User Manual

User's Guide Babyface Pro © RME

33. Application Examples for Stand-Alone Mode

Here are two examples of setting up and using the Babyface Pro in stand-alone mode.

Universal DA-Converter

Connect the Babyface Pro via SPDIF to your CD-player, MP3 player or whatever device digitally

playing audio at up to 192 kHz. Comfortably adjust the hearing level with the rotary encoder.

Push DIM for a quick mute, and use the internal mixer to send the converted digital input signal

to both XLR and Phones outs.

Analog Microphone Preamp

Activate phantom power if necessary, then set the Mic gain as needed. Set the Babyface Pro to

Master 192 kHz for widest frequency range and lowest delay. Use the internal mixer to send the

analog input signal to the analog outputs – finished. The total delay from the internal AD to DA

conversion is a ridiculous 20 samples, which at 192 kHz is a real 0.1 ms – forget it.

With this setup the analog input signal is amplified to line level, available at 4 individually ad-

justable analog outputs as well as an digital output in either SPDIF or ADAT format. Options

galore!

Using EQ in stand-alone mode

The Babyface Pro has neither controls nor memory for the DSP functions. Therefore in stand-

alone mode EQs are not available.

There is a workaround though: when using TotalMix FX under Mac or Windows, and powering

the Babyface Pro with an external power supply, pulling the USB cable will retain the whole

current state, including EQs activated on all I/Os. Changing input gains and output levels as

well as monitoring volume can be done directly at the unit as usual. This ‘online’ state gets lost

the moment the unit loses power, it then enters the normal ‘offline’ stand-alone mode as stored

in its memory (last usage in full stand-alone mode), and of course without EQs.

34. Useful notes

Mobile Operation

USB bus power can be delivered by a rechargeable battery. These days LiPo batteries with

USB ports are very popular, usually used to charge your mobile gadgets on the go. They are

lightweight, have an astonishing capacity, can be recharged quickly many times, and are not

expensive. And they have a USB port. We tried several of those with 4,200 mAh and more. The

Babyface Pro worked for several hours while playing music, with bigger batteries more than 10

hours. Batteries from 10,000 mAh and up are also available with 9 to 12 V output. These avoid

potential bus power issues with peak loads over less than optimal USB cables, as they would

provide power to the external power supply connector of the Babyface Pro – and also enable

iPad mobile operation without having to use an Y USB cable. This one provides both data con-

nection between iPad and Babyface Pro, and power over USB for the Babyface.