RME Babyface Pro FS Portable Interface Review

[Zensō]

Totally get where your coming from . Thanks for your tips

The UCX II is a great interface if you need the inputs. If you don't, the Babyface is bus-powered, extremely portable, and $550 cheaper. As always, horses for courses.

 

[Monstieur]

The UCX II is a great interface if you need the inputs. If you don't, the Babyface is bus-powered, extremely portable, and $550 cheaper. As always, horses for courses.

It looks like he just needs a headphone amp, and no inputs. The Babyface Pro FS and UCX II are not optimal for that, and even the ADI-2 DAC FS is probably overkill.

 

[fskl_my]

It looks like he just needs a headphone amp, and no inputs. The Babyface Pro FS and UCX II are not optimal for that, and even the ADI-2 DAC FS is probably overkill.

Actually I need both , coming from a mk1 audient id4 .

 

[Monstieur]

Actually I need both , coming from a mk1 audient id4 .

The Babyface Pro FS is a clear upgrade over your ID4. It has more IO and better specs. If you ever want to upgrade to headphones with higher power requirements like the Aeon 2 Closed or LCD-XC, the Babyface Pro FS amp will clip with bass boost or loud volume.

The ADI-2 PRO FS is the best 2-channel interface and headphone amplifier, but costs $2000. It has on-board EQ and loudness correction for your headphones. Note that it doesn't have microphone preamps, 48v phantom power or High-Z instrument inputs. You can connect only a Line In. It's not a replacement for your ID4.

The UCX II costs $1500, has more IO, microphone preamps, 48v phantom power, Hi-Z instrument inputs, and a good enough 250 mW headphone amp. You can use it in combination with an ADI-2 DAC FS in the future if you want just the headphone amp features of the ADI-2 PRO FS.

 

[Zensō]

If you ever want to upgrade to headphones with higher power requirements like the Aeon 2 Closed or LCD-XC, the Babyface Pro FS amp will clip with bass boost or loud volume.

True, though it’s a pretty short list that have those kinds of requirements. I’ve never clipped my BFP with various headphones including DT1990 Pro, HD660S, HD650, HD800S, Focal Elex, Celestee, and Clear. I’m running Sound ID Reference with bass shelves on some models, but with compensation of course.

I think the big advantage of the BFP is the portability and bus-power. I can throw it in a backpack with my iPad Pro and it makes a super minimal mobile recording rig.

 

[fskl_my]

True, though it’s a pretty short list that have those kinds of requirements. I’ve never clipped my BFP with various headphones including DT1990 Pro, HD660S, HD650, HD800S, Focal Elex, Celestee, and Clear. I’m running Sound ID Reference with bass shelves on some models, but with compensation of course.

I think the big advantage of the BFP is the portability and bus-power. I can throw it in a backpack with my iPad Pro and it makes a super minimal mobile recording rig.

I sometime/once in a blue moon, do record voice overs on the go , if the babyface pro can doubles as a mobile recording interface, that’ll be a great plus to have .

I’m also running soundID , do you run the correction in linear phase mode ? I find zero latency makes the low mids and low end sound a bit smeared for lack of words.

 

[Zensō]

I sometime/once in a blue moon, do record voice overs on the go , if the babyface pro can doubles as a mobile recording interface, that’ll be a great plus to have .

I’m also running soundID , do you run the correction in linear phase mode ? I find zero latency makes the low mids and low end sound a bit smeared for lack of words.

I run zero latency when tracking, then switch to mixed or linear when mixing/mastering.

 

[stemfencer]

The ADI-2 PRO FS is the best 2-channel interface and headphone amplifier, but costs $2000. It has on-board EQ and loudness correction for your headphones. Note that it doesn't have microphone preamps, 48v phantom power or High-Z instrument inputs. You can connect only a Line In. It's not a replacement for your ID4.

I think it's better to call the ADI-2 PRO a converter and not an interface. It doesn't have TotalMix and latency performance of the UCX/UFX for music production. If you are just ripping vinyl or basic trackings this is fine. However if want to monitor through your DAW, multi-line recordings and other music production use cases, probably want to use with a Digiface or into a UCX/UFX alongside the ADI-2 PRO. Not trying to pick fights here, just something I wanted to clarify as I had the same question and took a while to uncover. Unless you really need mastering level ad/da conversion, UCX or Babyface with an external balanced (input) headphone amp is probably the pick.

 

[vertumno]

How are people using the Babyface FS finding themselves with cable management?

I'm thinking if those side sockets (power,adat, jack etc) which I would need to keep connected at all time, are going the take a considerable amount of desk space in a not too tidy way

 

[Monstieur]

How are people using the Babyface FS finding themselves with cable management?

I'm thinking if those side sockets (power,adat, jack etc) which I would need to keep connected at all time, are going the take a considerable amount of desk space in a not too tidy way

Yes, you may want to get right angle plugs.

 

[vertumno]

Yes, you may want to get right angle plugs.

I wonder if angled 1/4 jacks would actually fit together on the side inputs.
Can you get angled toslink cables?

 

[SIY]

Can you get angled toslink cables?

Yes, I use them routinely.

 

[Bern]

To the Babyface Pro FS users, I have a couple questions...

I recently bought a Babyface Pro FS, which I plan to use both for home-recording and to play live, using a Macbook Air M1.

