Qutest a difficult one.

A better dac

@@13thnotehifireviews7 ... okay ... time to sell the Mytek 😂🤣 TQ!

Well yes and no, don’t take what I say as gospel . Use reviews as a shortlist. Make your mind up on a trial before buying too. The mytek is very detailed and mid centric with lots of airy treble. The rme is more the neutral detailed performer.

Lots will come down to system integration and your taste as ever

@@13thnotehifireviews7 ... I’m receiving an RME next week for demo. Waiting for my Lumin U1 Mini too. I do like your reviews as you are detailed and there are comparisons so it gives us the viewer a reference. TQ!

Can't sound demo online unfortunately.

Michael Hoffmann because it’s asking a question to find out on watching it.

@@13thnotehifireviews7 , oh, thank you. ;) :D

D. I. Tbh the Hugo tt2 will be much better with audiophile dim returns in the mix . Just better with detail retrieval, mids and bass. But more than 4 times as pricey. I’d like to see rme do a real premium dac to trounce these chords. Possibly the rme adi 2 pro version might. I might ask if they will let me do another a to b of pro verses normal and then I can comment on re better chords. What do you think ?

@@13thnotehifireviews7 i think that's a fine idea, will give us a real insight into the sond quality difference RME pro dac has against general dac. I know it will be a personal take but do you find TT 2 to me more musical (engaging) than RME.

D. I. About same tbh. But the rme adi2 dac fs is just much better value for money than Chord Qutest

@@13thnotehifireviews7 Thanks for a quick response. Lastly would just like to know if chord hugo 2 is of better value in comparison to ADI 2 as it has an amp section too unlike qutest.

D. I. No the rme has a headphone output and it also can be used as a pre amp, is cheaper. And remember the hugo2 uses the same filters and dac as the Qutest, so extrapolating the rme is a much better bet. If you’ve got the cash I’d definitely do an comparison to the pro version of the rme against the standard adi2 dac fs.