RME Fireface III - New Flagship Interface

[digitalfrost]

Fireface UFX III - 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

Connectivity & Features​

• 12 x Analog I/O
• 4 x XLR/TRS Mic/Inst/Line
• 2 x Phone Output
• 1 x AES/EBU I/O
• 2 x ADAT I/O
• 2 x SPDIF I/O
• 1 x Word Clock I/O / MADI Coaxial
• 1 x MADI Optical I/O
• 2 x 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

 

[SDC]

More like 3 plus with that madi output and class 3 usb input. Scary expensive I guess...

 

[digitalfrost]

More like 3 plus with that madi output and class 3 usb input. Scary expensive I guess...

Thomann has it listed for 2900€: https://www.thomann.de/de/rme_fireface_ufx_iii.htm

I think that's quite alright.

 

[Trell]

More like 3 plus with that madi output and class 3 usb input. Scary expensive I guess...

Intel stopped producing needed Thunderbolt chipsets for the UFX+ and EOL a newer one, so the UFX III is a replacement for the UFX+.

 

[fin]

It's great to see that RME has released some new products. However I think the naming of the new product can be a bit confusing. Perhaps they could consider calling it the "UFX+ (USB only version)" or something similar like Apollo Solo had USB and TB version separately.

On the other hand, I can understand why they might want to call it the UFX III for marketing purposes. This would make it seem like a good timing for customers to upgrade their studio gears, as the UFX 4 will not coming out soon, apparently. But I would really expect some greater changes from a product called UFX III than a product which is basically UFX+ without TB.

 

[Trell]

But I would really expect some greater changes from a product called UFX III than a product which is basically UFX+ without TB.

What additional changes do you have in mind for the UFX III?

 

[fin]

What additional changes do you have in mind for the UFX III?

UFX+ is a seven year old product. To be fair UFX III did improved its ADDA from UFX+ by seveal db but I will expect much more. Also a DSP-based output stage control similar to the one used in the ADI-2 Pro, a better LCD with more settings and information shown, onboard custom plugin support, and a new design, would be great to have. MADI and expanded channel support are ideal for PA and broadcasting but these features could be reserved for a potential UFX III Plus, ensuring product consistency, instead of put the mass channel support in the UFX III.

If the product name is "UFX+ (USB-only)" then I have no further expectation. Since RME does not have Thunderbolt chips, customers can still enjoy the exceptional UFX+ whenever they need it with the product line continue in this form. However, I still anticipate a price drop rather than an increase.

 

[Trell]

As the UFX III no longer have Thunderbolt support there are some that are not happy that. The following post by @MC_RME is a nice summary from a manufacturer of audio interfaces point of view of Thunderbolt support from Microsoft and Intel.

UFX lll (Page 1) — FireWire & USB series — RME User Forum

>>>
You obviously have no clue what you talk about. Let me give you some facts:

- Intel never wanted audio interfaces with Thunderbolt. They put up numerous hoops to go through for this not to happen, but several companies (including us) managed to do it.

- Intel and Microsoft decided in 2019 to no longer support Thunderbolt 1 and Thunderbolt 2. Therefore using a new laptop with TB4 and Windows 11, a UFX+ (asn other TB1 interfaces) will no longer work via TB. Also not when using the known adapters!

- Intel declared the TB3 chips EOL last year. All TB interfaces that one can still buy are made from stock of these chips. One can not buy these chips anymore, so sooner or later all existing TB audio interfaces will be gone.

- TB4 as in USB4 is much too complicated to add it to an audio interface. Specialized chips that would allow so also don't exist. And what would it be good for when 99% of the existing audio interfaces don't even need USB3?

- The Wintel decision to cease support, as dumb as it is, makes clear that Intel sees their interface as a typical computer mass product. After a few years please move on and buy something new...that's not what we (and many others) like or support.

- The current situation is also quite unique as macOS still fully supports TB1, in the latest OS and hardware (M2). The reason is that Apple does not use Intel chips anymore, even TB is now made by Apple, so whatever Intel and MS dream of, Apple can do differently. And so far they do. So the UFX+ (and others) still work on that platform via Thunderbolt (TB4 ports with the usual adapters).

With TB gone as option there only remain PCIe and USB 2/3. And it doesn't look like that will change in the forseeable future.


Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME
<<<

 

[Keith_W]

As the UFX III no longer have Thunderbolt support there are some that are not happy that. The following post by @MC_RME is a nice summary from a manufacturer of audio interfaces point of view of Thunderbolt support from Microsoft and Intel.

Ouch. That's a burn that only Germans can give.

 

[Trell]

Ouch. That's a burn that only Germans can give.

It's just the company culture of RME and I wish more companies had the same candour. He has written similar before on this topic so this is nothing new in this respect, and here it is pretty much collected in one piece in bullet points in one nice post.

