Are there any 8 channel audio interfaces that work as a 7.1 device natively in windows?

[timreeves]

Hello guys,

This has been bugging me for a while, and I've already returned devices from UA and Motu because their tech support lied to me.

I'm looking for an audio interface that has at least 6, but ideally 8 or more analogue outputs, that will appear in windows as a true multichannel device. I'd also really like it to be half rack sized at most. Both the motu and volt would only appear in windows as multiple stereo outputs, which is unsuitable for my needs (and virtual audio cable routing is also unsuitable). It needs to work with equaliser APO, so no ASIO, but wasapi/wdm should be fine.

Can anyone recommend anything?

 

[DJBonoBobo]

RME Fireface UCX II

 

[timreeves]

RME Fireface UCX II

View attachment 262265

good to see, but jeeze is that priced a bit on the spicy side!

 

[DJBonoBobo]

good to see, but jeeze is that priced a bit on the spicy side!

Yes, that´s why most people buy something else first, before they buy a RME eventually. ;-)

 

[Tom C]

If cost is a primary concern, I would consider EQ software that will accept ASIO. It may cost more than equalizer APO, but not as much as RME hardware.

 

[usersky]

If cost is a primary concern, I would consider EQ software that will accept ASIO. It may cost more than equalizer APO, but not as much as RME hardware.

Can you make a recommandation?

 

[timreeves]

If cost is a primary concern, I would consider EQ software that will accept ASIO. It may cost more than equalizer APO, but not as much as RME hardware.

From what I can gather any asio compatible system wide EQ all use virtual cables, which are unsuitable for my needs.

 

[SDC]

focusrite can do it I guess (didn't test it, I use Jriver WDM for multichannel)

But if I can turn back time I won't buy focusrite... (BTW It is Clarett+8pre not scarlett)


edit: DIdn't see the half rack size requirement sorry

 

[timreeves]

View attachment 262449


focusrite can do it I guess (didn't test it, I use Jriver WDM for multichannel)

But if I can turn back time I won't buy focusrite... (BTW It is Clarett+8pre not scarlett)


edit: DIdn't see the half rack size requirement sorry

Yep, I'm currently using an 8i6, I just wish focusrite did one of their smaller units with more outputs (and a better headphone output!)

 

[Trell]

Yep, I'm currently using an 8i6, I just wish focusrite did one of their smaller units with more outputs (and a better headphone output!)

The RME UCX II has a very good headphone output with lots of power (+19 dBu) for those with higher impedance. It drives my 250 Ohm Beyerdynamic headphones to a very loud volume.

As you wrote above it’s expensive but you also pay for a lot of features, functionality and connectivity you likely won’t use.

 

[timreeves]

I've just bought a fireface 400 for £200, will need to get a pcie FireWire card but figured this would be a cheap way to see if I want to spend the big bucks on a usb based device from rme in the future.

 

[Trell]

I've just bought a fireface 400 for £200, will need to get a pcie FireWire card but figured this would be a cheap way to see if I want to spend the big bucks on a usb based device from rme in the future.

That's a device release in 2006 but still has a current driver.

Downloads - RME Audio Interfaces | Format Converters | Preamps | Network Audio & MADI Solutions

RME Audio Professional Live, Studio, Recording and Broadcast Solutions. Unrivalled Quality, Performance & Stability MADI Interfaces, Converters & Preamps.

www.rme-audio.de

 

[timreeves]

That's a device release in 2006 but still has a current driver.

Downloads - RME Audio Interfaces | Format Converters | Preamps | Network Audio & MADI Solutions

RME Audio Professional Live, Studio, Recording and Broadcast Solutions. Unrivalled Quality, Performance & Stability MADI Interfaces, Converters & Preamps.

www.rme-audio.de

View attachment 262491

As long as it's got a quiet noise floor, multichannel output in windows and a compact form factor, I'm happy.

SNR has measured at 100db, so way above the 96db 16 bit limit I'm realistically ever going to use, and subjective testing suggests the noise floor is silent.

The only bit that I'm a bit concerned about is latency and potentially issues with compatability with the pci-e FireWire card I just ordered, but it's got a ti chipset that's reported to work fine so fingers crossed!

 

[Trell]

As long as it's got a quiet noise floor, multichannel output in windows and a compact form factor, I'm happy.

SNR has measured at 100db, so way above the 96db 16 bit limit I'm realistically ever going to use, and subjective testing suggests the noise floor is silent.

The only bit that I'm a bit concerned about is latency and potentially issues with compatability with the pci-e FireWire card I just ordered, but it's got a ti chipset that's reported to work fine so fingers crossed!

Probably the latency might be just fine for the Fireface 400 that is a scaled down version of the Fireface 800. In the first post in link below you can see measure round-trip latencies for a number of devices, and the Fireface 800 does quote well, so I guess the Fireface 400 as well. In the PDF link there are more measurements.

You can also measure the RTL yourself with software linked to in the first post in the thread below, and see how that is on your PC.

Audio Interface - Low Latency Performance Data Base - Gearspace.com

Hey All, I am sure all of us have seen posts over the years where end users have purchased a new audio interface and have experienced varying degrees o

gearspace.com

http://dawbench.com/images/DAWbench%20LLP%20Database-June-2022.pdf

 

[Tom C]

I use JRiver.

 

[enricoclaudio]

+1 for the RME Fireface UCX II recommendation. Not mention the amazing customer service you get from RME. My UCX II got replaced by RME last month and it took 3 days to get the advanced replacement so I did not stay without AI for 1 week. BTW, my UCX II wasn’t faulty, just that the front cover face plate behind the screen was broken. It came that way since day one. It was an assembly issue, I guess.

 

[sarumbear]

Probably the latency might be just fine for the Fireface 400 that is a scaled down version of the Fireface 800.

On a playback device does high latency cause a problem?

 

[timreeves]

On a playback device does high latency cause a problem?

For video games, YouTube and other browser based streaming, yes, for everything else no.

 

[sarumbear]

For video games, YouTube and other browser based streaming, yes, for everything else no.

Video games I understand but why for YouTube? (Trying to learn, not contesting.)

 

[AnalogSteph]

What counts as "high" latency for live monitoring in the recording world still is utterly negligible in a pure playback application. 10 ms still is less than 1 frame at 60 fps. Canned video just needs to be in sync, absolute delay is fairly negligible and could easily be a whole second.

I imagine using a Firewire interface in this day and age could be a bit clunky. The Fireface itself should still be a good (lower) midrange performer; in typical RME fashion, they seem to have gotten just about everything out of the AK4620A codecs.