1 (edited by copilcos 2023-10-14 13:45:24)

Topic: ADI 2 FS - UFX1 please help with routing suggestion

Good day RME professionals. Thanks in advance for any help you could give me.
I am new to the ADI converters, I just acquired the ADI-2 FS and my question is if I am using it right.

I use my UFX gen 1 (I allways work in 96kHz) to route through this way:

ADAT 1 and 2 and all 8 analog outputs to a summing mixer (16 channels)
then send its stereo output to an analog EQ and then to a Mix buss Processor.
From the Master Buss Processor, I am connecting it to the ADI 2 FS through its XLR ins.

My monitors are connected to the XLR outputs of the ADI 2 FS.

The AES out  of the UFX is connected to the coax in in the ADI 2 FS.
The coax out of the ADI 2 FS is connected to the AES in of the UFX.

I don't understand how can/should I route things in Totalmix in order to hear and take advantage of the superior conversion the ADI 2 FS offers compared to the one of the UFX Gen1, and which are the best settings in the ADI's front panel for this type of work....or if I have to use ANA mode (Analog loop-though mode)? Or if there is another and better option.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks friends.

p.d. Under my identifier I don't know why it says AD DA expert...I am no expert whatsoever!! ;-)

2 (edited by ramses 2023-10-14 14:33:06)

Re: ADI 2 FS - UFX1 please help with routing suggestion

Do you use TM FX control room?

Then click to "Assign" Button and assign "Main Out" to the output where the ADI-2 Pro is connected to.

Then in submix mode click to the HW output "Main Out" in the control room and move the fader of all HW inputs and SW playbacks (top and middle row) to create the submix that you want.

If you only want to route audio from the PC to Main Out then use:
Options -> Reset Mix -> Straight playback with all to Main Out

Information how to use TotalMix FX with suggestions and links to RME video tutorials etc:
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=34394

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

3 (edited by copilcos 2023-10-14 15:55:49)

Re: ADI 2 FS - UFX1 please help with routing suggestion

Thanks a lot ramses!

I think that part of the routing in Totalmix I have clear.

I guess I am doing what you kindly suggested. Maybe could you please help me if ANA mode in the ADI2FS is the way to print my track in a better way? Or this is no important at all for my case....


Thanks again in advance :-)

4 (edited by ramses 2023-10-15 08:55:57)

Re: ADI 2 FS - UFX1 please help with routing suggestion

It would be good if you had provided the cabling, e.g., as an ASCII drawing because it makes everything better/quicker understandable. So if I understood correctly, your devices are connected like this:

clock
slave                                     AD           clock slave

UFX<-------ADAT1+2------------>16ch Summing Mixer---2ch->EQ---->Mix Bus Processor
  ^ AES                                  DA                                                               | AN1/2 OUT  up to +19 dBu, so that
  |                                       AD*)   clock master                                        |                    *) A/D conv. at ADI-2 FS
  +----------------SPDIF-------------->ADI-2 FS-----AN1/2 IN<-----------------+                    works without distortion
                        (coax.)        DA               \              /
                                                                \        [ANA] analog bypass
                                                                  \          \
                                                                   +---AN1/2 OUT-------------->act. monitors +  phones

[ Drawing as JPEG: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/e0uhy1ac … 8&dl=1 ]

Suggestions:
1. You could use the ADI-2 FS with its high precision Femto second clock as clock master.
Then it uses its FS clock for A/D and D/A conversions in your setup:
a)  A/D conversion from Mix bus processor towards UFX via AES
b)  D/A conversion from UFX happens at the ADI-2 FS towards active monitors.
Side note: I am not 100% sure, whether you benefit more from the ADI-2 FS as clock master or if you made the summing mixer to the clock master. Then he could use his internal clock for the 1st D/A conversion in the signal path. All other RME devices are perfect clock slaves by SteadyClock (UFX) and SteadyClock FS (ADI-2 FS) technology.

2. You can use analog loop through, see manual chapter 9 (ANA): Then the analog input signal (up to +22 dBu) will bypass the AD/DA conversion. If you do not exceed +19 dBu at the analog input, then you can also use the A/D conversion (towards UFX) which is still useable.

Manual reference:
DE: https://www.rme-audio.de/downloads/adi2fs_d.pdf
EN: https://www.rme-audio.de/downloads/adi2fs_e.pdf

From manual (ch 9):
"The new option ANA implements an analog bypass from the analog input to the analog output.
For example, if ANALOG INPUT - LEVEL is set to +4 dBu and ANALOG OUTPUT - LEVEL is set to +19 dBu,
the ADI-2 FS amplifies the analog input signal by 15 dB.
At the same time, it sends it out electronically separated to three different outputs.
Since in this mode the analog output is no longer connected to the DAC, the entire analog head-room is available,
with a maximum output level of +22 dBu (balanced).
Even the input can now be fed undistorted with up to +22 dBu.
ANALOG INPUT set to +19 dBu and ANALOG OUTPUT set to +4 dBu attenuate such a signal by 15 dB.
Additionally the AD-converter is also active and usable.
As long as one does not exceed +19 dBu input level, the analog signal can also be picked up digitally and undistorted.
"

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

Re: ADI 2 FS - UFX1 please help with routing suggestion

Huge thanks for taking the time for kindly writing in so detailed manner and clearly all the possible routing. I appreciate it :-)
I am liking this little machine a lot. Today I even recorded through its toslink out directly to the digital input of a 2012 mac book pro, and didn't have to use any interfase.
Superb

Re: ADI 2 FS - UFX1 please help with routing suggestion

Thank you and glad to hear you like their setup a lot, have fun with it.

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