1 (edited by Lindsey 2023-03-17 20:07:46)

Topic: UFX III and UFX+ together in TotalMix

I have a UFX+.
I would like to add a UFX III.
Will UFX III and UFX+ show up in same instance of  TotalMix?
For example:
Do all channels of both interfaces (UFX III &UFX+) show up in mixer at same time?
Do all channels of both interfaces show up in matrix at same time?

Also can DuRec be synchronized between the two units?

Please explain how these 2 units will work together.
Thank you

SamProX23 Suite-RME UFX+,FF800;X-Touch,21" Acer Touch,ASUS ROG G750JH-DB71-Win8,MSSurfbook-Win10

2 (edited by ramses 2023-03-17 20:40:09)

Re: UFX III and UFX+ together in TotalMix

The driver will support multiple units, but three is the maximum that RME is testing. More is theoretically possible, other question is, whether your computer is capable to supporting that many channels over its USB infrastructure.
A workaround might be to install add-on cards with USB3 chips of their own.

I have the Sonnet card with 4xUSB3 (FL1100) which gives you a dedicated USB3 chip per connector/interface.
But it won't be produced anymore, it required 4x PCIe lanes and was expensive, around €150.
Now where the card is not available anymore, people tried to get €300 on eBay when I looked 2y ago.
But a spare for that price is a no-go.

Another thing is that there are more up-to-date ASMedia USB3 chips, which do not seem to have the issues of past USB3 generation chips. It was mentioned a while ago by MC, and I also made the experience that another add-on card with USB3 chips from ASMedia worked well in my setup. At that time, I think with even two UFX+.

You will (of course) have to work with an instance of TM FX per device.
There is no hw-backplane to connect both devices so that input from device #1 can be routed to the output of device #2.

So, you have to route through the DAW or to sacrifice ADAT ports to route at least a few channels between device #1 and #2. You could also use MADI.

DURec recording will work, but on one USB driver/stick per UFX unit.

Another thing, as UFX III has faster converters, you will get a little track offset when using together with UFX+.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14

Re: UFX III and UFX+ together in TotalMix

Hello Ramses,
Good to hear from you and thank you for your answer.
Can anyone confirm the following?

1. Tracking mode
? Using the UFH III as master with the UFX+ MADI outs running into the UFX III MADI ins would get all selected channels into the same (UFX III) instance of TotalMix with the A/D's running at max resolution into DAW or DuRec.

2. Mixdown mode
? Using the UFH III as master with the UFX III MADI outs running into the UFX + MADI ins would get all selected channels with D/A's running at max resolution into analog mixer (or summing box).

3. UFX+ mode
? UFX+ could do above in standalone mode.

4. UFX+ control
? UFX+ could do this while connected via USB to an entirely different computer for full concurrent use and control of TotalMix.

SamProX23 Suite-RME UFX+,FF800;X-Touch,21" Acer Touch,ASUS ROG G750JH-DB71-Win8,MSSurfbook-Win10

4

Re: UFX III and UFX+ together in TotalMix

You can easily use the 12 channels AD/DA of the UFX+ via MADI as part of the UFX III.

Using both units in the system will show 2 TotalMix windows.

DURec can not be synchronized in regard of start/stop between two units, but when clock syncing both units the recordings wlil be sample-synced over their runtime. And it should be quite easy to align them vorrectly in the DAW later. All you need is a simulteneous pulse/spike sound at the begining of the recording on one chanel of each unit.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME