• Registered: 2021-04-06
  • Posts: 4

Topic: RME Baby Face Pro FS + ADI DAC 2 FS Connection Guide

Hi,

I am fairly new to the world of high-end audio equipment and I am seeking some advice/review of my setup to ensure I am getting the best from it and advice on how it should all be connected.

I have an ultra-high-end gaming PC, that I also use to stream, to match the high-end gaming pc, I also wanted to build out an insane audio setup as well. After much research, I found that the Sennheiser HD800s Headphones would be the optimal selection for positional audio in games.

I have since expanded my audiophile setup for gaming/streaming with the following items:
Headphones - Sennheiser HD800s
Microphone - Shure SM7B
Mic Activator - Cloudfilter CL1
Mic Stand - Rode PSA1
Cables - Mogami Gold Series
Microphone Processor - DBX 286 S
Audio Interface: RME BabyFace Pro FS
DAC: RME ADI 2 DAC FS

My full setup can be seen here:
https://nl.pcpartpicker.com/list/BgDQ2V


Here are my two questions.
1) Does my audio setup make sense, is it an optimal configuration?
e.g. am I maximising the audio quality with my setup, in particular for gaming and streaming?

2) This is how I plan to connect all of this together. Is this optimal/correct?
Shure SM7B > XLR > CloudFilter CL1 > XLR >DBX 286 S
DBX 286 S > 6.3mm TRS Balanced > RME Baby Face Pro FS
RME Baby Face Pro FS > USB > Gaming PC
Sennheiser HD800s > 6.3mm TRS Balanced > RME ADI2 DAC FS
RME ADI2 DAC FS > TosLink > RME Baby Face Pro FS

I have a diagram of this here:
https://imgur.com/gallery/aST75IQ

  • waedi
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Online
  • From: Swiss Zürich
  • Registered: 2020-12-08
  • Posts: 4,180

Re: RME Baby Face Pro FS + ADI DAC 2 FS Connection Guide

I love your diagram !
The cabling looks good to me.

I think you probably get problems with that set of headphones and the microphone with that activator plug.
The mic is getting very loud and sensitive and the headphone is a open construction.
If you listen the gaming sound too loud it goes into the microphone and then everything sounds metallic distorted.
Is your voice tiny and whispering ? Then the activator is a good choice.
Are you a loud guy screaming like an elephant during the gaming orgy ?
Then better take the activator out of the chain. Just in case...

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2019-10-01
  • Posts: 675

Re: RME Baby Face Pro FS + ADI DAC 2 FS Connection Guide

Hello!

jake.bacon1990 wrote:

My full setup can be seen here:
https://nl.pcpartpicker.com/list/BgDQ2V

That's a beast of a PC! smile Niiice!!

As waedi said, you probably won't need the CloudFilter, since you, also, have the DBX before the BF Pro FS. I have seen many people using one with the SM7B, though, so you can try with and without it, and decide if you like the result.

Some recommendations from my part are:
- Disable the Sound-Blaster. You won't be needing it with the BF Pro FS.
- Connect the BF Pro FS to a USB Port that comes directly from the MoBo's chipset(back of PC)
- Don't forget to set the BF Pro's Clock Source to "Internal" and the ADI's clock source to "Optical"
- Set the proper number of WDM Devices so that you can have the BF Pro's Mic/Line Input and the Optical Output as Sound Devices in Windows.
- Familiarize yourself with TotalMixFX, using Loopback etc
   Here's a link with a great video-series tutorials from RME:  https://www.rme-audio.de/knowledge-base.html

RME Gear: Digiface USB, HDSP 9632

4 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2021-04-07 07:21:20)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,869

Re: RME Baby Face Pro FS + ADI DAC 2 FS Connection Guide

MHK> Disable the Sound-Blaster. You won't be needing it with the BF Pro FS.
My first thought as well wink

@jake: regarding ADI-2 DAC FS. For even a little more flexibility you could think about, whether it would be worth to get the ADI-2 Pro FS R BE if your budget allows. For a comparison between these two devices, see this sticky:
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 06#p165706

I personally regard it as an advantage, that the ADI-2 Pro has two D/A chips inside which allows you to drive two headphones for either phones comparison or if you make music with a friend. There are also situations where the built-in SRC (sample rate converter) can help or where you have more options when having also digital outputs and AES.

Do you intend to use active monitors or do you want to work exclusively with phones?

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • Registered: 2021-04-06
  • Posts: 4

Re: RME Baby Face Pro FS + ADI DAC 2 FS Connection Guide

waedi wrote:

I love your diagram !
The cabling looks good to me.

I think you probably get problems with that set of headphones and the microphone with that activator plug.
The mic is getting very loud and sensitive and the headphone is a open construction.
If you listen the gaming sound too loud it goes into the microphone and then everything sounds metallic distorted.
Is your voice tiny and whispering ? Then the activator is a good choice.
Are you a loud guy screaming like an elephant during the gaming orgy ?
Then better take the activator out of the chain. Just in case...

