Connect is a three-in-one audio/MIDI interface, monitor and DAW controller. Six mode buttons allow its 360°, touch-sensitive dial to adjust interface parameters or control software. It can set input gain, regulate the volume levels for two sets of monitors and your headphones, or even move the playhead and control any Bitwig Studio parameter with exceptional resolution.
The front panel gives you immediate visual feedback, with accurate input and output meters and a ring of 32 RGB LEDs around the dial to visualize parameter values and automation data. Plus, gain settings are accessible and saved within Bitwig Studio, so you can pick up right where you left off next time you open it.
The question this raises for me is: Is this just the beginning? Is it possible that Bitwig is working on their own version of Push that will be released a year or two from now? Something like that could possibly cause a small rift in my allegiance to Ableton . . . .
Let’s hope so! I’m eager to find out who is actually manufacturing it for Bitwig, because with team of 15-20 they don’t do it by themselves, surely? 1st Push was designed by Ableton, but manufactured by Akai.
I’m really happy with this development, even though - at least for me - it came completely out of the blue!
It’s just in time - I was considering upgrading an interface this year. Not that anything is wrong with my current basic model of Presonus, just to try anything different and with more features like control knobs or CV-integration (or fancy preamp like SSL) and stay within a budget. Looks like good stuff, the price is good for such rich feature set.
Not sure why USB 2 (isn’t everyone moving to USB3 & Thunderbolt?), but if does the job, why not.
Only 6 of the 12 outs are dc coupled? Also weird that it only has 4 ins, and no ADAT. Respect Bitwig for going after the modular crowd but the io choice here is puzzling
One could hope and dream that this is secretly RME behind the interface and drivers. Best of the best for long term product support and rock solid operation!
This is a surprise and great to see. I’m definitely in the “bring on a dedicated Bitwig controller” camp so I’m also hoping this is just the beginning.
I think we all would, but I figure this was a safer bet in terms of expected sales AND it promotes Bitwig to (one of) its target demographic, i.e. people using modular gear.
A controller would be a bigger gamble, I think. Live had 1.7m users when they launched Push. I don’t think Bitwig is anywhere close to that (yet).
Class compliant and 12 outs without resorting to ADAT shenanigans. As someone who’s been searching high and low for a box to expand the individual outs of their Regen, I can say this is pretty rare. They’re playing a little coy by including the heaphone out in that count. But even so that puts them on par with the MOTU Ultralite.
Boo! TRS MIDI (though I bet for a bunch of euro folk this is a huge win)
3.5mm outs are DC coupled for CV. And factory calibrated to 1v/oct.
The only thing I want from hardware control anymore is transport control and a shuttle. This integrates both into the interface!
Bitwig mode is kind of genius. It lets you adjust everything you hover over your mouse over in Bitwig with the big knob on the front as if it were a giant scroll wheel. But a lot of MIDI control surfaces have been doing that lately. The thing that sets it apart is you can double-tap the knob to lock it to that param so the mouse doesn’t need to stay hovered over it. It’s like a one-step, easily swappable “MIDI learn”. Real smart.
In 1 & 2 can be set to a stereo pair so you don’t have to fuss with independent gain.
Hardware control for dim. Nothing to say here. I just think dim is useful, and like to see it.
It’s orange!
$550 feels right. Again, kind of on par with the Ultralite. It’s just, with the Bitwig Connect, you’re giving up ADAT expandability in favor of the hardware controls/interface. Don’t know that everyone will be down with that, but feels like a good trade to me.
I’m not a windows guy, but my understanding is that class compliance support isn’t great over there on an OS level (or it’s really slow or something) so dedicated ASIO drivers are sometimes needed for performance reasons? Someone who uses Windows would know better.
I’d be surprised if the drivers were needed for Bitwig-specific controls, though. I think they said the transport, at least, is standard MCU, which is a MIDI thing. I’d guess the rest is, too.
The new interface looks pretty nice. Modular noobs will have a great time if it works as described. Getting a DAW to play nice with 1V per octave is usually not just plug and play.
