Comparison RME Fireface UCX II vs RME Fireface UCX

— Tabletop. Models whose housings are designed for self-installation. This may not necessarily be a table, but any suitable flat surface - for example, a shelf. This form factor is not only universal in terms of placement possibilities, but also extensive in the range of available offerings - it covers models from the budget class to the professional rank.

— Portable. Mobile solutions with basic switching capabilities and a minimum required set of connection connectors. Typically, portable audio interfaces are intended to be used in field, spartan, or cramped environments where equipment portability is at the forefront. Many of these models are designed to work together with a laptop and/or smartphone.

- Stand up. The housings of such audio interfaces are designed for installation in telecommunications racks: they are sized to fit a standard slot in the rack and a corresponding set of fasteners. The rack-mount form factor is typical for professional solutions designed for use in recording studios, concert halls and other similar places.

— Internal (built-in). Internal audio interfaces are usually connected to the computer's system bus and integrated into its hardware. In modern realities, embedded solutions are rare - they are inferior to external analogues in terms of mobility, ease of installation and the ability t...o use on multiple devices. However, models with an internal form factor allow you to exchange data with a computer at the highest possible speeds and with the lowest possible latency rates.

It is also worth noting that some audio interfaces may have a combined design. In particular, the market offers universal models with both desktop installation and rack mounting options.

The number of input and output channels that the audio interface is equipped with. See below for more details on each type.

— Input channels. Input (in) channels on audio interfaces designate the number of different audio signals a device can accept for recording overnight. Their number plays a decisive role in multi-channel sound recording, connecting several instruments or vocals at the same time. When choosing an audio interface, consider not only the number of input channels, but also the types of connectors (see “Inputs”).

— Output channels. Output channels output (out) is the number of audio signals that can be sent to other devices or equipment for playback. The outputs of the audio interface can be used to connect to amplifiers, monitors, speaker systems, headphones, etc. A large number of output channels will come in handy when creating sound mixes, multi-channel recording or multitasking in a studio environment. For simpler tasks, it is enough to have from 2 to 4 output channels. When choosing an audio interface, consider not only the number of output channels, but also the types of connectors (see “Outputs”).

Connection interfaces that the audio interface is equipped with.

- USB-A. Connection via standard USB port. Until recently, this was the most popular interface for external peripherals, found in almost all PCs and laptops. Nowadays, it is often replaced by a USB type C port (see the corresponding paragraph). Most USB-A audio interfaces draw power directly from the PC or other host device.

- USB type B. The connector has a characteristic square shape, noticeably different from the well-known rectangular USB-A ports. In audio interfaces, it is used to transmit signals from external sources to a computer for recording and processing.

- USB type C. A peripheral connector with a symmetrical contact group, which often replaces full-size USB ports on board modern PCs and laptops. Many new models of audio interfaces are being made for this interface. An exception to the rule is individual instances for Thunderbolt. For them, it is Thunderbolt that is indicated, and not USB type C.

- Thunderbolt v2. Initially, Thunderbolt is a universal connector used primarily in Apple computer equipment. On board audio interfaces it is used as a general peripheral connector (similar to USB). This uses the miniDisplayPort hardware port. The data transfer speed in this version reaches 20 Gbit/s. Recently, the v2 edition has been rep...laced by the Thunderbolt v3 version (see the corresponding paragraph).

- Thunderbolt v3. A universal interface that is found mainly in Apple technology. In audio interfaces it is used as a general peripheral connector (similar to USB). Specifically, Thunderbolt v3 provides data transfer speeds of up to 40 Gbps and uses a USB type C hardware connector (as opposed to earlier versions based on miniDisplayPort).

- Lightning. A connector used exclusively in Apple portable electronics (since 2012). Accordingly, audio interfaces with such a port are aimed at ease of connection to iPhones and iPads. Note that today there has been a transition from proprietary Lightning to the common USB type C - the latest generations of Apple gadgets are produced with just such a peripheral connection connector.

