As such, the RME Babyface Pro provides EQ and reverb onboard but nothing else can be loaded as the non-native plugin feature is not available. Most interfaces these days are not conceived as outboard gear replacements but rather as robust A/D, D/A and routing monsters. The Universal Audio Apollo Twin mkII got close once we found out how to turn off its input delay compensation. A professional engineer, DIY musician and home studio enthusiast. Trust your ears and let us know your opinion. RME BabyFace Pro. I’ve saved the best for the last. You will need to buy a new motherboard to use Thunderbolt, and I would be very surprised if it was compatible with AMD, being Intel technology. For now I want the best quality interface, best features, etc. Amongst those we would say that the RME Babyface Pro is probably the top choice, maybe rivalled only by some of the Apogee devices. I've only ever had my EMU 0404. I would take the Apollo though, mainly because you can start offloading processing tasks (EQ, compression, etc…) onto the Apollo card. However, for those just wanting to dip their DSP toe into the UAD-2 plug-in world, there is now the new Arrow Thunderbolt 3 bus powered interface. Its declared values are generally a bit better in every setting, so this may result in an advantage in scenarios with more tracks or more plugins. RME BabyFace Pro. Comparison between: RME Babyface Pro FS Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 UAD Apollo Twin Lynx Aurora with Midas preamp Mics: 2x JZ microphones BH2 Piano: Steinway Model C You can add these plugins even to audio coming from your system, and beef up iTunes or YouTube music while practicing. It is a bit of a divisive decision, as there are many other interfaces that don’t have plugins. I have one more question if you don't mind. Perhaps the Babyface sample is a bit more pure and the Apollo has a bit more body added to it. Competent companies like Apogee, Focusrite and Yamaha, amongst others, all have perfectly good options in the same price range as the two we will analyse here. Not all brands have them. This website uses cookies to enable you to place orders and to give you the best browsing experience possible. Drivers, Latency and usage with Logic Pro X, A cool YouTube review of the RME Babyface Pro, Introducing the new Universal Audio Apollo Twin X, Introducing the new Universal Audio Apollo Twin X | AudioGeek11, Episode 13: Let's face the audio interface | AudioGeek11, Best services for online music jam (2020) | AudioGeek11, Jamulus: configuration, usage and running a server | AudioGeek11. System audio can be sent to virtual channels so you can run plugins on audio coming from iTunes, Youtube, etc. I feel the sound is more full with a bit of fatter bottom. If I go with RME then I'd buy a UAD quad pci-e card. We have detailed our experience when we decided between an RME Babyface Pro and a Universal Audio Apollo in this article, and why we specifically chose the Apollo as the pivotal point of our studio gear setup. I've since learned that the only real benefit is something that won't help me anyway (being able to record straight into the plugins, saving some people time despite being stuck with a 'wet' signal). The drivers and latency for both RME and UA are historically very good. Tip number three: you can expand this capability with their. RME Fireface UCX. The console application is part of the installation package and it also runs the Universal Audio Plugins. RME BabyFace Pro. Steinberg UR22. There is now also a bigger brother, the Apollo x4, which looks like a ‘wider’ Apollo, still rack-mount but with 4 inputs – for those like me who miss the 4 inputs I had on the RME Babyface Pro. The plugins included are quite good and may be enough to get started. Listen to "Where music meets technology" on Spreaker. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. In my experience the drivers are not as stable as RMEs at lower buffer sizes. If not, then my second question to Dietz is where my main focus will be. My name is Fabio Marraccini and I can provide technical support for your home studio or edit your sound recordings. If you go for the cool factor you will lose money, spending a lot on DSP power for plugins you won’t use. You don’t get this with native plugins. I presume saying ‘we are having latency issues’ is equivalent to ‘winter is coming’ these days… with modern technology, most DAWs can compensate for latency while mixing or bouncing by keeping all plugins in sync, but while tracking a perceived latency can be quite annoying… it is hard enough to keep up with the drummer at 180 BPM as it is…. It features a rugged, low-profile housing with a clean look and easy-to-use interface. Only on way in i use fx. