• Registered: 2020-07-20
  • Posts: 125

Topic: Connecting UFX Plus and UFX II newbie questions

A short time ago I decided my good but elderly Lynx and Yamaha systems and their computers were too long in the tooth and after a great deal of detailed product examination and scrutiny, purchased an RME Fireface UFX II, an Octamic II and an ARC USB, building a new Computer in a virtually silent case to accompany them.

I must heartily congratulate Mattias (who I met many years ago) and his colleagues on what is undoubtedly a superb quality product line, utterly brilliantly designed, expertly implemented and manufactured with excellent build quality. The more I digested every detail in the instruction manuals, the more obvious the genius behind the products designs became crystal clear to me. Every little thing is so very well thought out. Hearty Congratulations to you all at RME!

Although the products were delivered late in the afternoon, I managed to make a short multitrack recording, with ten tracks to test everything very quickly. In comparison, the older Yamaha and Lynx Systems had taken much longer to configure, and in all honesty had been a nightmare to get running properly.

As the Recording Sequencer Software and Computer was also completely new, I feel this was a tribute to the excellence of the UFX II product design, ease of use and the genuine help given through the many, useful you tube tutorial videos.


I have tried to do my homework thoroughly, but now have a couple of newbie questions I wish to get definitive answers for.

I’m so very pleased with the new equipment's sound, quality and operability that I hope to invest in more RME products as the needs and finance arise in the future. 

Occasionally, I have opportunity to Direct quite large projects, sometimes  in well known and quite large Concert Halls, so at such times, require a larger, more expanded system altogether.

If I were to further invest in a Fireface UFX Plus and at least another Octamic II to create an extended system. Please can you describe the optimal approach to linking all that together, using the Fireface UFX Plus as the Wordclock Master?

This may seem a simple question but I prefer to be humble enough to ask expert advice, follow instruction and be clear in my mind as everything is simplified by such an approach guided by experts. I will have it planned on paper, prior to purchasing anything and will know how its going to link up before I buy it!

Finally, although the excellent TotalMix FX Routing System has E.Q. and Dynamics and FX on all three lines of channels, the top two are simply for enhanced monitoring and just the bottom output channels, which presumably are in the recording chain, actually affect the recording. Do I have that correct? Does the FX side unit affect all and thus is recorded regardless?

Please appreciate I usually work as a Musical Director and have been used to having an experienced engineer with me on Studio Productions I have been involved with in the past, hence in this situation I like confirmation that I understand things correctly. That way I don't waste time experimenting to discover answers, but simply get on with the job, operating the equipment properly, as quickly as possible.

Many Thanks in anticipation for your help!

2 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2020-08-25 15:32:16)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,114

Re: Connecting UFX Plus and UFX II newbie questions

In a concert hall you might have to deal with longer distances between equipment.
Potentially you even require sample exact recordings when having multiple preamps connected to the MADI chain.

This you can achieve with a MADI based equipment, a combination of UFX+ and 1 up to 8 Octamic XTC.

MADI is fiber optic based technology, that allows to chain up to 8 devices where the cable length between the devices theoretically can be up to 2km long. If you purchase the devices with Single Mode modules then even 10 or 20km if I remember right.

The RME implementation of MADI has several advantages for you

  • "MIDI over MADI", you do not need MIDI cabling for remote controlling the devices

  • The Octamic XTC can be configured in TM FX as so called "AUX Device", by this the XTC integrates as channel strip into TM FX and every important parameter can be remote controlled by TM FX and even stored and recalled digitally in TM FX snapshots so that you can easily/quickly save and restore settings

  • There are a few samples delay when audio is being passed over the MADI bus of up to 8 devices. The RME implementation takes care that audio from each of the devices can be recorded sample exact by knowing the additional delay of every device in the MADI chain. This makes it possible to you to connect two Microphones of a stereo setup to different preamps and you can record the stereo signal sample exact.

  • Also audio from AES and ADAT ports of the XTC are recorded sample exact.

So to say all in all a very round solution which I can recommend to you.

Further information you can find here:

Further options:

ARC USB - Allows very nice (remote) control over the control room in TM FX.

ADI-2 Pro FS R BE - if you want then you can combine the UFX+ very nicely with the ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, here some information from another blog article that I wrote:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … our-Setup/

Info about fiber cables:
You can use standard OM3 or OM4 cables. Patch cables are for the shorter distances up to 15 or 30m.
For longer distances you can get cable with thicker isolation which are more robust.

