RME FireFace UFX - USB and FireWire Audio Interface

60 channels of audio! Digitally controlled high-end preamps, reference class converters and full 192 kHz operation. Ultra-low latency operation with USB and FireWire, combined with the legendary RME driver stability and maintenance. Including active jitter suppression, professional reference level support, advanced stand-alone functionality, RME's unique DIGICheck metering and analysis toolbox and nearly identical operation and features on Windows PC and Mac. DURec: Direct USB Recording: The UFX provides an integrated digital recorder for all inputs and outputs directly to USB memory devices. Independent from a connected PC or Mac.

TotalMix FX, the new digital high-end mixer and signal router, driven by two powerful DSP, with integrated EQ, Dynamics and Reverb/Echo effects up to 192 kHz plus a built-in monitoring control.

RME's new Fireface flagship is a highly integrated pro audio solution, a full-blown studio packed in a 19" enclosure.

Inputs and Outputs
The UFX provides 60 channels of audio: 30 input and 30 output channels. All inputs and outputs can be used at the same time.

Analog I/O
The UFX provides 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: 6 balanced TRS and 2 balanced XLR - perfect for the direct connection of the main studio monitors. On the front: Two additional TRS stereo phones outputs providing high volumes even with hi-impedance headphones.
Sound Quality: The Fireface UFX combines excellent analog circuit design with high-grade AD/DA converter chips offering outstanding low noise and distortion values.

Equipped with the latest A/D and D/A converter chips, all I/Os operate up to 192 kHz and reach 118 dBA dynamic range on playback - even both headphone outputs.

Due to its efficient jitter reduction, RME's superior SteadyClock finalizes the AD/DA conversion, even when clocking to an external digital source.

Microphone/Instrument Preamps with RME's Advanced Parallel Conversion technology
Preamps
Microphone and instrument preamps of the UFX use the core technology from RME's Micstasy offering extremely low distortion, excellent signal to noise ratio and a perfect linear frequency response.

The digitally controlled gain of up to 65 dB, adjustable in steps of 1 dB over a range of 55 dB, is individually set for every preamp by the display-supported controls on the front of the UFX.

Each channel can be individually switched to 48V phantom power or instrument level. LEDs for signal, clip, TRS operation and activated phantom power give a complete overview on the unit's status. Advanced Parallel Conversion. The four UFX preamps are feeding not only four, but eight AD converters. Every microphone channel uses a double, parallel AD conversion on two AD converters at the same time to reach exceptional signal-to-noise values and a performance not available with a classic converter design.

Digital I/O, Word Clock & MIDI
AES/EBU: The UFX provides a professional AES/EBU I/O working up to 192 kHz.
ADAT: Two 8-channel ADAT I/Os expand the UFX by 16 channels available simultaneously with the analog channels. They can be used to connect two 8-channel AD/DA converters, mixing consoles or to insert effects devices.
SPDIF: The second ADAT I/O can be used as optical SPDIF I/O, making the UFX connections even more flexible.
Word Clock & MIDI: A word clock input and output with switchable termination plus two MIDI I/Os complete the I/O list and turn the Fireface UFX into a professional audio system with universal usability.

DURec - Direct USB Recording
The Fireface UFX provides an integrated digital recorder for all inputs and outputs directly to USB memory devices via the front USB port.

The Direct USB Recording also converts the Fireface UFX into a powerful multichannel live player for previous recordings.

The Fireface UFX records the pure input signals as well as the effect processed mixer outputs in any combination - at up to 192 kHz! The channels to be recorded can be selected directly at the unit or comfortably in TotalMix FX.

The UFX USB recorder can be operated directly at the unit via the high resolution display. Additionally the Recorder is found in the TotalMix FX software user interface on both Mac and Windows PC.

TotalMix FX
• New design and improved usability
• Improved Control Room section for the main output (studio monitors) and phones. Cue for quick listening to other outputs. Separated monitor panel
• Four mute, solo and fader groups each
• Switchable mono and stereo channel view
• New channel options: Stereo Width, MS Processing, Phase L/R
• Trim Mode: Adjusts the volume for all routed signals of a channel. This option allows to modify the volume of all sends of a channel simultaneously, qualling a hardware's trim functionality
• 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 setup
• 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
• Extended Matrix window with mono/stereo mode, Undo/Redo, display of phase and mute

The DSP-based TotalMix mixer allows fully independent routing and mixing of all 30 input and playback channels to all 30 physical outputs. The next generation of TotalMix delivers hardware mixing/routing with lots of new features and a highly improved usability.

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.

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.

Monitor Controller
The UFX 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. As the UFX includes the usually externally added monitoring controller, it also preserves the original sound, as its hardware output stays directly connected to the studio monitors.

Level Control: The big rotary encoder on the front of the UFX maintains precisely controls the three dedicated stereo monitor outputs Main Out, Phones 1 and Phones 2. Start turning the volume encoder and the display shows the current gain value in big numbers.

Monitor Management: The above gain (volume) settings at the unit work hand in hand with the Control Room section of TotalMix FX. Any physical output can be assigned to the three, directly knob-controlled monitor outputs.

Hardware Remote: The UFX provides a connector for the optional RME Advanced Remote Control, with controls for Volume, Recall and 7 freely programmable buttons.

USB & FireWire
RME is the only manufacturer not to use a third party USB or FireWire audio technology, but an own, self-developed Hammerfall Audio Core with an outstanding performance and uncompromised pro audio features. The Fireface UFX now combines USB and FireWire, Made by RME, within one interface.

USB 2.0: The Fireface UFX has been uncompromisingly optimized for highest performance under Windows and Mac OS. It offers ultra-low latencies even with multiple channels.

Usability
Display: RME integrates a high-resolution color display into the front panel. In combination with three rotary encoders all important features of the UFX can be manually controlled directly on the UFX itself. TotalMix, connected PC or Mac, is synced to the interface controls and follows all changes automatically.

Smart control: The four keys, the two encoders 1 and 2, the high-resolution and clear color display and a well thought-out menu structure enable the user to quickly change and configure all the device's settings even without a computer.

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 DA converter operates independently from the quality of the external clock signal, as if they are working with internal clock all the time.

ICC
Intelligent Clock Control not only displays every clock status, but will also retain the last valid input sample rate in case of failure of the external source.

DIGICheck
The UCX comes with RME's unique software tool box for metering, testing, measuring and analyzing digital audio streams.

Power supply
The specially developed, 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 UCX can operate fully stand-alone, without any connected computer. In stand-alone operation it can transform into totally different devices by the simple click of a button. In this mode, the TotalMix FX can also be controlled via MIDI.