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USB to 5-pin MIDI Cables
Is anyone successfully using any of those 5-pin midi to USB cables that have the interface integrated? One of those would be helpful but after looking at the descriptions for a few, it isn’t clear if they would work with iOS (one explicitly says that it doesn’t).
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I have the Roland UM-One Mk2 and it has a switch to choose between class compliant and advanced desktop driver mode.
Same Roland works here without issues. Had few cheaper versions before, they worked (powered / recognised by iPad) but there were issues (notes leaking across channels).
Thanks. Just curious, how could notes leak across channels?
I have the iConnectivity mio cable, highly recommend it, works flawlessly with iOS and is recognized on iOS devices as “mio”. It’s at least as good if not better than the Roland. It’s important that they have the drivers on the actual cable. All those cheap 5pin to usb cables have issues with latency, stability, longevity.
Thanks for the tip. Sounds like I might be better with an inexpensive MIDI interface.
The cheaper, non-branded ones can be really bad, one time I even had one that remapped everything to channel 1, and another that choked when receiving too many messages (such as MIDI clock). I can also recommend the iConnectivity mio.
Out of curiosity, I've ordered four of these for around $10:
Three didn't work at all and one of them actually sent corrupt MIDI messages.
I've opened one and there wasn't even a crystal for stabilizing the clock.
Others have been more lucky than me so here's my guess: There are different electronics available, some cheap, some too cheap, and because they all come in the same plastic enclosure, you never know what you'll get.
That is great to know. I appreciate it.
I have an old Yamaha Ux16, which surprisingly works on iOS despite having drivers for a computer.
I don't have any usb-to-din midi cables, but I have no problems with the inexpensive MIDIPlus 2x2 usb-to-din interface, which provides din ins and outs for two devices, $28 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/MIDI-2x2-USB-interface/dp/B01CHRS1RC
I don’t know the technical details. I bought 2 of these ‘same looking’ unbranded ones so I can drive iPad from OT. For notes on one channel or clock alone it was ok, but when clock together with multiple channels was sent through it choked. (Note offs sent on different channel or both notes on/offs, timing issues)
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I made a USB to USB cable out of the two to send midi between iDevices (pre-BT
Have you used it for sysex? I was looking at that interface and saw a review where someone said that it choked on sysex -- my main use at the moment would be programming a synth (which involves lots of sysex in this case).
@espiegel123 Another one that I can recommend is the M-Audio Midisport 2x2 Anniversary Edition (make sure it's the black, not the light green one!).
Not only is it class compliant, it also has two MIDI inputs and two outputs plus, hear hear, a built-in MIDI merger that will work standalone.
You can usually get a good deal second hand.
Oh by the way, which synth is it?
Some of them simply filter sysex without a mention.
I haven't tried with sysex. I think most intensive thing I've done was using midiLFOs plugin to send streams of cc messages at 10ms intervals.
Three of mine filtered all MIDI messages 😅
Cool idea, maybe my bricks can talk to each other in chinese? I've kept them in case I need MIDI cables.
If you do it, do it right
😁
I just undusted an old midi to usb device that I used a while back with a windows PC. Just tried with the iPad, it’s recognized as a midi device in AUM. Shows as “ tahorng midi i/o ”, I can route to and from, but nothing happens… Is that the “normal” behavior when these things don’t work?.
I thought if they were not iOS compatible, as needing drivers, they simply wouldn’t show up.
If it showed up, it means that the device at least advertises that it is class-compliant. But maybe it actually isn't
This device is pre-iPad. I too thought that being recognized would be the hard part…
I add another voice of support to the Roland UM1 or UM1-SX..Rock solid always work You can add your own MIDI cables so you are not restricted by the length of the "combo" cables like the MIO et al...it has the advanced mode (which does need the driver, but gives you FPT, or very fast MIDI processing speed) or standard mode which is p+p and is also class compliant and works perfectly on iOS, and it has the midi indicator LED's
You might need a powered usb hub. This might help.
This one is on sale like $3.30 off.
Not the cheapest option, but I really like my Nektar "midiflex 4" interface. Works great with iOS and macOS, has the flexibility to run 2x2, 1x3 or 4 outs, and if you give it just USB power you can use it as a standalone 1x3 or 2x2 splitter. Very flexible, and so far, very reliable. Pretty sure it passes sysex messages with no problem.
Really?. I used to need powered hubs with my older Lightning iPad, no need with the newer usb-c pro.
But you’re right, might aswell give it a try before buying something else.