Hello!

I don't use Audacity, but are you using the RME ASIO driver?
There must be some setting in Audacity, for you to set this up. An option like "Audio Devices" or "Audio Settings".

When you find it, set it to the RME ASIO driver and after that you can select your preferred Sample Rate from the BF Pro Settings!
You don't have to use 384KHz in Audacity. The conversion is done by the BF Pro in the Sample Rate you have in the RME Settings.
Then, perhaps Audacity just up-samples the signal which is of no use, since 192KHz is perfect and is the "limit" of the actual converter.

Also, you don' t have to send Inst 3/4 to S/PDIF. You can select those Inputs directly from Audacity, I think! Just set the Input to Inst 3/4, or Line In3/4(can' t remember the name)

You 're welcome!

Aaah, you 're missing all the good stuff!

Of course you should use ASIO!
Bit depth is the resolution of the sampled signal, i.e: the dynamic range.

16bit equals to 96dB of dynamic range, 24bit  -> 144dB, 32bit float -> 1528dB(theoretically). Wiki link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_bit_depth
Dynamic range is the range between the softest and the loudest parts of a given signal. For example, a piano piece starting very softly and then, escalating to a fff(very loud) refrain.

So if you want to record acoustic instruments with wide dynamic ranges, you should use higher bit depths. Of course, the converter goes up to 24bits, but you can use 32bit in your DAW for better plug-in processing!

For rock, metal, EDM etc 24bits is quite adequate! No need for more, I think!

And as for a DAW, I use Reaper and I recommend you to download it!
It 's free for 2months with full functionality! Link: https://www.reaper.fm/
It's, also, easy to understand and there are many tutorials in YouTube!

So, yeah, my suggestion is to download Reaper, select the RME ASIO Driver and enjoy your recordings!!

Thanx a lot for your hints! ... and sorry for the late answer; I had some vacation.

In the meantime I had discovered, that Cubase supports ASIO.
I already hat an old Cubase LE, not not compatible with Win10.
Therefore I bought Cubase Elements 12 at an special March-Price of € 60.

First to record analog Audio and second for my midi-loop keyboard, sound modules etc.
It took a while to get familiar with this software, which is - at least for me - complex with endless functionality.
However, this works perfectly with ASIO!

Plus, I definitely will try reaper, as you suggested.

For me is in this case most important to get the highest possible quality of digital recording from an analog source.

One question arised out of your comment: If I use the A/D-converter of Babyface and then record it in Cubase with 32 Bit float, there must be an upscaling or not? The signal from Babyface to pc to Cubase is digital, anyway; or do I miss here something?

I don't really need it, but alwais am courious and wand to know, how things are working :-)

+1

The highest possible quality is 24bits and that happens on a hardware level. The actual converter of you BF is 24bits and it is used all the time you record something.
32bits float is not an upscale per se; it will, just, yield "better" results IF you are going to use any processing on the source.

For example, if you are recording a violin in an underground cave, or in a church, and you have a mic to capture the natural reverberance of the place, and then you want to apply some gentle compression on the reverb track, then 32bit float will provide an advantage.
That is because the plugin(the compressor in this case) will have more "dynamic information" to work on!

If you don't have to record and mix that kind of soundscapes, then 24bits is quite adequate!!
Also, 32bit float occurs on a software level(the DAW), which (as a process) can be described as the DAW's engine taking additional amplitude "snapshots" of the original 24bit signal. So, not an actual upscaling!

Here 's another link, https://www.mixinglessons.com/bit-depth/

Also, you could try an A/B test, yourself!
Record, let's say, a MIDI Loop (on the same level) in two different projects, one in 24bits, one in 32bit float, export them in WAV format, and have someone play them for you, without you knowing which is which! Then let your ears, be the judge!

Here the second results:

2) RECORDONG an analog Source - with Reaper 6.78 (60 $ for private, hobby use, 60 days trial period)
   Remark: The last free and very old version is 0.999, which can also be downloaded - but with much less functionality compared to 6.78
   In fact, I tested reaper before I tested Cubase

a) PC > USB > "Babyface Pro" (the old one, not FS):
   Connect analog test-source to the two 6,35mm mono audio jacks

b) REAPER Preferences (just the important ones):
   Device / Audio system = ASIO
   .. / ASIO Driver = ASIO Fireface USB
   .. / Enable inputs: first = Analog (1), last = Adat (8)
   .. / Output range: first = Analog (1), last = Adat (8)
   .. / requested sample ratze = 44100
   .. / Allow projects to override device sample rate = YES
   .. / 'ASIO Cinfiguration...' => 'Fireface USB Settings' (Sample rate can be selected; not greyed out)
   Project Settings / Media / Recording / Audio format fpr new recordings = WAV
   .. / WAV bit depth = 24 bit PCM, Large files = Auto WAV/Wave64
   .. / Write BWF ('best') chunk = YES
   .. / Format for Apply FX, Glue, Freeze etc. = Automatic
   .. / Default format for project/region render = 16bit WAV
   Project Settings / Advanced / :
   .. / External timecode synchronization = YES, Configure: Enable synchronization to timecode = YES, Playback = NO, Recording = YES
   .. / Use Input = 'LTC: Analog IN (L) Instr 3/4'
   .. / Display flashing notification window when waiting for sync for recording = YES

=> For the last 3 points I am not sure, because when recording the window *always* is flashing and I have to override it
=> What is the correct setting, when I want to have the main clock in Babyface?

   .. / Rewire Client Project Settings: Send loop point/repeat change request to host = YES

=> Here I am also not sure ...

   Prepare track to record + Set routing + Record

c) TotalMixFx:
   Recorded Signal on 'HARDWARE INPUT Instr. 3/4' fader set to -oo, routed to 'HARDWARE OUTPUTS PH 3/4'
   Monitor Signal on 'SOFTWARE PLAYBACK PH 3/4' fader set to -13, routed to 'HARDWARE OUTPUTS PH 3/4'
   Main = none

d) REAPER:
   Media Item Properties: Set Fade-In and Fade-Out, Normalize to 'True Peak' = 0 dB
   Optimize Fade-In and Fade-Out graphically on the track
   Render to file: Sample rate = 44100 Hz, Primary output format = WAV, 16 bit PCM, Large files: Force WAV [Render 1 File]
   Did some analysis; e.g. 'stats' (lots of infos!)

SO IT WORKED! However, I am not sure about the points mentioned above ...

Remark: I was overwhelmed by the incredible amount of settings options. I have therefore created an extra directory of the documentation so as not to lose the thread, because overall it seemed quite complex to me, at least for now.

This was my first attempt with Reaper and any comments are welcome!