White Sea Studio share their thoughts on the RME M-32 Pro Series AD/DA Converters and RME HDSPe MADI FX PCIe sound card.
Many engineers, producers and musicians that have spent time browsing YouTube for gear reviews will be familiar with White Sea Studio. Operating primarily as a studio in the Netherlands, the White Sea Studio YouTube channel – run by engineer Wytse – is filled with useful audio engineering tutorials and gear reviews.
At the end of 2021, Wytse reviewed the RME ADI-2 Pro FS R, a purchase that he admitted made him want to switch his whole setup to RME. Fast forward to May 2022 and White Sea Studio have upgraded their setup by adding more RME products – the RME HDSPe MADI FX and a pair of M-32 Pro Series converters.
In one of their latest videos, Wytse talks about the reasons behind the switch to a full RME workflow, including their stability and reliability, as well as the renowned transparent RME sound.
Check out the full video from White Sea Studio below, or read on to learn more about the devices featured.
White Sea Studio Reviews the RME M-32 Pro Series
See more videos at Synthax TV
On RME’s Reliability
When discussing his reasons for upgrading his studio to RME, Wytse highlights the company’s renowned reliability and stability as a large draw.
“Reliability is something that is really important to me and it’s something that has caused a lot of headaches in my former setup” he starts. “On the software side RME really has a very good reputation. History really shows that they are dedicated to long term support, and they are very quick with their software updates. So, all in all, this feels reliable and that’s what I want. Work needs to be done here! I have no time to deal with technical problems.”
With many manufacturers, there will come a time when products stop receiving driver updates. With new versions of operating systems being released yearly in some cases, the lifespan of a product can fade quickly as technology changes.
RME continues to provide up to date drivers for products released as far back as 2001, meaning that your RME audio interface and sound card is ready to use with the latest operating system despite its age.
Together with rock-solid audio drivers that are designed in-house, RME are also known for their build quality, with professional users relying on them for years of use in the studio and on the road.
RME has become well renowned for its reliability and stability over the company’s 20 years in operation. That’s why Synthax Audio UK offers 5 year warranty on all RME products bought from ourselves or an authorised UK dealer at no extra cost. For more information on the 5 Year Warranty, scroll to the bottom of this article.
RME M-32 Pro Series
RME’s M-32 Pro Series converters represent the pinnacle of their converter technology. The 32-channel converters are based around the popular ADI-2 Pro 2-channel converter, which is renowned for its true and transparent audio conversion. With the ADI-2 Pro in mind, the M-32 Pro Series was designed as class-leading AD and DA converters for high channel count applications, the M-32 Series is ideal for scenarios that require extremely accurate recording and playback across a high number of channels.
With state-of-the-art components and a fully balanced analogue circuit design, the M-32 Pro offers reference-class conversion quality, including a signal-to-noise ratio of 120 dB(A) with extremely low THD values.
Emphasis has been put on designing converters that are made for professional applications and this is evident in the feature-set of the M-32 Pro Series. The series comprises two devices – a 32 channel AD converter, and a 32 channel DA converter. Both fit conveniently into most recording setups, only taking up 1U of rack space per unit. Both devices feature redundant power supplies with front-panel alerts in case of power loss. Automatic switchover of the PSU means there is no noticeable loss of audio in the event of a power issuee
Digital connection is provided via dual MADI I/O in both optical and coaxial. These can be used individually for up to 128 channels of digital audio or can be paired together for a redundant MADI setup. The M-32 Pro can also convert between MADI formats too, making them a versatile converter for a range of MADI-based setups.
AVB: Audio Video Bridging
Alongside its MADI I/O, both the AD and DA M-32 Pros also benefit from the networking capability of AVB. This open audio networking format enables all 32 channels of the M-32 Pros to be sent and received at up to 192kHz sample rate. With its included AVB I/O, the M-32 Pro Series slots into RME’s next generation audio networking range. RME’s flagship microphone preamp the 12Mic is AVB-ready with redundant ethernet connections, whilst the AVB Tool is ideal as a breakout point on any network for recording and monitoring, as well as for MADI/AVB conversion. All RME AVB devices can be quickly integrated to become a part of a complex audio network with the help of dedicated AVB switches.
