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New (2021) RME Fireface UCX II

Rja4000

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The TB situation is unchanged. USB 2.0 is good enough for 70 channels record PLUS 70 channels playback (RME MADIface Pro), the UFX II has only 20 channels per direction. TB for such a small amount of channels would just mean wasted money for a more expensive interface (same for USB 3).
True
But wouldn't you be able to get some benefits from USB-C and Power Delivery ?
You may just save the power supply, if connected to a PD computer.
 

Trell

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True
But wouldn't you be able to get some benefits from USB-C and Power Delivery ?
You may just save the power supply, if connected to a PD computer.

The device has a standalone mode where it can record directly to an USB thumb drive, independently of any PC.
 

Tks

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True
But wouldn't you be able to get some benefits from USB-C and Power Delivery ?
You may just save the power supply, if connected to a PD computer.

More importantly, I'm not sure why the lean-in toward the idiotic adapter paradigm is being encouraged. It would be nice not having premium devices like this suffer this sort of ordeal with such nonchalance.
 

Rja4000

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More importantly, I'm not sure why the lean-in toward the idiotic adapter paradigm is being encouraged. It would be nice not having premium devices like this suffer this sort of ordeal with such nonchalance.
You mean the USB-C connector is weak ?
I have to agree.

After writing the above, I thought it could be an issue, just because you can't make sure it will remain attached.
RME has a lock on power supply connector.
The kind of detail that makes the difference between pro and amateur hardware.
And, of course, good old USB-B connector hardly disconnects accidentally.
 

Tks

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You mean the USB-C connector is weak ?
I have to agree.

After writing the above, I thought it could be an issue, just because you can't make sure it will remain attached.
RME has a lock on power supply connector.
The kind of detail that makes the difference between pro and amateur hardware.
And, of course, good old USB-B connector hardly disconnects accidentally.

Nah, I mean having to mess with adapters. What I'm saying is, seeing as how the entire industry is moving toward USB-C form factor, having a TB interface also as you mentioned for power delivery in case you don't want to use the power brick, would be a pretty cool thing (most TB provides more than enough power delivery to something like a DAC or even interface).

I'm also saying I doubt people who are buying these devices are so price sensitive that something like USB 2 needs to be entertained. Then again, I have a problem with many DACs these days only offering the standard 3 input I/O. I really would like to see more inputs, like dual Optical, Dual USB (so you can have TB, and a standard old USB2 interface if you feel ruggedness is that much of a concern).

Finally, USB-C has no issues staying plugged in. Most of the USB-C devices you see, are just shit tolerances. If you have a chance to try a Macbook for instance (or it's USB-C power adapter) you'll see just how well USB-C clicks into place and stays there. If there is really some sort of compelling argument about ruggedness of USB2 connectors, it would have to be made for products that are transported a lot. Once I plug in my inputs, I generally don't wonder (oh man, my desk is like an earthqake, and my floor is riddled with connectors, I sure hope my USB-C cable doesn't get unplugged from my DAC/interface). I don't see that as a talking point that USB2 solves where USB-C fails. If such was the case, you would see laptop still sporting USB2 (since those actually do get plugged and unplugged many times.
 

Blumlein 88

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Nah, I mean having to mess with adapters. What I'm saying is, seeing as how the entire industry is moving toward USB-C form factor, having a TB interface also as you mentioned for power delivery in case you don't want to use the power brick, would be a pretty cool thing (most TB provides more than enough power delivery to something like a DAC or even interface).

I'm also saying I doubt people who are buying these devices are so price sensitive that something like USB 2 needs to be entertained. Then again, I have a problem with many DACs these days only offering the standard 3 input I/O. I really would like to see more inputs, like dual Optical, Dual USB (so you can have TB, and a standard old USB2 interface if you feel ruggedness is that much of a concern).

