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MIDI host vs USB Hub


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I think this sounds more complicated than it is but any help much appreciated! I"ve googled this and both solutions sound like they might work but I"m not 100% sure.

 

I"m using a Nord stage 2 with a controller (controller midi out to nord midi in) and also wanting to connect the Nord to my Roland rubix 22 which is USB"d to my iPad so that the Nord can (1) play B3X and (2) receive program changes from setlist maker.

 

As I"m using the midi In on my Nord to connect with the controller it only leaves USB free to receive program change messages from the iPad/rubix. So...I"m thinking I could buy a midi host to convert the nord usb to midi in/out to plug into the rubix or maybe buy a usb hub that would somehow (I don"t know how exactly) link the Nord to the rubix? As you can probably tell, I doubt know much about USB hubs (but I get the concept).

 

I"m leaning towards the midi host...but maybe a usb hub offers more flexibility (charging iPad, rubix, controller etc)?

 

Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing? It"ll be for live use so the hub/host would live in a rack with the rubix

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What's the controller, out of curiosity?

 

Yeah I was a bit ambiguous about that. I"m using an M audio keystation 61 mk3 at home at the moment. I usually gig with a Yamaha cp4 as the controller but I"m considering getting something lighter when I get back to playing live.

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There's four moving parts here that I can see:

1. Controller

2. B3X

3 SetListMaker

4. Rubix 22

 

What do you need the Rubix to do? Because if you can eliminate the Rubix, you can go DIN-MIDI for 1. and USB MIDI for 2. and 3. No additional purchase required.

 

I don't see the need for a MIDI host in this picture. A USB hub would allow you to connect both the Nord (USB MIDI) and the Rubix to your iPad.

 

Alternatively a MIDI merge box would allow you to connect both the Rubix (acting as a MIDI interface for the iPad running SLM) and the controller to your Nord MIDI IN. Nord MIDI Out could go back through the Rubix to the iPad for B3X. But this is only worthwhile if you need the Rubix to be connected to the iPad (to be an audio interface for a DAW or similar).

 

Cheers, Mike.

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All good questions and responses, massively appreciated.

 

I had the rubix knocking around from a previous project so may not have incorporated it if i didn"t already have it but it"s main use at the moment is that it"s direct monitoring function allows me to to mix my Nord stereo outputs with the iPad output (eliminating the need for a mixer).

 

A USB hub would allow you to connect both the Nord (USB MIDI) and the Rubix to your iPad.

This is the question I meant to ask (but worded much more clearly by yourself)! Thanks for the advice. I hadn"t considered a midi merge box.

 

That said, on balance I"m starting to think might be the USB hub is the way to go. I assume it"s best to get a powered hub so that it can also power the iPad, rubix and keystation?

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@Deetee your answers are helpful. As regards a USB hub, powered makes it more versatile, but I'm not an expert on the subject (I hadn't heard of the limitation that Jr. Deluxe mentioned, for example).

 

In your position, here's what I would do:

1. Connect the controller to the Nord via a MIDI cable, just as you are doing now

2. Connect the Nord to the iPad via USB (and CCK/USB3-to-lightning adapter), just as you are doing now

3. Connect the iPad headphone out into the Nord Monitor in to give you direct monitoring of both sound sources (from your Nord audio/headphone outs).

4. Don't use the Rubix if you don't need to.

 

Cheers, Mike.

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@Deetee your answers are helpful. As regards a USB hub, powered makes it more versatile, but I'm not an expert on the subject (I hadn't heard of the limitation that Jr. Deluxe mentioned, for example).

 

In your position, here's what I would do:

1. Connect the controller to the Nord via a MIDI cable, just as you are doing now

2. Connect the Nord to the iPad via USB (and CCK/USB3-to-lightning adapter), just as you are doing now

3. Connect the iPad headphone out into the Nord Monitor in to give you direct monitoring of both sound sources (from your Nord audio/headphone outs).

4. Don't use the Rubix if you don't need to.

 

Cheers, Mike.

 

Good call. I"m going to do that for now - thank you! NS2 doesn"t pass monitor in to the outputs so it"s headphones only but that"s all I need while at home (which is for a few months yet!)

 

I see numa compact 2 has built in midi merge and that"s one I"m considering if I go for something lighter than the CP4 so that could do the job on stage(Nord out to rubix in, rubix out to numa in, numa out to Nord in).

 

Most of these options will mean multiple USB-connected things connected to power, so there's a good chance of running into the problem people were discussing here, right?: https://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/3084800/usb-groundloop-isolation

 

Puts a new spin on things. If the rubix, iPad and controller are all self powered would a passive usb hub be sufficient?

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Decent powered usb hubs aren't all that more expensive, and there are many unpowered devices out there. Like above, I'm interconnecting my Nord(s), iPad & controllers by taking everything to a USB hub. It seems to work well, but I doubt I'd take it to a gig until it feels a bit more hardened.

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I *think* you're at risk for noise from ground loops whenever you've got two pieces of equipment that are connected by USB and both plugged into power outlets, but I'm a little vague on all this, and it probably depends on more details. (And according to the referenced thread there are inexpensive fixes.)
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Quick update on this:

 

I"ve taken a piece of advice from all of your responses and picked up an Anker usb hub from Amazon for £12. It"s an unpowered 4 into 1 hub. I plugged it into my iPad, rubix and Nord and it worked first time - perfect! Assuming I use this on stage I won"t have easy access to the rubix so the suggestion to cut out the rubix and run ipad headphone out to Nord monitor in does the job nicely for when at home.

 

Thanks again for the advice, all the responses are massively appreciated!

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