# Midi interface for hardware synths



## vlj (Mar 19, 2018)

Hello...
its time for me to get a new midi router interface....I haven't been down this road for many years, Looking for some recommendations from real world users..
Thanks in advance!


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## wst3 (Mar 19, 2018)

My absolute favorite is the discontinued Alyseum Al-88c, it uses your LAN as the transport, and other than forgetting the settings every once in a while it has worked flawlessly for me. They have moved the transport from Ethernet to USB3, I haven't tried that model yet, but I imagine it is pretty good.

My second favorite is the iConnectivity family. I finally had a chance to play with their iConnectAudio4+, and it is very cool. What I need, unfortunately, is a cross between their Audio4+ and their MIO10. Maybe I need to buy both? I hope not<G>!

@Nick Batzdorf is something of an expert on these, hopefully he will chime in.

Depending on how many MIDI devices you use you may still need an old fashioned MIDI patchbay. I've nearly gotten rid of two of my three, and it really has made life easier!

Have fun!


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## synthpunk (Mar 19, 2018)

I still use the old venerable Emagic Unitor 8's but I'm not sure if there are still PC drivers or not. You can find a Unitor 8 or AMT8 pretty cheap these days on eBay for about $100 or so.

For new there are less and less options these days I would look at Motu and iconnectivity as mentioned above.


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## Loïc D (Mar 20, 2018)

I had a Roland/Edirol UM880 in the past : fantastic piece of gear. It's a full MIDI Router 8in/8out with USB. Works also in standalone mode (and for the record, features a MIDI cable test mode).
Since I don't use as many MIDI gear as in the past, I sold for a good price within 2 or 3 days.

If you can grab one used, this is definitely a good recommandation.


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## vlj (Mar 20, 2018)

Thank you guys!! How about the new MOTU stuff. ?


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## jononotbono (Mar 20, 2018)

vlj said:


> Thank you guys!! How about the new MOTU stuff. ?



I'm using a MOTU Midi Express 128. It's a seamless bit of gear that I never even notice is in my Music Lab and has been faultless so far. There are 8 inputs and 9 Outputs and if anymore are required it's simple to just add more to your setup.

It's as "solid as a Rock".


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## synthpunk (Mar 20, 2018)

Motu should be fine.
http://motu.com/products

Click Midi



vlj said:


> Thank you guys!! How about the new MOTU stuff. ?


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## wst3 (Mar 21, 2018)

MOTU is - I think - an underappreciated developer. Their hardware works well. They did have a bit of a slump a few years ago, and annoyed the theatre sound community (a particularly demanding crew, for obvious reasons), but they are winning those folks back now.

All their hardware is assembled somewhere in New York State, and while that might seem like a silly fact, I think it is worth noting.

I learned something remarkable about them yesterday - they are one of only three or four Ethernet Switch manufacturers that are approved for AVB networking by Biamp, arguably the largest AVB manufacturer in the professional audio market. I'm not sure exactly what that means, but I'm pretty sure it is a clue.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Mar 21, 2018)

wst3 said:


> @Nick Batzdorf is something of an expert



Three words you want to be very careful using together: Nick, Batzdorf, and expert.

But I will say that iConnectivity - a company I was on retainer with for a couple of years (doing writing - manuals, product boxes, press releases, etc.) - makes the most advanced MIDI interfaces.

For example, their iConnectMIDI4+ supports up to three computers at the same time (Macs, PCs, or iOS devices), routing both MIDI and several channels of inter-computer audio (picture an audio interface with no external ins and outs); it has 4x4 5-pin DIN MIDI; USB MIDI (up to eight devices with a hub); rptMIDI - network MIDI - to several more machines. You can route and process lots and lots of 16-channel MIDI buses every which way.

There are lots of interfaces that are more basic than that, but they haven't changed much since the '80s - which is not a knock, because that's all you need if you just have a few devices and are using a single computer (or use VE Pro between machines).


