Versions of Microsoft Windows for ARM CPUs are not new, but until recently, received limited attention in professional audio circles. This changed in 2024, when Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X CPU, coupled with Microsoft’s effective emulation for native Windows apps, significantly improved usability on ARM notebooks.
However, audio workflows present unique challenges. Emulation does not support audio interface drivers, requiring native WDM and ASIO driver compatibility within Windows 11. RME has addressed this challenge with the release of a new, compatible driver for MADIface and the USB series, compatible with both x64 Intel systems and Snapdragon X ARM notebooks running Windows 11.
Unrivaled Support
In place of a partial or early-access release, RME has delivered a fully featured driver designed for immediate use, with full compatibility across the latest feature set and TotalMix FX. This milestone is particularly significant, as the driver supports all USB audio interfaces produced by RME since 2009: more than 27 models, beginning with the Fireface UC. With many of these interfaces still in circulation, users can easily pair Snapdragon ARM systems with proven RME hardware.
Supported USB series driver: Fireface UC / Babyface / Babyface Pro / UFX / UCX / UCX II / 802 / 802 FS
Supported MADIface series driver: MADIface XT / XT II / USB / Pro, Fireface UFX+ / UFX II / UFX III, OctaMic XTC, ADI-2 Pro/AE/FS/DAC, ADI-2/4 Pro, Digiface USB / AVB / AES / Dante / Ravenna, DO USB.IO
The Details
The USB series driver 1.270 and the MADIface series driver 1.0. are now 64 bit drivers, compiled with the latest Microsoft tools and using the latest Microsoft guidelines. They work on both Windows 11 Intel computers as well as Windows 11 ARM computers. Minimum requirement is Windows 10 (ver. 1709). While these drivers do not support 32 bit Windows as OS anymore, 32 bit apps can still be used on an x64 system (standard Windows compatibility).
Both WDM and ASIO are available. For ARM, ASIO is included as 32 bit and 64 bit, both as ARM 64EC and ARM native.
The installer is completely reworked and now copies current files to C:\Program Files\RME\MADIface and C:\Program Files\RME\Fireface.
As a bonus from the new installer, a restart after initial installation is no longer necessary, and will also no longer be required for future updates. TotalMix FX and Settings dialog are immediately available in the notification area and are also updated instantly. A manual restart is necessary mostly when changing from the current drivers to the new combined x64/ARM drivers.
To completely uninstall the driver, start meininstaller.exe from the driver archive and choose Uninstall. Uninstalling via Windows Apps (Add & Remove) is no longer supported.
Visit the downloads section on RME’s website to download the latest driver.
