• Registered: 2019-12-29
  • Posts: 4

Topic: RME UFX+ and Thunderbolt 3 connectivity

hello world

I'd like to take advantage of pci-e performance and connect my UFX+ to my new PC through thunderbolt port.

Problem is, UFX+ has thunderbolt 1/2 connector and my motherboard (gigabyte z390 designare) has thunderbolt 3 connector.

My question is, what cables should i use to befriend ufx+ and pc?

cheers

2 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2019-12-29 19:27:07)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,251

Re: RME UFX+ and Thunderbolt 3 connectivity

With PC you mean Windows PC or Apple ?

Sorry, I do not use Thunderbolt. I just googled for you. For a PC it seems to be an adapter like this here: https://www.amazon.de/StarTech-com-Thun … B019FPJDQ2
For Apple its usually something special from Apple.

As RTL (round trip latencies) with USB3 is not worse, see tabular below ...
With USB3 you could even use 5m (!!!) long cable between PC and UFX+.
I have here Lindy cable (which has three shields) and 5m are running like a charm.

It allows you to position the UFX+ much more flexible and the cables are not so expensive. No must .. just an idea.

There is only one difference between USB3 and Thunderbolt driver for the UFX+.
The thunderbolt driver allows for "pitch", the MADIface USB driver not.

So if you need the pitch feature (which was also available for Firewire), then you require thunderbolt.

https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/index.php/Attachment/2343-UFX-UFX-RayDAT-Latencies-v2-jpg/

The 5M USB3 cable from Lindy (Cromo line), which I am using:
https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07F6WHVLH/ref … E_SCE_dp_1

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • Registered: 2019-12-29
  • Posts: 4

Re: RME UFX+ and Thunderbolt 3 connectivity

Sorry, somehow I've missed your reply.

ramses wrote:

Sorry, I do not use Thunderbolt. I just googled for you. For a PC it seems to be an adapter like this here: https://www.amazon.de/StarTech-com-Thun … B019FPJDQ2
For Apple its usually something special from Apple.

I did exactly that and bought an adapter. There was another issue, which was very difficult to spot - I needed to install thunderbolt driver, which was not installed originally with Windows. After that all worked like a charm.

ramses wrote:

As RTL (round trip latencies) with USB3 is not worse, see tabular below ...

Even a marginal improvement is improvement still, so why don't take an advantgage of it? smile