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RME User Forum → FireWire & USB series → DSP Utilization
I worked on my mix last night, adding comps and eqs and found that after only 16 channels, my DSP is used up!
Is the DSP not gutsy enough to handle putting dynamics and eq on every channel? This seems odd that the DSP is not sufficient to handle the full load of the UFX channel count.
Gates are needed. Any plans to add gates?
As usual a DSP has limited calculation power. The Comps need a lot more DSP than the EQs. Dynamics and EQ on so many channels - well, the UFX is NOT a live mixing desk!
Not a live mixing desk? What is the purpose of TotalMix FX then? What else would I use it for?
This marketing from your web site seems to be screaming "live mixer":
"Every input and output channel comes with a luxury feature set, comparable to a full-scale digital console. The effects per channel include 3-band parametric EQ, adjustable Low Cut, Auto Level, Compressor, Expander, MS Processing and phase reversal. The Reverb and Echo effects unit is available for all channels by a stereo send and return bus. The UFX easily surpasses the competition by offering all these effects even at 192 kHz operation.
Two DSPs ensure an impressive performance even in extrexme applications. As usual with RME, TotalMix is available with all channels (90) at all sample rates, completely unlimited. The second DSP calculates the effects only, therefore has sufficient resources. For example, at 48 kHz 60 EQs, 34 Low Cuts and Echo can be activated. With activated Reverb and Echo still 46 EQs and 32 Low Cuts are available.
The FX-DSP uses automatic overload surveillance. As soon as no effect can be added anymore the TotalMix surface will clearly signal this condition. When changing to higher sample rates the UFX automatically deactivates all effects that exceed the DSP's performance - the DSP will never be overloaded. This also prevents the user from destroyed loudspeakers.
The complete effects section not only adds a lot of flexibility to the recording chain, but makes latency burdened software dispensable. TotalMix can easily replace any external mixer, e.g. to create different latency-free monitoring mixes with EQ and Reverb for the main studio monitors and the headphone of the vocalist(s) in the recording room."
I think RME is overstating the UFX in it's marketing. I bought one specifically for live mixing. I bought mine from American Musical about 50 days ago. Can you help me with a return?
Not a live mixing desk? What is the purpose of TotalMix FX then? What else would I use it for?
For recording music maybe. It's a computer to outside world interface, the eq, comp, total mix etx are all there to make tracking and mixing easier.
A live mixer has faders, knobs and channel strips.
Isaac P
In the text that you quoted it nowhere says that the UFX is a replacement for a live mixing desk nor that it competes with such. That is your own (wrong) interpretation. Of course we have a digital mixer in it, and it is powerful compared to other audio I/O interfaces. Read the text again, nothing is 'overstated', but clearly said that this is a monitor mixer for recording purposes.
At the same time I dare to point out that someone needing so many compressors in his live work is doing something wrong. When I learned this we were glad to have just one stereo compressor in the rack. These days I see two stereo compressors, seems to be enough for most cases. Compressors live make no sense for most sources as they will just cause feedback.
yeah? What about this?
"...comparable to a full-scale digital console..."
Cripes, you all even posted a video titled "Live mixing on the UFX". If I'm wrong, it's only because you all led me that way.
And your remarks on my choices about the use of dynamics, etc, are not relevant and you should keep those opinions to yourself.
Look, I'm just hoping you all will have an open mind here and consider that the UFX will be used in many ways you have not expected. Instead of coldly quashing those ideas, I was hoping you could see the value of my input and the others here trying to make use of these great features for live work. Otherwise, I suppose I will sell the thing and move on.
Then please do so. The UFX will never meet your expectations, period.
ekimtoor1, why don't you use some live mixing software and hook it up with the UFX? With such approach you will get everything you desire. One high performance laptop is not too heavy to bring it on the show.
Cripes, you all even posted a video titled "Live mixing on the UFX".
Yes, this is a great example - one of many. They use even three UFX and replaced the FOH mixer.
I understand your wish to use it instead of a much more expensive digital mixing desk, but despite that the DSPs of the UFX are very powerful, the number of quality effects is limited - like in any other DSP environment. If you get 16 channels with EQ and dynamics out of your UFX, it is an impressive number. Imagine every analog input + four outputs with the full FX setup! Combined with the incredible features of TotalMix I can understand why many engineers praise and using the UFX as a new kind of live mixing tool.
If you need more dynamics you can still add more UFX - like the engineers in the video. E. g. as an ADAT expansion.
best regards
Knut
Cripes, you all even posted a video titled "Live mixing on the UFX".
Yes, this is a great example - one of many. They use even three UFX and replaced the FOH mixer.
I understand your wish to use it instead of a much more expensive digital mixing desk, but despite that the DSPs of the UFX are very powerful, the number of quality effects is limited - like in any other DSP environment. If you get 16 channels with EQ and dynamics out of your UFX, it is an impressive number. Imagine every analog input + four outputs with the full FX setup! Combined with the incredible features of TotalMix I can understand why many engineers praise and using the UFX as a new kind of live mixing tool.
If you need more dynamics you can still add more UFX - like the engineers in the video. E. g. as an ADAT expansion.
best regards
Knut
It's really dissappointing to learn after my purchase just how limited the DSP is. You may think 16 channels is impressive, but that's not really enough channels. I purchased it as a 60 channel device. What would be impressive is if it offered all it's strengths across all of it's I/O. And even if it did, there are still no gates. It's a very cool product, but it seems as though you all just stopped short of it's true potential.
If I have to use external processing to supplement the UFX, it's like - why bother with the UFX? Without enough guts to be fully utilized, forcing me to add external processing, the UFX becomes just another interface. I might as well just do all my processing and mixing and monitoring externally, it'll certainly be easier that way rather than trying to bounce back and forth between the UFX and other software.
The on board DSP and the TotalMix FX were the features that really made the UFX appear to be something really different. But since there are so many limitations, I'm unsure how to actually make use of it.
I know my posts here have been on the negative side and I apologize for that. I am a loyal RME user. I don't use anything other than RME for my systems. Tried the rest and now I only use the best. But in my opinion, the UFX is something less than it appears to be.
RME User Forum → FireWire & USB series → DSP Utilization
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