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. You cannot run any native plugins on the Apollo, only the specific Universal Audio ones designed for their range of Apollo devices. Hi! AudioGeek11 are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and subsidiaries. I had considered those points, so Apollo is out for sure. If you’ve got a bit more money to spend, we recommend the powerful UAD Apollo Twin X or the intuitive Arturia AudioFuse Studio. To enable all features please. Currently, the only thing I can see besides software benefits with RME is that it can be used up to 192kHz (mine can't), 42-bit internal processing, and better latency via PCI-e. Universal Audio Arrow. They do sound amazing, but you need to have a clear reason for wanting them before you pull the trigger. The RME Babyface Pro is a compact and portable interface which feels robust and is as reliable and high-end as the name RME suggests. I think you should forget the Apollo for the moment for a variety of reasons: However, if you are not looking to buy for a year or so, it might be worth keeping in mind. So again this is subjective and depends on your application. If you like the UA plugins and are on windows you can always get a satellite Reactions: Snoobydoobydoo This yields a quite unique result for preamps and other plugins as they can interact with the hardware connected to your microphone or instrument. The summary of the features is listed below. Let us just clarify, for the record, that are plenty of other options capable of delivering the results you are after. In none of the cases above the latency was noticeable while recording. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Best services for online music jam (2020), Best guitar effects apps for iPad and iPhone (2018), Review: Guitar interfaces for iPad/iPhone, Episode 63: Tools for remote music education, Episode 61: JamKazam part 2, the juicy details, Episode 60: JamKazam part 1, calling all users, 4 x Analog Inputs (Mic, Line, Instrument), Separate outputs for high and low impedance headphones, 2 x Analog Inputs (1 with Mic or Line option, 1 with Mic, Line or Instrument option), 4 x Analog Outputs (2 x Monitor with headphone jack in parallel, 2 x Line Out), Option of USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt 2.0 at purchase (different product under the same umbrella name), DSP capability selected at purchase (from one to four, called solo, duo and quad) for running UAD exclusive plugins, Console Application with 9 included plugins at the time of writing (quad version) and hundreds more available for purchase, The ability to pad inputs or turn phantom power quite easily, Software outputs, which allows control of the system audio independently from the inputs, Monitoring inputs at ultra-low latency, before the audio goes to the DAW, and control volume without affecting the recorded input, The ability to customise a control room with separate mixes for monitor and headphones, Additional EQ and reverb options can be applied to the outputs, It looks and feels like a real console, even more than TotalMixFX, Inputs and outputs can be easily linked and labelled. That's pretty much what I was trying to say. Unrivalled Quality, Performance & Stability MADI Interfaces, Converters & Preamps. You could achieve this with other manufacturer's control panels, too - it's just sooo convenient and flexible with TotalMix, once you grasped the idea. I moved from RME 802 to a Quad Apollo Twin. The RME TotalMixFX works fine once you get the hang of it, but there is a bit of a learning curve. The sample rate was set to 48kHz. RME vs Apollo vs 'other' audio interface? I'm just not sure which will be better. See a. Ultimately my question is, is there any feature, software, etc. Nobody knows what it sounds like or how low the latency actually is. Is there any benefit not available through software? So in our case, Helix Native still needs to run on the DAW. UA has quite some information on their user manual about how to use this feature when recording multiple tracks, and a few online tutorials to help. Just before I plugged in the UFX+, I was working on a Mackie Onyx 1604i with 16 Channels I/O; the Mackie FireWire had packed up and I was feeling a little dubious about moving over … But we have decided to focus on these two options for now. Not an issue with mixing, but can be while tracking. The latency is likely to be lower with RME, because the Apollo is Firewire, The Thunderbolt add-on is an extra card and won't be available for at least 6 months anyway. RME Fireface UFX. RME BabyFace Pro. RME BabyFace Pro. Learn how your comment data is processed. RME BabyFace Pro. RME BabyFace vs Universal Audio Apollo Twin Duo. Any RME users on here that can say whether Totalmix is useful using VSL or no? Both interfaces were subjected to a few different configurations, and tested under a few different scenarios: These tests were performed on an