20/01/2026
Sound On Sound published an eye opening article this month about USB technology for audio interfaces. Besides the explanation, why RME interfaces perform better, it also compares USB to Thunderbolt and explains the USB-C connector.
More about the RME perspective:
- USB-C is great, but brings no performance improvements (except it can deliver more power). RME interfaces in the US come with a USB-C adapter cable, but the interface connector is still USB-B, as requested by most users. The larger port is much more stable for mobile and live setups. If the interface falls or a USB cable is pulled, a USB-C connector slips out or breaks much more easily. Anyway, this could change for future interfaces.
- Thunderbolt on paper has performance advantages, as it is directly connected to the internal bus. But as Sound On Sound writes, RME's unique USB solution, which combines a very sophisticated USB low level implementation with custom drivers, matches most Thunderbolt solutions in latency and is perfectly stable and reliable.
- The RME USB solutions works identically for Mac, Windows, iPad and provides the essential USB Class Compliant Mode. RME USB interfaces also work with most legacy or budget computers/notebook by simply plug and play the cable to any lousy USB2 port. Most importantly: USB by RME can be supported over the lifetime of the interface with drivers and flash updates (+15 years). Just install the new TotalMix FX, which is a free update for all RME interfaces with TotalMix from the last 20 years. All of these points are not possible with TB.
- All in all, the additional Thunderbolt licensing problems, the limited availability of Thundebolt chips and the higher costs of building and maintaining such a solution are not worth a latency advantage of 0.5 ms, when every RME USB system already provides 3 ms roundtrip latency without latency jitter (!). RME users can play drums and guitar in realtime with fully loaded VST plugins and they are very happy about it.
- Visit the RME booth at NAMM, meet the engineers of today’s biggest tours (guess who), they will explain their setups.
Maybe win your dream interface (3x day). See you!