- mini-USB. A smaller version of the full-size USB interface, created for portable equipment. It is found very rarely in audio interfaces.

- FireWire. Universal connector, also known as IEEE 1394 or i-Link. In terms of functionality, it is analogous to USB, and in some characteristics it even surpasses it. However, FireWare is much less common. Used to connect to computers and some types of specialized audio equipment.

— Dante Dante connectors are used to connect audio interfaces to a network to transmit audio digitally. In this case, a standard Ethernet port (RJ-45) is used for physical access to the network.

Characteristics of the built-in DAC - a digital-to-analog converter for converting digital audio into line-level analog audio, usually in stereo format.

— Bit depth. Bit size of the digital-to-analog converter (DAC) used in the device. In this case, the meaning of this parameter is as follows: the bit depth of the DAC must be no lower than the bit depth of the audio signal with which the converter is planned to be used, otherwise the device will not be able to effectively cope with the conversion. As for specific values, the standard options in modern audio interfaces are 16 bit, 24 bit and 32 bit.

- Sampling frequency. The sampling rate of the digital-to-analog converter (DAC) installed in the audio interface. Let us recall that such a converter is responsible for converting digital audio into an analog audio signal. The paragraph usually indicates the maximum value of the sampling frequency, for which one of the standard values corresponding to a certain sound quality is used ( 48 kHz, 96 kHz, 192 kHz).

Digital audio input for both stereo and multi-channel audio. The connector is RCA, but this input should not be confused with RCA inputs (see the corresponding paragraph). The coaxial interface uses a fundamentally different signal format - all audio channels are transmitted through one connector, and even a special (shielded) cable must be used for such transmission. Compared to optical interface fiber (see above), this cable is more susceptible to electromagnetic interference, but less sensitive to damage.

Interface for working with digital audio signals. Most often it is based on an XLR type plug, but do not confuse this connector with the XLR input (see the corresponding paragraph). The fact is that AES/EBU is designed for receiving a digital signal with the transmission of all audio channels through one connector. Another option for its implementation is a 25-pin DB-25 connector (COM port) for connecting multi-channel audio signals, for example, in a studio environment. Cables with DB-25 connectors can be used to transmit multiple audio channels overnight, which can be convenient when working with professional studio equipment. The interface in question also provides a balanced connection - a connection in a special format in which induced noise is absorbed directly in the wire. This allows the use of long cable lengths without compromising the quality of the audio signal.

A connector for transmitting audio signals in digital form, allowing you to work with both stereo and multi-channel audio. It uses RCA as an interface, but this output should not be confused with RCA outputs (see the corresponding paragraph). The coaxial interface uses a fundamentally different signal format - all audio channels are transmitted through one connector. In addition, for such transmission you need to use a special shielded cable. Compared to fiber optics, such a cable is more susceptible to electromagnetic interference, but less sensitive to damage.

Digital interface using an XLR connector and a three-wire cable for signal transmission. However, this connector should not be confused with the XLR output (see the corresponding paragraph). Another option for its implementation is a 25-pin DB-25 connector (COM port) for connecting multi-channel audio signals, for example, in a studio environment. Cables with DB-25 connectors can be used to transmit multiple audio channels overnight, which can be convenient when working with professional studio equipment. AES/EBU is designed for working with digital signals and transmitting all audio channels through one connector. Used in professional audio equipment, it ensures signal purity and low noise levels even with long cable lengths. This is achieved thanks to a balanced connection - a connection in a special format in which induced noise is absorbed directly in the wire.

The number and type of USB ports in the device's equipment. Most often, audio interfaces feature full-sized USB-A sockets, and their number can vary from 1 to 3. In newer models, these ports are being replaced by more compact USB Type-C ports, which allow the plug to be inserted either way. Less frequently, audio interfaces may be equipped with USB-B ports, while desktop models may have microUSB sockets.