RME Fireface 802 USB and Firewire Audio Interface

Musikmesse 2014: The Fireface 802 renews RME's reputation built on the legendary Fireface 800. 60 channels of audio, high-end microphone preamps, reference class converters, a complete effects section and operation at up to 192 kHz are the base for many more features: Ultra-low latency operation with USB or FireWire, combined with the legendary RME driver stability and maintenance. Active jitter suppression, individually switchable reference levels for all inputs and outputs, full stand-alone functionality, RME's unique DIGICheck metering and analysis toolbox and identical operation on Windows PC and Mac.

TotalMix FX, RME's digital high-end mixer and signal router, driven by two powerful DSPs, with integrated EQ, Dynamics and Reverb/Echo effects at up to 192 kHz, plus a built-in monitoring controller. The full-blown feature set also includes optional Class Compliant mode and operation with TotalMix FX for iPad, RME's app to fully control the 802 from the iPad, without any computer.

The Fireface 802 is a highly integrated pro audio solution, a full-blown studio, all within a 19" enclosure.

Inputs and Outputs
The Fireface 802 provides 60 channels of audio: 30 input and 30 output channels. All inputs and outputs can be used at the same time. Up to 12 analog and 18 digital channels can be recorded onto 30 tracks separately.

Analog I/O
The Fireface 802 has 12 analog I/Os.
12 Inputs: 8 balanced TRS on the back and 4 XLR inputs with Mic/Instrument preamps on the front.
12 Outputs: On the rear: 8 balanced TRS. On the front: Two hi-power TRS stereo phones outputs provide high volumes even with hi-impedance headphones.

Sound Quality: It combines excellent analog circuit design with latest digital conversion technology. All balanced TRS & XLR I/Os as well as the two phones outputs offer outstanding low noise and distortion values.

Due to its efficient jitter reduction, RME's superior SteadyClock guarantees state-of-the-art AD/DA conversion, even when clocking to an external clock source. Every input and output is individually switchable to these common professional studio levels: -10 dBV, +4 dBu, HiGain (equivalent to +2 dBV, +13 dBu and +19 dBu for digital full scale). All outputs can be used for ASIO Direct Monitoring (ADM) purposes.

Preamps . for Microphones and Instruments with Low Latency Conversion
The 802 has four high-transparency preamps, also with low latency converters. Microphone and instrument preamps of the 802 use the classic technology of the OctaMic II, a high-end preamp for supreme sonic demands and critical applications. It offers extremely low distortion, excellent signal to noise ratio and a perfect linear frequency response.

The pot-controlled gain of up to 60 dB, adjustable over a range of 54 dB, is individually set for every preamp on the front of the 802. The four inputs on the front use balanced XLR/TS combo sockets and operate alternatively as Hi-Z inputs. The Fireface 802 follows RME's tradition of providing flexible and expandable audio systems. Adding additional preamplifiers or more analog inputs is easily done via the dual ADAT optical I/Os on the rear.

AES/EBU: The Fireface 802 has one professional AES/EBU I/O operating at up to 192 kHz.
ADAT: Two 8-channel ADAT I/Os allow for a connection of two additional AD/DA converters or the insertion of effects devices and mixing consoles. Both I/Os support sample rates at up to 192 kHz (S/MUX4). Like AES/EBU, these 16 ADAT channels are available simultaneously with the analog channels.
SPDIF: The second ADAT I/O can be used as optical SPDIF I/O, making the Fireface 802 connections even more flexible.
Word Clock & MIDI: A word clock input and output (BNC) with switchable termination and a MIDI I/O complete the list of connections, turning the Fireface 802 into a professional audio system with universal usability.

TotalMix FX
• New look with improved usability
• Dedicated Control Room section for the main output and other monitoring outputs. All existing stereo output channels can be freely assigned as source for the control room section channels
• Four definable groups for Solo, Mute and Faders
• Switchable Mono and Stereo channel view
• Channel Options: Stereo Width, MS Processing, Phase L/R
• Trim mode: Adjusts the volume for all routed signals of a channel simultaneously, equaling a hardware's trim functionality as well as a Post-FX Send function
• Unlimited Undo and Redo
• FX Sends and Returns: One send bus for every input/playback channel with Reverb/Echo
• Expandable channel view for channel settings, EQ and Dynamics
• Slim channel mode for selected or all channels, to save space or give a meter bridge view
• 2 Row Mode: reduces the height of the mixer to two rows for smaller displays
• Reworked Matrix with mono/stereo mode, Undo/Redo, display of phase and mute
• Most functions of TotalMix can be remote controlled via MIDI with any Mackie Control compatible controller. TotalMix FX also supports OSC and the usage of multiple remotes

The DSP based TotalMix mixer allows fully independent routing and mixing of all 30 input and 30 playback channels to all 30 physical outputs. Up to 15 totally independent stereo submixes plus a luxury Control Room section offer unrivalled monitoring capabilities and unsurpassed routing flexibility. 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. It provides all these effects in all sample rates, including 192 kHz.

The two DSPs ensure an impressive performance even in extreme 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.

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 chamber.

Monitor Controller
The Fireface 802 is not only a perfect desktop level controller, but a monitor switcher and source selector with integrated talkback function for modern Mix-In-the-Box studios. It also preserves the original sound, as its hardware outputs stay directly connected to the studio monitors.

Monitoring Management: Any hardware output can be assigned as Main or Phones output. Talkback, Listen back, Mono, Dim, Recall and External Input will then work automatically and as expected on the assigned outputs.

Advanced Remote Control: The 802 has a connector for the optional Advanced Remote Control, offering direct access to Volume, DIM, Store, Recall, Mono, Talkback, External Input and much more.

USB & FireWire
With the release of the Fireface 800 in 2004 RME stirred up the FireWire audio market, setting the benchmarks and providing a superior solution with a unique feature set. RME is the only manufacturer not to use a third party USB or FireWire audio technology, but an own, self-developed audio interface core with outstanding performance and uncompromised pro audio features.

Like already known from the Fireface UCX and UFX (and indeed using the same matured driver family) the Fireface 802 combines USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 within one interface.

USB 2.0: The Fireface 802 has been uncompromisingly optimized for highest performance under Windows and Mac OS. The 802 provides revolutionary ultra-low latencies even with multiple channels, comparable to those of PCI and PCI-Express solutions.

FireWire: RME's FireWire core offers exceptional compatibility at highest performance.

SteadyClock
RME's unique jitter suppression technology guarantees perfect sound quality throughout, making the device completely independent from the quality of external clock signals. Due to the highly efficient jitter reduction, the 802 converters operate independently from the quality of the external clock signal, as if they are working with internal clock all the time - guaranteeing a pristine sound quality!

ICC
Intelligent Clock Control (ICC) not only displays every clock status, but will also retain the last valid input sample rate in case of failure of the external source. Other renowned RME technologies like Sync Check offer a quick detection of clock problems.

DIGICheck
The 802 comes with RME½s unique software tool box for metering, testing, measuring and analyzing digital audio streams. It provides a multi-track recorder, calculates the level meters peak and RMS in hardware and analyzes and displays audio in multiple ways.

Power supply
The internal hi-performance switch mode power supply lets the UFX operate in the range of 100V to 240V AC, thus it can be operated all over the world. It is short-circuit-proof, has an integrated line-filter, is fully regulated against voltage fluctuations and suppresses mains interference.

Stand Alone Operation with Setup Recall
The Fireface 802 can be set up and configured directly via iPad, MIDI remote and ARC. Additionally 6 memory slots are present where the current configuration can be stored permanently. In stand-alone operation it can turn itself into different devices by the simple push on a button.