RME Babyface Pro FS 24-channel USB Audio Interface

RME Babyface Pro FS 24-channel USB Audio Interface

12-in/12-out Bus-powered USB Audio Interface with Femtosecond Clock, 24-bit/192kHz AD/DA, 2 Microphone Preamps, Digital I/O, MIDI, Metering, DSP, Plug-in Bundle, and Cables – Mac/PC/iOS

RME Babyface Pro FS Features:

  • 12-in/12-out portable USB 2.0 audio interface
  • Rugged, low-profile housing has a great clean look but still offers deep control
  • 2 digitally controlled microphone preamps enable reference-quality recording
  • Ample analog, digital, and MIDI connectivity makes integration with your studio easy
  • SteadyClock/femtosecond technology yields ultra-stable clocking
  • Eclipses the performance of its predecessor, thanks to a bevy of design improvements
  • TotalMix FX gives you a fully flexible 288-channel mixer with 46-bit internal resolution
  • Each channel boasts latency-free processing, including a 3-band EQ, low-cut filter, reverb, and echo
  • Onboard metering with peak and RMS calculation for keeping an eye on your levels
  • Mic stand thread on the bottom for free positioning
  • Bus-powered for easy portability
  • USB-C compatible — USB-2 and USB-C cables are included
  • Includes a premium plug-in bundle with Scuffham S-Gear, Brainworx bx_opto, and Brainworx bx_masterdesk, plus trial versions of Modartt Pianoteq 6, GG Audio Blue 3 Organ, and Gig Performer

Sleek Desktop Interface with Femtosecond Clock

The RME Babyface Pro FS is a powerful, yet eminently portable, bus-powered USB audio interface. It features a rugged, low-profile housing with a clean look and easy-to-use interface. Benefit from reference-quality recording, thanks to two digitally controlled microphone preamps, while ample analog, digital, and MIDI connectivity makes integration with your studio easy. The Babyface Pro FS employs the same SteadyClock FS circuit as RME’s reference-quality ADI-2 Pro AD/DA converter, ensuring ultra-stable clocking, while a bevy of design improvements offers a huge performance boost over its predecessor. Enjoy a fully flexible 288-channel mixer with 46-bit internal resolution, courtesy of RME’s TotalMix FX engine, along with latency-free processing, including a 3-band EQ, low-cut filter, reverb, and echo. Clear-cut onboard metering rounds out this state-of-the-art audio interface’s impressive features. The RME Babyface Pro FS is USB-C compatible and comes with a premium plug-in bundle, plus USB-2 and USB-C cables.

12-in/12-out audio interface in a sleek package

The sheer power and flexibility of the Babyface Pro FS are pretty remarkable when you lay your eyes on it. Its low-profile aluminum casing has a great clean look but still offers deep control over levels, sub-mixes, and gain structures. There are two reference-quality digitally controlled mic preamps, two balanced line outputs, line/instrument inputs, ADAT/SPDIF I/O, a MIDI port, and two headphone outputs. You also get onboard metering with peak and RMS calculation. Best of all, the Babyface Pro FS achieves all of this while staying very straightforward and looking great on your desk. We’re impressed by the Babyface Pro FS here at Sweetwater — it packs a lot of power into a sleek desktop interface.

Ultra-stable SteadyClock FS technology

Boasting the same SteadyClock FS circuit as RME’s reference-quality ADI-2 Pro AD/DA converter, the Babyface Pro FS takes self-jitter to new lows, eclipsing its predecessor’s already impressive performance with an upgraded analog PLL circuit and referencing both Direct Digital Synthesis and PLL to a low-phase-noise quartz crystal. In fact, the Babyface Pro FS’s self-jitter reaches levels that are usually only available in master quartz clock mode, even while running in PLL mode. Thanks to this updated circuit, the Babyface Pro FS reaches jitter specs as low as a femtosecond. Just to put it in perspective, that’s 1/1,000,000,000,000,000 of a second!

A bevy of other design improvements nets unbelievable sound quality

On top of its updated SteadyClock FS circuit, the Babyface Pro FS includes a bevy of other improvements over its predecessor. Its microphone preamps boast an improved signal-to-noise ratio, from 112.2dB to 113.7dB, while the line/instrument inputs went from 114dB to 116.3dB. The line inputs’ THD was improved by 8dB. The Babyface Pro FS employs the same high-quality output op-amps as the ADI-2 Pro. Its 3.5mm headphones output power was increased from 70mW to 90mW, and the THD of both headphones outputs has been improved by up to 10dB. Plus, the 3.5mm output’s impedance was lowered from 2 ohms to 0.1 ohms. A +19/+4dBu switch reduces the interface’s output level, improving its signal-to-noise ratio for sensitive active monitors, avoiding overloads and distortion, and enabling you to keep TotalMix FX’s faders near 0dB instead of at high attenuations. You also get six samples less latency on the A/D side. And all of these improvements were achieved without raising the audio interface’s power consumption!

TotalMix FX provides latency-free processing, monitoring, and effects

The Babyface Pro FS comes loaded with RME’s TotalMix FX engine. This dual-DSP system uses one DSP chip for monitor mixing, leaving the other free for latency-free effects and processing. The routing side of TotalMix FX gives you a fully flexible 288-channel mixer with 46-bit internal resolution. Each of the Babyface Pro FS’s channels features a 3-band EQ, low-cut filter, reverb, and echo. That means you can track with the effects and processing you need, without ever having to worry about latency or your computer’s processing power.

 

Babyface Pro Bundle supplies a host of value-packed extras

The RME Babyface Pro FS includes a premium plug-in bundle that’s sure to jumpstart your creativity. Scuffham’s S-Gear is a top-shelf, ultra-flexible guitar amp simulator that was created by a former product designer from a certain legendary British amplifier company. Brainworx bx_opto yields classic optical-style compression with a streamlined interface, while bx_masterdesk reproduces the sound of a high-end analog mastering system. You also get trial versions of Pianoteq 6 by Modartt and the Blue 3 Organ by GG Audio, along with a 14-day, full version of Gig Performer. You also get a 3-month subscription to Antares Autotune Unlimited. This USB-C-compatible audio interface includes USB-2 and USB-C cables.

Tech Specs

Computer Connectivity USB 2.0
Form Factor Desktop
Simultaneous I/O 4 x 4 (analog), 8 x 8 (digital)
Number of Preamps 2 x mic, 2 x instrument
Phantom Power Yes
A/D Resolution Up to 24-bit/192kHz
Effects Reverb, Delay (via TotalMix FX software)
Analog Inputs 2 x XLR (mic), 2 x 1/4″ (Hi-Z/line)
Analog Outputs 2 x XLR (+4dBu/+19dBu)
Digital Inputs 1 x Optical Toslink (ADAT, S/PDIF)
Digital Outputs 1 x Optical Toslink (ADAT, S/PDIF)
Headphones 1 x 1/4″, 1 x 1/8″
MIDI I/O In/Out (via breakout cable)
USB 1 x Type B
Software RME TotalMix FX, Total Mix Remote (iOS, Mac, PC), Brainworx Plug-ins, Scuffham S-Gear Amp Collection
Compatibility iOS, Mac, PC
OS Requirements Mac:OS X 10.9 or later
OS Requirements PC:Windows 7 SP1 or later
Bus Powered Yes
Power Supply 12V DC power supply / USB bus powered
Height 1.4″
Width 4.25″
Depth 7.1″
Weight 1.5 lbs.
Manufacturer Part Number Babyface Pro FS
Brand