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## bc3po (Mar 31, 2018)

iConnect mio10


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## rrichard63 (Mar 31, 2018)

A number of years ago I looked at several 8x8 MIDI patchbays, and ended up making the same choice as Lowweek -- an Edirol UM880. The MOTU I tried was an old model even then and I thought it was cantakerous. It might well be that MOTU got a lot better after that.


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## node01 (Nov 25, 2021)

jononotbono said:


> I'm using a MOTU Midi Express 128. It's a seamless bit of gear that I never even notice is in my Music Lab and has been faultless so far. There are 8 inputs and 9 Outputs and if anymore are required it's simple to just add more to your setup.
> 
> It's as "solid as a Rock".


Are you on PC or Mac?


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## node01 (Nov 25, 2021)

jononotbono said:


> I'm using a MOTU Midi Express 128. It's a seamless bit of gear that I never even notice is in my Music Lab and has been faultless so far. There are 8 inputs and 9 Outputs and if anymore are required it's simple to just add more to your setup.
> 
> It's as "solid as a Rock".


Are you on a Mac or PC? Their drivers are 10 years old


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## jononotbono (Nov 25, 2021)

node01 said:


> Are you on a Mac or PC? Their drivers are 10 years old


Using it with OSX.
It just works.


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## J-M (Nov 25, 2021)

If @node01 is searching for a midi interface, I'll give my vote to MOTU. Had my Micro Lite for a couple of years now. Downloaded the drivers and forgot that the thing even exists - it just works.


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## DJiLAND (Nov 25, 2021)

MIO XL is the ultimate MIDI interface. It also supports MIDI DIN, USB MIDI, and RTP MIDI, and you can route them freely. I'm using CME's Bluetooth MIDI device for my Mio XL (Widi Master and Widi Jack)


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## antsteep (Nov 26, 2021)

I have the ERM Multiclock. Rock solid timing and a solution to latency issues


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## jononotbono (Nov 26, 2021)

node01 said:


> Are you on a Mac or PC? Their drivers are 10 years old


Are MOTU's latest drivers 10 years old? I can't recall Win 11 being 10 years old. Isn't MacOS 12 "Monterey"... as in THE LATEST OSX VERSION? Is that"old"? Man, I must be getting old. Can't keep up.

I can't recall MOTU not supporting even their unsupported stuff even when its not being supported anymore.

Usually I wouldn't bite, but I am getting annoyed with people just writing shit on the internet that isn't true. I thought I could quench my own self by previously writing, "It just works" (Which it does and is completely true) but I feel now I have to call you out on this.

10 years old? Are you fucking joking? MOTU love their products. They love the people that buy their products. 

Forget it man. Don't buy MOTU. Awful company. Awful products. Everyone here that has recommended MOTU is a liar. Just buy a fold out midi keyboard that needs an air pump and connects (probably) with USB2.

Much love man


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## node01 (Nov 26, 2021)

jononotbono said:


> Are MOTU's latest drivers 10 years old? I can't recall Win 11 being 10 years old. Isn't MacOS 12 "Monterey"... as in THE LATEST OSX VERSION? Is that"old"? Man, I must be getting old. Can't keep up.
> 
> I can't recall MOTU not supporting even their unsupported stuff even when its not being supported anymore.
> 
> ...


Apparently, Motu just updated their drivers either yesterday or today in years after I posted. The 10 years I meant was their driver update which appeared to be back in 2011 on the Express 128 interfaces and 2017 on the XT's the last time I checked on their site. Hey, if it works for everyone, great. I ended up getting an iConnectivity instead. And that's great too.


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## jononotbono (Nov 26, 2021)

node01 said:


> Apparently, Motu just updated their drivers either yesterday or today in years after I posted. The 10 years I meant was their driver update which appeared to be back in 2011 on the Express 128 interfaces and 2017 on the XT's. Hey, if it works for everyone, great. I ended up getting an iConnectivity instead. And that's great too.


I don't wanna start a fight or anything...

