RME is a German company that designs and builds audio hardware, including audio interfaces, analog to digital converters, and digital-to-analog converters. While the majority of their audio interface solutions are PCIbased as well as PCI-Express, they have recently released their first FireWire based system, the Fireface 800. Their products have been shipped with Nuendo, and were often rebranded as such.

Products

Note: These are not complete product descriptions, and meant mostly as an overview of RME's products. The descriptions were derived from the RME website, which provides much more extensive descriptions of each.

Fireface

The Fireface is an audio interface which connects to a computer by Firewire. The Fireface 400 is contained in a half width rackmount case and the Fireface 800 is contained in a full width rackmount case.

Fireface 400

8 x analog line I/O, 192 kHz/24-bit, 1 x ADAT digital I/O, 2 Microphone/Line Inputs with Preamps, 2 Instrument/Line Inputs, 1 x stereo headphone output, 2 x MIDI I/O

Fireface 800

10 x analog line I/O,192 kHz/24-bit, 2 x ADAT digital I/O, 4 Microphone Preamp/Instrument Inputs, 1 x analog line/headphone output, 1 x MIDI I/O

Hammerfall DSP

The Hammefall DSP is based on two components -- an interface card (either PCI or PC card) and one of several breakout boxes. The 9632, 9652, and MADI are completely contained on PCI cards, but based on the same core design.

HDSP Multiface

8 x analog line I/O, 96 kHz/24-bit, 1 x ADAT digital I/O, 1 x SPDIF digital I/O,1 x Word clock I/O (BNC),1 x analog line/headphone output,1 x MIDI I/O.

HDSP Multiface II

8 x analog line I/O, 96 kHz/24-bit, 1 x ADAT digital I/O, 1 x SPDIF digital I/O,1 x Word clock I/O (BNC),1 x analog line/headphone output,1 x MIDI I/O.

The Multiface II is based on substantially the same hardware as the original Multiface, but comes in a case with rack ears, and adds an analogue volume control for the headphone outputs.

HDSP Digiface

3 x ADAT I/O, 1 x SPDIF I/O, 1 x analog line/headphone output, 2 x MIDI /IO

HDSP RPM

2 x Analog I/O, 1 Microphone/Instrument input with level control, 1 x analog headphone output w/volume control.

HDSP MADI

MADI I/O. MADI is a serial Multichannel Audio Digital Interface standard defined by the Audio Engineering Society. Via MADI, the HDSP MADI supports 64 channels of audio I/O. With an addition breakout bracket, the HDSP MADI can also support ADAT I/O.

HDSP 9632

1 x Analog line I/O, 192 kHz/24-bit, 1 x ADAT I/O, 1 x SPDIF I/O, 1 Stereo headphone output, 1 x MIDI I/O

The 9632 is contained on a single PCI card, and supports several expansion devices for additional analog I/O, word clock, TDIF .

HDSP 9652

3 x ADAT digital I/O, 1 x SPDIF digital I/O, 1 x Word clock I/O (BNC), 1 x ADAT Sync In (9-pin D-type), 2 x MIDI I/O

The 9652 is contained on a single PCI card, with some I/O on a second PCI slot bracket.

Audio Acquisition and Format Converters

ADI-192 DD

Triple Universal Format and Sample Rate Converter 8 Channels, 192 kHz / 24 Bit

ADI-2

Hi-Performance 192 kHz/24 Bit 2-channel AD/DA-converter

ADI-4 DD

Dual Format Converter - 8-Channel, ADAT / AES/EBU Format 24-Bit/96kHz

ADI-8 PRO

AD/DA Converter - 8-Channel, ADAT/TDIF Format 24-Bit

ADI-8 DS

AD/DA Converter - 8-Channel, ADAT/TDIF Format 24-Bit/96kHz

ADI-8 AE

Anniversary Edition - 8-Channel, ADAT/TDIF Format 24-Bit/96kHz

ADI-8 DD

(Discontinued) Universal Format Converter - 8-Channel, ADAT / AES/EBU / TDIF Format 24-Bit/96K

ADI-1

(Discontinued) 2-channel 20-bit 48 kHz SPDIF AD/DA Converter.

