RME Fireface UFX III USB Audio Interface

RME Fireface UFX III

The Fireface UFX III is the center of any multitrack studio, handling up to 94 channels I/O with ease. Its unprecedented flexibility and 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 DC-coupled analog outputs as well as new AD and DA converters with improved THD+N values, the digital board also enables interesting new features thanks to updated high-tech components.

Powerful USB 3 Performance

The front panel of the Fireface UFX III provides four high-performance XLR/TRS combo inputs for microphone, instrument, and line signals, two stereo headphone jacks with +19 dBu output level, MIDI I/O, and a USB port. In combination with the DURec function (Direct USB Recording), the USB port allows independent recording of selected input and output signals (up to 80 channels) to a connected USB storage medium.

The rear panel reveals the full connectivity of the Fireface UFX III. Besides another MIDI I/O, the two optical ADAT I/Os, an AES/EBU I/O, and eight balanced analog outputs with line level (including XLR stereo monitor outputs) are available. With the new Multi-Mode, the two ADAT I/Os can be used as separate optical SPDIF inputs and outputs in addition to the AES I/O. Furthermore, the Fireface UFX III offers an optical MADI interface (SC) with 64 bidirectional channels. The Word Clock connectors (BNC) work as additional coaxial MADI input and output if required.

Comprehensive MADI Connectivity

The Fireface UFX III opens the doors to a host of RME and third-party digital and analog I/O solutions. Expanding your analog channel count, the ability to route and 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 channels each on optical and coaxial.

Powerful Applications for Mixing, Monitoring and Measurement

The Fireface UFX III comes with the TotalMix FX DSP mixer offering comprehensive routing and monitoring options, as well as the DIGICheck Analyzer, allowing measurement and analysis of 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, including main monitors and headphone mixes for musicians.

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

DC-Coupled Outputs – CV/Gate Voltage Control

Most audio interfaces are traditionally designed with ‘AC-coupled outputs,’ where capacitors filter out extreme low frequencies. While these frequencies are generally considered undesirable for audio, one instance where DC-coupling remains desirable is in modular synthesizers, where static or slow-moving signals are used to control parameters such as pitch, note values, or LFOs.

All of the Fireface UFX III’s line-level outputs are fully DC-coupled, allowing for the sending of control voltages (CV) or Gate information to modular synthesizers (Eurorack, Moog, MOTM, or other formats) and other studio hardware.

USB 3 Class Compliant Audio

The Fireface UFX III operates in two modes: driver-based USB 3 and Class Compliant. The Class Compliant mode is natively supported by operating systems like Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux. No proprietary drivers are required; the device is directly recognized 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, making 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 ARC USB connects to your computer via USB and communicates with TotalMix FX directly. It has 15 freely assignable and illuminated buttons, one encoder wheel, and a TS jack to connect a footswitch.

The ARC USB is a USB 1.1 MIDI remote control for the Fireface UFX III. Operating as a UAC 1 class device, it is natively compatible with Windows and Mac OS X. Once recognized, TotalMix FX automatically detects the ARC USB and communicates via simple MIDI remote commands to control the UFX III.

DURec (Direct USB Recording)

DURec is an integrated digital recorder for all inputs and outputs directly to USB memory devices via the front USB port. The Fireface UFX III records on USB thumb drives or hard drives with up to 2 TB capacity. The recording functionality is provided by the internal DSP, making it independent of a connected computer.

Direct USB Recording converts the Fireface UFX Series into both a stand-alone field recorder and a powerful multichannel live player for previous recordings, e.g., virtual sound checks. Live concerts, band rehearsals, or spontaneous jam sessions can be recorded and played back directly from the medium, even completely stand-alone without a computer or software.

RME Fireface UFX III – Specifications & Features

RME Fireface UFX III – สเปคและคุณสมบัติ