But just buy a MOTU box and then this thread will be over 😂


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## Zanshin (Nov 26, 2021)

If you don't need more than 4x4:









Midihub – MIDI Interface & Stand-Alone MIDI Processor


Midihub is a stand-alone MIDI event processor, router & MIDI interface. Using the Midihub's Editor you can set it up to process MIDI messages in any way you want!




blokas.io





This thing will pat your head and rub your belly for you. I really don't want to fight @jononotbono, you look dangerous


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## jononotbono (Nov 26, 2021)

Zanshin said:


> If you don't need more than 4x4:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


As long as our relationship stays personal and highly sexual how could there ever be a problem?


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## shmuelyosef (Dec 13, 2021)

node01 said:


> Are you on a Mac or PC? Their drivers are 10 years old





jononotbono said:


> Are MOTU's latest drivers 10 years old? I can't recall Win 11 being 10 years old. Isn't MacOS 12 "Monterey"... as in THE LATEST OSX VERSION? Is that"old"? Man, I must be getting old. Can't keep up.
> 
> I can't recall MOTU not supporting even their unsupported stuff even when its not being supported anymore.
> 
> ...


I 'sort of' agree, however, I bought my MOTU Midi Express XT about 7-8 years ago secondhand. It is a real PITA to program, it occasionally crashes at critical moments, and the software and manuals are completely hopeless, but in conjunction with Midi-OX I have used it for all my hardware instrument routings for the entire time. I keep thinking that I'm tired of it, but in-between 'reprogramming efforts' to change capability it has just worked fine. The iConnectivity systems look great but I need at least 8 channels; I would need the PlayAUDIO12 to meet my needs and it's $600 plus tax.

There doesn't really seem to be anything similar in MIDI routing capabilities...choices are:
- MIDI solutions (would require multiple modules and some daisy chaining
- MIDIMAN (I still have a 4-channel and several 2-channels that I retired for the MOTU)
- Anyone know anything about the https://conductivelabs.com/mrcc/ (MRC | Conductive Labs LLC)device? https://conductivelabs.com/mrcc/


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## jononotbono (Dec 15, 2021)

shmuelyosef said:


> I 'sort of' agree, however, I bought my MOTU Midi Express XT about 7-8 years ago secondhand. It is a real PITA to program, it occasionally crashes at critical moments, and the software and manuals are completely hopeless, but in conjunction with Midi-OX I have used it for all my hardware instrument routings for the entire time. I keep thinking that I'm tired of it, but in-between 'reprogramming efforts' to change capability it has just worked fine. The iConnectivity systems look great but I need at least 8 channels; I would need the PlayAUDIO12 to meet my needs and it's $600 plus tax.
> 
> There doesn't really seem to be anything similar in MIDI routing capabilities...choices are:
> - MIDI solutions (would require multiple modules and some daisy chaining
> ...


I've been super busy recently and will absolutely own up to my behaviour when i posted that. I was massively drunk. However, I don't disagree with anything I said in anyway. Perhaps I shouldn't have been so sarcastic but ya know, I'm English, and whilst being drunk... and reading things people post just not being true? Fair game I think. I hate misinformation when it can be solved with a mere few clicks/taps and read info on a website. Anyway, who cares...

The Motu boxes are solid. So solid I just don't know they are there. I used to use Motu conversion but moved on to UA (not saying Motu isn't great in this area - they are - I just wanted a simple front end and access to UAD plugins in realtime but that's another thing altogether).

If anyone has recommendations on Midi interfaces that will blow the skirt up and fully fly into the wind then I am so up for hearing about it! At the moment, I just don't know anything that is as solid as Motu midi box.

But what do I know. I'm fucking drunk. 😂


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## rAC (Dec 31, 2021)

A word of caution regarding MOTU MIDI devices and SYSEX. Some MOTU MIDI devices don’t play nicely.


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## synthetic (Mar 14, 2022)

Any reason at all to buy a MIDI Express XT over the 128? Assuming I don't need SMPTE in from a SVHS player? Does the XT have any filtering or processing over the 128?


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