• Registered: 2017-09-14
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Topic: Have Fireface UC, wish to expand with Digiface USB

Hello! I tried doing my due dilligence, and do my own research, but RME support is a kind of nontrivial subject matter. Esoteric!

So i come to you asking humbly for help.

I am the happy user of a Fireface UC, but i wish to expand. I think the Digiface USB looks to be in my budget. So in the case that i expand my IO in this way, i have several questions.

1. Can i access Fireface UC and Digiface USB from the same driver in my DAW? I realize that i need to sync them from same clock even if they are on the same driver, but that is trivial i assume.

2. If i cannot access both from same driver, i can put Fireface UC “into” the Digiface via ADAT, and still have 3 more ADAT lines for extra converters. In this case can i still access the MIDI IO in the UC? The whole shebang (digiface and UC) will be recognized as one interface by DAW? This is my intuition but would like to confirm beforehand.

  • waedi
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Re: Have Fireface UC, wish to expand with Digiface USB

Yes, you can connect both to the computer (Windows ?) and use both separate, 2 different Totalmix.
They will not show up or being useable as 1 combo audio interface.
And for the Sync a toslink cable connection between them is need.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2017-09-14
  • Posts: 10

Re: Have Fireface UC, wish to expand with Digiface USB

waedi wrote:

Yes, you can connect both to the computer (Windows ?) and use both separate, 2 different Totalmix.
They will not show up or being useable as 1 combo audio interface.
And for the Sync a toslink cable connection between them is need.

Yes, Windows. Sorry for not defining my terms clearly.

If i understand you correctly, i will NOT be able to use both at the same time in my DAW? That leads me to my second question, it is possible to connect the UC to the Digiface by ADAT and use its converters like so?

  • ramses
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Re: Have Fireface UC, wish to expand with Digiface USB

waedi wrote:

Yes, you can connect both to the computer (Windows ?) and use both separate, 2 different Totalmix.
They will not show up or being useable as 1 combo audio interface.
And for the Sync a toslink cable connection between them is need.

Wrong, they use different ASIO drivers.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • ramses
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Re: Have Fireface UC, wish to expand with Digiface USB

lisbent wrote:
waedi wrote:

Yes, you can connect both to the computer (Windows ?) and use both separate, 2 different Totalmix.
They will not show up or being useable as 1 combo audio interface.
And for the Sync a toslink cable connection between them is need.

Yes, Windows. Sorry for not defining my terms clearly.

If i understand you correctly, i will NOT be able to use both at the same time in my DAW? That leads me to my second question, it is possible to connect the UC to the Digiface by ADAT and use its converters like so?

The DAW can only load one audio/ASIO driver.
Using ASIO4ALL is not advised and leads to an unsupported setup.
It adds an additional Layer on top of both ASIO drivers, also talking ASIO, but 3rd party software "in between".
The idea of ASIO is to have direct access to the hardware, high stability, low latency and not to go through Windows audio subsystems and not to pile up layers of ASIO drivers with a 3rd party one on top.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14

6 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2023-09-12 16:29:30)

  • ramses
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Re: Have Fireface UC, wish to expand with Digiface USB

You can connect both interfaces to the computer but use the Digiface USB as main interface with its MADIface driver.
Then you can operate both interfaces in either one or in two different TM FX instances.

You need to connect the UC to the Digiface USB using ADAT. But then you can only route 8ch through ADAT.

Better idea would be to sell UC and get an audio interface with the proper number of channels.

Can you please tell what's required in terms of I/O from your side? What's missing with the UC or in what regards do you feel limited?

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • Registered: 2017-09-14
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Re: Have Fireface UC, wish to expand with Digiface USB

ramses wrote:

You can connect both interfaces to the computer but use the Digiface USB as main interface with its MADIface driver.
Then you can operate both interfaces in either one or in two different TM FX instances.

You need to connect the UC to the Digiface USB using ADAT. But then you can only route 8ch through ADAT.

Better idea would be to sell UC and get an audio interface with the proper number of channels.

Can you please tell what's required in terms of I/O from your side? What's missing with the UC or in what regards do you feel limited?


Very usefull answer, this cleared it up for me. Thank you!

My demands are 32 channels of I/O. So i am lacking 16 right now (my UC has a Behringer Ultragain connected to it).

My plan now, after understanding your post, is to get a Digiface USB and fill it with Behringer converters, then sell the UC and put the money towards a propper MIDI interface, since i lose MIDI if i move away from the UC. And MIDI is life haha.

8 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2023-09-12 17:26:26)

  • ramses
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Re: Have Fireface UC, wish to expand with Digiface USB

Which I/O please ... there are many types of I/O...

Instead of choosing the Digiface USB .. wouldn't a RayDAT (PCIe) be better for you?
It gives you not only 4x ADAT I/O, but also
- 2x MIDI I/O (1x for your usage with MIDI devices and perhaps 1 to remote control RME preamps .. just to put an example why 2x MIDI I/O can be useful).
- AES
- SPDIF
- Word Clock (optional)

To have Word clock in the recording interface can be extremely useful with other mic pres without digital input for clock synchronization.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • Registered: 2017-09-14
  • Posts: 10

Re: Have Fireface UC, wish to expand with Digiface USB

ramses wrote:

Which I/O please ... there are many types of I/O...

Instead of choosing the Digiface USB .. wouldn't a RayDAT (PCIe) be better for you?
It gives you not only 4x ADAT I/O, but also
- 2x MIDI I/O (1x for your usage with MIDI devices and perhaps 1 to remote control RME preamps .. just to put an example why 2x MIDI I/O can be useful).
- AES
- SPDIF
- Word Clock (optional)

To have Word clock in the recording interface can be extremely useful with other mic pres without digital input for clock synchronization.

What i mean by 1 I/O (of which i need 32), is simply mono audio in and out, nothing too fancy. 24 bit 48khz.

Only thing holding me back from the RayDAT is budget, but maybe thats silly of me? Its not a lot of extra cash to ensure i am ready to expand next time i run out of channels. And if i put the money from the UC towards it, its basically free. Another thing would be whether or not it runs problem free on my motherboard, but then again, its RME so i assume it will run just fine on most big brands.

Thank you for the suggestion!