Finally, USB-C has no issues staying plugged in. Most of the USB-C devices you see, are just shit tolerances. If you have a chance to try a Macbook for instance (or it's USB-C power adapter) you'll see just how well USB-C clicks into place and stays there. If there is really some sort of compelling argument about ruggedness of USB2 connectors, it would have to be made for products that are transported a lot. Once I plug in my inputs, I generally don't wonder (oh man, my desk is like an earthqake, and my floor is riddled with connectors, I sure hope my USB-C cable doesn't get unplugged from my DAC/interface). I don't see that as a talking point that USB2 solves where USB-C fails. If such was the case, you would see laptop still sporting USB2 (since those actually do get plugged and unplugged many times.
Yeah, I have now owned two phones with USB C. Obviously on average plugged in and out no less than once per day, and probably more like twice. More than 700 times a year for a few years now. They stay plugged in just fine, and none have given any problem to me at all. USB C is just fine unless someone makes an out of tolerance piece of junk which is true of any connection standard.
 

Tks

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Yeah, I have now owned two phones with USB C. Obviously on average plugged in and out no less than once per day, and probably more like twice. More than 700 times a year for a few years now. They stay plugged in just fine, and none have given any problem to me at all. USB C is just fine unless someone makes an out of tolerance piece of junk which is true of any connection standard.

What's odd from a sort of paradoxical view, is most are out of spec, and if they're in-spec in reality, then that spec should be scrapped, and Apple should be consulted for whatever they're doing, and their spec should be the only one used. So many USB-C devices I use are just flawed in one way or another when plugging and unplugging from a feel perspective.
 

Blumlein 88

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What's odd from a sort of paradoxical view, is most are out of spec, and if they're in-spec in reality, then that spec should be scrapped, and Apple should be consulted for whatever they're doing, and their spec should be the only one used. So many USB-C devices I use are just flawed in one way or another when plugging and unplugging from a feel perspective.
That isn't my experience. Not disputing it is yours. Have a few other bits of gear that unnecessarily use USB C, and just no problems with any of them. Can't say that about the old USB connectors.

USB A connectors were rated for 1500 insertions by spec. USB C is rated for 10,000 insertions. Some premium makers like Amphenol are made to do more.
 

Tks

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That isn't my experience. Not disputing it is yours. Have a few other bits of gear that unnecessarily use USB C, and just no problems with any of them. Can't say that about the old USB connectors.

USB A connectors were rated for 1500 insertions by spec. USB C is rated for 10,000 insertions. Some premium makers like Amphenol are made to do more.

Literally not a single USB-C device plugs and unplugs it's connectors as smooth as the stock cables and connectors used on a Macbook and it's power adapter. I'm not saying that other USB-C devices have a functional problem, I am strictly speaking about how the literal actuation feels of the plugging and unplugging mechanism. Not anything concerning longevity as you bring up in the conclusion.
 

badboygolf16v

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If this had remote control I'd have bought it right away. What an awesome product.

Mic pre for room measurement. All inputs routable to all outputs. Would make a great digital volume control for dual Neumann KH750 setup, one fed by AES, one by SPDIF.

As it is I'll be replacing my ADI-2 DAC with a Pro because I must have remote control. The geek in me's a bit disappointed, would have loved to play around with one.
 

DJBonoBobo

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If this had remote control I'd have bought it right away. What an awesome product.

Options are the Arc USB remote and the TotalMix remote app for ipad. Not the same as the remote for ADI 2, of course.
 
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Music1969

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Another good reason to avoid Thunderbolt interfaces is that they cannot be further than ~2m from the computer because of cable limitations.

Probably not an issue for non-pros, but it can be really annoying / difficult to work around if, for example, you want the interface on your desk but want the computer further away or in a machine closet.

50m with this Thunderbolt 3 cable. Can't supply power though obviously

https://www.corning.com/optical-cab...e/en/products/thunderbolt-optical-cables.html
 

Helicopter

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How do you get SPDIF into that AES-EBU/SPDIF port?

Can you just assemble a 2 conductor digital coax cable with that connector on one end and tell the fireface to get the data from the input?
 
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Music1969

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Music1969

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Hi @MC_RME

Is there a way to use DURec port with some kind of adapter enables IR remote control of volume for Fireface UCX II ?

Instead of using USB-ARC (wired) ?

Only for volume control, nothing else.
 

MC_RME

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Taswegian

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AD is AK5558, DA is AK4458. We secured tons of these chips very early so will have no problem to manufacture the units for the forseeable future.
Are they the same chips as were used in the prototype FF UCX units?
 
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Music1969

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Hi @MC_RME

Can you share power plots for headphone output?

What is in the manual is lacking (in comparison to ADI-2 manual)

Even Pro FS had:

1628667971412.png
 
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