First, using the Babyface in DAW mode, with Logic Pro X, apart from using Totalmix to switch Phantom power when using condenser mics, are there any other settings in Totalmix that need to be adressed, tweaked?

Second, about playing live... If I'm using the Macbook Air on battery power, does that provide enough stable power to power the Babyface? Or is the Macbook better be powered? Or perhaps even both—though everything says that the Babyface is very stable via USB?

One reason I asked that is that since the Macbook only has 2 ports, if I use one to power it and to the other power the RME, it leaves me with no ports for other things like a USB foot-controller, a USB sustain pedal and such. Then the only option would be using a dock, which adds a layer of, well, of potential instability, unless I find a truly trustworthy one—which by the looks of it is a tricky business, what with so many of them on the market and all the conflicting reviews.

Voilà. I'd appreciate any input. Thanks.

 

[Monstieur]

Second, about playing live... If I'm using the Macbook Air on battery power, does that provide enough stable power to power the Babyface? Or is the Macbook better be powered? Or perhaps even both—though everything says that the Babyface is very stable via USB?

One reason I asked that is that since the Macbook only has 2 ports, if I use one to power it and to the other power the RME, it leaves me with no ports for other things like a USB foot-controller, a USB sustain pedal and such. Then the only option would be using a dock, which adds a layer of, well, of potential instability, unless I find a truly trustworthy one—which by the looks of it is a tricky business, what with so many of them on the market and all the conflicting reviews.

It doesn't matter whether the laptop is powered or not.

I ran the Babyface Pro FS 24x7 for over a year without ever unplugging it. It's stable.

 

[Bern]

It doesn't matter whether the laptop is powered or not.

I ran the Babyface Pro FS 24x7 for over a year without ever unplugging it. It's stable.

Sounds good, Monstieur. So you're saying that both the RME and the M1 can run smoothly only powered by the battery—as long as it lasts?

What about what I asked about DAW Mode. It's just about switching Phantom power in Totalmix if needed and leaving everything else untouched?

 

[Monstieur]

Sounds good, Monstieur. So you're saying that both the RME and the M1 can run smoothly only powered by the battery—as long as it lasts?

What about what I asked about DAW Mode. It's just about switching Phantom power in Totalmix if needed and leaving everything else untouched?

I've never used DAW mode. I prefer hardware mixing in the interface.

 

[magchiel]

What about what I asked about DAW Mode. It's just about switching Phantom power in Totalmix if needed and leaving everything else untouched?

I'd always adjust the gain to whatever reference level you're tracking to (e.g. -12 dBFS).

 

[Bern]

I'd always adjust the gain to whatever reference level you're tracking to (e.g. -12 dBFS).

Good point, Magchiel. I probably would've come around to realize that since I'm familiar with adjusting gains at the audio interface. Guess I'm a bit overwhelm by all this new gear—the M1, the RME, et al. I'll get there.

Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Earfonia]

To the Babyface Pro FS users, I have a couple questions...

I recently bought a Babyface Pro FS, which I plan to use both for home-recording and to play live, using a Macbook Air M1.

First, using the Babyface in DAW mode, with Logic Pro X, apart from using Totalmix to switch Phantom power when using condenser mics, are there any other settings in Totalmix that need to be adressed, tweaked?

Second, about playing live... If I'm using the Macbook Air on battery power, does that provide enough stable power to power the Babyface? Or is the Macbook better be powered? Or perhaps even both—though everything says that the Babyface is very stable via USB?

One reason I asked that is that since the Macbook only has 2 ports, if I use one to power it and to the other power the RME, it leaves me with no ports for other things like a USB foot-controller, a USB sustain pedal and such. Then the only option would be using a dock, which adds a layer of, well, of potential instability, unless I find a truly trustworthy one—which by the looks of it is a tricky business, what with so many of them on the market and all the conflicting reviews.

Voilà. I'd appreciate any input. Thanks.

I used Pro FS with 2 Windows laptop, never have any issue with powering Pro FS from USB bus alone. so far it is stable.
For recording my tweak is only set the ASIO buffer size to 256 samples to lower the round trip latency for overdubbing the vocal.
For my In-Ear Monitor measurement setup which I also use Pro FS, I powered the Pro FS externally using a series for 3x 18650 batteries which provides around 10-12.6 Volts. Pro FS has been stable on both scenarios of USB powered or externally powered.

This is the battery case that I use to power Pro FS externally, last very long for I think more than 10 hours. Haven't really measure how long, but from experience I think more than 10 hours.

17.14US $ 20% OFF|Waterproof 6 X 18650 Battery Storage Case Box 5v Usb / 12v/8.4v Dc Battery Pack Diy Powerbank Case Box For Bike Light Smartphone - Battery Storage Boxes - AliExpress

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My main complain with Pro FS is some of the gain steps are fake steps and doesn't really change the gain. For example, I set the IN1 gain to 20 dB. monitor the level. When I increase the gain to 21 dB, level doesn't change. When I increase again to 22 dB, then the level increased by 2 dB. So the 21 dB gain is fake gain step that actually doesn't do anything. This is just an example, I don't remember exactly which are all the fake gain steps. But I found it quite often when I use Pro FS for measurement.

 

[bravomail]

Thx for review, Amir! And overall a nice product from RME!

no one noticed the irony in the name of this product?

Baby Face Nelson - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org