Synthax has let us know that at NAMM 2018 RME has just announced the latest update to their comprehensive monitoring and routing software TotalMix FX. This new update combines with a new app called TotalMix Remote, which allows control over TotalMix FX via a network, over WiFi, or even remotely from anywhere in the world.

Included free with all RME audio interfaces and PCI/PCIe soundcards, TotalMix FX provides a real-time mixer interface for all RME interfaces, along with EQ, Compression/Limiting, and Echo/Reverb sends for devices that feature a dedicated DSP FX chip, found in the majority of RME’s current generation of interfaces. What’s more, many long-standing and discontinued RME devices can also use TotalMix, continuing to benefit from new features and updates, such as the very first Multiface back from the year 2001.

TotalMix FX has long supported remote control via MIDI, the Mackie protocol and OSC. However, these methods are somewhat limited in that they operate only in banks and with a limited feature set, and graphical interfaces that differ significantly from the full TotalMix FX. The main focus of TotalMix FX 1.50 therefore, is the development of complete remote control capabilities via a network.

Free Update For All RME Audio Interface Users

Version 1.50 now supports network remote over TCP. The remote consists of the program TotalMix Remote, which basically does not differ from the normal TotalMix FX. However, there is no communication to a local interface, but via the network to all systems running TotalMix FX version 1.50. The software will be available free of charge for Windows, Mac OS and iOS (iPad). The update to version 1.50 of the normal desktop version is (of course) also free.

The remote software mirrors the current state of the host system on a Windows computer, Mac or iPad – the entire display of the interface, the complete routing, all settings, up to the level meters. The latter show particularly clearly the great advantage of the TCP-based remote: lowest system load and very low latency. In contrast to popular, browser-based network solutions, TotalMix FX has been designed to minimise the burden on the remote client and the host, with fluid, instant access and operation. This is true even if a fader group is moved quickly, and many nodes need to process changing gain values.

Setup is designed to be easy, simply enter the IP address of the host computer into TotalMix Remote, and the app will be able to communicate with any connected RME device. This is possible even without additional tools since the Host's address is displayed directly in the Network Settings page in TotalMix FX.

Control Multiple RME Devices Over Any Network (Incl. with the RME ARC USB)

TotalMix Remote with TotalMix FX 1.50 is capable of multi-device, multi-remote and multi-host operation. On the remote computer the extended remote functions of the normal desktop version are also available, so a remote of the remote via MIDI and Mackie protocol, typically with fader banks in hardware, is possible on Mac and Windows computer but not the iPad. RME’s ARC USB, is a USB-based remote control with a rotary wheel and 15 freely programmable, illuminated buttons, which Alan Sallabank has reviewed, can be connected to the remote computer and used with the software TotalMix Remote but isn't available for iPad.