RME make audio interfaces that are super reliable at ultra-low latencies, have leading driver stability, and offer an ultra‑clean sound, with the ability to route anything, anywhere. These routing capabilities are thanks to TotalMix FX, RME's powerful digital real-time mixer that's included for free with all recent RME audio interfaces.

The DSP-based mixer allows for fully independent routing and mixing of input and playback channels, to all physical outputs. It offers independent stereo sub-mixes plus a comprehensive 'Control Room' section, offering monitoring capabilities and routing flexibility. 

Every input and output channel comes with features comparable to any full-scale digital console, with effects per channel that include a 3-band parametric EQ, an adjustable Low Cut, Auto Level, Compressor, Expander, MS Processing and phase reversal. The Reverb and Echo effects unit is available for all channels by a stereo send and return bus. RME offer all these effects even at 192 kHz operation.

Two DSPs ensure an impressive performance even in extreme applications. TotalMix is available with all channels (90) at all sample rates, completely unlimited. The second DSP calculates the effects only, therefore has sufficient resources. For example, at 48 kHz 60 EQs, 34 Low Cuts and Echo can be activated. With activated Reverb and Echo still 46 EQs and 32 Low Cuts are available.

The FX-DSP uses automatic overload surveillance. As soon as no effect can be added anymore, the TotalMix surface will clearly signal this condition. When changing to higher sample rates, the UFX automatically deactivates all effects that exceed the DSP's performance - the DSP will never be overloaded. This also prevents the user from destroyed loudspeakers.

The complete effects section not only adds a lot of flexibility to the recording chain but makes latency burdened software dispensable. TotalMix can easily replace any external mixer, e.g. to create different latency-free monitoring mixes with EQ and Reverb for the main studio monitors and the headphone of the vocalist(s) in the recording room.

Furthermore, the DSP hardware calculates RMS and Peak levels for all 90 level meters, so there is zero CPU load on the host.

TotalMix FX Features

• Control Room section for the main output (studio monitors) and phones. Cue for quick listening to other outputs. Separated monitor panel.

• Four mute, solo and fader groups each.

• Switchable mono and stereo channel view

• New channel options: Stereo Width, MS Processing, Phase L/R

• Trim Mode: Adjusts the volume for all routed signals of a channel. This option allows to modify the volume of all sends of a channel simultaneously, equalling a hardware's trim functionality.

• Unlimited Undo and Redo

• FX Sends and Returns: One send bus for every input/playback channel with Reverb/Echo

• Expandable channel view for channel settings, EQ and Dynamics setup

• Slim channel mode for selected or all channels, to save space or give a meter bridge view

• 2-Row Mode: reduces the height of the mixer to two rows for smaller displays

• Extended Matrix window with mono/stereo mode, Undo/Redo, display of phase and mute

To find out more about TotalMix FX - head over to Syntax Audio UK’s website.

Check out the video series from RME to learn how to get up and running with TotalMix FX.

Routing and Layout Basics

TotalMix FX mixer interface is straightforward and straight forward. On the top row are the Hardware Input channels, the Middle row of faders are your software outputs. The bottom row faders are your hardware output channels. With the control room section in TotalMix FX you have advanced functions like speaker switching, talkback, cueing and front panel controls will work properly.

Snapshots and Workspaces

Save your TotalMix FX Mixing Sessions with the Snapshots and Workspaces function. Snapshots allows you to store the current mixer settings for recall. With Workspaces you can save all settings as a complete backup, like routing modes, Snapshots or Fader groups.

Customising The Channel Layout

Like to customise your interface to enhance your TotalMix FX Workflow? You can easily rename Audio Channels, minimise or hide Channels and save different Layout settings.

Recording with RME Audio Interfaces

This short video shows you how to setup an RME Audio Interface and TotalMix FX for Vocal recording.

Headphone Mixes

Recording FX with Loopback

There are two types of effects in TotalMix FX, the channel insert effects namely the EQ and dynamics and the auxiliary effects such as reverb and the echo. Depending on the effects type, the recording process is different. Check out this video on how to record the effects via the Loopback feature.

Monitor Mix

This episode focuses on monitoring in the control room section.

Trim Gains

Channel Groups

In TotalMix FX we have these so called channel groups. With mute groups you can disable multiple audio tracks at the same time. Solo groups are great, if you want to solo a particular set of all the channels, while all the other audio channels are disabled. Last but not least fader groups let you move multiple channel faders at the same time.

Free vs. Submix Mode

Learn the differences between the submix mode and the free routing mode. Both routing modes have their pros and cons and depending on your workflow.

Adding FX

Learn how to add reverb or delay to your headphone mixes or main monitor mixes. The reverb and echo effects are send and return effects only and are available on DSP powered RME audio interfaces.

Mono/Stereo

Find out how to change channel settings in TotalMix FX and split up a stereo channel, into two separate mono channels for a variety of different instruments.

DAW Mode

Since the release of version 1.3 TotalMix FX comes equipped with an alternative operational mode called DAW Mode, a more streamlined and simplified interface for users who don’t need the full feature set of TotalMix FX. In contrast to the full mode, the DAW mode leaves the mixing and routing to your DAW by only providing the input and output channels of your RME interface.

DSP Effects Overview

TotalMix FX comes with two types of effects: Insert effects, namely the EQ and Compressor, and Send effects like Reverb and Delay. While the Insert Effects are available on a per channel basis on all input and output channels, the Send Effects are on a separate effects bus.

TotalMix FX for iPad App

TotalMix FX for iPad adds full control over hardware mixer and DSP effects for Fireface UCX, UFX, 802, Babyface / Babyface Pro, UFX II, UFX +, MADIface Pro when in Class Compliant Mode and lets users create, store and load complete mixes directly from the iPad.