• Registered: 2017-05-15
  • Posts: 7

Topic: pairing/linking RME firefaces

Hello RME and congratulations for the quality work : i'm a more-than-10 years-FF400 satisfied user and the card is still perfectly working !

I'd like to expand my I/O number with a new RME card, i've considered puting an 8 préamp adat unit in my FF400 but i'd like to switch to USB connectivity and enjoy the built-in FX of your new cards for recording confort.

So i'd like to know what's possible with pairing/linking Firefaces.

is it possible to link my firewire FF400 to a UFX, UCX or babyface without using ADAT and wordclock ?
do you have any document about pairing firefaces and routing consequences ?

Thanks for your help and work !

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,894

Re: pairing/linking RME firefaces

In a DAW only one ASIO driver can be active.

You didn't tell your OS...

With Apple there is something like aggregation of devices possible, but if I remember right this might have a performance impact.

Under Windows you can use multiple devices only then, if they share the same ASIO driver. Like at the Moment 2 UFX+ and an ADI-2 Pro (and even XTCs) by using the MADIface series driver.

If I understand you right you want an USB based card with complete FX chip.
Sell your FF400.

If you can efford, get UFX II (for Durec and many many enhancements over the UFX).
2nd best choice, get an UFX.
3rd best choice, get an used UFX.
4rth best choice, get an UCX.

802 is also nice but in contrast to UCX, UFX* (UFX, UFX II, UFX+) you can not store gain settings digitally, have no Autoset.

The UFX* I would prefer definitively because of Durec.
And with UFX II and UFX+ Durec has been enhanced and the device got a real time clock, so that you can find your recordings better on USB Stick / USB Harddisk.

The full list of enhancements of UFX II / UFX+ over the UFX you find in this article:

https://www.rme-audio.de/download/tech_ … es_UFX.pdf
and
http://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/inde … 8-RME-UFX/

UFX II has an USB2 interface, as this is sufficient for the number of channels
and its the same as UFX+, only differencies: -MADI, -USB3, -Thunderbolt

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

3 Reply by julien M (edited by julien M 2017-05-15 17:45:26)

  • Registered: 2017-05-15
  • Posts: 7

Re: pairing/linking RME firefaces

Thanks Ramses for the advices !!! but i'll never sell my FF400 for 400€ considering the I/O provided...

at least i think i can use it in serial with an ufx or ucx (wordclock+adat i imagine) and gain 8 I/O in my routing. isn't it ? any problem in that case ?

My main question : Was there no option to "link" the FF400 with firewire to UFX or UCX and use the UFX or UCX in USB with the computer as the main sound device ? or was it only between two FF400 ?

I use Win 7 64b and Sonar as my DAW

and, considering the Durec feature, what is the problem with the UFX (compared with UFX II and UFX+)? isn't it functionning properly ?

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,894

Re: pairing/linking RME firefaces

There is no problem, a few differencies.
Its all in these 2 links listed.
UFX €1719
UFX II €1999

If I pay that much for an interface then I go for the whole cake -> UFX II for only €280 more.
Look at the many differencies !

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • Registered: 2017-05-15
  • Posts: 7

Re: pairing/linking RME firefaces

ok thank you Ramses i know the financial difference.

i ask for technical information :

1. wasn't it possible to "pair" two FF400 with a firewire cable in between ? and use a totalmix per device ? i think so... can someone in RME confirm ?

So...

2. is it possible to "pair" (in serial i think) a FF400 to another fireface like ucx, ufx, babyface the same way... ?

sorry for my english, i'm french wink

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,894

Re: pairing/linking RME firefaces

I dont know what you mean exactly by "pairing".

If the FF400 has 2 Firewire Ports, then this simply means, that
- on one side you can connect the FF400 to the PC and
- on the other Firewire port you can add another Firewire device (Harddisk, etc)

I would more describe this as "chaining" multiple devices behind one Firewire controller port at the PC.
The question is, whether one Firewire Controller Port is able to handle the load of 2 FW400 recording interfaces.

If we look at the UFX, then 30/30 IN/OUT channels can be handled by FW400/USB.
If you have 2 FF400, then this is 36/36 IN/OUT
I do not have any experience than to say try it out.

The better solution is to get a FF400 card with 2 separate controllers and to attach each of the FF400 to only one controller.
I dont have the overview now, which cards could be feasible.

Maybe somebody else could tell his experience in terms of 2 x FF400, how to make this work best.

To pair^h^h^h^hchain a FF400 to a babyface ? USB behind a FW400 or vice versa ? How shall a mix of USB and FW go?
Not possible.

What you can do is to use the FF400 in stand-alone mode.
So you connect it one time to PC and configure it (routing).
Choose
- which of the 18 INPUTS of FF800 shall be routed to ADAT OUT
- which ADAT channels coming IN shall be routed to which of the 18 OUTPUTs
Connect the FF400 via ADAT to any other RME interface with at least 1 ADAT IN / OUT.

The standalone mode means
- you store wanted settings
- as soon as you power on the device these settings will be loaded

It stores: Samplefrequency, Clock Mode Master/Slave, Konfiguration of channels and digital I/O.
The whole state of mixer.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • Registered: 2017-05-15
  • Posts: 7

Re: pairing/linking RME firefaces

OK thank you Ramses for your clear explanations.
I knew this ADAT solution was possible (i did it with other cards). i was just dreaming of another possibility hihi wink
probably because i could see fireface (1) in totalmix i thought we could control more than one in TotalMix FX.

By the way, a big BRAVOOOO to RME team for your durable work. 10years with my FF400 and still functionning perfectly !
As a consequence i "made" lots of friends buy your gear (even a ufx for the ambiant polarity project)
Human beings, emotions, ears, wallets and even earth resssources may feel better with such a sturdy work of quality !
keep your ethic the same direction !