Remote Control Options
The RME M-32 Pro Series features a user interface that is designed to be easy to navigate from the front panel. A colour coded warning system highlights issues quickly, whilst all navigation is done using a simple pushable encoder.
Like the rest of RME’s audio networking range, the M-32 Pro Series benefits from access to RME’s all-new Web Remote. This free browser-based web remote offers click-and-drag routing as well as access to the same on-board controls as the front panel.
The click and drag functionality allows you to easily route directly from an input to an output, giving you both visual and hands-on control of every incoming and outgoing signal. What’s more, any signal can be routed to any output, regardless of format.
The web-based control also allows for control over the input channels, including selecting gains and phantom power.
Finally, when paired with the RME Digiface AVB, the M-32 Pro Series can be easily managed via RME’s AVB software controller, or via other third-party AVDECC controllers such as Hive.
Learn more about RME’s Audio Networking range.
RME HDSPe MADI FX
With the RME M-32 Pro Series serving as the AD and DA Converters in the studio’s updated setup, White Sea Studio also opted for an interface upgrade to match their new converters. Wytse chose RME’s highest-channel count PCIe card, the HDSPe MADI FX.
Capable of handling a staggering 390 channels – 194 input channels and 196 output channels – the MADI FX is the highest channel count internal soundcard and second highest audio interface in RME’s range.
RME’s design ethos often means that highly integrated devices are built into the smallest amount of space. This extends into the MADI FX PCIe card, with its vast collection of channels available thanks to its triple MADI I/O. This is made up of two optical MADI slots and one coaxial MADI I/O on BNC connectors. Each MADI connection offers 64 channels of audio, so this provides more than enough spare channels for future MADI expansion at Wytse’s White Sea Studio.
Whilst the MADI FX features a dedicated stereo output, the breakout AES/EBU I/O allows Wytse to add his ADI-2 Pro FS R into the setup to truly reflect the sound reproduction of his M-32 Pros in his monitoring stage.
Learn more about the RME HDSPe MADI FX PCIe Sound Card
TotalMix FX
A standout workflow benefit of RME audio interfaces is the inclusion of TotalMix FX, RME’s powerful on-board DSP mixer and software. TotalMix gives you the ability to route any hardware or software input to any physical output, creating near limitless possibilities in terms of mixing. This is particularly useful when paired with high-channel count devices like the MADI FX card, giving you visual control over all channels. Because TotalMix is DSP-based, all the processing takes place within the PCIe card itself. This allows the MADI FX to offer latency-free monitoring as well as the ability to create complex routings without any performance issues.
A full Control Room section is available, with shortcuts for commonly used functions like Speaker A/B switching, Dim, Mono, Level Recall and Talkback.
Alongside Control Room functionality, the HDSPe MADI FX also benefits from TotalMix FX, a version of the software that includes a range of effects to improve monitoring. A 5-band parametric EQ and Dynamics are available on every channel, whilst Reverb and Delay sends allow for enhanced monitor mixes during recording.
New to TotalMix FX? Check out RME’s Beginner’s Guide
Closing Points
The vast majority of industry professionals rely on products that work day in, day out without an issue. This is something that Wytse finds imperative for his daily workflow at White Sea Studio. Reliability has formed a large part of the RME brand ethos, with rock-solid audio drivers and build quality being an important aspect of all their products. In closing, Wytse sums up his brand new acquisitions in a similar way to many other professional RME users:
“There’s nothing flashy or special about it but that’s actually what I want. I just want it to work and do its job very well.”
Our thanks to Wytse from White Sea Studio for the review. Don’t forget to check out their YouTube channel for all your music technology and audio engineering needs!
5 Year Warranty (UK Only)
Over the past 20 years, the word ‘reliability’ has become synonymous with the RME Audio brand, thanks to both the exceptional build quality and the now industry-renowned, rock-solid drivers.
For this reason, we are happy to offer all of our UK customers a complimentary 5 year warranty on all RME products, when purchased either from ourselves, or from one of our authorised UK dealers, and remain the only interface manufacturer to offer this at no extra cost.
To activate your 5 year warranty, simply register your RME device with us within 30 days of purchase via our warranty page.
To ensure you are buying your device from a UK-based retailer, please check our list of authorised UK dealers before purchase.