• Registered: 2008-03-04
  • Posts: 28

Topic: madiface expresscard vs madiface USB technology

i ve seen the "future" new product madiface USB. All my congratulations for the large numbers of products!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:-)

obviously madiface USB is a lot more flexible than madiface. it can be used in all computer, laptop and desktop.

but a question, speaking about stability and latency, in a macbook pro with thunderbolt connection, it will be a better solution:

A) madiface USB or
B) madiface (pcexpress) with SONNET thunderbolt connector?

to me it is not clear if, for solution B), the fact that there is also the SONNET means that it is not a "true" PCIe connection (the best connection i assume).

Thanks!

Alessandro.

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: madiface expresscard vs madiface USB technology

TB to PCIe is still true PCIe, as TB is just that. Full speed, full performance - usually.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2008-03-04
  • Posts: 28

Re: madiface expresscard vs madiface USB technology

Thanks a lot Matthias, all clear!
Alessandro.

  • Registered: 2013-04-21
  • Posts: 12

Re: madiface expresscard vs madiface USB technology

Hi

two questions

- PCI vs USB3 vs USB2 latency?

- using madiface XT with USB2, is Totalmix FX still available for 64 channels I/O?



regards

Pietro

5 Reply by MC

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Re: madiface expresscard vs madiface USB technology

No matter what interface mode, TotalMix FX has access and operates on all (196 In, 198 Out) I/Os. If you think about it it is quite obvious and logical. TM FX is in the box, not the computer.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2013-04-21
  • Posts: 12

Re: madiface expresscard vs madiface USB technology

No matter what interface mode, TotalMix FX has access and operates on all (196 In, 198 Out) I/Os. If you think about it it is quite obvious and logical. TM FX is in the box, not the computer.
Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME



Thanks for your answer

Pietro

  • Registered: 2013-04-23
  • Posts: 1

Re: madiface expresscard vs madiface USB technology

Hello,

There are very few products that sport a PCI-EX connection, but would it be wise to use this kind of card:
http://www.sonnettech.fr/product/qioexpresscard34.html
to connect the Fireface XT to a laptop? Would it work to begin with (as sonnett says on their website that this card is designed for their own products, no talk about 3rd party products)? Could it be more stable than using a laptop with a USB3 connection?

Would it be possible, (today or via a future driver update) to connect 2 computers to the madiface XT at the same time (one for backup), one via usb3, and another one via PCI-EX?

BTW, like many people, I do miss the tests RME made back in 2005-06 or even before (lots of laptops were tested by RME as the PCMCIA-RME-system came out back in 2001) to check hardware-compatibility. Are there no more issues about hardware compatibility anymore?

Many questions, and many thanks as well, RME are still the most stable soundcards in the world imo...

Smallfilou

8 Reply by SuburbanStudio (edited by SuburbanStudio 2013-04-26 01:27:06)

  • From: Melbourne Australia
  • Registered: 2007-05-18
  • Posts: 70

Re: madiface expresscard vs madiface USB technology

Hello all,

I know of at least two companies which offer suitable PCIe Bus Extender cards for the new Madiface XT. Sonnet and Magma both offer the two main variants (Regular PCIe x1 cards for desktops and ExpressCard/34 cards for laptops). Please see the links below:

http://www.magma.com/pcie-x1-host-card-eex1
http://www.magma.com/expresscard34-host … aptop-ex34
http://www.sonnettech.com/product/qiopcie.html
http://www.sonnettech.com/product/qioexpresscard34.html

These cards will allow you to connect the Madiface XT to both your laptop and desktop at full PCI express speeds, if you want to use the full channel count, rather than the reduced channel count available via USB2. For those that only need a reduced channel count for mobile work, you could simply get by with a desktop PCIe bus extender card for the studio, and use the Madiface XT via USB2 (or USB3 if available) for remote work. If you don't need as many channels the simpler Madiface USB could also suffice, however you unfortunately lose the analog monitoring options if you go down that route.

