And your budget for that is unlimited or what approx ?

For best scalability and to be able to connect to the computer through USB3 or Thunderbolt (even USB2 without MADI SW playback channels) I can recommend you the UFX+ which I also own.

Then you have 2x ADAT I/O and MADI (64ch@single speed) to expand your setup.
You can add AD/DA converter from RME or 3rd party as you like or need (budget wise).

Either older models supporting only ADAT or MADI or newer models which also support AVB as a potential future option.

Also an AVB based solution would be possible, MADIface AVB, but then you also need switches supporting AVB.
And the M-32 Pro AD and M-32 Pro DA with 32 channel each have their price.
But also the flexibility to configure reference levels for inputs / outputs on a per channel base, which might also be an advantage in certain cases, if you do not connect mixers with 8, 16, 32 channels analog, where all channel will have the same reflevel.

I would recommend you to concentrate on ADAT and MADI, because you find the really finest and most flexible recording interfaces in that area.

A perfect setup for you to stay in budget would be then e.g. the combination of
1. UFX+, as main recording interface
2.1 Ferrofish Pulse 16M via MADI (to stay in budget with TRS plugs, no need to invest in DB-25 based patch panels)
or
2.2 Ferrofish A32 via MADI (to stay in budget but with DB-24 based patch panels, if you need the ports at the front easy accessible, but then add on costs for the patch panels)

optional:
3. ARC USB as remote for TM FX, very useful, also useable in stand-alone mode
4. ADI-2 Pro FS R BE to enhance your monitoring section with useful features, see my blog:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … ses-EN-DE/
and
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … our-Setup/

RME also offers nice ADDA converter, see product catalog, but the more modern ones have besides advantages also some lets say "trade offs":
1. M-32 Pro AD and M-32 Pro DA: price, €35xx each, so for AD and DA €7000 plus costs for patch panel with DB-25 plug
2. M-1610 Pro AD/DA, ~€2600, but unequal number of inputs and outputs 16/8, RME claims that most customers want/need more AD than D/A channels. If this is also the case for you, then this is an option and also ready for AVB if this is a topic.

The little bit older AD/DA converter are available as AD and DA converter with either 16 or 32 ports with the option to use either TRS or DB-25 plugs and which even can be used as format converter as they also have ADAT I/O. Maybe most flexibility with those except that you can only select reference levels for all inputs / outputs, not per port like with the newer devices.

Maybe put yourself on smth like a waiting list by ordering to the normal price at Thomann?
https://www.thomann.de/de/rme_usb_audio_interfaces.html

> The M-32 Pro Ad or DA are too expensive. But the M1610 Pro has the converters of the M32 Pro - I've read.
> However, the number of inputs and outputs are in fact not the same. But I'll think about that.

Indeed a sad thing. IMHO it would have been better to offer 16/16 even if it costs tad a bit more.
But then you would have had no limitation in terms of use cases.
If somebody wants to connect 8 stereo devices (Reverbs, Compressors, EQs and what not), then you need an equal number of I/O on inputs and outputs.

Also nice would have been another option: M32-Pro, as AD/DA converter with 16 I/O IN and OUT. I personally liked the idea very much to have a display for each port which can be labeled and which is also easily visible from distance.

to 1) sorry I can't tell, I would simply check 1st of all the technical specs, whether it matches your expectations in terms of SNR and THD. Also important a certain flexibility to have different reference levels that perhaps also can be set on a per port basis. You need to do the "dirty excel job" and compare.

to 2) everybody is very satisfied about the unit having a transparent sound with much detail. I would check it out yourself. Everybody has different rooms, active monitors, ears, listening habits, etc. And I would definitively get it for getting some features. Auto reflevel and all the protection features (detection of AC current, slow rampup of volume, ...) and switchable D/A filter and some more. Can also act as monitor controller to protect ears and monitors in case you accidently bring output faders to 0dB in TM FX. But you can (or should) also use attenuators for this purpose when you have level mismatches, see also this excellent sticky from MC: https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=25399. I am using these: https://www.thomann.de/de/jts_ma_123.htm

to 3) 3 MADI busses are not bad, but this device has a different feature set. No instr inputs, no DURec.
TB as 2nd choice I would also prefer over E-PCIe which is a well but quite uncommon connection method. Not sure whether you can get expansion cards for your PC and then you mentioned your PC has no free slots anymore ....
The only clear advantage is: 3 MADI busses ... and if you choose E-PCIe then you have the resource optimizing driver which allocates only driver resources for groups of 8 I/O channels if at least one channel of such a group of 8 is active for audio (not 100% sure whether this means allocated/mapped in the DAW or whether audio needs to go through).

