Blokas Midihub

Ok, so I’m not 100% sure I need this, but after seeing Loopop’s video I’m thinking it might be cool for messing around with the DT’s MIDI outputs, and I was thinking about getting a Thru box anyway. Preordered!

2 Likes

Cool, pyramid is a great sequencer and lots of creative options.
I like the midihub with it to have more midi din in and out.
I am pretty tempted to add a bomebox into the mix - I think it’d be a nice companion to midihub as it would add network midi, and a usb host :slight_smile:

1 Like

Random thought: The Blokus MidiHub could probably be configured to poly-chain multiple synths as they demoed within the Octatrack… Like say, 2 (or 5!) Analog Fours? If you had one A4 as master, and 4 more at the MidiHub outs, that’d be an Analog Twenty… :elan::elan::elan::elan::elan:

I’m refreshing myself on my NDLR this afternoon in advance of Pyramid’s arrival.
Midi-based modular comes to mind … time to dig out an old Fantom XR from the attic.

Wow NDLR as well, that’s sounds like an amazingly creative setup!

For comparison as an alternative to the MidiHub, in addition to the BomeBox hardware, there is also the Sipario from Lab4Music.

It has two DIN MIDI ins and two DIN MIDI outs, plus one USB port that can be configured to be either a USB host or a USB device port. (You need a special USB cable.) It has a color touch screen, which allows you to set up a variety of functions and select between them, that can be used in performance. The Sipario is quite diverse in it’s programmability.

Comparing the three (MidiHub, BomeBox, Sipario) across all their functions is complicated in detail, and should be considered relative to your specific application needs. There are significant differences between them.

One advantage to the Sipario over the other two is that it needs no external computer to program it. The programming can be done entirely with it’s built in touchscreen.

For a fourth alternative, you also can use a Raspberry Pi computer with suitable interface hardware and software.

Comparison of MidiHub, BomeBox, and Sipario programming interface.

MidiHub

BomeBox

Sipario Touch Screen
Sipario%20Touchscreen

Prices:
MidiHub (pre-order) $130 (or so)
BomeBox $225
Sipario $320

ADDED (Sept 11): There’s a new competitor similar to this, just now up on Kickstarter. It’s from Conductive Labs, the maker of NDLR. It’s called MRCC (Midi Router Control Center). It’s likely to be priced somewhere around the BomeBox. See this Elektronauts thread.

ADDED: (Sept 15th): Actually the MRCC is set to retail at $350, even more than the Sipario!

ADDED: (Jan 28, 2020): There is a new expanded version of the Sipario in the works!

3 Likes

I put one on order for February. I see there’s another batch starting up for March.

What sold me was Loopop’s video @13:44 when he says,"… so suddenly I’m a much better piano player that I am".

3 Likes

I notice that Blokas has reached 1020% of their original goal, and have pushed out the latest group of pre-order offers to March. They’ll be pretty busy building and testing for quite a while.

Interested to see if this demand might inspire them eventually to do more pipes and functions in support.

3 Likes

I’m thinking about getting this thing. Mainly to use as a midi clock. I am interested in an ERM multiclock, but 500 quids is alot of money.
I see I wouldnt have the comfort of dedicated pots for changing the sync per port, but I think doing this in the software shouldnt be that big of a hassle. Probably a set and forget anyway.

I dont have experience with stuff like this yet. Maybe somebody can give me some info on this?

