Attention: Chaining multiple devices is not the core business of the Fireface 802, and its performance is massively dependent on the set sample rate and the CPU power of your computer! As with the predecessor model Fireface 800, the expansion of the interface via the existing digital audio interfaces is preferable. However, 2 Fireface 802 should be able to provide their full number of channels at 48kHz via Firewire and USB as well.
The Fireface 802 combines proven technologies of previous RME products with excellent usability to a top-class all-round interface: The analog technology of the ADI-8 converters, the microphone technology of the OctaMic, the TotalMix technology of the Hammerfall DSP series, years of experience in programming efficient and reliable drivers, up to full support of DSP-based studio effects - only the best of the best, and definitely a bit more. The Fireface 802 offers the most sophisticated instrument input ever found in an audio interface, a powerful headphone jack, and signal-to-noise ratios up to 119dBA. Not without reason, the Fireface 802 is the reference standard par excellence not only for demanding project studios, but also in science and research. It is regarded in the industry as an extremely reliable workhorse for all applications - with outstanding transmission quality that meets metrological demands.
Since its market launch, drivers and firmware of the Fireface 802 have undergone continuous development and will certainly be kept up to date for many years to come - considering the exemplary product maintenance of the predecessor model, for example. Even since Apple said goodbye to the Firewire interface in 2012, the advantages of this protocol are still impressively demonstrated by RME in its Fireface series. This guarantees that you don't have to worry about the functionality of your interface even after switching to new types of operating systems or as the owner of an older computer: In contrast to many other manufacturers, RME is not only amazingly fast in programming new drivers, but also makes all older versions of its software available in its download archive. If you still have questions or problems, you can contact RME's own forum directly and get competent information!
The DSP processors of the Fireface 802 provide you with the complete feature set of a digital mixing console (but with only one effect send): You can create (almost) any number of channel strips and route them to your heart's content, edit the audio material with EQ, compressor, delay, reverb, etc., record or send it to monitor or aux channels, or convert the different digital input protocols to each other or to analog. In addition, all settings can be saved as presets and the unit is even ready to use in stand alone mode without a computer. By integrating open source MIDI control protocols you can remote control the Fireface 802 with any MIDI device or your iPad to use it e.g. live as a mixer or as a control center of your home theater or hifi system. The key point is that all this is done without any additional latency due to the calculation by specialized chips directly in the device.
DigiCheck is RME's metering software calculated on the DSP and provides a wealth of professional metering tools: you can use it to measure average (RMS) and peak levels, phase, loudness in LUFS, and frequency spectrum by routing the program to a channel like a plug-in in TotalMix's window. The big advantage compared to DAW-based measurement software is that you can measure all parameters after the audio enginge and thus capture e.g. level differences between DAW and interface.
For many years one of RME's main development goals was the processing of notoriously inferior clock signals from MADI streams. The result of this work is the RME SteadyClock word clock processing: Thanks to SteadyClock you can theoretically clock your complete studio via an old CD player and still get a stable house clock with an interface jitter of less than 5ns. But not only that: Jitter generated during AD/DA conversion is effectively reduced by more than 30dB compared to other products - no external clock generator is necessary, and certainly no sinfully expensive 10MHz reference clock.
Great unit, replaced my FF800 which died.
However, for some reason the chassis is a few mm bigger than the FF800 and wouldn’t fit in the rack on my desk. Why would they make it bigger?? Probably my desk, but if your FF800 is already a bit snug, and you’re looking to upgrade, bear this in mind.