RME Fireface UFX III USB 3.0 Audio Interface Reviews

Looking for a solution to a studio buildout with a vocal booth that satisfies current needs and has room for expansion - with a little bit of overkill, because, who doesn't like to buy pro-audio equipment that's isn't overkill? The company had to be stable, their equipment has to be reliable, and with an ever-updating OS: the drivers need to be stable. I'm not a fan of getting locked into 'ecosystems' of plugins and DSP - and I'm not a fan of the company mergers and buyouts we're witnessing, so I spent the better part of a year reading manuals and reviews for interfaces… go ahead, go search for RME interface reviews and read comparisons… you'll find over and over that folks love RME for its dependability and scalability.
If you're looking for a flagship upgrade that's transparent, has incredible scalability, and more I/O for the future, I highly encourage you to consider any of the RME lineup for your needs. Don't let 'you must learn Totalmix' hold you back - once you get it, it's a flexible and fantastic underlay for your DAW.

Purchased the UFX III this past June and couldn't be happier with the features, sound, and workflow. I also own the Prism Orpheus and Antelope Orion (v1) and the UFX III matches the others in sound quality. I have the Bricasti M7 reverb hooked up via the AES connectors, and then plenty of inputs left over for external mic pres and effects. TotalMix took a little while to decipher but all was well when I discovered how to switch the operational mode to "DAW." [Open the Totalmix app, and then go to OPTIONS>Operational Mode...] Highly recommended--the sound and features are simply incedible.

I've been a home recording guy for 25+ years. I've owned several of the entry level units by Focusrite, M-Audio, Presonus, etc. A few years ago, I switched to an Apollo X Quad. I really like the Apollo stuff but I really wanted to start using some outboard gear as I don't like using a mouse and presets for everything. I also wanted to expand my capabilities and future-proof my studio so that I can expand down the road as necessary. I was originally looking at one of the smaller Fireface units but at the last minute, I pulled the trigger and bought the UFX III. I'm certainly glad I did. There are so many reasons to love this unit: The preamps are pristine. The build quality is top notch. The drivers are the best. I have zero latency when recording and this interface integrates perfectly into Studio One.

The big issue that folks need to be prepared for is TotalMix. This is the built-in mixing console that comes with most RME interfaces. It is extremely, extremely powerful. Yes, it's a little cumbersome at first and there is a learning curve. Once you figure it out, though, you will be amazed at what you can do with it. I would suggest watching some of Barry Johns' YouTube videos on TotalMix as he is putting together a series of tutorials that definitely help. In the event you get frustrated with TotalMix, simply change the operational mode to 'DAW Mode' and Totalmix will integrate directly with your DAW and you can manage everything within your recording software. That's what I did, but occasionally, I'll switch back to 'Full Mode' and try a few different 'experiments' for fun.

I would also highly recommend buying the RME ARC external controller. It's well worth it and convenient.

I can not say enough good things about RME. They really make great quality gear. If you can afford it, take the plunge and you won't regret it!

AS always, a big thanks to my account rep, Evan Mehre, for his support over the years!

I recently had the opportunity to do some major upgrades to my studio, including a new computer build and a new main interface. For the last 8 or 9 years my rig has run through a UAD Apollo Firewire and while everything was still working OK, I knew it was coming to the end as the primary interface.

I was unwilling to give up the Unison preamps and the associated plugins in the Apollo so I was leaning towards one of the newer units. But, as a PC user I was skeptical of moving over to Thunderbolt for a number of reasons, the least of which is that since its inception there have been a slew of versions, many of which have completely different connectors. UA's commitment to Windows has been uneven over the years to say the least so I was worried about the driver compatibility and TB with Windows in general. That, along with my general dislike of Apple, who own the TB technology, made me look for a different solution. My Sweetwater guy, Drake, suggested the new flagship RME UFX 3, even before it was released.

My qualifications for a new interface were: 1) Have a future-proof connection type, (2) have outstanding conversion, (3) have a really good word clock and (4) have very efficient drivers. The RME hit them all with a sledge-hammer.

The Apollo is still connected to the system via firewire, as is a firewire UAD Satellite, both of which can be used as SHARK-powered UAD plugin hosts, even with the RME ASIO drivers as the drivers in use. But the Apollo and an older Octo Pre Dynamic are connected to the UFX3 via ADAT and then slaved to the word clock of the RME. So, I can use the old Apollo's Unison Preamps and the I/Os of both the Apollo and the Octo are available through the RME. This is a great solution for someone moving away from the UAD ecosystem while retaining the ability to use the Unison pres and the UAD plugins, which are about the best in the industry, in my opinion.

I've read and heard many complaints about the TotalMix FX software that is integrated into all RME interfaces, complaining it's too complicated or too dense. All I can say is it's the most useful software mixer/router I've ever used. It's tremendously powerful and allows me to access everything in the studio, set custom headphone and cue mixes, use loopback features and lots more. It's a great piece of software. I spent some time to get to know it and now I can't imagine working without it. I even can control it with my Behringer X-Touch control surface, which is very handy, indeed.

I didn't even mention how good the mic pres are.

I am absolutely over the moon about the RME UFX3! It is a delight to work with in every way, from the ubiquitous USB3 connection to the amazing number of I/Os to efficient drivers with absurdly low latency. It's wicked expensive but I've found in using it full-speed-ahead for about a month now that I could not have spent my money more wisely.

I'm very happy I decided to upgrade from my Focusrite Clarett to the Fireface UFX III! It has so many features and the quality is great! Both the TotalMix FX and Digicheck softwares are very convenient and they give users plenty of options. It really sounds incredible!

I preorder the UFC+ about a year or so ago. Last month, I was informed RME discontinued the UFX+ but was placed on the list for the UFX 3.

I being using a Presonus 192 for the last 6 years and wanted to upgrade. This interface didn't disappointed. Highly recommend.