I have not had a chance to compare these units personally (although I have an Orpheus on the way), but many, many respected egineers have argued that the FF pres and converters are good but not great compared to some high-end competition.
I think this is not the best view to see all important points. On the one hand please believe me, that we get every day comments from all over the world telling us otherwise. There are countless artists - from home studio to high-profile engineers and producers - just telling us RME and especially the Fireface(s) are simply the best in it?s class and not only good, but really "great". Most of them own or use "high-end competition" but are not convinced - at least they don?t tell us. On the other hand please keep in mind that the RME philosophy is to capture the signal as it is. Not add something more or sound "warm" or "crisp" (= distortion), but record the signal in the most neutral way. Serious tests with measurement protocols and listening experience verify that especially the Firefaces do exactly that.
Of course there are high-end interfaces with better specs and maybe a "better" sound - like the RME ADI-8 QS - but the difference to this league is minimal at best. But the the price difference to the Fireface 400/800 is not. And in my opinion it would be no serious policy to give the impression to our respected customers the Fireface 800 is a second class unit - it?s definitely not - just to grab more money for such little improvements. Serious and honest testers would recognize this trick in a heartbeat and would have all reasons to be upset.
Please have also a look on our artist site. Some of them not only using one, but up to 5 Firefaces. Btw. I?am just cutting a new video from our visit of the great KISS concert in Hamburg yesterday: Lots of RME MADI interfaces and two Fireface UCs. The engineer was full of praise of our Micstasy preamp, which he knows from other recordings. It?s a high-end preamp with remote control used on countless classical recordings - the most critical ones. Some of them even won a Grammy in this category. The point is: the preamp technology is also used in the FF400/UC and the upcoming Babyface.
Just found this statement on Gearslutz. It describes the really important points better than I can:
"People have no clue what the Fireface actually is. It is a BRILLIANT product. To this day, un-parred.
The AD/DA is the exact same as the hi-end ADI8, found in numerous million dollar mastering studios. The PRES's is whats make these fusses alive. They are ''cold'', ergo NEUTRAL, which people out of classical ORTF, clean jazz, piano etc dont usually like. And in these situation, the RME kicks butt on location recording. The pre's are an extra BONUS, not the selling point!
The ad/da is quite neutral, not ''apogee warm'', not bla bla bla - And you can get all this too using your own dedicated inbox of choice, just convert externally! You can do it all with this unit.
It is a studio centerpiece and the clock is very very damn good! Of of the best around and jitter is minimal. Best drivers on the planet. "
Kasaudio: In my personal opinion I think it?s not time to retire the Fireface 800 yet - not only because it?s all in all still the best in its?class and proves it every day, but it?s also a future proof investement and gives customers a real price stability over years - very seldom these days. Imagine we would update the Fireface every two years like others - with no real improvements (new = better) - just for marketing reasons and to exploit the esoteric sound myths. Users with older Firefaces would be not happy about it, because their units would be degraded to second class gear for no reason, just to grab money and burn faith and respect instead. Maybe it?s old school german engineer thinking, but this is how RME did it since the beginning. This is not a serious policy for a long term and deep relationship we try to achieve between RME users and our products. I think the upcoming Babyface will set a new benchmark in this regard. It?s simply awesome to use it!
But I agree when the time is right RME will release a new product and you can be sure it will have the same impact and future proof technology like the Fireface (800), which leads it?s class since the day of the release. But you know we will not comment new developments in the public. This is no disrespect, but a serious and responsible policy.
best regards
Knut
