RME have gained a loyal following for an nearly unmatched help of their {hardware}, years and years after launch – a refreshing strategy on condition that some producers successfully blacklist legacy working methods in quest of profitable, ‘pressured’ upgrades. Clear onboard preamps and high quality converters additionally make RME a preferred model in location recording circles, plus there’s additionally some magic at play in reaching low latency over USB. Shopping for RME, then, is considerably of a long run funding. That mentioned, built-to-last high quality does come at a worth.
The brand new Fireface UCX II sits neatly within the product line-up between the dinky Babyface Professional and the bigger UFX fashions. Regardless of the Fireface within the identify, legacy Firewire ports have been ditched and within the pursuits of most compatibility, RME have caught with good ol’ USB-2. There’s no MADI obtainable – and fewer ins/outs than on a UFX – however a surprising new color show and clear metering push the outgoing UCX mannequin firmly into the shade.
One other function that offers the UCX II a particular edge over the sooner design (and competing merchandise such because the MOTU UltraLite mk5) is built-in USB recording and playback, permitting customers to trace periods in standalone mode, properly away from the distractions of laptop screens or pesky fan noise. Good transfer, RME!
Match for the Swiss Military
Taking fashion suggestions from the corporate’s most up-to-date sequence of audiophile converters, the UCX II is housed in a half-rack case. On the entrance panel, two digitally managed mic inputs every supply a wholesome 75dB of obtainable acquire. Alongside these are two additional instrument/line inputs, a single headphone socket, the show, plus buttons and a rotary encoder to regulate every part. On the again, there are 4 additional line ins, six line outs, MIDI, and a variety of digital in/outs together with ADAT. Additional nonetheless, a break-out cable provides entry to each AES and SPDIF i/o.
This function set is most fitted to dwelling and venture studios, the place use of 1-4 simultaneous inputs is the norm, however provides ample scope for including issues afterward, e.g. connecting boutique exterior preamps by way of the devoted line inputs, or including additional ins/outs utilizing the ADAT ports (an optical cable is included within the field to get you began alongside this path).
The six line outs give scope for a number of units of studio displays, a headphone amp feed, or perhaps a encompass monitoring set-up. For bigger scale operations, the dearth of a second ADAT financial institution would possibly hamper progress past this level – such customers could be higher off with a bigger interface – however the engineers at RME have crammed most options right into a compact format.
Whole immersion
Extra exact management of the UCX II is offered by the TotalMix software program, which runs on the host laptop or on an accompanying iPad performing as a distant management. There’s additionally an app to make use of the interface with an iPad alone – with out the pc – however this can be a chargeable additional. Regardless of a slight studying curve, it’s pretty simple to get going with producing headphone mixes, routing and exploring settings. A spread of DSP may be added to any reside enter, together with EQ, compression/gating, reverb and delay. While the processing isn’t usually ‘printed’ to the recorded observe, there may be an choice within the settings menu to incorporate EQ and dynamics when recording. Loop-back routing can be an choice – useful for the podcasting and live-streaming revolution!
We’re impressed by the eye to element in TotalMix and related {hardware} functionality that units RME aside. For instance, the flexibility to correctly live-monitor a mid/aspect pair of inputs, and particular person reference degree setting for every line in/out, making it extra simple to attach up a variety of exterior gear.
Nevertheless, there may be an elephant within the room; the dearth of correct interface scaling within the TotalMix desktop app. Set at 100% it’s a little bit too small on a laptop computer display; on the subsequent zoom degree up it spills off the display and scrolling is required. That is annoying and an replace appears lengthy overdue. On the iPad, the consumer interface works a little bit higher since you’ll be able to rapidly toggle between zoom/view modes.
Notes from the session
As anticipated, the UCX II preamps ship loads of clear acquire to even essentially the most gain-hungry microphones comparable to our trusty Shure SM7B. There’s loads of output from the headphone amp too – it goes critically loud and infrequently we discovered ourselves turning the DAW playback feeds a approach all the way down to steadiness these with reside inputs and guarantee they weren’t deafening. We simply want there had been room for a second headphone socket, even when it merely carried the identical combine as the primary.
Navigation utilizing the {hardware} controls is intuitive, e.g. when setting and matching mic enter positive aspects and switching between totally different metering views. It does take a good few clicks/turns to modify phantom energy on for every mic enter, although this could be welcomed by house owners of classic ribbon mics.
Organising a headphone combine with a delicate excessive shelving enhance, light compression and a few reverb is obvious crusing with TotalMix. Regardless of show decision frustration, every part works immediately and precisely because it ought to, while snapshot help makes recall a breeze for subsequent monitoring periods. On most interfaces of this sort, on-board reverb algorithms are grainy and unsightly, however that’s not the case with the RME. As a substitute, serviceable reverbs – mixed with delicate EQ/compression – put the performer relaxed relatively than detracting from the job at hand.
D/A converters have related technical specs to these contained in the Babyface Professional – not class main like these of the corporate’s ADI vary, however completely adequate for monitoring and mixing. Playback reveals plentiful articulation and there’s barely elevated excessive frequency air in cymbals and snare transients when in comparison with the onboard sound of our M1 MacBook. The UCX II is geared in the direction of reaching prime quality ends in each recording and playback.
Monitoring a software program instrument while additionally enjoying again 16 different audio/software program instrument tracks, we skilled uninterrupted playback even when operating on the very lowest buffer measurement of 32 samples. On the 48kHz venture setting, this equated to an agile round-trip latency of simply 3ms. For bigger initiatives – and buffer sizes elevated two steps to the 128-sample mark, the interface nonetheless operated a good margin beneath the 10ms gatepost. While this efficiency received’t rival that of Thunderbolt, it’s fairly spectacular for USB. We solely want that RME had included a USB-B to USB-C cable within the field in order that these with extra fashionable computer systems might have loved some respite from the perils of dongle doom and as a substitute, plugged straight in!
The value of success
At a time when some producers are combating chip shortages, contacts at RME say that they’ve loads of elements to maintain manufacturing transferring. Consequently, the UCX II is sort of unrivalled in its mixture of features-for-size and real-world availability. Granted – you pay extra for RME high quality, however the brand new UCX matches completely into the present vary, providing a complete lot greater than the Babyface and its earlier incarnation. Within the context of the RME product line-up, this interface affords nice worth for cash. For many who dabble with standalone use of their audio interfaces, on-board recording will certainly show to be a function that helps sweeten the deal.
Key Options
- USB-2
- Digital qualities of as much as 24-bit/200 kHz
- 2 digitally managed mic preamps (as much as +75dB of acquire)
- 115 dBA AD/DA dynamic vary
- 2 instrument degree inputs
- 8 simultaneous TRS line ins and 6 line outs (line outs have switchable degree and are DC-coupled)
- 1 headphone socket
- ADAT in/out
- AES/EBU and SPDIF digital in/out by way of equipped break-out cable
- MIDI in/out sockets
- USB drive recording/playback
- Provided with USB A-to-B cable, TOSLINK optical cable, digital break-out cable and PSU
- Weight: 910g
- £1239
- Contact RME | Synthax
- Purchase: Sweetwater, Thomann