Thanks! I think you just solved an issue I was running into yesterday. One of my friends I play with talks very loudly and he kept hearing himself talking as if he was in the room big_smile.

I will disconnect the activator then and this will hopefully stop this issue. Any recommended configurations for further preventing this issue once the DBX and RME equipment arrives?

  • Registered: 2021-04-06
  • Posts: 4

Re: RME Baby Face Pro FS + ADI DAC 2 FS Connection Guide

MetalHeadKeys wrote:

Hello!

jake.bacon1990 wrote:

My full setup can be seen here:
https://nl.pcpartpicker.com/list/BgDQ2V

That's a beast of a PC! smile Niiice!!

As waedi said, you probably won't need the CloudFilter, since you, also, have the DBX before the BF Pro FS. I have seen many people using one with the SM7B, though, so you can try with and without it, and decide if you like the result.

Some recommendations from my part are:
- Disable the Sound-Blaster. You won't be needing it with the BF Pro FS.
- Connect the BF Pro FS to a USB Port that comes directly from the MoBo's chipset(back of PC)
- Don't forget to set the BF Pro's Clock Source to "Internal" and the ADI's clock source to "Optical"
- Set the proper number of WDM Devices so that you can have the BF Pro's Mic/Line Input and the Optical Output as Sound Devices in Windows.
- Familiarize yourself with TotalMixFX, using Loopback etc
   Here's a link with a great video-series tutorials from RME:  https://www.rme-audio.de/knowledge-base.html


Thanks! Oh yeah, I forgot to remove the SoundBlaster from the component list.

Actually, the reason I am buying all the new equipment is that the Soundblaster software is really buggy, and I believe it is the source of my PC Audio stuttering then crash/shutting down. So I want it out of my machine asap, PC shutting down during streaming is possibly the worst thing that can be happening sad

Thanks for the recommendations once the gear arrives I will try the configs as you mentioned, if I get stuck with anything then I will be sure to reach out smile

My new equipment should arrive in the next two weeks. Very excited.

  • Registered: 2021-04-06
  • Posts: 4

Re: RME Baby Face Pro FS + ADI DAC 2 FS Connection Guide

ramses wrote:

MHK> Disable the Sound-Blaster. You won't be needing it with the BF Pro FS.
My first thought as well wink

@jake: regarding ADI-2 DAC FS. For even a little more flexibility you could think about, whether it would be worth to get the ADI-2 Pro FS R BE if your budget allows. For a comparison between these two devices, see this sticky:
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 06#p165706

I personally regard it as an advantage, that the ADI-2 Pro has two D/A chips inside which allows you to drive two headphones for either phones comparison or if you make music with a friend. There are also situations where the built-in SRC (sample rate converter) can help or where you have more options when having also digital outputs and AES.

Do you intend to use active monitors or do you want to work exclusively with phones?

Thanks!,

I don't really do any music production, or phone comparisons, so I don't think I will need the two chips for the time being, but thanks for the advice. I also plan on running phones only, with no monitors. I will take a look at the article regardless.

8 Reply by vinark (edited by vinark 2021-04-07 12:58:52)

  • vinark
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-06-05
  • Posts: 2,738

Re: RME Baby Face Pro FS + ADI DAC 2 FS Connection Guide

If you are not a music producer just use a nice mic the babyface and headphones. Quality will be sublime and the babyface has eq and compressor if needed. I am a music producer and the babyface is perfect for my needs. No need to go overboard and complicate everything. If you don't like your hd800 with the babyface you can always get a dac late, but my bf is perfect for all my headphones including my hd600

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632
  • Registered: 2019-10-01
  • Posts: 675

Re: RME Baby Face Pro FS + ADI DAC 2 FS Connection Guide

Ramses wrote:

MHK> Disable the Sound-Blaster. You won't be needing it with the BF Pro FS.
My first thought as well

smile  Yeah! The BF Pro FS is unrivalled!

jake.bacon1990 wrote:

Thanks! Oh yeah, I forgot to remove the SoundBlaster from the component list.

Actually, the reason I am buying all the new equipment is that the Soundblaster software is really buggy, and I believe it is the source of my PC Audio stuttering then crash/shutting down. So I want it out of my machine asap, PC shutting down during streaming is possibly the worst thing that can be happening

Yeah, probably! You might, also, consider uninstalling any ASUS(MoBo) central features App, if you have it installed. These kind of apps "eat" many useful resources, running in the background, checking for updates all the time etc

jake.bacon1990 wrote:

Thanks for the recommendations once the gear arrives I will try the configs as you mentioned, if I get stuck with anything then I will be sure to reach out

You 're welcome! Yeah, anytime! We 're all checking the forum daily!

RME Gear: Digiface USB, HDSP 9632