iMac 21.5 inch, 2017, 3.6GHz Intel Core i7 with 16 GB of RAM and a fusion 1TB hard drive. In our case we picked the Universal Audio Apollo Twin mkII for the power of its plugins and the benefits of its user interface and console software application. It has more outputs/inputs than you could ever need and even if you do need more, you can expand on it easily. RME Fireface 800. The range and quality of plugins is quite impressive. During our visit to Winter Namm 2019, we could see the Babyface being demonstrated by no less than Michael Angelo Batio, whose shredding skills demand the lowest latency possible. The Apollo X8P is the latest and greatest interface by Universal Audio offering a much more producer focused set of I/O including Hexa-core UAD-2 processing and surround mixing capabilities. From the charts I've seen, you could shave off an extra millisecond or two at … For the tests we used our trusted Ibanez RG8570z on the bridge humbucker pickup connected straight to the instrument input of each device (called HiZ on the Apollo) with gain adjusted until the levels were around -18 dBFS. Guitar tone provided by, Software monitoring via Logic Pro X when using a guitar signal connected to a, The ability to run these plugins during tracking with ultra low latency, and chose whether or not they get printed in the recording. All the specific features are more or less a question of personal habits, and the actual AD/DA-converters can be added to all systems according to taste (and the size of one's wallet ;-) ...), but reliable drivers are essential. Another longtime absolutely happy RME customer. After all it is an audio interface, right ? The market for home recording studios or small studios is simply overflown with options of gear in an affordable range that can yield professional sounding records – if driven by the right hands. All Rights Reserved. Apogee Quartet Shop now at Amazon Universal ... suggested Audient ID4 Apogee Duet RME BabyFace Pro Audient iD22 Apogee Duet 2 Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 RME Fireface UC Apogee Ensemble RME Fireface UCX Apogee Element 24. The combination between its physical user interface and the software provided to operate it via DAW are what makes or breaks an audio interface regardless of its capabilities, as no one wants to be slowed down by a cumbersome workflow. Many producers using the Apollo claim that the main advantage is using the plugins while tracking vocals with high-end microphones. Now let’s tackle a very hot topic. Some of the plugins use a technology called Unison (TM of Universal Audio) which changes the behaviour of the hardware if used in the dedicated slot of the channel strip. I like very much my Motu PCI system, it had grow with my needs I started a with a few tracks now I have 84 ins and 64 outs, I started years ago with a PCI MAC, upgrade to a PCI X and them to a PCI E just changing the PCI card (the 4 interfaces connected to the PCI card was not changed), In my system I still have 2nd generation Motu 2408 MKII, a 24i and a 1296 (at least 15 years old) and a more recent one the 2408 MKIII and they are all working toogether with no problems since many years, - that the CueMix* only display 24 tracks at a time so with my big configuration I have to scroll back and forward, - In the CueMix you can only dispach 180 ins to your 64 outs, but what is good is you can store dispatches and have different dispach depending of the tasks you are doing, What could be helpfull is you may need one day Adat, TDIF, SPDIF, AES ......, just by sotware you switch 8 analog ins/out to an Adat, My Mac digital outs is connected thru a the light pipe to AES converter, Motu is using the same converters than Protools, You do not need an additionnal mixer in the studio, You can connect a control surface if you really need, * CUE MIX = realtime mixing table that run on the MAC with no latency as the mix is done in the PCI interface, the sound does not go in the MAC, the MAC is only controling the faders and the switches. The RME Babyface Pro is a compact and portable interface which feels robust and is as reliable and high-end as the name RME suggests. Audient iD22. Tip number two: save money and buy the QUAD. The pedigree of this brand is quite impressive; many companies out there use their Fireface range of products for serious product development activities related to audio. A more comprehensive set of specifications can be found at their website. RME Fireface UFX Universal Audio Apollo Quad; Noise level (SNR) 110.0 dB: 118.0 dB. Sign up to our newsletter to get awesome content regularly, […] In fact, many have been written already. I want a better interface capability-wise. It will however sound dry unless you can add plugins to the hardware monitoring channels of that software mixer. Liked the article ? I am using