RME Fireface 800

This unit has had a lot of attention since its release and rightly so in our opinion. Where to start with this unit, that's the real question? In our opinion, it's one of the best specified and versatile firewire units available today. In fact we don't think you can beat this unit until you start moving into modular setups(i.e. lots of outboard gear, preamps, AD/DA converters etc).

We could spout specifications on this unit all day, but if you'd like some more information visit RME's page of the fireface 800 below.

http://www.rme-audio.de/en_products_fireface_800.php

Simply put. this unit has it all. MIDI, ADAT (2 sets of INs/Outs), 8 X TRS connectors (IN/Out), 4 XLRs on the front, SPDIF and one of the most versatile routing solutions we've ever seen. You can run it up to 192Khz at 24 bit, inputs and outputs are selectable at +4dBu or -10dBV and the front XLRs connectors have phantom power (switchable in the software). Those of you who are keen on meters may worry about the apparent lack of information provided by the front panel. Don't worry, there is more than enough information in the software and the signal level is inidicated by brightness of a single LED and is suprisingly informative.

When you first start it up, the total mix software can be a little confusing, but spending a few minutes with the manual and a clear head allows you to see the true power of this unit. We've had multiple headphone mixes running, a monitor mix and there are still loads of connection options left for us. For a portable solution, this unit is unbeatable.

Picture below is the software you use to route your signal to your desired mixes, it may look confusing at the moment, but once you get the hang of it, you'll wonder why other companies don't do it like this. We've used a MOTU 896HD in the past and it doesn't even come close to the flexibility of this unit.

If you're looking for a firewire unit to become the core of your rig, this is the ultimate choice. It doesn't have many preamps for live recording sessions, but that's what the ADAT connectors are for. You could buy a couple of ADAT preamp strips and you'd have a very formidable mobile recording rig that you'd be hard pushed to max out in the average recording situation.

We wouldn't be without this unit and we wholeheartedly recommend this unit to anyone and everyone.

Installation was a breeze on Windows XP SP2 (sorry can't test with a Mac) and the provided software is excellent. You get a decent bound manual which is very handy and informative, though you'll probably need to spend a bit of time playing around with the Cuemix software to really get a hang of it.

We've been using this device as our primary soundcard in windows without a single problem and because of the SPDIF connectors (both In & Out) we have been able to run the signal into a home cinema amp without a problem which could be very useful for those of you out there with single room setups.

If you'd like to support this site, please use one of the links below to purchase the unit. UK buyers, please check out the Euro flag, we've used this company in the past and they've offered excellent service.

FAQ

Q. How many mics can I plug into this unit?
A.Without any additional equipment, 4 mics can be plugged in through the XLR connectors on the front.

Q. What if I need more than 4 mics?
A.You can buy a pre-amp unit. These can cost from £40 to £4000. If you want to plug in an additional 8 microphones, you may wish to consider the Behringer ADA8000 located here for ~£155. It's an excellent and very cheap way to add some extra connections. However, it's not the greatest quality (but still not bad) and you may want to consider something a little more expensive such as the RME Octamic D located here*.

* Please ensure that listed products are compatible with your equipment before purchase.