• Registered: 2010-08-10
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Topic: Converter quality ADI-2 FS compared to Fireface UFX+

Hello, are the ADI-2 FS AD/DA converters better than the converters in the UFX+?

Thank you

2 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2021-08-11 22:41:03)

  • ramses
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Re: Converter quality ADI-2 FS compared to Fireface UFX+

The differences are not that significant.
You should ask yourself more, whether you need a recording interface with
- TM FX
- MADI
- Durec, Autoset, etc
or a converter without TM FX, maybe little better SNR and little better phones output .. but come on, what do you actually need ? This isolated question alone makes IMHO no sense and is usually not the "full cake" .. there are surrounding conditions / your demands .. you didn't tell anything about that.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/otrak93xls5176j/2021-08-11%2023_36_49-UFX%2B%20vs%20ADi-2%20FS.jpg?dl=1

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • Registered: 2010-08-10
  • Posts: 27

Re: Converter quality ADI-2 FS compared to Fireface UFX+

thank you. Yes, I know the specs differnces.
But I want to know if I maybe still need a better "master converter" or if the internal converters are quite similar to the ADI2 FS - as you wrote.

  • Registered: 2010-08-10
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Re: Converter quality ADI-2 FS compared to Fireface UFX+

and.. maybe someone HEARED the difference...? ears are sometimes better than technical specs ;- ))

5 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2021-08-11 22:48:14)

  • ramses
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Re: Converter quality ADI-2 FS compared to Fireface UFX+

Sorry but I still do not get your point.

UFX+ is a recording interface.
ADI-2 FS is a converter.

What exactly is the purpose of this question ?
Do you have already a UFX+ and want to know whether the ADI-2 FS on top would do you any good ?
Or is it .. I have not yet RME and do not know whether I want to get UFX+ or ADI-2 FS ?

If you would like to know whether to get UFX+ or UFX II
or whether to get ADI-2 FS or ADI-2 Pro FS R BE
this would make more sense to me, because then you would compare devices of the same category.

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

6 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2021-08-12 06:57:33)

  • ramses
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Re: Converter quality ADI-2 FS compared to Fireface UFX+

rmeiswithme wrote:

and.. maybe someone HEARED the difference...? ears are sometimes better than technical specs ;- ))

Converters are nowadays all at a very high level.
I doubt that you could hear a difference in a blind test.
But the devices have a certain purpose / focus and add-on features.

If you want to know whether a/b sounds better I would recommend you to make a blind test in your own premises,
with your own equipment with your own ears. This is what counts, not specs or what other ppl tell you. Try it out.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13
  • Registered: 2010-08-10
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Re: Converter quality ADI-2 FS compared to Fireface UFX+

ah, ok, the point is:
At the moment I have a MADIface PRO and a SPL MADIson.
But I need more than 18 Inputs and outputs, so the UFX+ seems to fit for me. I need MADI...
I do analogue mixes (combination of in the box mixing and analogue summing).
So, for my final stereo summ I want "the best" AD converters and asked myself if the internal one of the UFX+ are about the same quality than the (so called) reference converters in the ADIs FS.
Another point is, when not recording more than 2 channels at the same time, if it's better to take the ADI-2 FS and not the UFX+...

That are my ideas and thoughts... ;- ))

8 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2021-08-12 07:29:22)

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Re: Converter quality ADI-2 FS compared to Fireface UFX+

MADIface Pro and SPL Madison have no other digital output to connect either an ADI-2 FS or ADI-2 Pro/DAC for lossles audio transfer up to close before the last D/A converter in the signal chain.

I would get the UFX+ now/1st to get a solid basis for your MADI setup and to have additional digital I/O ports like ADAT and AES to be able to consider / connect such devices in the future.
Even if you say that you record only two tracks at once it will give you the desired additional analog ports and many useful features. The 4 Mic inputs and 2 phones outputs can also be used as analog line in-/outputs if not needed otherwise.

The audio quality of the UFX+ is very good and you get two excellent phones outputs and you will also have TotalMix FX which is very useful and flexible for things that you might not be aware of now, but latest if you need loopback or other routing features like to be able to decide whether you want to route through the DAW for monitoring with the RTL or to use signals directly from the HW inputs without latency in near-realtime.

At any time later I would add an ADI-2 DAC or Pro (not ADI-2 FS) to get the excellent add-on features, that these devices offer additionally for your monitoring section. You can use them also as kind of monitor controller in combination with attenuators to have a) ear/environment protection and b) to be able to use the gain closer to 0dB. And then the ADI-2 DAC/Pro always use the last volume settings, which is nice to your ears. When plugging phones or (if you have the pro) switch between monitors / phones then you always have a small ramp-up of volume as additional protection.

The price difference between an ADI-2 FS and ADI-2 DAC is not that much 699 vs 966 = delta of only €267 but the ADI-2 DAC FS would give you already many more add on features compared to the ADI-2 FS (Different Tpes of D/A filter, PEQ, Dynamic Loudness, Auto Reflevel, even better technical Specs).

The MADIface Pro you could sell to fund the new setup. 1st I thought it might enable you to connect a 2nd PC for e.g. backup recording / as recorder, but for this purpose you have already the UFX+ with DURec.

Threre might be converter differencies in sound .. but not so severe that I would change the order in purchase and as I said, it would be better to carry the audio signal lossless up to the final D/A conversion, this is not possible with a combination of MADIface Pro and ADI-*.

I am runing a combination of UFX+ and ADI-2 Pro FS R BE since the UFX+ and ADI-2 Pro were out. It is a very good combination of devices.

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