an RME Digiface to extend my inputs. RME BabyFace Pro Universal Audio Apollo Duo; D/A audio: 24 bit / 192 kHz: 24 bit / 192 kHz: Often compared with RME BabyFace Pro. Note: even on the DAW they are still non-native and require the Apollo to be connected to the system. The console is not as nice to use as RMEs totalmix and no midi control at all even after years (10+) of people requesting it. Audient iD14. RME and Apollo have great drivers. Audient iD22. Antelope Audio Zen Tour – $1,595.00. Many claim online an advantage to the RME Babyface Pro, but the difference for us was too small to notice. Again, this is only worth the investments if you really need the plugins. I've been pleased with the solid performance and improvement in latency (vs. an NI KA6 I used previously) since recently switching to an RME Fireface UCX (connecting via USB). RME BabyFace Pro Universal Audio Apollo Twin Duo; D/A audio: 24 bit / 192 kHz: 24 bit / 192 kHz: Often compared with RME BabyFace Pro. But more importantly, I want what's going to give my VSL library the most flexibility and quality I can possibly give it. Your Basket contains the following items: Welcome Guest! But does any of that translate to better performance or any more channels in Vienna Ensemble? I was kinda annoyed by the lag. Buy now link is for the x4: Amazon. In none of these cases we could notice any latency that would hinder the recording and tracking session. RME Fireface UFX. Compare Antelope Discrete 4 Synergy Core vs RME BABYFACE PRO FS vs Universal Audio Apollo Twin vs PreSonus Studio 192 It also features a cool talkback microphone so you don’t have to poke the performing musician on the shoulder when they are wearing their headphones. RME BabyFace Pro. You will have to decide in advance how much DSP power you need and live with your decision. And if I do more later I'll buy more hardware. 2 more inputs on board, 2 headphone outputs, slightly better specs in the A/D conversion (while debatable if this makes a difference or not depending on the application) and just easier to shop for, as there is one option, take it or leave it. They are both really good. For some reason, RME feels a bit more solid, however, I can't say I've had any problems with the Apollo. To have an efficient workflow in your home studio you need to be able to operate your interface quite efficiently. RME Fireface UC. RME came to NAMM with what looks like a zinger of a portable audio interface, the Babyface Pro FS. +1 to the consensus that if on Windows go RME, Mac goes to the UA Apollo. RME Audio Professional Live, Studio, Recording and Broadcast Solutions. Universal Audio Arrow. Since the audio interface is generally at the core of a recording studio, we decided to take a look at two contenders which have a lot of traction in the market: the RME Babyface Pro and the Universal Audio Apollo Twin mkII. The settings and nominal latency for the Universal Audio Apollo Twin mkII can be seen below: The settings and nominal latency for the RME Babyface Pro can be seen below: Our point of view: there is a slight nominal advantage to the RME Babyface Pro. RME BabyFace Pro. The only appeal was thinking maybe there would be an extra benefit in having the UAD DSP processing built in. I haven't used (or even seen) the Apollo, so I can't make a comparison between the two. The Antelope Audio Zen Tour … Universal Audio Apollo Twin Duo Shop now at Amazon. But here […], […] finally here! The UA Console feels intuitive and well thought, and matches well the intent of the device and its own physical interface. For me the best thing about RME is low latency, stable drivers. Apogee Duet. We will explore why a little bit later on this article, but this company has a long history of producing outboard analog gear for studios and is now bringing that history to your home studio for an affordable price. Rarely during our sessions we were induced to make mistakes, and that is the whole point of a sleek user interface. Any other plugins in this case have to be run as native plugins in the DAW or as non-native in other outboard gear. RME BabyFace Pro. The summary of the features is listed below: For a more comprehensive set of specifications check their website and look for the user manual. MacBook Pro 2019 16" + 2 x Odisseey G9 49" Big Sur, What could be helpfull is you may need one day Adat, TDIF, SPDIF, AES ... You can connect a control surface if you really need, Windows 10 Pro 64-bit, 128GB RAM, AMD 3970X 32-core. The highlights on our tests were: The Universal Audio Apollo Twin mkII has a more comprehensive set of options on the front panel, including high pass filter, phantom power, padding and selecting between mic or line for the inputs, and dimming, muting and mono (quite important for mixing) of the outputs. about RME cards that will benefit my being a VSL user as