You’re aware that the RME converters are measurably, objectively significantly better than the Axe’s, right? RME is renowned worldwide for having among the best world-class converters out there, and their drivers are also well known for being the most stable (there are others that may be equally stable, but none that reliably are more stable) and in the top tier of low latency. You can buy different, but you can’t buy (significantly) better than RME and everything else from Metric Halo / Antelope / Lynx / UAD is just tiny variations on the same high technology. They’re up there with the best of the best, where the differentiating factors are not sound quality but features and upgradability and onboard DSP etc. RME are known for an incredibly transparent sound, due to an absolute lack of colouration in the recording or playback. This makes some people feel that they are “sterile” but in fact it ensures that precisely what you put in, you get out. If you want colour, add it elsewhere in the signal chain.
In contrast, the Axe has average-mid quality converters in the 110dB S/n range, limited to 48kHz sample rate, no mention of internal oversampling methods used, no mention of clock jitter specification, and a frequency spec that stops at 20Hz-20kHz. This is average gear, not top quality stuff.
Now, please don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying anything like “the Axe is bad, RME are the best”. I’m saying that, from a real world perspective, the RME boxes have measurably (and realistically) significantly higher fidelity to the recorded audio from input (including and especially in the analogue preamp and line amp stages) through to the output (including the output buffers and amplifiers) and even in the hardware mixing internally. They are world class gear. However, there are tons of people who prefer, subjectively, a more lo-fi sound. They find it more pleasant or more suited to their style of music, or more to their taste. Or they don’t prioritize ultra high fidelity over other values like price, convenience, or specific features like onboard effects and what have you. The form factor of the Babyface is a good example, it is not for everybody and something more traditional like a UCX/UFX would work better for them. There are those who are not only happy with but prefer the 12-bit digital sound of OTO pedals and run everything they make through them!
So I am not saying that RME is “better” in the subjective sense, only the objective measurable sense as compared to a perfectly transparent recording ideal. If you like your Axe FX 2, you like it, full stop, and that’s “better” for you!
But, to my point, if you do like that, there won’t be much point in spending money for a massively better interface, as the quality will be limited to what the Axe can produce, so you might as well save your money and put it where it will make a bigger difference to you. So I suggest the Focusrite line since those are already significantly higher quality than the Axe and easily able to translate it’s sound into your computer and back out faithfully.