Mic Preamps

Micstasy

8 Channel Microphone Preamp, with digital output on 2 ADAT connectors, or 4 AES/EBU connectors

QuadMic

4 Channel Microphone Preamp, with balanced analog output on 1/4" jacks

OctaMic

8 Channel Microphone Preamp, with balanced analog outputs on 1/4" TRS jacks.

OctaMic D

An OctaMic with a digital interface added. Adds 2 x ADAT outputs, and a DB-25 connector for 4 x AES/EBU

ADI Series

ADI-192 DD

Triple Universal Format and Sample Rate Converter 8 Channels, 192 kHz / 24 Bit

ADI-2

Hi-Performance 192 kHz/24 Bit 2-channel AD/DA-converter

ADI-4 DD

Dual Format Converter - 8-Channel, ADAT / AES/EBU Format 24-Bit/96kHz

ADI-8 Pro

AD/DA Converter - 8-Channel, ADAT/TDIF Format 24-Bit

ADI-8 DS

AD/DA Converter - 8-Channel, ADAT/TDIF Format 24-Bit/96kHz

ADI-8 AE

Anniversary Edition - 8-Channel, ADAT/TDIF Format 24-Bit/96kHz

ADI-8 DD

(Discontinued) Universal Format Converter - 8-Channel, ADAT / AES/EBU / TDIF Format 24-Bit/96K

ADI-96 Pro

AD Converter - 2-Channel, 96 kHz, 24-Bitr

ADI-1

(Discontinued) 2-channel 20-Bit 48 kHz SPDIF AD/DA Converter

Legacy Products

TotalMix

Totalmix is an application written by RME that provides access to the internal signal routing matrix of HDSP and Fireface sound cards.

Coachz's Totalmix Notes

Totalmix is a basically a mixer with two input banks and one output bank. The two input banks are the Hardware Inputs and the Software Inputs.

• I/O: Hardware Inputs represent the signal coming in from your external hardware where Software Inputs represent the sound coming from your application like Cubase or Winamp. You can route any input to any output.
• Normal and Submix mode: The main mixer screen has two display modes, normal and submix. When the Submix button on the right is off you are in normal mode. When it is on, you are in Submix mode. In Submix mode, you click on a hardware output pair (in submix view), and all the faders show their routing for that output. Each output pair can have its own mix.
• Matrix mode: In Normal mode there is a drop down on the third row under each fader that allows you to select multiple output channels to assign the input to. Pressing the "x" key on the keyboard takes you to a third view called Matrix view. Matrix view allows you to see every connection at one time.

Normal View

To enable inputs, you do have to go back to normal mode and turn up those inputs (top row)

The non-submix view lets you view routings for specific channels to specific outputs, but i need find it necessary to use it.

The normal view show's the submixlevels for the 1:1 routing. So if you made a submix for hardware outputs 5&6, the normal view will show the same level for software outputs 5&6. Btw. I always use the matrix to see what's going on.

Clicking in the routing box under the fader allows you to pick multiple routing outputs. The fader/pan will change to reflect the value being sent to that route destination. I think!

Submix View

You click on a hardware output pair (in submix view), and all the faders show their routing for that output. Each output pair can have its own mix.

When you select submix view, you can select a pair of outputs on row 3, and ONLY signals routed to those outputs are shown on the upper rows. Personally, I find this simplifies things considerably.

If you are getting something at an output that shouldn't be there, or not getting something that should be there, submix view will show you why.

Submix sets all routing windows to the same selection. Deactivating Submix automatically recalls the previous view.

In this mode, all routing fileds jump to the routing pair just being selected. You can then see immediately, which channels, which fader and pan settings make a submix (for example 'A1 7+8'). At the same time the Submix View simplifies setting up the mixer, as all channels can be set simultaneously to the same routing destination with just one click.

Changing to a different destination (output channel) is done in any routing field, or by a click on the desired output pair in the bottom row.

It is very easy to set up a specific submix for whatever output: select output channel, set up fader and pans of inputs and playbacks - ready!

For advanced users sometimes it makes sense to work without Submix View. Example: you want to see and set up some channels of different submixes simultaneously, without the need to change between them all the time. Switch off the Submix View by a click on the green but-ton. Now the black routing fields below the faders no longer show the same entry (A1 1+2), but completely different ones. The fader and pan position is the one of the individually shown routing destination.

Default Setup

When executing the application for the first time, a default file is loaded, sending all playback tracks 1:1 to the corresponding hardware outputs with 0 dB gain.

Faders in the Hardware Inputs are set to maximum attenuation (called m.a. in the following), so there is no monitoring of the input channels.

All faders of the middle row are set to 0 dB, so no matter on which channels a playback happens, the audio will be audible via the SPDIF output. Just try it!

Direct Monitoring

With ASIO direct monitoring (ADM), moving faders in Cubase will move them in TotalMix

Faders / Post

When you pull the fader down to the bottom the routing goes away.

Think of the drop down channel list as being a rotary switch which lets one fader be used as multiple faders, the selection depending on where you've set the rotary switch.

The faders can also be moved pair-wise, corresponding to the stereo-routing settings. This can be achieved by pressing the Alt-key and is especially comfortable when setting the SPDIF and analogue output level. At the same time.

