• Registered: 2014-09-22
  • Posts: 1

Topic: Product Release Cycle?

After reading all the good reviews, I've decided to go RME on my next interface (Fireface UFX).  I've noticed that RME seems to have long support cycles for their products, and that's a very good thing.  The UFX has everything I need, but there are two things things that make me wonder if I should wait a bit:

- I just build a new Win PC and it has thunderbolt and USB 3.0 ports.  The ability to utilize these ports are just a bit of  "future proofing" for me, and not 100% necessary for me today.

- The UFX has been out a while (can't find the release date) and I wonder if it is nearing the end of it's life-cycle for manufacturing any time soon.

I don't expect anyone will know the definitive answer of whether or not this device will be refreshed soon.  I do wonder if anyone knows, based on history, if RME tends to follow a hardware refresh cycle that is consistent.  Even though it would work perfectly for me as-is, I'd probably wish I had waited for the latest model if I knew it was going to be released in the next 6 months.  So, my question for long time RME users is:

"If you had to guess, when do you think the next version of the UFX will be released?" 

I'm not running a business, just a hobby, so I can wait as long as my excitement of getting new gear will let me.

Thanks!
Michael

  • marQs
  • S/Mux specialist
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2007-08-20
  • Posts: 194

Re: Product Release Cycle?

UFX is around since 2010/11. It's not an outdated interface. Been using a Fireface 800 since 2006, just recently replaced it with  UFX - while the 800 is still perfectly working and never had a single problem. Actually it will be supported with drivers as long as the current product cycle is alive (according to an RME statement here in this forum the FW driver for FF800/400 is exactly the same as in UFX/UCX).

In case of FF800 (released in 2004) that's 10 years of support already - still continued. An amazingly long period for a piece of equipment that's used in conjunction with a computer. I'd expect a similar support for the UFX/UCX.

Of course any day an interface with even more stunning features might be released but that won't render an already next to perfect device useless over night. Thunderbolt/USB 3 are nice but RME shows they're simply not neccessary for managing 60 channels of audio. And it seems USB will be around for some time to come (3 + 3.1), pretty much downward compatible. The UFX utilizes an FPGA (programmable chip) for connecting via FW or USB, kind of an open (future proof) architecture compared to a fixed FW/USB controller.

As a bottom line, RME is one of the few companies out there that don't try to sell their latest greatest product by discontinuing support for older devices. Features were what sold me that UFX, not necessity.