opposed to other offerings? That makes sense, and having the ability is definately a good thing. This is a 24-channel, 192kHz bus-powered USB 2.0 device that sits on your desktop. These are all great, but do these or other features (software or hardware) have any specific benefits to large orchestral projects, etc? Hello. The Universal Audio Apollo Twin is the baby of the Apollo family. First, fyi- The Apollo is new from Universal Audio with 4 sharc processors (essentially a combo with their UAD quad cards). Audient iD14. Our point of view: slight advantage to the RME Babyface Pro here. I'm trying to find a better way to view this. The bottom line for our tests was to check out what all the numbers and marketing claims actually yield in the end: the sound. The TotalMixFX software is installed when the drivers are installed and has a comprehensive set of features and routing options. Another thing to consider if you have the budget for the Apollo Twin QUAD but don’t care about the Universal Audio Plugins and want even more I/O than the Babyface is to get the RME Fireface. Dietz, thanks for the reply. The Universal Audio concept is based on on-board DSPs (called UAD-2 DSP system) that can run exclusive plugins while tracking at very low latency levels (their manual claims 1.1ms at 96 kHz). Of course you can go out and listen to samples with other instruments and voice. You can have access to rare and expensive analogue gear emulators in your home studio. Apogee Quartet vs Universal Audio Apollo Twin Duo. I understand how they came to those numbers from reading on their site. While this is fine for mixing, during tracking this requires software monitoring on the DAW to be turned on, which can add latency. That said, RME is known for the most reliable driver-structure on the market (plus very useful additional software, like Totalmix, or the indespensable DigiCheck suite), great sound and copious feature-sets for their interfaces in any price range. © 2002 - 2021 Vienna Symphonic Library GmbH. Some of the DSP options can make the device more expensive than other competing interfaces. Any ideas? Get in touch with us if you want to discuss more and thanks for reading. But in the end if the sheer numerical result is what matters we would have to vote RME on this one. They are also installed in your DAW so you can use them while mixing later on if you don’t want to print them while tracking. The pedigree of this brand is quite impressive; many companies out there use their Fireface range of products for serious product development activities related to audio. And if you’re looking for the best professional-level audio interface, there are the seriously high-quality Steinberg AXR4 and the seemingly limitless RME Audio Fireface UFX II. I'd either use an RME Pci-e or the Apollo with thunderbolt, so the comparison on latency I figure is equal. Popular comparisons. This features RME’s SteadyClock FS technology, which is designed to bring self-jitter to “new lows” and improve audio quality. The RME Babyface Pro sports a quite streamlined physical interface that allows basic settings via its front panel. Okay, so I completely get that. for using with VSL. > RME vs Apollo vs 'other' audio interface? They will take it to the next level and allow you to record a full record if you have the time, talent and dedication that are needed. I just don't know. Anything better or worse about using either interface? But do I really need to use a control surface? The summary of the … While the device itself has one of the lowest latencies in the market, you are exposed to the performance of your DAW and the plugins you chose while tracking. I like the RME products and the Babyface is incredible value for the money but the iD22 hands down sound better. Results can be heard on the links provided below: Our point of view: A close tie. RME BabyFace Pro. We’ll dedicate a special section for that as it is unique to the Apollo. To be worth it you need to have a clear intention to use their plugins. His goal is to help musicians, music educators and home studio enthusiasts in their quest to make music, podcasts and compelling content. In fact, the converters on the Apollo are much improved and there is a clarity that I'm now hearing in my room (note that we are comparing two devices from different decades). It is the one thing I have always been able to rely on. Latency has been the plague of DAWs since their inception. During our tests our favourite features were: Our point of view: a clear advantage to the Universal Audio Apollo Twin mkII here, even without the plugins. RME BabyFace Pro. Steinberg UR22. RME claim that TotalMix FX will completely replace a standard studio mixer. Audient ID4. RME Fireface UFX. My RME cards have never been the issue in my recording studios. With Cubase, bear in mind that as soon