• Registered: 2018-05-15
  • Posts: 43

Topic: RME HDSPe AIO or RayDAT?

Are their appreciable differences between the HDSPe AIO and the RayDAT besides the input/output options? The price is not too far apart for me to choose one or the other, but I do not really much need the RayDAT's extra ADAT i/o so I am wondering if there are other factors might make one prefer one or the other.

And is one at all better than the other for reliable lowest latency?

Are these the lowest latency/sample size setting RME cards/interfaces available with their 32 samples/.07 ms? I play piano as well as using a lot of Kontakt sample libraries so this is my primary concern, getting the lowest latency without crackling from my libraries.

Thanks in advance for the help! I've received a lot of helpful answers here on these forums.

whiteletter's Website

2 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2019-12-07 09:59:14)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,391

Re: RME HDSPe AIO or RayDAT?

Both cards use the same ASIO driver. I own the RayDAT, there I know that 32 samples ASIO buffersize are possible.
I think with the AIO it will be the same.

The major difference is, that the  RayDAT is a full digital card, it has no AD/DA converter. There you would need
an additional device to be connected via ADAT.

The AIO would give you analog outputs for monitors and phones. One thing to notice, if you think about upgrading the AIO with additionally available analog expansion boards, then the total price of the AIO plus expansion cards will be €977, as each of the two expansion module costs €199.

With RME drivers you should not worry about latency, see here what Cubase reports in terms of RTL latency for different products:

https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/index.php/Attachment/2343-UFX-UFX-RayDAT-Latencies-v2-jpg/

If your budget allows you could alternatively think about a combination of RayDAT, ADI-2 Pro FS and ARC USB.

https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … ort-DE-EN/

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • Registered: 2018-05-15
  • Posts: 43

Re: RME HDSPe AIO or RayDAT?

Thanks for the answer. I hadn't looked at that RayDAT close enough, I just saw the breakout cable port in back and thought it'd have some analog options too. It'll likely be the HDSPe AIO for me if I upgrade to it.

Right now I have an HDSP 9632, the HDSPe AIO, just has one tic better lowest latency, but keeping it as low as possible matters to me with playing piano and my Kontakt libraries. If it does a bit better and a tick faster at the same sample rate as my old 9632, that is important to me for the feel of playing the keyboards with piano and sample libraries.

whiteletter's Website

  • vinark
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  • Registered: 2009-06-05
  • Posts: 2,857

Re: RME HDSPe AIO or RayDAT?

I doubt there will be any perceivable/meaningful latency difference between aio and hdsp9632. If any!
Cpu load will be identical. Personally I can not feel the difference from 128 and lower. 256 is my upper limit, but still playable, barely. 512 no way.

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632
  • Registered: 2018-05-15
  • Posts: 43

Re: RME HDSPe AIO or RayDAT?

I can perceive the difference from 64 to 32 sample settings on my keyboards, there is definitely more immediacy at 32. For a long time I was happy at 64, but trying out 32 again lately.. I feel like my playing technique improves a bit due to the immediacy.

Whatever the reported ms numbers really mean for one person vs. another is hard to say, given the other factors that might be involved in the total time that can depend on who knows what to do with your hardware and software.

With my machine, I can feel it, so I have to pursue possibly getting it down so I can play better. big_smile With my poor playing technique I need all the help I can get!

If the upgrade does nothing for me, well I will pay for the return shipping.

whiteletter's Website