The Madiface XT looks like a fantastic solution for a sophisticated Madi setup that can be easily transported from working in the studio to remote recording work. Well done RME for designing such a well thought out device! I'm not certain about greater stability via PCIe as compared to USB (as RME deliver great stability over USB), however I personally would always choose PCIe over USB, both in regards to reduced latency and also the larger channel count availability. Their is also less chance of any bottlenecks or fighting over resource allocation with PCIe.

Cheers,
George

9 Reply by MC

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Re: madiface expresscard vs madiface USB technology

Thanks for the links. We used the cards from Matrox in Frankfurt, which do the same but are lower in price. Unfortunately I can not give a direct link to the Matrox website, I searched half an hour and didn't find them there (stupid me or them?):

http://www.vistek.ca/store/ProVideoEdit … pro-p.aspx

http://www.vistek.ca/store/ProVideoEdit … ktops.aspx

And this is the Thunderbolt to PCIe box:

http://www.vistek.ca/store/258462/matro … apter.aspx

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2007-05-11
  • Posts: 1,192

Re: madiface expresscard vs madiface USB technology

Can't wait :-)

MADIface-XT+ARC / 3x HDSP MADI / ADI648
2x SSL Alphalink MADI AX
2x Multiface / 2x Digiface /2x ADI8
  • From: Melbourne Australia
  • Registered: 2007-05-18
  • Posts: 70

Re: madiface expresscard vs madiface USB technology

Thanks for the information on the Matrox cards Matthias.

They seem like a much more realistic price-point!
Magma has always been at the upper end of the price spectrum.

Oh also, just so you know, I think it's stupid them!

RME rocks - keep up the great work guys. The Madiface XT looks like it's going to be a real winner!

  • From: Aotearoa
  • Registered: 2007-10-23
  • Posts: 255

Re: madiface expresscard vs madiface USB technology

I can't wait for the XT, it's the perfect box to make 96K live recording with a full multitrack backup cost effective for me.  Instant sale!

Madiface XT, Madiface, 3x Micstasy, ADI8QS
Sequoia 17, W10 x64
https://bsound.co.nz/tools-nix
  • Registered: 2010-10-15
  • Posts: 2

Re: madiface expresscard vs madiface USB technology

MC: I would just like you to clarify a couple of things, in order to make my choice easier.

What are the gains/losses using the USB, or PCIE, on the Madiface XT? How does USB3 stack up to PCIE, when using the XT? The XT looks great, and if it's a compromise using USB3, I have to get one of those matrox pcie->TB boxes, as long as they're a no compromise solution.

Thanks in advance!


Tobias

14 Reply by AKB

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  • Registered: 2013-10-29
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Re: madiface expresscard vs madiface USB technology

I have a serious question, Will MADIFACE XT works with Sonnet Echo 15 Thunderbolt Dock for USB 3 connectivity ...
http://www.sonnettech.com/product/echo1 … tdock.html

Thanks ...

15 Reply by MC

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Re: madiface expresscard vs madiface USB technology

With both devices not yet on the market this is no serious question.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2014-10-19
  • Posts: 1

Re: madiface expresscard vs madiface USB technology

Hi, I would also like to know the differnce in latecy between (Thunder Bolt/PCIe adapter) & USB3 connection.
Also can you say if there is more CPU overhead using the USB3 vs (TB/PCIe) or not?

I am new to MADI interface, so I need to find out whats incolved in breakout / breakin into the real world of analouge audio!!

I'm interested in portable audio so this interface looks really interesting for me. The CPU overhead question is to do with power
use ( more CPU overhead = more power use at the laptop ) Although the RME looks like its doing well at 12v 5watts.

Latency is a big issue though since I want to record in timecode sinc for video. I guess I could work out some kind of offset but live monitoring with a large delay is'nt much fun..

Things have probebly moved on since my days with an Mbox 1 on USB1 !!!

Hoping IO from MADI to analouge does't require a load more power.. will try and work that out now.

Look forward to reply..

BEN