No, there will be no serious jumps in performance from your CPU if you exchange your FW800 audio interface for a PCIe/PCI audio interface. What I'm talking about is performance at a low latency like 64/128 samples. At 512 samples up the difference in CPU usage becomes negligible. However, the difference can also be between different ASIO drivers, too. So a RME and Lynx drivers perform the best in the industry, while others are not that good. I can definitely tell the difference in allaround performance between my RME and TC interfaces, and in stability as well. RME is just almost incredibly rock solid! But I've seen worse than what TC interfaces perform like, and TC has beautiful converters that I like the sound of.

Regarding TRS outputs, I don't think RME has any interfaces without those. Nor TC and Focusrite. So don't worry about that. They all have stereo jack TRS outputs, and very probably inputs, too [except the instrument and mic inputs]. If you're not sure you can always check the tech specs of the audio interface and look for "TRS" [tip/ring/sleeve meaning there are 3 wires] or "balanced" outputs.

Cheers!

 

In theory then, the latency and performance of onboard/integrated audio (being connected to PCIe bus) should equal that of a dedicated PCIe card.

 

You would probably use an AiO in a bigger sys but ships with simple breakout
maybe you can specify wich version? better ask /check rme yourself ;)

1) Possible expansion

2) External Posibilitys with adat

and better stay away from pci (even if they are cheap 2nd hand). and get PCIe because there are very few real pci busses left
and you would loose the pci latency gain (on modern motherboards)

 

Yes, but the audio drivers of integrated audio cards are usually PureShite™ and focused on typical consumer features.

It is actually not so funny. I would like to be able to use just about any audio card, too... it might come in handy, especially with notebooks.

 

Unless the drivers aren't defective by design, and the output is audibly clean (no CPU chirping) it's not a bad choice, and probably the cheapest one. Alternatively, one can use generic "HD audio driver" provided by Win7 through ASIO4ALL and/or exclusive-access WASAPI.

 

That only makes too much sense. The computer/soundcard manufactuers are missing out on a whole niche market. Integrated real (not realtek) audio devices right on the mobo

Yeah like putting modems on the soundcards, lol remember those?
I still got a soundblaster16 and my first maudio2496 in the junk drawer

 

Except if I'm wrong somewhere, this bench is a bit too old, no? (2012).
Since they're new audio interfaces (in particular Thunderbolt and USB 3) and perhaps updated ASIO drivers for existing ASIO cards, for better performances.

 

Last edited: Jan 14, 2017

In all honesty, how many of you actually tested your onboards before condemning them to a bin of "perpetual failures" just because of their nature (consumer oriented)?
If anything, when one experience CPU spikes in their project, the last thing they should do is to buy a RME card in hope all of their problems will be solved.
Sensible bouncing/freezing scheme with shortcuts and SSD/Ramdisk storage is far more robust than buying into uncertainty.

 

Even Focusrite 2i2 does, so if the hobbyist ones do......

I always took it to be that onboard sound consumed more CPU cycles - to save money on audio chips. Nowadays, who knows? There's no reason why onboard can't be better than external. In fact there's every reason why it should be better.

It's only doing the output anyway, in its most basic config. Anything that can put out 24/192 is beyond "good enough" in timing/capacity/processing sense. Nobody need buy an external soundcard or any fancy thing at all - accepting the limitations.

Soundcards only matter for input (recording live instruments etc) or output (playing the recording). You can make amazing music without having a soundcard at all. Beethoven did? [Beethoven didn't do the mixing!]

If you're making EDM you don't need any inputs - they just add to the price of shit. All you need is something to play sounds. Onboard sound is great until you exhaust it. So bounce it?

If you have the dough spend it, but you don't have to.

You can do everything you would want to as a musician on the most basic of setups....and forget about all the technicalities. And costs.

Whereas audio engineering now clearly includes computer engineering too.

As a musician and poet (ha!) I don't give a fig, and why should anyone else? Pretty much any solution in your budget will get you a great deal. Certainly as compared to any other time in human history.

But as an audio/PC engineer......then it matters. Or does it? Or rather, how much? Every solution is better than ever?

Musicians really shouldn't sweat about it. Do writers care much about the ink?

 

Last edited: Jan 14, 2017

SoundBlaster 16 ASP - my second sound card (bought especially for Flight Simulator) to replace... Adlib card!

