• Registered: 2023-09-06
  • Posts: 11

Topic: USB Drivers - mid 2014 MBP - FF UCX II (What should I do?)

I recently purchased a brand new Fireface UCX II and I'm trying to figure out what I should do when installing USB drivers on my Mac for it.

Previously I was running macOS 10.something and I tried installing the legacy drivers - it wouldn't work so I said f it, deleted the software that had been installed (not sure if this actually did anything to uninstall the legacy drivers themselves or not) and then updated my mac to the newest supported macOS version.

I have a mid 2014 macbook pro so the newest supported OS was Big Sur (11.7.9).

I was about to install the usb 4.08(2) driver kit for mac when I read the instructions in the .zip and started to not really understand what I was supposed to do lol.

Do I need to update the firmware on the FF UCX II first? If so - can I do it after installing the driver kit I downloaded, or do I need to install the Kernel Extension Driver first?

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies :)

  • waedi
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • From: Swiss Zürich
  • Registered: 2020-12-08
  • Posts: 4,489

Re: USB Drivers - mid 2014 MBP - FF UCX II (What should I do?)

Yes, you have to get the unit running with an older driver, then FUT is possible, flash the newest firmware, then update the driver.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue

3 Reply by oli77sch (edited by oli77sch 2023-09-06 15:54:03)

  • Registered: 2016-06-14
  • Posts: 1,142

Re: USB Drivers - mid 2014 MBP - FF UCX II (What should I do?)

waedi wrote:

Yes, you have to get the unit running with an older driver, then FUT is possible, flash the newest firmware, then update the driver.

No, that’s not necessary with the UCX II. Not every interface model has to be flashed  first to work on driver v4.08.
From the RME website:
Attention: Fireface UFX / UCX / UC / 802 and Babyface requires a firmware update
So 'original' UCX, but not UCX II needs to be flashed first.

UCX - FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2
  • Registered: 2023-09-06
  • Posts: 11

Re: USB Drivers - mid 2014 MBP - FF UCX II (What should I do?)

oli77sch wrote:
waedi wrote:

Yes, you have to get the unit running with an older driver, then FUT is possible, flash the newest firmware, then update the driver.

No, that’s not necessary with the UCX II. Not every interface model has to be flashed  first to work on driver v4.08.
From the RME website:
Attention: Fireface UFX / UCX / UC / 802 and Babyface requires a firmware update
So 'original' UCX, but not UCX II needs to be flashed first.

Could UCX in that text be shorthand for both of the UCX models (I and II)?

5 Reply by oli77sch (edited by oli77sch 2023-09-07 07:31:14)

  • Registered: 2016-06-14
  • Posts: 1,142

Re: USB Drivers - mid 2014 MBP - FF UCX II (What should I do?)

vonhart wrote:

Could UCX in that text be shorthand for both of the UCX models (I and II)?

No, it isn’t.
When you go to the driver download section on the RME site and select an interface which has to be updated first to make it ready for driver v4.08, it’s not possible to load the driver directly. Instead of the link to the zip file, there is a link which guides you to a 'driverkit' info site. That’s exactly the case for the original UCX but not for the UCX II.
Also, RME is well known for precise information. 'UCX' is UCX, not UCX II.
https://i.ibb.co/dDYBt5x/4858-DCCE-904-A-468-B-B43-E-79-D645-A135-DB.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/9hz1RM0/C0609-A5-C-FCE3-4-C66-89-C4-CCC4649-A1536.jpg

UCX - FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2
  • Registered: 2023-09-06
  • Posts: 11

Re: USB Drivers - mid 2014 MBP - FF UCX II (What should I do?)

oli77sch wrote:

No, it isn’t.
When you go to the driver download section on the RME site and select an interface which has to be updated first to make it ready for driver v4.08, it’s not possible to load the driver directly. Instead of the link to the zip file, there is a link which guides you to a 'driverkit' info site. That’s exactly the case for the original UCX but not for the UCX II.
Also, RME is well known for precise information. 'UCX' is UCX, not UCX II.

Oh interesting - I was looking for the drivers by going to the UCX II product page - over there the fut_usb_mac.zip is the first downloadable to show up when I click on 'USB > Mac OS X'. I wonder why that page is set up like that - since going to the downloads page and doing what you did shows up differently.

OK well I'll try installing the driver tonight without trying the updater - hopefully all goes well.

  • Registered: 2016-06-14
  • Posts: 1,142

Re: USB Drivers - mid 2014 MBP - FF UCX II (What should I do?)

Only to avoid misunderstandings:
Yes, there is a FUT to install a new firmware version on the UCX II, but this one is not related to the ability to use the 'driverkit' driver v4.08(2). This FUT probably was released to solve some issues or add something new to certain devices.
Have a look to the screenshots here. Now I went over the product pages of each the UCX II and the 802FS. As you can see also here the direct download for driver v4.08(2) isn’t possible for the 802FS because it’s one of the interfaces which need the firmware update first. But for the UCX II it’s possible.
BTW with the model names for the 802 RME is indeed not that precise: here they don’t point out the difference between the older 802 and the newer 802FS…
https://i.ibb.co/PW0CQF6/2-B26-AC78-7552-436-B-8-D05-7-CBC16-FFF41-D.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/gTRShx4/ECE6499-B-F04-C-4-FA5-8-FFE-4-CFDDE1-B7-C85.jpg

UCX - FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2