I recently upgraded from the ADI-2 FS DAC to the ADI-2/4 Pro SE DAC. It sounds and works great, but I noticed that it was quite warm to the touch. Concerned about this, I wrote RME’s technical support and got a response that warranted sharing:
Hello,The unit has a 10 layer PCB that spreads the heat totally even over the PCB. That means that all components have the same temperature, instead of some staying cool and others getting really hot. The temperatures reached are no problem for any silicon. They could only be a problem for the electrolytic capacitors, drying them out more quickly. Of course we were aware of that. The special low ESR types used throughout also have higher temperature specs, a lot higher than the typical temperature of the PCB.
Due to the 10 Layer PCB and multiple ground connections the internal heat is transferred easily to the housing, much more than on comparable units (where this heat would stay locally with a few components, really stressing those). So the ADI-2/4 Pro indeed gets more than just warm on the outside. Don’t be worried, that is a good sign, not a bad one. As long as the vents on the sides are open a long-time operation is secure and safe.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
Best regards,
Joost Bullens
RME Product specialist
I’m satisfied with their response and will not worry about the temperature of the unit. In the meantime, I sure am enjoying using it.