1 Topic by Tristar (edited by Tristar 2024-05-21 17:11:54)

  • Registered: 2024-05-21
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Topic: RME UFX or UFX II in 2024?

Hi!
It's time for an upgrade in my home studio and I'm heading to RME unquestioned reliability, but I'm torn between UFX and UFX II (both used and the UFX at half the UFX 2 price).
I need a rock solid primary interface that controls external preamps via ADAT and at some point in the future external preamps (500 series etc...) exclusively for drum recording.
For my needs UFX 2 additional features are not crucial except for AD/DA conversion. I've been reading the technical differences between the two and I would like to go a bit deeper on "All new AD/DA converters" section, so here it comes my first question:
Are those converter differences critical in a professional environment usage in 2024 and eventually for the next 5/10 years?

and my second question is: would the UFX still be future proof regardless being discontinued these days? Which one would you choose taking into account the importance of value for money?

Thank you in advance,
Greetings from Italy

Alex.

2 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2024-05-21 17:34:47)

  • ramses
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Re: RME UFX or UFX II in 2024?

I don't know what you read in terms of differences. Cross-check my posting, I listed them all to my best knowledge:
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 02#p217002

It's your decision what is important for you, where you have your priorities.

UFX III got many new features and has the big advantage of MADI, that you can expand the setup a lot, if you should think in longer time ranges. This would also give you more flexibility if you should record in double speed later. 2x ADAT offers only 8 channels at double speed and then the device is full. MADI gives you also some spare channels for special situations if you want to record Submixes by loopback recording (in case the other channels are already in use).

The UFX III has an overhauled analog and digital section and supports the new Room EQ and Crossfeed.
The converters are fast and the same as in the ADI-2 Pro FS reference converter (older model).
Newer versions of UFX II got now the same analog and digital section.

If the budget allows, you are more future-proof with UFX III (or UFX II, USB2 without MADI).

Regarding UFX, nice interface, but new features like Room EQ and cross-feed won't come, FPGA has not enough free capacity. Regarding older models of UFX II, also good devices, but do not have the new analog and digital section of the UFX III.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • Registered: 2024-05-21
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Re: RME UFX or UFX II in 2024?

ramses wrote:

The UFX III has an overhauled analog and digital section and supports the new Room EQ and Crossfeed.
The converters are fast and the same as in the ADI-2 Pro FS reference converter (older model).
Newer versions of UFX II got now the same analog and digital section.

Thank you for your excellent input and for the very detailed informations. I totally missed lots of differences between UFX and UFX II. I can clearly see the winner. If I want to "buy and forget about it", I must go for II or III.
I have one more question, is there a way to know if a specific UFX II model has the upgraded analog-digital section?

4 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2024-05-21 18:12:05)

  • ramses
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Re: RME UFX or UFX II in 2024?

I am glad that it helped.

Sorry, but I have no details when this happened, and it's difficult to say, how long a device was in stock.

But, if it is anyway clear to go for the latest devices (either UFX II or UFX III) then I would nail it and get the UFX III,
considering that the price difference is only €590 to get 64ch more by MADI.

https://www.thomann.de/de/rme_fireface_ufx_iii.htm €2689
https://www.thomann.de/de/rme_fireface_ufx_ii.htm  €2099

Many years ago, the optional MADI extension modules for devices like Micstasy costed already over €400 if I remember right.
OK, mainly because of the smaller edition / number of units, but still, if you look at what you get for the still quite small surcharge more with an UFX III.

If you had to upgrade later, you lose money, and you would need to build up the whole setup/routing newly.

All in all, gives you peace of mind for a very long time, maybe your last/final interface.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • Registered: 2024-05-21
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Re: RME UFX or UFX II in 2024?

ramses wrote:

if it is anyway clear to go for the latest devices (either UFX II or UFX III) then I would nail it and get the UFX III
All in all, gives you peace of mind for a very long time, maybe your last/final interface.

It would be definitely a longer protected investment and the best future proof solution possible.
Thank you so much for your great help, really appreciated!

Alex