Well, no-one has one yet, so no-one will know how rock solid the timing of the clock is (which is the reason people get a Multiclock, I guess). If you’re only planning on using it for clocking, I’d wait to see what people think of it (compared to, say, using your existing gear’s own clock for timing)

2 Likes

thanks spikysimon. there are beta-testers around that I thought maybe could give some insight to this.
and maybe somebody else with experience with other midi clocks has something to say. like I said, I have no experience with midi clocks

1 Like

Following your post here I made some search on the Sipario. Watched a few videos, red the manual ( which is something I rarely do before purchase ) and took the plunge…

Wow ! Thank you ! Really !
This things absolutely changed my live setup approach !
I tried to emulate this with midi processors, a bome box and tons of mergers and never had something so flexible, intuitive and easy to setup !
The only thing which is approaching is a homemade nord g2 patch I made for realtime midi routing/filtering and mangling. Obviously not the same footprint and not easily customizable without a laptop and tons of virtual patchcables…

The keysplits are a breeze to use with the auto learn feature and the ability to send pchanges across the whole network instantly at the push of a button is just perfect !

Did I say thank you already ?

3 Likes

Got a Midihub update from Blokas today. Thought I’d share.

Fulfilment Estimates and Shipping

Compared to our initial plan we are couple of weeks behind on the PCB assembly pipeline as certification part took a bit longer than expected. Also issue with our Enclosure manufacturer could cost us another 3-to-4 weeks. No impact for February and March batches expected.

In general we are quite happy how the project is moving forward and we can’t wait to start shipping out Midihubs to you guys! If you have any questions, let us know on our community forums.

2 Likes

Blokas sent another update today – ship date is now set for late March. They have worked out the issue with the enclosure using a new manufacturer.

I’ve been spending the time blocking out various ideas for various midi effects, and watching the videos from Cylvester again. I’d love to hear if you’ve got some particular function you’ll be doing with your Midihub.

Also the pedal midi interface maker Audiofront announced today that they have a new version of their MIDI Expression iO product, a four pedal to DIN MIDI interface, that would work very nicely with the Midihub.

2 Likes

I keep forgetting that I backed this, and so when it finally turns up it’s going to be a nice surprise!

@Jukka, not sure what I will use it for yet, really – initially, more experimental stuff to warp the MIDI coming from my Digitakt to synths, most likely. But having a general purpose MIDI box will be useful for lots of things.

3 Likes

I have that problem too – and it’s not like i have a stack of things in the queue. I actually keep a list – it’s happy thoughts of anticipation when i look at the list. (There’s an Osmose for me after this.)

1 Like

Exactly the same here, forgot about that one and then the Osmose … Thanks for the reminder :wink:

1 Like

What’s an Osmose?

3 Likes
What is the Expresssive E -- Osmose?

image
The Osmose is an expressive synthesizer and keyboard. It is a complete stand-alone polyphonic synthesizer with a sophisticated synth engine based on the Haken EaganMatrix that is used in the Haken Continuum. The 49 note keybed can be used like a standard keyboard, but it also has extra dimensions of response, responding polyphonically to pressure, aftertouch and note bend. It is currently in development, and with any luck will be available later in the summer or early fall of 2020. Look for more information on it shortly, at shows like Superbooth 2020 towards the end of April.

Actually thinking about the Osmose brings to mind some other thoughts relative the Midihub.

One of the things the Osmose does (and my ASM Hydrasynth too) is output MIDI that’s more sophisticated (looking for the right word, picked that one though it’s not the word i want), and lots of it. So they both output and receive MPE and Poly-aftertouch, and the HS can output a particular kind of CC message called NRPN, which allows for 14 bit data, as opposed to standard 7 bit. These are all newer ways of using standard MIDI, and they are more or less just bolted on to it.

I need to think about this more, and probably separate each of these out and consider them each by itself.

Well obviously with the Midihub you can ignore doing anything with these and just direct the raw data and pass it through. Or you can filter various part of this out of the MIDI stream.

I also recall that the Midihub can do things with poly-aftertouch, i need to refresh my memory some on this, and consider what can be done with MPE messages and other things.

The “lots of it” part brings up the question of how well the Midihub will do with high volumes of data, particular if it is coming down the USB channels from a Host.

And this is not mentioning MIDI 2.0 which i am not expecting Midihub to handle.

BTW: Bome has been very active in promoting and supporting MIDI 2.0 on their BomeBox which has similarities to the Midihub in function.

1 Like