So if you have a larger room, you can place the UFX+ at one side and then distribute one or more Octamic XTC as you need to place / distribute all the required mics in the recording room / hall.

Also nice, every XTC gives you - like the UFX+ - two phones outputs of good quality. This you can use in many ways as you like or need. To monitor micro input while you are close to the mic/device. Or you could even think about offering two different monitor mixes. There are multiport phones preamps available, where you can dial-in the volume for mix A and B individually for each phones output, giving people the possiblilty to fine tune their monitor mix. To bring certain aspects of an ensemble more into the foreground or background.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • Registered: 2020-07-20
  • Posts: 125

Re: Connecting UFX Plus and UFX II newbie questions

To clarify.

I have just purchased a Fireface UFX II, an Octamic II and an ARC USB.

If in the future I purchased a Fireface UFX Plus and at least another Octamic II, what would be the optimal method of connecting the existing equipment I own, with the new equipment I am considering?

Or is it not possible to connect these units together?

Many Thanks in anticipation for an answer.

Best Wishes

4 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2020-08-26 21:42:10)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,114

Re: Connecting UFX Plus and UFX II newbie questions

Sorry, but YOU mentioned that you might want to invest into UFX+ and I told you about the advantages that a combination of UFX+ and Octamic XTC would have. Only that you can consider that as an option to work towards if you want.

One thing that I forgot to mention is, that AUX device support in TM FX is only available for Octamic XTC, not for Octamic II.
At least I didn't find info in the manual, that you can do this with Octamic II as well.

I think you know yourself, that your UFX has two ADAT ports ... So you have certain well-known limitations in terms of
- TOSLINK max cable length (10 - up to approx 15m)
- max number of channels in dependency of sample rate being used:
   when recording with
   - single  speed (44.1/48 kHz) maximum 2x8 additional channels
   - double speed (88.2/96 kHz) maximum 1x8 additional channels

You have more possibilites / channel reserves when using MADI.
You do not require MIDI cabling for remote controlling additional RME preamps with TM FX (by MIDI over MADI).

> Or is it not possible to connect these units together?
Yes, UFX II and then connect Octamic II via ADAT.
You can do this as well when using UFX+.
You can also use UFX+ and Octamic II (ADAT) and additionally Octamic XTC (MADI).

But IMHO the best integration / package is the combination of UFX+ and Octamic XTC via MADI, Aux device support, etc.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • Registered: 2020-07-20
  • Posts: 125

Re: Connecting UFX Plus and UFX II newbie questions

My supplier and I discussed my requirements at some length and detail before choosing the equipment I purchased for my Home Studio.

MADI as a solution was dismissed at that point. I appreciate it may be a far better implementation in certain respects, but was looked at, and thoroughly discussed.

A cardinal point is, the UFX II has no Madi ports whatever, so I would not be able to utilise my existing equipment, using that specific method of connection and going down that route.

The reason I want another Fireface UFX, and considered the Plus, is really to have TWO similar Main Units, in reality with the second unit simply there as a backup, in case of equipment failure, but utilising Unit Models that are very similar in design and operation, mainly for ease of use.

If one packed up for any reason, another would simply take its place very easily.

The fact that there would be extra Mic Pres, Inputs and Outputs is a bonus.

This is all about anticipation, forward planning and peace of mind.


There is a history, behind my reasons for taking this approach to equipment, of always having a backup.

A Mobile Recording Studio from an established Studio acting on behalf of a Record Company I had the misfortune to have involvement with, had a rare equipment failure. Unfortunately, I was Conducting at the Royal Albert Hall at the time.

I didn’t Produce, or hire the Mobile, the Record Company did and flew in their own House Producer. I had nothing to do with the whole deal which came along at a later stage and involved the Record Company underwriting X number of thousands, in exchange for Producing a Live Album.

Fortunately, the Recording was able to be made at a well known Concert Venue in Birmingham, a month later in the Tour. They still managed to make a complete Pigs Ear of it, and most embarrassingly the Album went to Number Four in its respective Chart and stayed there for months.

They wanted to make another Album the following year, but I graciously declined and happily avoided having anything further to do with that Company.

I don’t intend having anything like that happen to me, so always have a backup whenever I am Producing.

It’s also Film Location work that has made me like that. You always have to have backup it those situations.

To me it is a Professional Approach.



It seemed sensible to know how to optimally tie the lot together, which is why I asked the question.

Many Thanks!

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,114

Re: Connecting UFX Plus and UFX II newbie questions

Short answer, via ADAT.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13