• Registered: 2020-03-22
  • Posts: 3

Topic: Fireface UCX: setting 5.1 output

I have a Fireface UCX. I'm a musician that also happens to be a gamer. I would like to setup my UCX to output 5.1 surround sound.

I've scoured the internet and threads trying to find something that would show me how to do this, but there are none. It's not in the manual either. Is there anyone than can tell me how to do it? I do know I have to set the output in Windows to 5.1, and then do something in TotalMix, but I have no idea what to do there.

Thank you all so much, and I look forward to your suggestions and help. smile

  • Registered: 2020-03-22
  • Posts: 3

Re: Fireface UCX: setting 5.1 output

Bump, can anyone provide any help/assistance with this? I did more research. Looks like WDM is set to 9. I set to 5.1 and I can hear audio output as follows:

1. 1/2 fronts
2. 3/4 LFE/center
3. 5/6 surround

  • From: Kouvola, Finland
  • Registered: 2007-05-12
  • Posts: 130

Re: Fireface UCX: setting 5.1 output

I use my UC to control the home theatre surround system and PC gaming in surround also.

WINDOWS:
Sound settings - Sound control panel - Speakers (default device) - Define (<- not sure what that is in english, but its the one on the left) - Select 5.1 surround and with the test button you can see which software playback channel is which.
They are exactly like you mentioned above.

TOTALMIX FX:
I have connected the hardware output with the same order of channels as they are in the software outputs.
Now all you have to do is select hardware output channel and send the software playback channel to the output in hand.
In my setup LR and surround LR are in stereo mode, C and SUB are in mono mode, both in software playback and hardware output.
And therefore if I want for example to feed sub channel to the SUB output channel, I select the channel 4 (which I've renamed SUB) in the hardware output row and the raise the fader of channel 4 (also named as SUB) in the software playback row.

I'm not sure if I was clear enough with this, but I hope this helps.

Sonicimage studio
RME FF UFX, XTC, ADI-648, MADIface USB
W10 Pro 64bit

Jayzteroid's Website

  • Registered: 2020-05-13
  • Posts: 2

Re: Fireface UCX: setting 5.1 output

Jayzteroid wrote:

I use my UC to control the home theatre surround system and PC gaming in surround also.

WINDOWS:
Sound settings - Sound control panel - Speakers (default device) - Define (<- not sure what that is in english, but its the one on the left) - Select 5.1 surround and with the test button you can see which software playback channel is which.
They are exactly like you mentioned above.

TOTALMIX FX:
I have connected the hardware output with the same order of channels as they are in the software outputs.
Now all you have to do is select hardware output channel and send the software playback channel to the output in hand.
In my setup LR and surround LR are in stereo mode, C and SUB are in mono mode, both in software playback and hardware output.
And therefore if I want for example to feed sub channel to the SUB output channel, I select the channel 4 (which I've renamed SUB) in the hardware output row and the raise the fader of channel 4 (also named as SUB) in the software playback row.

I'm not sure if I was clear enough with this, but I hope this helps.

Thank you so much Jayzteroid! Very helpful.

5 Reply by fl (edited by fl 2020-09-16 15:32:30)

  • fl
  • S/Mux specialist
  • Offline
  • From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • Registered: 2007-11-12
  • Posts: 266

Re: Fireface UCX: setting 5.1 output

I had to replace my surround-capable amplifier last year, with a new one which does not have discrete analog inputs for 5.1. With the old amp, all I had to do was connect the outputs of my FF800 to the appropriate analog inputs on the amp, and I was good to go.

I have a Mac Mini which runs both the MacOS and Windows (via Boot Camp). Under the MacOS, I can play surround encoded material (like movie sound tracks) out the headphone/digital audio jack, to a converter box which outputs HDMI, which in turn is connected to my new amp. My Windows based DAW is capable of mixing in 5.1 (and more), and I'm wondering how I can configure Windows so that the output of the DAW's mix bus is properly encoded and output through the computer's digital audio output (out the combo headphone/digital audio jack) so that the HDMI conversion results in the proper channel assignments. Any ideas?

Frank Lockwood
https://LockwoodARS.com
Fireface 800, Firmware 2.77
Drivers: Win10, 3.125; Mac, 3.36

fl's Website

6 Reply by sylvainmoreau (edited by sylvainmoreau 2022-06-18 09:38:36)

  • Registered: 2014-08-02
  • Posts: 30

Re: Fireface UCX: setting 5.1 output

Jayzteroid wrote:

WINDOWS:
Sound settings - Sound control panel - Speakers (default device) - Define (<- not sure what that is in english, but its the one on the left) - Select 5.1 surround and with the test button you can see which software playback channel is which.

Sorry I can't find this would you mind explaning where those are or give a screenshot ? (i use french windows 10 so.. not easy to find)
would help alot thx

ooooh I found it thanks
so for others i did
right clic on speaker icon in task bar
sound
playback
select the Speakers from my RME
Configure / Surround 5.1 / follow the process.
then in Chrome I added the netflix 1080p extension
also I added in chrome " --try-supported-channel-layouts" to the shortcut icon.. not sure it helped just look it up on google.