User`s guide

User's Guide Fireface UFX © RME

Input

Thanks to a highly sensitive input stage

SPDIF coaxial can be fed too by using

a simple cable adapter phono/XLR. To

achieve this, pins 2 and 3 of a male

XLR plug are connected individually to

the two pins of a phono plug. The cable

shielding is only connected to pin 1 of

the XLR - not to the phono plug.

In AES operation, identical signals are available at both the optical and the XLR output. An ob-

vious use for this would be to connect two devices, i.e. using the Fireface UFX as a splitter (dis-

tribution 1 on 2).

Output

Using the cable adapter XLR/phono described above, devices with coaxial SPDIF interface can

be connected to the AES output of the Fireface UFX as well. Note that most consumer equip-

ment with phono (SPDIF) inputs will only accept signals having a Channel Status ‘Consumer’

format. The Consumer status is activated in the Settings dialog of the Fireface UFX. In Con-

sumer mode the output voltage is reduced as well, as SPDIF calls for a lower voltage than

AES/EBU.

The output signal coding of the Fireface UFX has been implemented according to AES3-1992

Amendment 4:

• 32 / 44.1 / 48 kHz, 64 / 88.2 / 96 kHz, 176.4 / 192 kHz depending on the current sample rate

• Audio use

• No Copyright, Copy permitted

• Format Professional or Consumer

• Category General, Generation not indicated

• 2-Channel, No Emphasis

• Aux Bits Audio use, 24 Bit

• Origin: RME

21.3 MIDI

Fireface UFX offers two MIDI I/O via four 5-pin DIN sockets. The MIDI ports are added to the

system by the driver. Using MIDI capable software, these ports can be accessed under the

name Fireface MIDI. Using more than one Fireface, the operating system adds a consecutive

number to the port name, like Fireface MIDI (2) etc.

The MIDI ports support multi-client operation. A MIDI input signal can be received from several

programs at the same time. Even the MIDI output can be used by multiple programs simultane-

ously. However, due to the limited bandwidth of MIDI, this kind of application will often show

various problems.

Note

: The MIDI input LEDs display any kind of MIDI activity, including MIDI Clock, MTC and

Active Sensing. The latter is sent by most keyboards every 0.3 seconds.