1 (edited by qhemist 2019-05-23 03:51:04)

Topic: Outboard gear connecting/routing issues (BabyfacePro)

Excuse me in advance but I am a starter over here.

I have a BabyFace Pro and i know most will say RTFM but I will give this a shot.

I bought my first piece of analog gear today (Arturia DrumBrute) drum machine. Anyhow I have figured out that to get audio out it has to go out through 1/4in and while I know I can connect it on the right side inputs. Is it ok if I run them through the 2 XLR in the back or is there a way through do it through optical? Also I have to do 2 out because I need to route one to one monitor and one to the other as its a mono signal.

I am looking to get my first compressor as I got my rack started on my desk with a power conditioner. Looking at a Klark Teknik 1176 to get started. Anyohow being someone that has not used hardware gear before. I am assuming this could go through MIDI input on left side or does it go through SPDIF > Midi branch? Also how would I route that in TotalFX so I could use my compressor with Ableton for example.

Thanks in advance and best wishes!

2 (edited by ramses 2019-05-23 07:01:45)

Re: Outboard gear connecting/routing issues (BabyfacePro)

I can only suggest that you do yourself a favor to become friend with TM FX and routing.
I wrote a little primer about 1st setup and routing. Sorry, I can not type everything again and again, therefore this primer.
But also the RME handbook contains this information, simply in a different way.

https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … rnal-equi/

Also very nice the very quick and to the point RME video tutorials:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … al-Videos/

This is really a must.

I do not have time now to look into detail at it. But I have a certain feeling that you want to connect more devices via analog than then BBF Pro has Analog IN and OUT ports.

A drum computer might MIDI, thats ok you have it. But it needs alone 2 analog inputs because a drum machine has stereo outputs.

If you want to use an external compressor (which is not a must as you can get good compressors as VST),
then you need additional two analog IN and OUT.

Via ADAT (8 channel @44.1/48 kHz) you could connect an external AD/DA converter with 8 analog IN/OUT to get more analog in and out. But this has an additional price tag.
For this purpose it would have been cheaper to get an UC or UCX which offers directly 8 analog IN and OUT "out of the box" and then you only have one very compact device.

If your BBF Pro is new and you can give it back, then I would  propose to get your real demand for i/o ports quick so that you are still be able to upgrade to either UC, better the UCX (as it has full FX chip, autoset, newer  converters).

Or get directly the UFX II if you have the budget and if this would make sense for you, but I assume if you started with BBF Pro this would exceed your budget. UC and UCX make definitively sense so that you have more analog I/O in the box not to need to get an ADDA converter on top.

You seem to need the following analog I/O ports:
- 2 analog outputs for monitors
- 2 analog outputs for phones
- 2 analog outputs for external compressor
->>>> 6 analog outputs
- 2 analog inputs for drum computer
- 2 analog inputs for external compressor
->>>> 4 analog inputs

And MIDI for drum computer

BBF Pro has only
4 x Analog Input (Mic, Line, Instrument)
-> if you need to connect 1-2 Mics then you have only 2-3 thats too few
4 x Analog Output (2 x XLR, 2 x Phones)
-> you need 6

Alternatively ... connect a Behringer AD/DA converter via ADAT, which is very cheap:
https://www.thomann.de/de/behringer_ada … ragain.htm €159

BBFP €689 + €159 = €848

For nearly the same price you could get an UC, then I would suggest you get an UC instead:
https://www.thomann.de/de/rme_fireface_uc.htm € 874

UCX would have a few advantages:
https://www.thomann.de/de/rme_fireface_ucx.htm

Interface Comparison, see my blog:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/index.ph … 8-08-xlsx/
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … B-MADIfac/

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: Outboard gear connecting/routing issues (BabyfacePro)

Thank you for the amazing response.

When I was in the market for an interface upgrade from my scarlet 2i2, RME was what I wanted. It was a tough choice and what boiled down to me getting the Babyface Pro (I paid €580 shipped to my door) for a brand new item and I could have gotten the UC but I was purchasing some other gear (monitors, UAD satellite).... Anyhow, I also liked the fact that it was so easy to use. im constantly going between headphones and monitors and switching between them and adjusting volume at my finger tips makes it a breeze. My studio is also my work desk as I work from my studio so the workflow of the babyface pro has been amazing compared to using the scarlett and going back and forth adjusting the knob on the interface which would have a similar setup on the UC. As for the limitations you have brought up its not enough to sway me to have returned it, even if I had been given the chance.

A compressor is something I don't need as you mentioned plugins and I have the best emulations you can get on the market. However as this is my career and also passion ive been growing fond of analog gear and while I know it is not conventional I wuld like to have a setup, even small if that.

So it seems that since I am building this 8u rack on my desk after removing the drawers on my right side. I will be getting that behringer ad/da to join my power conditioner in starting it off. Thanks again for the amazing reply and I will be checking out the information you listed.