1 Topic by Thorsten.Klose (edited by Thorsten.Klose 2023-11-11 01:21:47)

  • Registered: 2023-11-10
  • Posts: 1

Topic: Thank you for the long-term support!

Dear RME,

I would like to express my appreciation for the long-term support of the Hammerfall DSP Multiface system because it's a great show case how hardware vendors should behave, and I'm writing this as a developer of (unrelated) HW solutions who has the same spirit and knows, what it means in terms of challenge, frustration and unexpected extra hours to keep some HW/SW solution created many many years ago alive on different kind of platforms!

My personal path with "getting a perfect audio interface":

  • got my hands on HDSP(e) Multiface (1) with PCI card in the early 200s due to need for an interface which works under Windows and Linux - this was the only meaningful system and performance (latency & S/N), was superior at this point in time and I felt that RME really know what they are doing towards independent/sustainable solutions having very clever FPGA based proxy in mind! smile

  • 2007 I switched to a MacBookPro and was happy to get a "unix-like system" (this was my view at this point in time) for my developments and was very happy that I could continue to use Multiface with the HDSPe ExpressCard

  • switched to different Mac in the late 201*s due to various reasons - since there was no solution to re-use the HDSPe system at this point in time I was enforced to use a different "cheap sound conversion system" based on Firewire800 from a different vendor - with reduced features and "strange sound quality" - never liked it really!

  • recently I had to update my computer again, this time to a MacMini with M2 processor. Totally different HW compared to computers I used in the past: no Intel processor, no Firewire, only those USB & Thunderbolt interfaces - even with Thunderbolt->Firewire adaptors there was no visible migration path, because the audio interface that I was using before wasn't supported by the vendor since several MacOS versions anymore

  • I had the impression that 2023 no sound system on the market could beat the specs of "my multiface" that I used 20 years ago in terms of #Analog IO and performance w/o investing $$$ again and throwing away a great piece of HW (which is the actual pain!)... therefore I tried the big in-vague migration path: purchasing a SoNNEt Echo ExpressCard Pro Thunderbolt Adaptor, updating the Multiface firmware to the latest version on my old 2007 MacBookPro (it deserves an extra story how I re-installed a suitable MacOS version anno 2023 from scratch via archive.org ISOs to get this running...), getting the latest HDSPe drivers for MacOS Sonoma 14 installed by lowering security mechanisms, etc...

  • but what should I say: it worked by following the instructions at the RME-Audio website and following forum discussions!

I'm deeply impressed, and therefore - following the spirt - would like to offer: if you find this posting today 2023-November or many years later, just follow-up on this posting, the community might be able to give concrete hints to get your system running again smile

Best Regards, Thorsten.

P.S: of course, I'm now expecting to continue the usage of my Multiface via HDSPe ExpressCard and any kind of adaptor or driver update the next 10..20 years smile

  • Kubrak
  • S/Mux specialist
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2023-08-03
  • Posts: 278

Re: Thank you for the long-term support!

I am new to RME products, but I also do appreciate long term support of RME hardware.

Many other companies are not like that. I just experience end of support for my 1000+ EUR keyboard whose sale has ended just five years ago.... :-(

  • Registered: 2016-09-20
  • Posts: 5

Re: Thank you for the long-term support!

I always recommend RME products, and this is one of the main reasons for that. It's a way of showing respect for the user that I highly appreciate.

  • Registered: 2011-01-26
  • Posts: 8

Re: Thank you for the long-term support!

I'd like to add my voice to the choir smile

Just retired my trusty Multiface 1 after more than 20 years of everyday use. Including 7 years on a PCI to PCI-e bridge. And look forward to continue using it in my retro y2k DAW for the next years to come.

Thank you very much! :* Also for the lovely support in here. Although I didn't have to use it often smile