ROAD TEST
RME Fireface UFX + Audio Interface & ARC USB Remote Control
By Adam Gallant
The Fireface UFX + is RME Audio ’ s new flagship interface , launched to commemorate the company ’ s 20 th year in business . The unit boasts unprecedented connectivity as well as RME ’ s famous low latency hardware and driver designs . Notable upgrades from other interfaces in the UFX line include the addition of Thunderbolt and MADI connections . The total number of ins and outs on the UFX + is an amazing 188 channels – 128 channels more than the Fireface UFX . Other improvements include a more powerful DSP , redesigned AD / DA converters , USB 3.0 out , and a redesigned optional remote control , the ARC USB .
Inputs & Outputs With 94 inputs and 94 outputs , the UFX + is a true workhorse . The I / O consists of the following : 12 analog inputs with four frontpanel , digitally-controlled XLR mic / instrument preamps and eight rear-panel line level TRS inputs . For digital connectivity , we have two ADAT ins and two ADAT outs , AES / EBU , SPDIF optical , MADI coaxial , and MADI optical . Include the front and rear panel MIDI ins and outs and we have a very impressive amount of I / O for a single rack unit . These interfaces are right at home as the centre of a very dependable and expandable location recording rig .
For playback , the unit houses two XLR outputs for studio monitors controlled via a volume pot on the front panel . The front panel also holds two separate headphone outputs via analog 9 / 10 and 11 / 12 . The headphone output volume is controlled by dedicated knobs as well as the optional ARC USB remote ( more on that shortly ). All hardware knobs are detented , superb quality , and void of noise .
With the UFX +’ s added I / O comes greater bandwidth demands and , thus , expanded computer connectivity . The addition of USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt outputs coupled with RME ’ s dedication to the stability of its drivers means this unit will work reliably and serve users for many years to come .
TotalMix FX + RME bundles all of its drivers with a single , scalable control utility called TotalMix FX ; here , we have TotalMix FX +. It is a simple control panel with both a traditional mixer view and a matrix view for managing signal path routing . Our studio PC was successful in connecting and controlling two UFX interfaces simultaneously , with one unit set up as an A / D converter by routing XLR ins 9 through 12 to ADAT outputs . This was done quickly and easily in the matrix view and output volume via ADAT was controllable in this window as well . The TotalMix control panel allows users to easily EQ , compress , add reverb , route , label , build headphone mixes , as well as save and recall snapshots . What ’ s more , many of the software functions can be mapped to the ARC USB remote for optimized workflows .
Direct USB Recording The front panel of the UFX + contains a USB port designed for direct-to-USB-hard drive recording ( DURec ), a useful feature for tracking without the need of a computer or as a redundant backup in the studio . The maximum number of channels recordable via USB is 76 , meaning all 12 analog inputs plus 64 MADI channels can be recorded simultaneously even to slower or partitioned USB flash drives . The files are time-stamped WAVs and easily transferable to any DAW .
ARC USB Remote Control Along with the release of the UFX + comes a newly designed , very rugged USB remote control . This wired remote is customizable to access the most frequently used commands of TotalMix FX +, such as gain for the four microphone preamps , headphone outputs , monitor output volume , dim , talkback , and more .
The ARC USB is a USB MIDI remote control that is compatible with all RME audio interfaces
ARC USB
Fireface UFX +
supported by the TotalMix FX software . The remote can be connected to the computer or directly to the UFX + and the UFX II . Connecting directly to the UFX makes stand-alone operation ergonomic and efficient , as navigating the front panel menu is not always ideal .
Additional Features RME has recently announced a class-compliant option , allowing 22 channels in and out of an iPad with full control over the hardware mixer . The company has also been updating its YouTube channel with a series of video tutorials on various products as well as an in-depth look at the TotalMix FX software , which would be very helpful to new users .
RME ’ s Fireface UFX + is as future-proof as an audio interface can be in today ’ s marketplace . The diverse connectivity alongside RME ’ s dedication to stable updates makes this a perfect investment for professional users .
Adam Gallant has worked in all facets of digital audio production , from music composition to location and post audio for television and film . He currently owns and operates The Hill Sound Studio in Charlottetown , PE .
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