• Registered: 2010-03-25
  • Posts: 12

Topic: Need Advice: Fireface 400 or Fireface UC?

Hi everyone. I?m from Argentina and I need an advice.

In june a member of my family goes to Europe and I want to buy a RME audio card. My actually set up is: Focusrite Saffire pro 10, Yamaha HS 80M, Moog Little Phatty SE, Access Virus Ti snow, Elektron Machinedrum SPS1 MK1, a crappy Yamaha keybord and a few moogerfoogers.

I?ll need to buy in Europe because in my country a FF400 very dificult to find and when you find one used are very very expensive (about 2500 dollars).

Focusrite takes so long in upgrading drivers and every place i go, i read good reviews about RME (and i love your  drivers fast upgrade policy). Actualy I use Windows XP on desktop and laptop computers (both core2duo). In desktop i have a PCI to FW with chipset VIA and the laptop (a Dell Inspire) has Ricoh FW chipset. Both works great with the Saffire. This set up is for now. In about two months i upgrade my desktop to a core i7 and i want to buy a PCI to FW with Texas Instruments chipset. In this machine I?ll run Windows 7 and I want to install Snow Leopard (a bad called "hackintosh"). When Apple upgrades the MacBookPro I want to buy one of them.

So, my question is:

I?ll go for the Fireface 400 or the Fireface UC?. Wich audio interface has less incompability?. Wich one is better to work with Mac and Windows 7?. I?ll try  dual boot (Snow Leopard and Windows 7) in my new desktop machine.

In europe?s online stores the FF400 is cheaper than de UC. Is the FF400 going to by discontinued in the near future?. Wich one of this 2 cards is more a "sure shot" to buy, in terms of no incompatibities?.

Thankz a lot for your answer and sorry for my bad english (wich is not my native language).

Cheers.

Neither

  • Knut
  • Knut
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 1,618

Re: Need Advice: Fireface 400 or Fireface UC?

Is the FF400 going to by discontinued in the near future?.

No.

Wich one of this 2 cards is more a "sure shot" to buy, in terms of no incompatibities?.

This depends on your system. The Fireface 400 suffers from these problematic LSI chipsets in some older Apple hardware (Macbooks/iMacs 2007 - 2008), but runs great and stable on most systems. The UC could provide a lower latency on some systems and will get the new TotalMix GUI (without FX) soon, but has no bus-power. So it depends on your needs and especially your current system.

best regards
Knut

  • Registered: 2010-03-25
  • Posts: 12

Re: Need Advice: Fireface 400 or Fireface UC?

Wooow what speed!

Knut thankz a lot for your answer. I?ll buy the FF400 in june and after that I?ll upgrade my desktop machine.

About the TotalMix, will be a new one online for FF UC or for the FF400, too?.

Thankz a lot for your time.

Cheers.

  • Knut
  • Knut
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 1,618

Re: Need Advice: Fireface 400 or Fireface UC?

The new TotalMix will be online for download soon - but only for the UC. So if you want it you have to go for the FF UC. A demonstration video is here.

best regards
Knut

  • Registered: 2010-03-25
  • Posts: 12

Re: Need Advice: Fireface 400 or Fireface UC?

Knut i?m planning upgrading my desktop. I?ll buy a Core i7 860, an Asus  p7p55Deluxe motherboard and 8gb ram (DDR3 1033). I?ll buy a pci to FW with TI chipset.

Wich fireface will be better in this set up?. UC or FF400?. Bus power isn?t important for me. Which of this two interface has better A/D D/A?.

Thankz a lot for your time and patience.

Cheers from Argentina.

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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  • Registered: 2007-05-21
  • Posts: 4,617

Re: Need Advice: Fireface 400 or Fireface UC?

AD/DA is the same for Fireface UC and Fireface 400.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • Registered: 2010-03-25
  • Posts: 12

Re: Need Advice: Fireface 400 or Fireface UC?

Thankz a lot Jeff. Which fireface will be more better (stability) with this set up?. FF400 or UC?.

I?m planning getting a Macbook Pro when Apple upgrades the proccesor to Core I. But, I know that nobody knows when its going to happen and which FW chipset will they use.

Its worth to pay some extra bucks for the UC?. Or the FF400 is equal to UC?.

  • Knut
  • Knut
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 1,618

Re: Need Advice: Fireface 400 or Fireface UC?

Which of this two interface has better A/D D/A?.

Both are identical. They should perform also nearly identical. But the new TotalMix is a strong argument for the UC.

best regards
Knut

  • Registered: 2010-03-25
  • Posts: 12

Re: Need Advice: Fireface 400 or Fireface UC?

Ok. THe UC will be, so!!!

Thankz a lot Knut for your answer. The best (future) customer service ever!