RME Audio Fireface UFX+, User Manual

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114 User's Guide Fireface UFX+ © RME
Especially with notebooks it can happen that all internal devices and all the sockets/ports are
connected to the same controller, with the second controller not used at all. In that case all de-
vices have to use the same bus and will interfere with each other.
A computer blocked for a short time – no matter if ASIO or WDM – will lose one or more data
packets. Such problems can only be solved by increasing the buffer size (latency).
39.4 Thunderbolt Audio
External PCI Express is the professional’s solution for an external audio interface which should
work as good as possible – and like an internal one. Using an Extender (PCI Express card or
ExpressCard) the internal PCI Express bus is buffered and made available outside of the com-
puter via special external PCIe cables. The whole system is standardized, available and in use
for many years, but so far limited to external chassis adding PCIe slots, and usage in pro video
applications. RME’s MADIface XT was the first audio interface ever to use this technique, that
guarantees the best performance and latency available among all the existing interface formats
(PCI, FireWire 400, FireWire 800, USB 2, USB 3).
To describe it in simple words:
Thunderbolt is external PCI Express with added Plug & Play,
and easier availability of cables. The UFX+ offers one Thunderbolt port, being fully compatible
to Thunderbolt 2. The latest computers incorporate a Thunderbolt 3 interface via USB-C con-
nectors. For these, external adapters are available (for example Star-Tech TBT3TBTADAP)
which convert Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2, allowing to connect the UFX+ to any Thunderbolt
3 equipped computer. After a slow start and being limited to Macs for some time, today Thun-
derbolt used as audio transfer technology is available with laptops and desktops, on both Win-
dows and Mac.
Unlike USB 2 and 3, Thunderbolt is under a very strict quality control and certification process.
This rigid approach guarantees highest compatibility and functionality. Connecting a UFX+ to
any Thunderbolt port will just work – period. Of course there is no guarantee that ASIO buffer
sizes of 32 samples will work. The audio software used as well as the whole computer are not
certified. As with PCI or USB a computer used as DAW still has to be carefully selected, and
tuned in detail to reach its full potential.
Thunderbolt cables are high speed components and as such limited in length, precisely to three
meters (10 ft). Higher lengths are available as optical cables from companies like Corning, in
lengths of 5.5 to 60 meters (18 to 200 ft).
Thunderbolt ports supply up to 10 Watts of power (often the limit is 7 Watts). That is not enough
for the UFX+ to operate, so there is no way around using a standard power outlet.