You're welcome.

The ADI-2 Pro FS R BE is really extremely nice, tbh I couldn't live without it.
See this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doHG32aXBDY
Compared against devices which are in the price range up to €8000 and for A/D only... D/A can't be worse
I use actually two of them, one for recording, one in front of a high end HiFi.
My recommendation to you: check it out.
Also so useful features like bit test to ensure end-to-end lossless audio transport.

Hi ramses,

you can do that quickly with the answers - thank you very much for that!

Your recommendations and explanations have shed more light on the jungle of technical possibilities for me. I will still study your linked posts.

to1) Thanks anyway, it was just a question - it could be that you or someone else made the comparisons. I will take a closer look at the Ferrofish as you recommended and compare the specifications.

to2) I will definitely test this DAC in my environment and with my equipment.

to3) I think I will continue to pursue the setup based on UFX+.

The problem with all the comparisons nowadays, however, is that these most devices are not even available!
Maybe I'll start the upgrade from behind. If I like the ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, I buy it first and free up 2 IOs in my UCX to start with. Then comes UFX+ and then the extension.

Best regards!

yup, but I didn't mention it for a few reasons as he ...

1. .. asked for 19" rack format

2. .. wanted to have something expandable maybe in the future (more than 16 I/O)
    My idea on this is that double speed should not generally be excluded for a future save environment at that cost level

3. .. also needs MIDI In and Out and either AES 3 or SPDIF for external converters
    Regarding MIDI: wouldn't it be much better, if you have this on your main interface ?
    Digiface USB and UCX have different drivers.
    You would need to use the MADIface driver for having access to all ADAT ports of the Digiface USB
    But - correct me if I should be wrong, vinark -  then you can't also access MIDI of the UCX using another ASIO driver
    And then possibly the one ADAT port is not enough to really carry all feasible analog and digital I/O ports of the UCX.
    For me not a satisfactory solution, also for the next reason

4. For operational reasons it would also be much better to have everything in one TM FX instance and under one ASIO driver

In contrast to the Digiface USB you have with the UFX+ a different quality in terms of everything and it brings also 8 additional I/O ports, and nice features as: DURec, Autoset, excellent two headphone amps, ADAT, AES (which can be used for SPDIF as well with an adapter cable, see manual), ADAT2 can be used as optical SPDIF, MADI, USB, TB, and all in 19" and only 1 RU and without any blower.

At that level of cost / such an investment I tend to say, wait if possible or even pay the higher price. I have a certain feeling that with the chip crisis it won't be any better in the near future and - see GPU's - prices might even become higher.
Or get it to the current normal street price and accept / endure a longer wait time.

The UFX+ is simply the best basement for everything, best investment for a long long time.

Hi ramses and vinark,

the answers overlap :-) But never mind. I am thankful for every hint!

OK. These are very good arguments from ramses.

to 1) I wouldn't insist on 19 "if the solution were perfect (however, see ramses points 2-4). Different drivers - I didn't think of that.

to 4) This is of course much better and uncomplicated. The Adi-2 pro fs ... is then also integrated.

The crisis on the chip market is becoming more and more noticeable. The price increases are due to this. I can understand that some retailers increase the prices, but for devices that were already offered and available at higher prices than Thoman & Co., now simply set the prices higher again, that's a rip off for me!

Best wishes!

But - correct me if I should be wrong, vinark -  then you can't also access MIDI of the UCX using another ASIO driver

You are wrong with this. From any daw the midi ports off all devices are accessible. Midi is not tied to the asio driver but MME and directmusic.
For the rest you are right of course. My solution is simply a quick and cheaper solution.
You cpuld later use 2 digifaces and ferrofishes, synced through wordclock...Or then buy something new to go with the ferrofish