Topic: UCX III when?

UFX II and III is too much
I need just 2 mic inputs but current UCX II is using old AD DA chips comparing to UFX
When we can estimate new release of UCX? And will it use the same DA AD as current UFX series?

Re: UCX III when?

UCX came out in 2012 I believe.  UCX II came out in 2021.  Seems too early to predict anything about UCX III.

In what way do you feel the AD/DA chips are insufficient though?  The state of modern chips is quite impressive for normal audio purposes.

Re: UCX III when?

zunages wrote:

UFX II and III is too much
I need just 2 mic inputs but current UCX II is using old AD DA chips comparing to UFX
When we can estimate new release of UCX? And will it use the same DA AD as current UFX series?

Babyface Pro FS has the top notch converters, 2 mic inputs, dream come true !

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

Re: UCX III when?

waedi wrote:
zunages wrote:

UFX II and III is too much
I need just 2 mic inputs but current UCX II is using old AD DA chips comparing to UFX
When we can estimate new release of UCX? And will it use the same DA AD as current UFX series?

Babyface Pro FS has the top notch converters, 2 mic inputs, dream come true !

What exactly ad da inside Babyface?
How good headphones output comparing to UFX III or to ADI 2?

Re: UCX III when?

There are so many marvellous digital recordings done with even much older equipment. What difference or improvement do you expect from a newer converter compared to a slightly older one?
I’m not a recording pro, but a professional classical trained musician. To my ears even my trusty Fireface 400 sounds fantastic.

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

Re: UCX III when?

And I really don't like the spider design of Babyface  considering to connectors

7 (edited by waedi 2024-04-24 23:00:49)

Re: UCX III when?

zunages wrote:

And I really don't like the spider design of Babyface  considering to connectors

Spider-design ? What is that ? Never heard this before...
I super love to have the connectors all onboard without breakout-cable

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

Re: UCX III when?

He means cables to the back, left and right. If you don't take care to get cables with angled plugs, the BBF Pro will take up a lot of space on your desk because the cables will otherwise point in almost all directions.

The claim that the BBF Pro has no breakout cables is not quite correct. There is one, for MIDI.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

9 (edited by ramses 2024-04-25 09:13:56)

Re: UCX III when?

zunages wrote:

UFX II and III is too much
I need just 2 mic inputs but current UCX II is using old AD DA chips comparing to UFX
When we can estimate new release of UCX? And will it use the same DA AD as current UFX series?

Please don't drive yourself crazy with converters.

The UCX got already a major facelift not too long ago (3y!) and if you look at the technical data, it's a very nice product.
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=35156

What do you actually expect here? A hardware renewal every 1–2 years to get the "latest" converter installed?

RME devices have a lifecycle of up to 20y and even nowadays people are using older recording interfaces like FF400/800.

The UCX II has even very fast converters and even got plenty of nice features:
- display
- gain range of 75 dB like flagship interfaces
- DURec, like flagship interfaces
- now even Room EQ like flagship interfaces
- …

More details see here: https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=33222

If you have an "obsession" ^h^h^h^h preference for AKM converter, well, why not get an ADI-2 Pro.
Small form factor as well, fits nicely as an addition to the UCX II.
Then you had not only AKM converter but also plenty of enjoyable features, nicely controllable via ADI-2 Remote application.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

10 (edited by zunages 2024-04-25 11:44:21)

Re: UCX III when?

Thank you for reply ramses
As UFX II got internal hardware upgrades with the same board as UFX III I expect something like this for UCX II (or internal upgrade or rev III)
But yes the RME has very long and solid life cycle and it's better that "every year" update
As for ADI-2 like it very much but need two mic inputs especially as my current audio interface has them but noisy and adding ADI 2 to UCX II will cost   more than UFX II (III) depends of version. I personally like RME ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition or   
RME ADI-2/4 Pro SE (even with ESS)
So if no rumors for UCX III or internal upgrade the best option is buying UFX II this year Rev IMHO

Re: UCX III when?

UFX II and III is a different situation.
These two units were from the beginning related to each other.
1st RME release UFX+ then the UFX II.
Then corona came and chip crisis, chips had to be distributed between devices, sometimes in a different way.
Now where the situation settled a bit it is clear that RME wants to get rid of those differences as before which makes sence, as the devices are at the end the same, except for USB3 and MADI.

But these are "real reasons". The driver here is most likely not to introduce quick hardware changes in a short timeframes, this creates only efforts, has no real benefit and makes no sense, only would burn time wink

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: UCX III when?

zunages wrote:

Thank you for reply ramses
As UFX II got internal hardware upgrades with the same board as UFX III I expect something like this for UCX II (or internal upgrade or rev III)
But yes the RME has very long and solid life cycle and it's better that "every year" update
As for ADI-2 like it very much but need two mic inputs especially as my current audio interface has them but noisy and adding ADI 2 to UCX II will cost   more than UFX II (III) depends of version. I personally like RME ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition or   
RME ADI-2/4 Pro SE (even with ESS)
So if no rumors for UCX III or internal upgrade the best option is buying UFX II this year Rev IMHO

That's what I did!
I went for the UFXII.
2xHeadphone outs, 2xADAT I/O, 2xMIDI, XLR outs for main monitors, 4xmic preamps, 12 analog I/O, same specs as UFXIII except MADI & usb3, separate usb ports for ARC & Du-Rec.
I thought about going for the UFXIII, but to use MADI I would have to buy a MADI equipped preamp, like the 12mic, which would cost the same as buying another UFXIII...