1 (edited by evoxdan 2023-11-25 21:30:29)

Topic: New AD/DA chips in UFX III?

What model AD/DA chips are in the UFX III?

UFX III is advertised with new/updated AD/DA converters. However, Thomann's website lists AK5574 AD / AK4490 DA converters, which AFAIK are the same chips that are in the UFX+ and UFX II.
https://www.thomannmusic.com/rme_fireface_ufx_iii.htm

If the above is accurate, what specifically is new with the AD/DA converters in the UFX III?

Would it be possible for MC or someone at RME to confirm?

Thank you so much,
- Danny

2 (edited by ramses 2023-11-25 19:23:40)

Re: New AD/DA chips in UFX III?

Hi Danny,

see my blog article: https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ent … iii-en-de/

"[...]
High-quality converters from AKM (AK5574 as AD converter and AK4490 as DA converter), which are already familiar from the ADI-2 Pro FS.
[...]"

and  https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 06#p165706

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

3

Re: New AD/DA chips in UFX III?

evoxdan wrote:

What model AD/DA chips are in the UFX III?

UFX III is advertised with new/updated AD/DA converters. However, Thomann's website lists AK5574 AD / AK4490 DA converters, which AFAIK are the same chips that are in the UFX+ and UFX II.

They are not. The UFX+ used older, no longer available AKMs. The UFX II uses the same as UFX III since its refresh some months ago, because it uses the same analog board as the UFX III. Before it used the same analog board as the UFX+.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

4 (edited by evoxdan 2023-11-27 23:00:43)

Re: New AD/DA chips in UFX III?

MC, thank you for the clarification! Very good to know.

Ramses, thank you for all the info- it's very helpful. I was contemplating whether I want to keep my ADI-2 Pro FS R BE(AK4493) for AD/DA conversion (via AES) if I get the UFX III. Based on the info from you and MC, I think I will keep it and combine it with the UFX III.

Thanks!

Re: New AD/DA chips in UFX III?

To combine both is easily possible, and I regard it as a good idea feature-wise.

If you need a few hints, how to integrate an ADI into your setup then see my blog article here:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/Ent … our-Setup/

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

Re: New AD/DA chips in UFX III?

One other question-

If I have the ADI-2 Pro FS set to AD/DA mode and connected to the UFX III via AES, would it make sense to run outboard gear on my masterbuss out of 2 line-outs on the UFX and then run them back into the line-ins on the ADI-2 Pro to take advantage of the superior AD converters of the ADI-2 Pro?

Or would the AD conversion still be the same if I just run the outboard gear back into the line-ins on the UFX (as long as I have the ADI-2 Pro set to AD/DA mode / master clock)?

Hopefully my question makes sense.

TIA!

Re: New AD/DA chips in UFX III?

I use the ADI-2 Pro solely for monitoring and in front of my HiFi.
The converter of the UFX III are fine enough.
I mentioned quite a few times, they are the same as those from ADI-2 Pro FS.
The mastering engineer in this video uses an analog backbone ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doHG32aXBDY
Many possibilities for setups ... try it out.

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

Re: New AD/DA chips in UFX III?

Thanks Ramses. Is the UFX III ADC chip exactly the same as the ADI-2 Pro FS ADC chip? The DAC chips are not the same- UFX III (AK4490) and ADI-2 Pro FS (AK4493).

I guess I'm just wondering if I use the ADI-2 Pro FS as the AD/DA (via AES), will that "upgrade" the ADC of the UFX III to the ADI-2 Pro FS's ADC while recording into the line-ins on the the UFX III?

I plan to do some testing once I receive a UFX III.

9 (edited by ramses 2023-11-28 07:44:17)

Re: New AD/DA chips in UFX III?

The older model "ADI-2 Pro FS" had the 4490, I am not talking about "ADI-2 Pro FS R BE", see table:
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 06#p165706

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

10 (edited by Berthold Collins 2023-12-02 16:33:31)

Re: New AD/DA chips in UFX III?

MC wrote:
evoxdan wrote:

What model AD/DA chips are in the UFX III?

UFX III is advertised with new/updated AD/DA converters. However, Thomann's website lists AK5574 AD / AK4490 DA converters, which AFAIK are the same chips that are in the UFX+ and UFX II.

They are not. The UFX+ used older, no longer available AKMs. The UFX II uses the same as UFX III since its refresh some months ago, because it uses the same analog board as the UFX III. Before it used the same analog board as the UFX+.

Does that mean the actual UFXII units in the shops right now are analog board - and converter -wise similar to the UFXIII?

The only difference will be the additional features like Madi and USB3?

Can you give us a serial-no. from which the UFXIIs are definitely refreshed and not old units from the shelf?

11 (edited by Berthold Collins 2023-12-05 10:30:20)

Re: New AD/DA chips in UFX III?

MC wrote:
evoxdan wrote:

What model AD/DA chips are in the UFX III?

UFX III is advertised with new/updated AD/DA converters. However, Thomann's website lists AK5574 AD / AK4490 DA converters, which AFAIK are the same chips that are in the UFX+ and UFX II.

They are not. The UFX+ used older, no longer available AKMs. The UFX II uses the same as UFX III since its refresh some months ago, because it uses the same analog board as the UFX III. Before it used the same analog board as the UFX+.

OK, some questions obviously won´t get an answer here... sadly.