TotalMix also supports combinations of these keys. If you press Ctrl and Alt at the same time, clicking with the mouse makes the faders jump to 0 dB pair-wise, and they can be set pair-wise by Shift-Alt in fine-mode.

What I now realize is the input fader (and the playback faders too) are in essence multi-function faders i.e. you select what channel you want the fader to be adjusting, and the other virtual channels will not be altered. So, to adjust the bass guitar level at the phones output, I have to change the input fader (with the drop down list at the bottom of it) to "analog". If I have also routed the bass to a number of outputs as well, then their levels will remain unaffected. If I wish to alter those too, then I have to change the input fader to one of the other channels of the drop down list.

Grouping

Click on the fader name label to turn it orange and select multiple faders. They are now grouped. It only works in one mixer at a time.

Matrix

The Matrix provides true mono and is very easy to use.

If you don't want to use the Matrix then use this workaround: use only odd or even channels as effect send. You got lots of them, so this is no limitation at all!

• Change gain: Ctrl-drag up / down
• Horizontal labels: All hardware outputs
• Vertical labels: All hardware inputs. Below are all play back

channels (software playback channels)

• Green 0.0 dB field: Standard 1:1 routing
• Black gain field: Shows the current gain value as dB
• Orange gain field: This routing is muted.

Menu

• Always on Top: When active (checked) the TotalMix window will always

be on top of the Windows desktop. Note: This function may result in problems with windows containing help text, as the TotalMix window will even be on top of those windows, so the help text isn't readable.

• Deactivate Screensaver: When active (checked) any activated Windows

screensaver will be disabled temporarily.

• Ignore Position: When active, the windows size and position stored in

a file or preset will not be used. The routing will be activated, but the window will not change.

• ASIO Direct Monitoring (Windows only): When de-activated any ADM

commands will be ignored by TotalMix. In other words, ASIO Direct Monitoring is globally de-activated.

• Link Faders: Selecting this option all faders will be treated as

stereo pairs and moved pair-wise. Hotkey L.

• Level Meter Setup: Configuration of the Level Meters. Hotkey F2. See

chapter 26.14.

• Preferences: Opens a dialog box to configure several functions, like

Pan Law, Dim, Talkback Dim, Listenback Dim. See chapter 26.10.

• Enable MIDI Control: Turns MIDI control on. The channels which are

currently under MIDI control are indicated by a colour change of the info field below the faders, black turns to yellow.

• Deactivate MIDI in Background: Disables the MIDI control as soon as

another application is in the focus, or in case TotalMix has been minimized.

Meters

The input meters are pre fader.

The output meters are post fader.

Mixers

Upper row: hardware inputs. The level shown is that of the input signal and is fader independent.

Using the fader and routing window, any input channel can be routed and mixed to any hardware output (third row.)

Middle row: playback channels (playback tracks of the software.)

Using the fader and routing window, any playback channel can be routed and mixed to any hardware output (third row.)

Lower row: hardware outputs. Because they refer to the output of a subgroup, the level can only be attenuated here (in order to avoid overloads), routing is not possible. This row has two additional channels, the analog outputs.

This card can be good for: * setting up delay-free submixes (headphone mixes) * unlimited routing of inputs and outputs (free utilization, patchbay function) * distributing signals to several outputs at a time * simultaneous playback of different programs over only one stereo channel * mixing of the input signal to the playback signal (complete ASIO Direct Monitoring)

Naming Channels

The channel names shown in the white label area can be edited. A right mouse click on the white name field brings up the dialog box Enter Name. Any name can be entered in this dialog. Enter/Return closes the dialog box, the white label now shows the first letters of the new name. ESC cancels the process and closes the dialog box.

Post Send Mode

Dragging the faders by use of the right mouse button activates Post Send mode and causes all routings of the current input or playback channel to be changed in a relative way. Please note that the fader settings of all routings are memorized.

So when pulling the fader to the bottom (maximum attenuation), the individual settings are back when you right click the mouse and pull the fader up.

The individual settings get lost in m.a. position as soon as the fader is clicked with the left mouse button.

As long as no single level is at m.a. position, the left mouse button can be used to change the current routing's gain.

Presets

Presets are stored in /documents and settings/"your user name"/local settings/application data/rme totalmix/

The preset buttons can get meaningful names in the same way. Move the mouse above a preset button, a right mouse click will bring up the dialog box. Note that the name shows up as tool tip only, as soon as the mouse stays above the preset button.

The preset button names are not stored in the preset files, but globally in the registry, so won't change when loading any file or saving any state as preset. But loading a preset bank (see chapter 26.8) the names will be updated.

