Quality over quantity.
The crown jewels of the UCX are the two high-end mic and instrument preamps – built
right into the front.
Like in the UFX, both preamps use core technology of RME’s Micstasy - a high-end preamp for supreme sonic
demands and critical applications, like professional recordings of classical and acoustic music. The outstanding
preamp design boasts extremely low distortion, excellent signal to noise ratio and a perfectly flat frequency
response that lets these preamps surpass those of other devices costing several times the price of the UCX.
A premium solution for transmitting and amplifying any audio source truly unchanged, be it high-level stage
or typical studio signals, lower level and high-impedance instruments, or dynamic, condenser and ribbon
microphones.
The digitally controlled gain of up to 65 dB, adjustable in steps of 1 dB over a range of 55 dB, is individually set for
each preamp with the encoder knob on the front or in TotalMix FX on the host computer. All level settings are
100% reproducible and can also be adjusted using a MIDI remote controller.
Each channel can be individually switched to 48V phantom power. LEDs for signal, clip and activated phantom
power give a complete overview on the unit’s status.
The two TRS inputs on the front will alternatively operate as Hi-Z inputs. Directly plug in up to two guitars or
other instruments - no other hardware is required.
AutoSet.
The UCX offers a unique RME feature which was previously available only in the high-end microphone
preamp Mistasy and the UFX.
Usually a limiter is used during the recording to prevent clipping of the A/D converter stage. But analog
processing would not only spoil the excellent technical specifications of the UCX mic preamps but also alter
the original sound.
Thanks to the completely digitally controlled gain the UCX can reduce the gain automatically, thus providing
perfect protection from overload with no degradation of the audio signal, which does not have to pass any
additional electronic circuitry. Additionally AutoSet does not cause any of the control noises known from usual
limiters. SNR and THD stay completely unchanged.
Example: In a recording session, the recording engineer asks the vocalist or guitarist to sing or play a reference
part and sets the UCX preamp gain to an unusual high level (e. g. 50 dB). AutoSet will automatically reduce
the gain when the level reaches -6 dBFS. The reduction is done in a musical way, based on the intensity and
duration of the input signal. Manual gain adjustment becomes obsolete most of the time, but the gain can still
be set manually. AutoSet can be switched on for each of the 4 front panel mic and instrument preamp channels
individually.
6
7
With the release of the Fireface 800 in 2004 RME stirred up the FireWire audio market, setting the benchmarks
and providing a superior solution with a unique feature set. It is no surprise many customers and testers respect
RME as the reference and technology leader for FireWire audio interfaces. In 2009 RME released the Fireface UC,
a pioneering USB solution which again provided an exceptional performance, previously not available from USB
audio interfaces. RME once again became the technology leader from the start.
The secret of success: RME is the only manufacturer not to use a third party USB or FireWire audio technology,
but an own, self-developed Hammerfall Audio Core with an outstanding performance and uncompromised pro
audio features.
RME integrated the latest and most sophisticated version of RME’s bus technology, the Hammerfall X-Core -
combining both, USB 2.0 and FireWire - within one half-rack sized interface.
USB 2.0
. Like other RME USB 2.0* interfaces the Fireface UCX has been optimized for highest performance
under Windows and Mac OS. It uses a special customized firmware for each operating system, and provides
revolutionary ultra-low latencies even with multiple channels.
* The Fireface UCX is compatible to USB 3 chipsets.
FireWire
. The completely redesigned Hammerfall FireWire technology of the HFX-Core provides the UCX with
the same exceptional compatibility and performance as RME’s USB solution. The UCX does not have any FireWire
chip inside – the complete bus technology is programmed into the FPGA and remains under direct control of
the RME masterminds. If ever necessary, it can be updated anytime by a simple firmware update.
USB + FireWire . Made by RME
Hammerfall-X-Core
Digitally controlled . With AutoSet
Microphone Preamps
