1 (edited by ploki 2019-02-19 21:40:03)

Topic: UFX+ with Digiface USB

Currently on Fireface 400.

I'm opting for UFX+ coupled with OctoPre II via MADI, i really like the whole integration thing.
What I'm concerned about is Thunderbolt 2 interface instead of TB3 with USB-C connector, and lack of Dante. I know it works fine via an adapter, but i'm really sick of those.

Is UFX+ getting any updates anytime soon? Really don't want to spend so much money for a new one to arrive in couple of months

Re: UFX+ with Digiface USB

OctoPre II is Focusrite and doesn't support MADI. You mean Octamic XTC ? This is a very good combination. XTC is the only device which can be integrated as AUX device into the TM FX instance of the UFX+.

If you go MADI you don't require Dante. A dedicated fiber link between recording interface and other audio equipment is the best you can get anyway.

Setup of UFX+ and 2 XTC, look here in my blog article. Its in german, but the relevant configuration will be readable by you.
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … Cber-MADI/

Also one available for the UFX+ alone: https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … 8-RME-UFX/

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

3 (edited by ploki 2018-08-28 11:51:23)

Re: UFX+ with Digiface USB

Thanks for replying!

Yeah i meant Octamic, my bad. I really like RME preamps, they're surgically clean and utilitarian, and one of the best all-round preamps for ribbons.

I mean to connect recording and control room via balanced XLR, the Dante connections (or as it stands now, ADAT, since i can get 16 channels with two adats) would be used to connect two other all-purpose rooms from my colleagues so they can be used for recording if necessary.

Re: UFX+ with Digiface USB

Wouldn't that be a perfect use case for MADI and maybe even MADI router ?

Simple scenario without MADI router:
- UFX+ in the control room on your main PC
- One XTC per recording room
- Build a fiber ring UFX+ -> XTC1 -> XTC2 -> UFX+

Scenario with MADI router and multiple PCs
- One XTC per recording room
- connected via fiber to control room (MADI Router)
- control on the MADI router which MADI stream (from room 1 or 2) goes to which connected PC
- use either UFX+, HDSPE MADI / FX, MADIface, ... to connect to MADI router

If you want to work with different people / PCs then you would have most flexibility.
Route all XTC's to PC1 or
Route XTC1 to PC1 and XTC2 to PC2
Or route XTC1+2 to PC1 and PC2 to have a backup recording.

Thats how I understand flexibility in terms of MADI.

Maybe there are different possibilities with MADI, I am just a "starter" with MADI with UFX+ and 2 XTCs.
But thats how I understand and interpret the technology.

With MADI you have 64 channels, still 32 if you record @88.2 or 96 ..
Analog cables are simply too many cables and require a lot of space .. not nice for maintaining them.
ADAT gets too soon a reduction in the number of channels.

1 MADI cable can be up to 2km .. between each of the devices ...
You can even specially order devices with Single Mode Fiber allowing even higher lengths.

And think of the remote control feature, MIDI over MADI, XTC as aux device.
All this you don't have when using analog or ADAT cables.

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

Re: UFX+ with Digiface USB

Hm, i might rethink this whole thing then. I dont have the budget for so many XTC-s, but having madi connection i can just transport one of the units into another room.

on top of that, i think MADI cable can be bought in form that can be broken down to normal ADAT optical if necessary. There's not much gear supporting Dante protocol yet anyway. Will leave ethernet connections in for future proofing, but will go with MADI for now.

Could even get away with having a smaller wall-box if i put the XTC in the main recording room.

6 (edited by ramses 2018-08-28 20:37:13)

Re: UFX+ with Digiface USB

ploki wrote:

on top of that, i think MADI cable can be bought in form that can be broken down to normal ADAT optical if necessary.

ADAT and MADI cabling is different.

ADAT uses TOSLINK cable (transparent plastic with higher dampening, up to 20m length):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TOSLINK

MADI cable is fiber optic cable (glass with much lower dampening):
http://www.rme-audio.de/en/products/mad … =605%22%27

For MADI cabling use best OM4 cable, 50/125µ, because this you can also you very nicely for LAN cabling.
So you can deploy structured cabling in your location and then use it for MADI/Audio and some fibers for LAN

https://www.reichelt.de/duplex-jumper-s … p;&r=1

See also RME MADI info center for a few examples: http://www.rme-audio.de/en/products/madi-setups.php

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

Re: UFX+ with Digiface USB

aaah okay. Thanks for that info!

Re: UFX+ with Digiface USB

See also here my MADI related blog article (UFX+ / Octamic XTC combination:

https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … Cber-MADI/

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

9 (edited by ploki 2019-02-19 21:48:08)

Re: UFX+ with Digiface USB

I'll just continue in this topic since it's a branch of the initial idea.

So bear with me:
UFX+ and Octamic XTC in the Control room to handle the main recording room.

Then, 3 additional rooms, all connected via ADAT on Digiface USB.

I don't want to spend a fortune because these will be rarely used, and dante still pretty expensive, interface and preamps, so i'm sticking to the most affordable ADAT. (4x Behringer UltraGain is chip, 4x anything else is expensive)

Questions:
1) If I have both Digiface and UFX connected to the same computer, can UFX be master?
2) If so, can I sync the target rooms via ADAT (granted all rooms have ADDAs with both adat in and out) and avoid needing an additional wordclock distribution? Is there any benefit of running wordclock via UFX via BNC vs running them via ADAT outs?

3) If i sync via ADAT: one room needs 16x in, and 8x out. I still need two pairs for that room right; since both preamps in the target room need to be synced?

Last but not least, will the USB2.0 Digiface have issues on the new Mac Mini 2018 since it has T2?

Re: UFX+ with Digiface USB

just noticed this thread:
https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=28364

which takes care of at least 2 and 3. smile

1) and 4) remain

Re: UFX+ with Digiface USB

anyone

Re: UFX+ with Digiface USB

1 yes if you have some digital connection from ufx to digiface, in this case adat, so you will loose one adat out of the ufx. Of course you can send tthe audio of that adat out of the digiface again.

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632

Re: UFX+ with Digiface USB

vinark wrote:

1 yes if you have some digital connection from ufx to digiface, in this case adat, so you will loose one adat out of the ufx. Of course you can send tthe audio of that adat out of the digiface again.

huh, even if they are connected to the same computer, i need to sync them via ADAT?
hmm that seems redundant