RME
Fireface UFX III

NEW FEATURES IN UFX III

The UFX III replaces the UFX+. It looks identical and has the same number of I/Os and main features. The only obvious difference is the lack of a Thunderbolt port on the back.

The UFX III, however, is a completely internally redesigned version of the UFX+. The entire analog board is new, including new AD and DA converters that offer up to 7 dB better THD+N values and several dB better signal-to-noise ratio. The digital board is also new, offering some additional features thanks to a revised design and updated high-tech components.

New features and changes compared to the RME Fireface UFX+

SteadyClock FS

The UFX III is capable of efficiently suppressing even low-frequency jitter below 50 Hz on word clock, SPDIF, AES and MADI input signals. At the same time, lock, sync and varipitch behavior remain at the usual RME level: fast, reliable, compatible.

USB 3 Class Compliant

The UFX III is RME's first audio interface with full support of USB 3.0 in Class Compliant Mode. This means that all channels are available even in driverless mode, whether Linux, Mac or iPadOS. This also applies to the iPad Pro with USB-C port, which provides up to 94 channels for recording and playback in TotalMix FX for iPad as well as at the system level. DAW apps like Steinberg's Cubasis admittedly only access the first 24 channels on the iPad. But with the free routing and integrated loopback function of TotalMix FX for iPad, these 24 channels can be put together from any of the up to 94 available, i.e. also recorded via ADAT and MADI and played back on any of the 94 output channels. However, this also applies to the previous USB 2 CC version with a maximum of 24 channels I/O. One difference, however, is that all 54 channels are now available at 96 kHz and all 34 channels at 192 kHz. With USB 2 CC iOS, the number of channels at 96 kHz is already limited to 24 channels, and at 192 kHz even to 12 channels.

Triple AES/SPDIF I/O

The UFX III now features three separate AES/SPDIF receivers and transmitters. In the Uni mode, which is still available, there is only one AES/SPDIF receiverand transmitter. If the AES In is placed on Optical 2, a SPDIF signal applied there will automatically appear on the AES channel. Advantage: when changing the sample frequency the channel does not change. Disadvantage: the AES In (XLR) is no longer available, AES Out and Optical 2 Out always output the same signal.

New is the Multi-Mode, in which XLR as AES I/O and optionally one or both ADAT I/Os as SPDIF optical I/Os are available - so up to three separately usable AES/SPDIF I/Os simultaneously. Disadvantage: If ADAT2 is used as SPDIF I/O, the I/O inevitably shifts by 4 or 6 channels due to the channel reduction of ADAT1 at Double and QuadSpeed.

Track Names for DURec

When recording via DURec (Direct to USB Record), the channel names assigned by the user in TotalMix are taken as track names. This information is located in the Interleaved Multichannel file after recording and is also displayed in popular DAWs and editors. If the Multichannel file is converted to single channel files with RME's Wav-Processor 1.31, these files get the track name as filename. This advanced feature was first introduced with the UCX II.

Remap Keys

Allows assignment of 33 different functions/actions to the four direct dial buttons of the device.

Remap Keys is not only useful for stand-alone operation and direct access to some hardware functions, but can also be used to invoke the TotalMix window. Configuration can also be done directly in TotalMix FX in the ARC & Key Commands dialog. The buttons here are labeled A (MIC/GAIN), B (REC/PLAY), C (CHAN/MIX), and D (SETUP/REV). For TotalMix FX, there are even 52 different functions/actions available.

Driver and Firmware

The UFX III is currently (March 2023) shipped with USB firmware 15. AES/SPDIF Multimode as well as USB 3 Class Compliant operation is possible with USB firmware 16 or higher and the latest drivers for Windows and Mac, which are available for download on the RME website.

Lock Keys

Allows disabling of only the four front keys or also the three encoders.

DC Coupled Outputs

The UFX III's revised analog board now implements DC-coupled analog outputs, technically following other recent devices such as the UCX II. All 12 analog output channels have no limit on the lowest transmission frequency and thus no phase shift in the bass range. This also allows the output of dc voltage, which extends the range of application to control of synthesizers via CV/Gate.

Back to AKM

The UFX III uses the AK5574 as AD converter and the AK4490 as DA converter. After a short intermediate phase with ESS, during which no more AD/DA chips were available due to a fire at AKM, RME now uses (current) chips from the Japanese manufacturer again. This is accompanied by a significant improvement, as the newer AK types sometimes achieve significantly better values than those previously used in the UFX+.

RME Fireface UFX III