 

@MozartEstLa I remember Ad lib cards. They had midi i/o.

 

Mine (Music Synthesizer card) wasn't have MIDI I/O, only 3.5 mm stereo output and small pot for volume adjustment, that's all.
Photo here
Also I remember about Roland MT32 (external),have MIDI DINs, but MPU401 card was required for PC if I remember (I never use MT32 module, but I was owner of D-50 with PG-1000 during same period).

 

Last edited: Jan 14, 2017

What ever happen to a built in audio and cool edit pro?? I must be getting old......

 

Actually...
"* The HDSPe AIO ships in a basic version with analog RCA/phono breakout cables (headphone: TRS jack). Therefore all analog I/Os are unbalanced. An analog XLR breakout cable is available as option (headphone: Neutrik TRS locking jack), turning analog into balanced mode."

From what i can see, you will need one of the https://www.rme-audio.de/en/products/hdsp_expansion_boards.php

 

Yeah well don't worry, I never buy into uncertainty. That's why I posted this thread and I'm still browsing. I simplified my workflow to the max and of course I know about freezing, also have double 128go high performance SSD.
But, since I got huge enhancements in CPU usage / DAW fluidity when upgrading from M-Audio to MOTU, I assumed I could grind a bit of CPU ceiling again with one of those RME cards, PCI-E or USB3/FW800. Knowing there is NOTHING more I can do with the gear I have, to optimize CPU usage, it's really already tuned to the bones, from the PC Rig to the DAWS/Drivers/Busses... Everything... Buying an even more expensive soundcard is my last choice I think.

--

Thanks a lot again folks for all the answers, the thread is now moving a bit on realtime/latency performances topics, it's even more informative!

 

Yes, @dondada already posted this, now I know how to plugin XLR/TRS cables of my speakers on one of these RME PCI-E, just need one expansion!

It's a bit like a copy-pasta question but a bit different :

Knowing I work mostly ITB (I dont count hardsynths in this context), need the best CPU use in realtime, what would you chose? RME HDSP PCI-E or RME Babyface Pro? Which one would communicate the best with my i7 4790K @5.0GHz? Dont take rooting or I/O in consideration.

 

I recently got a fantom drive usb 3.0 5tb 7200 hard drive. I put Reaper on it and now I can mix at 128 buffer speed without stuff stuttering.

 

There's no correlation between CPU cycles used in a DAW and "quality" of an audio interface, unless we're talking hardware DSPs. The only difference could be the drivers combined with low internal latency and bus bandwidth, which grants the user extra headroom in ASIO.
(30ms internal + 2ms on ASIO - high CPU usage
1ms internal + 31ms on ASIO - low CPU usage, same delay)

PCIe achieves best latency throughput of all interfaces, hence it has the potential to lower CPU cycles by allowing the user to use higher sample count in their ASIO settings. The rest seems to be just snake oil.

 

Last edited: Jan 14, 2017

since its rme i think there is practicly ONLY the iO consideration
what i mean is the usb capability is second to none with babyface, fireface 400 n 800
if everything is equal pcie should be faster BUT my mate with a xeon rig had problems in the lowest settings
again BUT he uses some dsp (uad) and somethimes slight mismatch could lead to latency issues

my suggestion is buy new and test and send back (if bought online in EU(14-30days)
get this dpc latency checker & MOnitor
and chek if there is anything to improve now
maybe thats all you need heheheh

but the 4790k is a real beast
you be the first one i know who runs it into the ground while songwriting )))

 

Okay thanks for the explanation, now I get it.
I'll obviously do what you say (test and send back if no major improvements).

Yeah I love it, this little guy is staying in the tower case for quite a few years no doubts! I dont run it into the ground, never, ever, I have CPU usage issue in mixing/pre-mixing (even heavier in my workflow), but you know how it works, it hit 100% in FLS12 or PT12 but it barely get past 50% actually. And I know it's because of my MOTU un-updated drivers (last update for Win7 in 2014... meh MOTU), and ridiculous max buffer size with the MOTU Asio (best working driver still)... So...

This is exactly what I'm looking for! So what do you think about RME HDSPe AIO (+ breakout cable AES/XLR for my speakers and maybe some expansion) Is it a good upgrade to you, from a MOTU Ultralite mk3? (with very old drivers and 1024 buffer max only)

 

Last edited: Jan 14, 2017