TotalMix includes eight factory presets, stored within the program. The user presets can be changed at any time, because TotalMix stores and reads the changed presets from the files preset11.mix to preset81.mix, located in Windows' hidden directory >Documents and Settings, , Local Settings, Application Data, RME TotalMix<. On the Mac the location is in the folder >User, , Library / Preferences / Hammerfall DSP<. The first number indicates the current preset, the second number the current unit.

This method offers two major advantages: Presets modified by the user will not be overwritten when reinstalling or updating the driver The factory presets remain unchanged, and can be reloaded any time.

Restoring Defaults Mouse: The original factory presets can be reloaded by holding down the Ctrl- key and clicking on any preset button. Alternatively the files described above can be renamed, moved to a different directory, or being deleted.

Keyboard: Using Ctrl and any number between 1 and 8 (not on the numeric keypad!) will load the corresponding factory default preset. The key Alt will load the user presets instead.

Preset 1 Description: All playback channels routed 1:1, monitoring of all playback channels.

Details: All inputs maximum attenuation. All playback channels 0 dB, routed to the same output. All outputs 0 dB. Level display set to RMS +3 dB. View Submix active.

Note: This preset is Default, offering the standard functionality of a I/O-card.

Preset 2 Same as Preset 1.

Preset 3 Description: All channels routed 1:1, input and playback monitoring via outputs. As Preset 1, but all inputs set to 0 dB (1:1 pass through).

Preset 4 Description: All channels routed 1:1, input and playback monitoring via outputs. As Preset 3, but all inputs muted.

Preset 5 Description: All faders maximum attenuation. As Preset 1, but all playbacks maximum attenuation.

Preset 6 Description: Submix on SPDIF at -6 dB. As Preset 1, plus submix of all playbacks on SPDIF.

Preset 7 Description: Submix on SPDIF at -6 dB. As Preset 1, plus submix of all inputs and playbacks on SPDIF.

Preset 8 Description: Panic. As Preset 4, but playback channels muted too (no output signal).

Preset Banks Instead of a single preset, all eight presets can be stored and loaded at once. This is done via Menu File, Save All Presets as and Open All Presets (file suffix.mpr). After the loading the presets can be activated by the preset buttons. In case the presets have been renamed (see chapter 26.11), these names will be stored and loaded too.

The preset buttons can get meaningful names in the same way. Move the mouse above a preset button, a right mouse click will bring up the dialog box. Note that the name shows up as tool tip only, as soon as the mouse stays above the preset button.

The preset button names are not stored in the preset files, but globally in the registry, so won't change when loading any file or saving any state as preset. But loading a preset bank (see chapter 26.8) the names will be updated.

Set Fader to Zero

When you want to set the fader to exactly 0 dB, this can be difficult, depending on the mouse configuration. Move the fader close to the 0 position and now press the Shift-key. This activates the fine-mode, which stretches the mouse movements by a factor of 8. In this mode, a gain setting accurate to 0.1 dB is no problem at all.Cntrl click sets the fader at exactly 0.

Set Multiple Channels

Often signals are stereo, i. e. a pair of two channels. It is therefore helpful to be able to make the routing settings for two channels at once.

Press the Ctrl-key and click into the routing window of 'Out 3' with the key pressed. The routing list pops up with a checkmark at '3+4'. Click onto 'Analog'. Now, channel 4 has already been set to 'Analog' as well.

Shortcut Keys

• F12, the cpu and disk meter
• toggle Matrix view X
• toggle visible or not for Input, Playback, Output, Submix I, P, O,

S

• Fader Set to 0 dB Ctrl-click faders Set to -6dB for hardware

outputs Ctrl-click faders Center pans Ctrl-click pans Fine Control Shift-drag

• Stereo Set faders pairwise in fine mode Shift-Alt Move faders or

pans in stereo Alt-drag Faders jump to 0 dB pair-wise Ctrl-Alt-drag

• Presets......... Set Preset to default Ctrl-click on preset button

Load preset Alt-preset_number

• level meter setup dialog F2
• preferences F3
• toggle Mute Master M
• toggle mixer view T
• link all faders as stereo pairs L
• meters #Display range 40 or 60 dB Key 4 or 6
• Numerical display showing Peak or RMS Key E or R
• RMS display absolute or relative to 0 dBFS Key 0 or 3
• Numerical display selectable either Peak or RMS Hotkey E or R
• Measuring SNR (Signal to Noise) requires to press R (for RMS) and 0 (for referring to 0 dBFS, a full scale signal). The text display will then show the same value as an expensive measurement system, when measuring 'RMS unweighted'.

External links

Description of the hardware implementing the HDSP mixer RME's description of the totalmix software

Digicheck

Digicheck is an application written by RME that provides real time audio metering and spectrum analysis. As of this writing, RME is extending it to support multichannel audio recording.

External links

• RME Official Homepage
• Synthax, International Distributor of RME Products, Homepage