REVIEW
RME FIREFACE 802 AUDIO INTERFACE With this shiny new update to a modern classic RME has taken a few steps back to move forward. Review: Andrew Bencina
While hardware updates are commonplace for some audio manufacturers, RME has traditionally elected to keep moving forward, maintaining a fully-supported line of legacy devices for every possible requirement. While there’s no question it’s worked, it has produced a catalogue capable of confounding prospective customers with small feature variations and sometimes elusive component and design iterations. With the Fireface 802, RME is not trying to reinvent the wheel; just improve it a little. NO SOUND IS GOOD SOUND
NEED TO KNOW
RME’s official company line is that its products aim to have no sound; capturing sources with a neutral accuracy that maintains integrity
PRICE $2799 CONTACT Innovative Music: 9540 0658 or info@innovativemusic.com.au
AT 50
rather than imparting flavour. While it’s clear from all the public product statements that the Fireface 802 incorporates significant technical improvements over the preceding Fireface 800, and therefore sounds better (and it does!), any RME forum discussion regarding differences between current models, like the UFX, UCX, Babyface or 802, will be met swiftly with official comment discouraging circuit design chit or chipset chat and promoting a pragmatic and sensible focus on feature set and application. To this end the Fireface 802 is simply best understood as the new Fireface 800, with an extra headphone output, AES/EBU I/O, USB 2.0 interface and Firewire 400 rather than 800; although a 1394b connector is still provided for convenience. Even this curious change,
PROS Industry leading low-latency, stability & driver support. Improved looks & sound bring a classic into the now. TotalMix FX endures as a benchmark monitor mix controller & channel distributor. Class-compliant USB 2.0 support maintains iPad compatibility.
CONS Limited front panel controls. No Android App or OSC implementation in official iOS App. No DSP mixing & routing between multiple units. Shipped without Firewire cables & only one Toslink optical cable.
considering the name, is explained away as the removal of an interface no longer required for performance, due to the capabilities of the USB option, and inefficient from a cost standpoint. Four combo instrument/preamp channels owe their design heritage to the OctaMic II while the latest low latency A/D D/A converters operate at sample rates up to 192k, achieving 118dBA dynamic range on playback and 116dBA signal-to-noise ratio on the way in. The rest is as you’d expect from a Fireface. Dual ADAT I/O; supporting S/MUX2, S/MUX4 and SPDIF; word clock I/O; MIDI I/O; SteadyClock; stand-alone operation; and support for RME’s Advanced Remote Control (ARC). The most notable difference comes on the outside with the slick new aluminium face
SUMMARY With the Fireface 802, RME has updated its most successful interface after a decade of valuable service. While its strictly-stated sound policy avows neutrality, the 802 compares favourably with alternatives identifying with vintage design and analog warmth. Unparalleled driver stability and TotalMix FX DSP make the 802 a powerful and reliable hub for any studio or audio installation. The Fireface 800 looked forward and remains a viable studio solution even now. Only time will tell if this remake enjoys the same longevity.