The biggest jump in sound quality isn’t necessarily your microphone.

Which audio interface should you use? For cinematographers, it seems pragmatic to simply use your field recorder. The Zoom F3 is known for having very clean preamps as well as the useful 32 bit float for solo operators. So was it worth it to get an RME Babyface Pro FS?

Features

The RME build quality is exceptional. It’s sturdy, metal and feels like I could kick it around and it’ll be fine. German quality is exactly what you’d expect it to be if not better. There are no frivolous fashion choices in design, just exceptional engineering and performance. It does look less inspiring than Universal Audio, but this is sound, not video and performance is everything. I personally think it looks sleek and the sparkling chasis makes up for any qualms about cosmetic appearances.

The RME is known for its high quality drivers, reliability and latency. I can say the latency is definitely lower than the Zoom F3 and the preamps are a noticeable upgrade. There are generous of I/O ports including MIDI, ADAT, headphones, but must importantly 2 XLR inputs, 2 XLR outputs and 2 line inputs. The packaging comes with additional cables. The RME has an iPod-like control wheel, which I’m not too big a fan of. I’m pretty precise in my controls, so when I want to adjust gain, I want to see a number but all we get are vague blinking bars to indicate our levels. The controls are pretty straightforward after a while, though require some habitual memory.

Set up is quite simple, simply download the drivers on the RME website (www.rme.to/downloads) and then choose the update for your product. What’s great is that RME is very good about supporting older models, meaning even though your product could be 10 years old you can still expect support for your modern computer software update. On Mac you’ll have to download Totalmix, which is initially an overwhelming sound interface and then allow permissions in privacy settings then restart and you’re good to go. The package also seemed to install something called Rogue Amoeba Software, which is a trusted software but I declined permissions anyway. Totalmix isn’t a very fashionable or creative interface. It looks like something out of a 1990s RPG. All you need to know is you have to increase the gain for your microphones especially if they are phantom powered condenser microphones. The gain is comparatively lower than the Zoom F3 for the same volume, I’d suggest around 30 gain to start with. Make sure you click the wrench and select 48V for phantom power or you won’t get signal, especially for all relevant inputs. If you’re directly recording guitar, you’ll probably have to increase gain to the max 9, which is still quiet but fine since you’ll likely be adding distortion, compression and other effects after.

Sound Quality

For vocals, you may not hear a particularly big difference. It took me a while to identify and for the average person they shouldn’t be able to differentiate. The Zoom F3 sounds louder because it has more forward presence masking how flat it is. The RME is quieter but has more depth, which feels like it is capturing more spatial space. The Zoom F3 does have better noise performance, not sure if this has to do with 32bit float or my user error.

You may barely be able to hear a difference and I admittedly didn’t pronounce it exactly the same each time. However, you may agree with me the Zoom F3 sounds slightly more brittle and boxy whereas the RME has more dimensionality. But it is very marginal for mono mic voiceovers, so if that’s your primary consideration then perhaps the Zoom F3 is sufficient.

The difference becomes more apparent once you use two microphones or record more dynamic audio. Piano is one of the most dynamic instruments so you can hear the comparison below. I added some reverb and compression.

There’s pretty much no comparison, the Zoom F3 once again sounds louder, but it’s flat and doesn’t capture the dynamics or spatial acoustics of the room very well. The clarity is also much more obvious here, it feels like you are actually there, which is also because I’m using an expensive microphone.

The latency for guitar was also very low and signal was clean. I added basic Logic Pro pedal board effects at 256 buffer speed and the latency was still usable for playing over a recording.

Cons

The main disappointments are the user experience and that there are only 2 XLR mic inputs. You could argue that it’s because of the small portable size, but even on the larger upgraded Fireface model you still also only have 2 mic inputs. Luckily you are able to add more inputs with through ADAT, but it would be nice to not compromise this portable footprint. Also the interface and controls are uninspiring and unintuitive, I’d rather do all my precise controls in Totalmix. However, Totalmix is quite overwhelming and has an arduous user experience. I value cosmetics and user interface pretty heavily but I still found it acceptable, it’s not unusable by any means, at least if you’re not coming from a fancier interface. You’ll have to upgrade to a Fireface if you want a better interface. User experience isn’t the best, but if you care about sound quality above all else you’ll probably forgive all the cons.

Final thoughts

If you are only recording dialogue, a field recorder like the Zoom F3 is good enough unless you have large crowds, distance and ambience you’d like to capture. Otherwise for music production, the RME was a bigger sonic upgrade bang for buck than my $3000 Neumann U87ai mic. It’s especially noticeable when capturing depth for soundscaping, ambience or rich details and tonality.

The alternative to this is the popular Universal Audio Apollo Twin X, which is known for its plugins. The plugins are good, but DSP is slowly being outdated with M silicon chip Macbooks having so much performance. You can use your own plugins like I did in these recordings and still have barely any latency. Also the Apollo is less portable requiring a power outlet where the RME just needs USB, it doesn’t even come with a thunderbolt cable and the RME comes with several as well as more ports. The Apollo is really for Mac users that want visual inspiration and a creative user friendly interface. Sound quality-wise I can only go off of comparisons I’ve heard online, the Apollo has more analog warm character where the RME has more modern clarity and sound fidelity, which can be considered coldly clinical for some. For creatives that care about sound texture and creating creative tracks and effects, the Universal Audio will be great for artists trying to differentiate themselves through having specific tastes for their sonic identity. UAD plugins are incredible for reverb, delay and compression but you can still use your own plugins on RME you just need to do your own research.

This is what I have been missing in order to capture that crisp, clean and detailed piano texture. It’s not for cinematographers, whom should stick with field recorders like the Sound Devices Mix Pre; it’s for musicians that care about sound fidelity. German engineering never fails to disappoint so for 800 USD I think this is a high value lifelong purchase especially when audio quality has plateaued and doesn’t need regular upgrades. You can make great audio and music with any budget equipment today, so what you should consider are the potential drawbacks for your gear. The RME has basically none and the Apollo has a lot including lack of portability, ports and a money sink of UAD plugins that will trap you forever. Universal Audio makes shinier flashier products marketed toward creatives, but the last thing you want is for your gear to get in your way. It’s not like you will ever be disappointed by RME, you just might fantasize about accessing those fancy plugins, but it’s not worth the potential negatives. Of course, it’s up to you to research and decide. I’m sleeping sound with my RME.

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