RME Fireface 800 | Tidepool Audio

RME Fireface 800
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The RME Fireface 800 is the world's most powerful FireWire audio interface. Up to 56 channels record/playback, up to 192 kHz sample rate, and true FireWire 800 sum up to an unsurpassed high-end, high performance and high speed FireWire audio interface.

The Fireface 800 combines the latest and also proven technologies of previous RME products with the fastest FireWire technology. Analog technology of the ADI-8 converters, microphone technology of QuadMic and OctaMic, TotalMix technology of the Hammerfall DSP series, years of experience in programming of efficient and reliable drivers, up to complete support from DIGICheck - only the best of the best. The Fireface 800 offers a unique instrument input, a headphone output and signal-to-noise ratios of 119 dBA!

Analog I/O
RME's Multiface was the basis for the development of the Fireface 800. Eight balanced line inputs and outputs with software controlled switching of the reference levels (-10 dBV, +4 dBu, HiGain), realized discretely in the analog domain, guarantee highest dynamic range and highest fidelity. Apart from the levels of the microphone pre-amps and the headphone outputs, all device settings are software controlled. Equipped with the latest A/D and D/A converter chips, all I/Os operate up to 192 kHz and reach 119 dBA dynamic range on playback.

The headphone output not only delivers high volume with low-impedance headphones, but represents the playback channels 9/10. The headphone output can be used directly with ASIO Direct Monitoring.

The front panel of the Fireface 800 has 4 discrete balanced microphone inputs with class-A stage, individual 48 V phantom power and separate XLR/TRS inputs, where the latter can also be used as additional line inputs. Two of the four mic inputs are permanently available as channels 9 and 10, the other two can be used together with or alternatively to the inputs 7/8 on the back.

The Fireface 800's Hi-Z instrument input offers unprecedented flexibility for guitar and bass. A soft-limiter, which has been designed for musical instruments, prevents overloads of the A/D converter. The limiter was not designed for transparancey, but intentionally creates harmonic distortion. Due to a soft transition and deliberate creation of harmonics, the input signal is compressed steplessly according to taste, or the limiter can be used to add distortion. A drive circuit, which can be activated in addition, delivers broad guitar distortion. The Speaker Emulation filter, which can also be switched on separately, filters low- and high-frequencies and optimizes the signal when recording directly into the computer, or when monitoring through a mixing console. Signals from guitar or bass are pre-conditioned for later processing in the DAW, so that plug-ins can make the most out of the sound.

Digital I/O's
Two ADAT optical I/Os allow for a connection and insertion of effect devices, mixing consoles or external converters. Of course, these 16 channels are available simultaneously with the analog channels. Using two additional ADI-8 DS, you'll get 26 analog inputs and outputs, which remain still 18 at 96 kHz. The coaxial SPDIF I/O works up to 192 kHz, so that there are still 10 analog in- and outputs at the highest sample rate, plus two digital ones. SPDIF optical, alternatively provided via the second ADAT port, also operates up to 192 kHz - another RME-only feature.

Features
All inputs and outputs can be used at the same time*! E. g., the instrument input can be used either instead of the line input on the back, or together with it. Even the TRS jack and the XLR socket of the microphone inputs can be used simultaneously. In this way, up to 35 signal sources can be connected to the Fireface 800 and recorded onto 28 separate tracks!

The DSP-based TotalMix mixer allows all inputs and outputs to be freely mixed, distributed and routed. Up to 14 completely independent stereo submixes are possible. Each of the mixer's output channels (every single submix channel), can be recorded directly, without the need of external cable loops.

Thanks to an internal flash memory, all settings including TotalMix are recalled during boot. After making all desired settings, the device works stand-alone even without computer as a submixer, A/D and D/A-converter, headphone mixer, format converter, instrument or microphone pre-amplifier, monitoring mixer and much more.

The Fireface 800 is equipped with SteadyClock�, RME's unique sync and clock technology. With this, the device becomes a sync reference for the whole studio. SteadyClock refreshes clock signals, removes jitter, and takes permanent care of optimal conversion quality, thus guarantees a sensational sound quality, completely independent from the reference clock's quality. SteadyClock allows the Fireface 800 to control the sample rate freely on its own. The Settings dialog includes a direct choice of the video and audio world's most often used sample rates. Additionally, two faders can be used to set the sample rate freely and in real-time, within the range of +/- 10% and +/- 1%.

Via an insert slot on the back, a Time Code Option (TCO) for synchronizing to LTC and video can be added. Thanks to SteadyClock, the Fireface 800 does not only extract absolute positions, but also a very clean low-jitter word clock. Fireface 800 uses RME's own FireWire technology, heavily optimized for audio purposes. Lowest overhead, special hardware adaptations and a new low latency buffer concept enable a performance and compatibility which has been thought of as impossible until now - at latencies of only one millisecond.

The Fireface 800 has a second port for hub functionality, bi-lingual mode for full FireWire 400 compatibility, and an additional FireWire 400 port. Several Fireface 800 can be used in parallel and at the same time on one FireWire port without any problem.

Technical Specifications

Input AD: 8 x 1/4" TRS, 4 x XLR Mic, 1/4" TRS Line, all servo-balanced. 1 x 1/4" TS unbalanced
Output DA: 8 x 1/4" TRS, servo-balanced, DC-coupled signal path. 1 x 1/4" TRS unbalanced
Input Digital: 2 x ADAT optical or SPDIF optical, SPDIF coaxial (AES/EBU compatible)
Output Digital: 2 x ADAT optical or SPDIF optical, SPDIF coaxial (AES/EBU compatible)
Dynamic range AD: 109 dB RMS unweighted, 112 dBA
THD AD: < -110 dB (< 0.00032 %)
THD+N AD: < -104 dB (< 0.00063 %)
Crosstalk AD: > 110 dB
Dynamic range DA: 116 dB RMS unweighted, 119 dBA (unmuted)
THD DA: < -103 dB (< 0.0007 %)
THD+N DA: < -100 dB (< 0.001 %)
Crosstalk DA: > 110 dB
nput/Output level for 0 dBFS @ Hi Gain: +19 dBu
Input/Output level for 0 dBFS @ +4 dBu: +13 dBu
Input/Output level for 0 dBFS @ -10 dBV: +2 dBV
Sample rate internally: 32, 44.1, 48, 64, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 128, 176.4, 192 kHz
Sample rate externally: 28 kHz - 200 kHz
Frequency response AD/DA, -0.1 dB: 5 Hz - 21,5 kHz (sf 48 kHz)
Frequency response AD/DA, -0.5 dB: < 5 Hz - 43,5 kHz (sf 96 kHz)
Frequency response AD/DA, -1 dB: < 5 Hz - 70 kHz (sf 192 kHz)

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