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Issue 94
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RME’s New Fireface UFX III

The multichannel flagship interface.

By

11 April 2023

Fireface UFX III is the centre of any multitrack studio, handling up to 94 channels I/O with ease. Its unprecedented flexibility, compatibility, the inclusion of DURec (Direct USB Recording) and RME’s famous low latency hardware and driver designs guarantee flawless operation in any mode and application.

Packed with professional features, including SteadyClock FS, MADI I/O (64 channels), a powerful DSP, USB 3.0 (full 94 channel I/O Class Compliant ready), TotalMix FX, Direct USB Recording, and support for the Advanced Remote Control USB (available separately), the Fireface UFX III is the professional’s preferred tool for multitrack recording, mixing and mastering.

The Fireface UFX III is based on a newly developed analog and digital board. While the analog board offers, for example, DC-coupled analog outputs as well as new AD and DA converters with improved THD+N value, the digital board also enables interesting new features thanks to updated high-tech components.

Connectivity & Features:

  • 12x Analog I/O
  • 4x XLR/TRS Mic/Inst/Line
  • 2x Phones Output
  • 1x AES/EBU I/O
  • 2x ADAT I/O
  • 2x SPDIF I/O
  • 1x Word Clock I/O / MADI Coaxial
  • 1x MADI optical I/O
  • 2x MIDI I/O
  • RME USB 3.0
  • TotalMix FX
  • ARC USB
  • DURec
  • Class Compliant Mode
  • AutoSet Digital Gain Control
  • DC-coupled Outputs
  • Including FX
  • SteadyClock FS

Comprehensive MADI Connectivity

The Fireface UFX III opens the doors to a host of RME and 3rd party digital and analog I/O solutions. Expanding your analog channel count, the ability to route/mix within the digital domain through numerous sources presents many flexible options. Multiple external MADI devices can also be connected in series.

To further enhance MADI flexibility, the Fireface UFX III boasts some typical RME-style features. For example in USB 2 mode, which is limited to 30 channels I/O (12 analog plus 16 ADAT plus AES), the MADI I/O is still available via RME’s integrated hardware mixer TotalMix FX. Word Clock I/O (BNC) can be switched to MADI I/O (coaxial), and a special split mode even supports the use of both MADI I/Os simultaneously, with 32 channel each on optical and coaxial.

Powerful Applications for Mixing, Monitoring & Measurement Included

The Fireface UFX III comes with the TotalMix FX DSP mixer offering comprehensive routing and monitoring options, as well as the DIGICheck Analyzer allowing to measure and analyse the digital data feed in both directions with maximum precision. TotalMix FX can completely replace an external mixer, enabling the creation of multiple latency-free monitor mixes with EQ, Dynamics, Reverb and Delay for any outputs, incl. main monitors and headphone mixes for musicians.

The additional TotalMix Remote is a remote control for TotalMix FX, to control the hardware mixer and effects in RME audio interfaces. TotalMix Remote mirrors the current state of the host system on the iPad and Windows/Mac computers – the entire mixing state, the complete routing, all FX settings, up to the level meters, and everything in real-time. Easily adjust all the mixer and FX settings from a distance, via Ethernet and WiFi.

USB 3 Class Compliant Audio

The Fireface UFX III operates in two different modes: driver-based USB 3 and Class Compliant. The Class Compliant mode is a standard that is natively supported by operating systems like Windows, Mac OSX and Linux distributions. No proprietary drivers are required, the device will be directly recognised when the CC firmware is loaded. 

The Fireface UFX III is RME’s first audio interface with full USB 3.0 support in Class Compliant Mode. This makes all channels available in driverless operation for Linux, Mac and iPadOS. An iPad Pro with USB C can manage up to 94 channels for recording and playback in TotalMix FX for iPad and on system level.

ARC USB Remote Control – Plug’n Play Plus

The optional available ARC USB connects to your computer via USB, and talks to TotalMix FX directly. It has 15 freely assignable and illuminated buttons, one encoder wheel, and a TS jack to connect a foot switch. The ARC USB is a USB 1.1 MIDI remote control for the Fireface UFX III. Thanks to operating as a UAC 1 class device, it is natively compatible to Windows and Mac OS X. As soon as it is present in the operating system, TotaIMix FX will automatically detect the ARC USB, and communicate with it via simple MIDI remote commands to control the UFX III.

CONTACT

RME: rme-audio.de
Australian Distributor: innovativemusic.com.au
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