USB-B connector and MIDI 5-pin

[Lou_NC]

I have a simple Casio weighted-key piano that I bought a few years back, and love it because it has 5-pin MIDI connectors on it. It has limited internal voices, but that doesn't matter because I use the MIDI-out to drive things like my Alesis Nano-Piano, Nano-Synth, and other sound-generating boxes.

 

I'd like to get a second piano and I see that the newer ones only offer USB "B" type connectors on them, they no longer offer 5-pin MIDI. I have no plans to connect the keyboard to a computer, and thus I would like to know whether there's a "simple" hardware interface box available that I can simply connect to the USB "B" connector and go directly to 5-pin MIDI out, without a computer "in between"? (MIDI-in to the keyboard is not a use-case I care about). Does such an interface box exist? If not, I'll probably start shopping Ebay and Craigslist for an older Casio piano that has the "legacy" 5-pin MIDI connectors.

 

Thanks,

Lou

[Reezekeys]

You want a "midi host box" - a very quick google found me these:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Midiplus-USB-MIDI-Host-midiplus/dp/B074NGTGHN/

 

https://www.amazon.com/CAMOLA-MIDI-Host-Interface-Converter/dp/B08MZY59B7/

[Baggypants]

Loads of new digital pianos still have the 5 pin DIN midi if you're willing to branch out beyond Casio. The Korg D1 only came out two or three years ago and that only has DIN MIDI, no USB at all.

[AnotherScott]

Kawai ES110 would be another possibility.

[stoken6]

Looks like the Casio PX5s is still available - that's got useful MIDI controller features that the OP might find useful in controlling multiple modules.

 

Cheers, Mike.

[AnotherScott]

Yes, the PX5S works, but we're starting to creep up in price. The PX-360 is cheaper, but still hundreds more than the Korg/Kawai mentioned. Though I also remembered another, even cheaper possibility, the Kurzweil SP1.

 

But yes, the PX5S is way more capable as a MIDI controller than any of those less expensive boards. It's probably the cheapest hammer-action 88 with sounds that has good MIDI functions, and it would be a nice choice for the OP if he can stretch. It adds things like pitch/mod wheels, the ability to have its front panel buttons defined to call up the desired patches on your attached modules, the ability to create patches with 4-way split/layers that can combine its internal sounds with external sounds from multiple attached modules... and as a bonus, a lot of its internal sound capabilities are really nice, too. Plus it weighs only 24 lbs.