For the record I do own RME devices and are quite happy with them.

 

[chelgrian]

As the UFX III no longer have Thunderbolt support there are some that are not happy that. The following post by @MC_RME is a nice summary from a manufacturer of audio interfaces point of view of Thunderbolt support from Microsoft and Intel.

UFX lll (Page 1) — FireWire & USB series — RME User Forum

>>>
You obviously have no clue what you talk about. Let me give you some facts:

- Intel never wanted audio interfaces with Thunderbolt. They put up numerous hoops to go through for this not to happen, but several companies (including us) managed to do it.

- Intel and Microsoft decided in 2019 to no longer support Thunderbolt 1 and Thunderbolt 2. Therefore using a new laptop with TB4 and Windows 11, a UFX+ (asn other TB1 interfaces) will no longer work via TB. Also not when using the known adapters!

- Intel declared the TB3 chips EOL last year. All TB interfaces that one can still buy are made from stock of these chips. One can not buy these chips anymore, so sooner or later all existing TB audio interfaces will be gone.

- TB4 as in USB4 is much too complicated to add it to an audio interface. Specialized chips that would allow so also don't exist. And what would it be good for when 99% of the existing audio interfaces don't even need USB3?

- The Wintel decision to cease support, as dumb as it is, makes clear that Intel sees their interface as a typical computer mass product. After a few years please move on and buy something new...that's not what we (and many others) like or support.

- The current situation is also quite unique as macOS still fully supports TB1, in the latest OS and hardware (M2). The reason is that Apple does not use Intel chips anymore, even TB is now made by Apple, so whatever Intel and MS dream of, Apple can do differently. And so far they do. So the UFX+ (and others) still work on that platform via Thunderbolt (TB4 ports with the usual adapters).

With TB gone as option there only remain PCIe and USB 2/3. And it doesn't look like that will change in the forseeable future.


Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME
<<<

MC's position was comprehensively demolished by a Microsoft engineer posting on behalf of Microsoft a few posts further down the thread.

You will continue to see Thunderbolt interfaces from other brands however they will be using the more expensive two port chips which are still available.

Having said that there is no good technical reason to use Thunderbolt over USB3 for an audio interface.

 

[JRTayglo]

Hi there,

Regarding the UFX+ vs the UFX III debate:

1) What's your thoughts that only thunderbolt driver supports the pitch function which is one advantage of the UFX+ with TB?

2) The USB3 transport modes of the MADIface driver do not allow for the pitch function on the UFX III. Is that a negative or has RME addressed that with an improvement I'm not aware of?

3) "The only (and potentially big) negative is if you plan on using the UFX+ with Pro Tools, your i/o is limited to 32ch, and only the 1st 32. That means MADI starts on ch30-31, making it virtually impossible to use MADI with Pro Tools. RME say it's on their to do list, but it has been for years and they are taking their sweet time developing a way to rearrange the order of i/o for ASIO and Core Audio."
Has this issue with the UFX+ been resolved on the UFX III?

This potential negative regarding the UFX III not having the pitch function is the only negative people on another forum are discussing. But I'm thinking, RME has probably addressed this if it was a big deal.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide as I am trying to decide between a brand new UFX+ (yes, I found one for $3,100 with warranty) and a new UFX III ($2,800) and the aforesaid potential issue with the UFX III is the only issue I need to understand better before making my decision.

If the pitch function isn't a big deal, then I think the UFX III will be better for my daughter because it will have a longer lifespan I'm told by electronic/electrical engineers on another forum because capacitors start to degrade around 20+ years and around 30+/- years they tend to go out with the max lifespan about 40 +/- years regardless if the unit is being used or not. They said, generally speaking, unless you want to do a cap job on your vintage gear, that you should plan on replacing your gear at or before the 20-year mark because in audio you don't want to take any chances of capacitor degradation affecting sound quality.

 

[JRTayglo]

I also sent this email to RME tech support:

1. In contrast to the UFX+ with TB, the USB3 transport modes of the MADIface driver on the UFX III do not allow for the pitch function.

Question: Is the lack of pitch function on the UFX III a negative or has RME addressed that with an improvement I'm not aware of?

2. "The only (and potentially big) negative is if you plan on using the UFX+ with Pro Tools, your i/o is limited to 32ch, and only the 1st 32. That means MADI starts on ch30-31, making it virtually impossible to use MADI with Pro Tools.

A) Question: Did you ever develop a way to rearrange the order of i/o for ASIO and Core Audio on the UFX+? If so, what year so I will know which year model to buy on the used market?

B) Was the issue with the UFX+ in "2" above corrected on the new UFX III?

3) I found a brand new UFX+ (still in its original packaging) for sale. Would it still be covered by a new product warranty?

Thank you in advance for any help that you can provide. These are the only things I need to clarify before I buy either the UFX+ or the UFX III.