as you add a uad plugin as insert, latency will become evident fast. The interfaces are just easier to use. RME Fireface UFX. The Universal Audio Apollo Twin mkII is also quite compact and portable, with an impressive looking user interface and quite a pervasive presence both at NAMM and on home studios around the globe. so to resume, either you go with Apollo to the moon with mask and oxygen and previously you have burns 56000 km gas to go out the planet earth.. On the I/O front, it could use more outputs and at least 2 headphone outputs for a better producer / musician scenario without additional gear. […], […] this article on the RME Babyface Pro vs the Universal Audio Apollo Twin for more info, but keep in mind that inside the DAW you can adjust the buffer size (with the […], […] you don’t have an interface my recommendation is the Focusrite Scarlett Solo, which you can buy at […]. I also found I needed to power cycle my unit if my iMac goes to sleep otherwise it falls to pieces. Apollo x6 allows music producers and post-production studios to track, overdub, and mix with elite-class A/D and D/A conversion, HEXA Core UAD plug-in processing, Dual-Crystal clocking, and 5.1 surround sound monitoring — all in a sleek rackmount Thunderbolt 3 audio interface for … I’ve compared it to a few interfaces, including my trusted travel interface the RME Babyface, an Avid/Digidesign 003 and an Avid Omni. For our set-up we’ve expanded the I/O with an 8-channel ADAT, the Focusrite Scarlett OctoPre. During our visit to Winter Namm 2019, we could see the Babyface being demonstrated by no less than Michael Angelo Batio, whose shredding skills demand the lowest latency possible. DAW audio can be sent to virtual channels as well for better control, Adding plugins right on the channel strip is easy and intuitive, monitoring is low latency independent from the DAW, You can chose wether or not the strip settings and plugins are printed when recording, Gain options are complemented by the Unison plugin options, Metrics such as rate, DSP power used and clock source are always visible, Software monitoring via Logic Pro X when using a guitar signal connected directly to the device (instrument input on Babyface, HiZ input on Apollo). You can also hire my services on AirGigs. unreasonableness = quantity = not quality = uad. The RME Babyface Pro FS is a powerful, yet eminently portable, bus-powered USB audio interface. I do record now and then, but no more than one mic at a time. I'm not using the interface for physical i/o at all, just samples. That said, RME is known for the most reliable driver-structure on the market (plus very useful additional software, like Totalmix, or the indespensable DigiCheck suite), great sound and copious feature-sets for their interfaces in any price range. You become locked in to the Universal Audio system, and have to take your Apollo on the road if you want to keep the plugins when mobile. Additional Universal Plugins are expensive and will be worthless if you no longer have your Apollo. The Universal Audio Apollo Twin mkII requires a decision of interface (USB or Thunderbolt) and that is a good option for mac users, but the selection of the DSP power is important and can be a bit overwhelming. I haven't used (or even seen) the Apollo, so I can't make a comparison between the two. Audient ID4. D/A audio: 24 bit / 192 kHz: 24 bit / 192 kHz: Often compared with RME Fireface UFX. Important note: Latency while tracking can be reduced significantly if the monitoring is not done via DAW (so software monitoring off) but rather directly on the interface software mixer. I want a new interface and I need answers. This is where the Universal Audio Apollo Twin is really different than the other interfaces, a good segway into the next topic. You are also subject to the upgrades and options they provide. Before making a decision we checked several tutorials, store demos, NAMM displays and YouTube videos and tutorials. The awaited upgrade to the very successful Apollo Twin has been released and should be available for sale in a store near you pretty […], […] Our article about RME and UA Apollo. Click on my card below to contact me on, Compact Audio Interfaces: RME Babyface Pro and Universal Audio Apollo Twin mkII. Link for the X will be posted when available at Amazon. Apogee Duet. I've seen that RME says total mix lists capability to mix between 500-8000 channels, etc. For me, that's essentially spending an extra $1000 for something I could already do with a UAD card. RME BabyFace Shop now at Amazon.
Holy Of Holies,
The Sacketts Cast,
Viking Pools Brochure,
Ford F-150 Truck Bed Covers Prices,
Demonic Gorilla Drop Table,
Bully Stain Remover,
No Savage Lyrics,
Misty Caamp Lyrics,
Hot Springs, Colorado,
Rock Tumbler National Geographic,
Everybody Loves Raymond - Watch Online Season 1,