Good USB hubs? (Now that OB has been out for a minute)

[Soltec]

Now that Overbridge has been out for a few weeks, what are your experiences with quality USB hubs? I’m in the market to buy one.

On my Macbook Pro I have only 2 USB slots available. One will be dedicated to Push 2 controller. The remaining port is for the hub.

So… this proposed hub will be used with my A4, as well as a new Roland JP-08, Novation UltraNova and a few midi controllers, so 6 ports minimum.

Thanks for sharing your experiences/advice ahead of time!

[digitalgeist]

[edit] - The hub I recommended here was introducing some problems so I’m removing the post!

[klerc]

Obviously:

Overhub

Too expensive?

[Soltec]

Yes, too expensive - especially when there are the same or better for a fraction of the price.

Sorry, I should have mentioned that I wasn’t interested to purchase Overhub.

[theeattre]

bought this guy a little while back for several traktor controllers, sound card, flash drives. really like it. a little pricey but it’s rock solid and powered.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NLOTC06?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

[thierryhc]

I own this one http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NGQWL2?psc=1
the last port is for charging only.

I have the overhub too which is a tank. Just wish it came with an ac adapter

[okam]

I own this one http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005NGQWL2?psc=1

I’ve had a similar powered Anker hub for years now. It’s still going strong.

[yentz]

bought a very cheap one with a chipset mentioned somewhere in the forum. was like 5 euros on amazon and works perfect. can’t find link at the moment

[AdamJay]

I haven’t had any trouble using this hub from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Port-USB-Power-Adapter/dp/B00E6GX4BG/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1451945262&sr=8-10&keywords=usb+3+hub

I have Push 2, Analog Rytm and Analog Four all running through it. The problem I have is that my personal Macbook Pro only has USB 2.0 ports, so the bandwidth is limited - can only run 24-bit audio of the master channels of both the Rytm and the Four at once (or four tracks from the Four if the Rytm isn’t turned on). But not much of a problem - it works with that hub just fine.

Strange, I get full 8 tracks@16bit and 4 @ 24bit channel counts out of A4 (or Rytm) with a USB 3.0 MTT hub running on a USB 2.0 bus on both my 2009 MBP and 2008 MacPro.
Perhaps your hub is not MTT, as Elektron recommends?

[dArk]

Amazon.com: Belkin High-Speed AC Powered USB 2.0 7 Port Slim-Line Stackable USB Hub With 2 Top Loading Ports F5U237V1: Electronics

This is a multi tt device and used to be recommended to work with a Virus TI. It gets very mixed reviews but I’ve never had a problem with mine.

[Martinukai]

Just be very careful with the specs when you’re buying.

I tried to cheap out on an overhub with a device that I saw recommended in one of the forums here. As it turns out does not support all channels of AR and A4 plugged in simultaneously (16bit), so I have to connect one of them through my second macbook usb port.

This is the model:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AB0033-ORICO-W6PH4-Mini-4-ports-USB-3-0-Hub-with-LED-Indicator-support-Hot-swap-/261726515871

[digitalgeist]

[quote=“digitalgeist”]I haven’t had any trouble using this hub from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Port-USB-Power-Adapter/dp/B00E6GX4BG/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1451945262&sr=8-10&keywords=usb+3+hub

I have Push 2, Analog Rytm and Analog Four all running through it. The problem I have is that my personal Macbook Pro only has USB 2.0 ports, so the bandwidth is limited - can only run 24-bit audio of the master channels of both the Rytm and the Four at once (or four tracks from the Four if the Rytm isn’t turned on). But not much of a problem - it works with that hub just fine.

Strange, I get full 8 tracks@16bit and 4 @ 24bit channel counts out of A4 (or Rytm) with a USB 3.0 MTT hub running on a USB 2.0 bus on both my 2009 MBP and 2008 MacPro.
Perhaps your hub is not MTT, as Elektron recommends?[/quote]
I never tried 16-bit and won’t use it, you and I have the same specs - 4 possible channels of 24-bit audio…

[AdamJay]

[quote=“AdamJay”][quote=“digitalgeist”]I haven’t had any trouble using this hub from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Port-USB-Power-Adapter/dp/B00E6GX4BG/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1451945262&sr=8-10&keywords=usb+3+hub

I have Push 2, Analog Rytm and Analog Four all running through it. The problem I have is that my personal Macbook Pro only has USB 2.0 ports, so the bandwidth is limited - can only run 24-bit audio of the master channels of both the Rytm and the Four at once (or four tracks from the Four if the Rytm isn’t turned on). But not much of a problem - it works with that hub just fine.

Strange, I get full 8 tracks@16bit and 4 @ 24bit channel counts out of A4 (or Rytm) with a USB 3.0 MTT hub running on a USB 2.0 bus on both my 2009 MBP and 2008 MacPro.
Perhaps your hub is not MTT, as Elektron recommends?[/quote]
I never tried 16-bit and won’t use it, you and I have the same specs - 4 possible channels of 24-bit audio…[/quote]
I get 4 channels @ 24 bit PER Elektron instrument. So 8 channels at 24 bit with Rytm and A4 combined (16 @ 16bit). Whether one Elektron is turned on or off has no effect on the bandwidth of the other.

I read your post to be 4 channels with Rytm and A4 combined (just the 2 channel stereo master on each).

[avantronica]

[quote=“digitalgeist”][quote=“AdamJay”][quote=“digitalgeist”]I haven’t had any trouble using this hub from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Port-USB-Power-Adapter/dp/B00E6GX4BG/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1451945262&sr=8-10&keywords=usb+3+hub

I have Push 2, Analog Rytm and Analog Four all running through it. The problem I have is that my personal Macbook Pro only has USB 2.0 ports, so the bandwidth is limited - can only run 24-bit audio of the master channels of both the Rytm and the Four at once (or four tracks from the Four if the Rytm isn’t turned on). But not much of a problem - it works with that hub just fine.

Strange, I get full 8 tracks@16bit and 4 @ 24bit channel counts out of A4 (or Rytm) with a USB 3.0 MTT hub running on a USB 2.0 bus on both my 2009 MBP and 2008 MacPro.
Perhaps your hub is not MTT, as Elektron recommends?[/quote]
I never tried 16-bit and won’t use it, you and I have the same specs - 4 possible channels of 24-bit audio…[/quote]
I get 4 channels @ 24 bit PER Elektron instrument. So 8 channels at 24 bit with Rytm and A4 combined (16 @ 16bit). Whether one Elektron is turned on or off has no effect on the bandwidth of the other.

I read your post to be 4 channels with Rytm and A4 combined (just the 2 channel stereo master on each).[/quote]
@ digitalgeist i don’t have a push - but what bandwidth can a 'controller ’ seriously need ?? - the Elektrons need 12 each out of 480 - there’s no way i can envisage a controller (even a fancy one) needing a tonne of bandwidth such that this would cripple the OB channel count - looks to me very much like that hub is NOT MTT
easy way to test is to max out one OB device only (only one device on whole hub) - you should get 6@24
now add a second - try two OB devices - if it’s an MTT hub you’ll still definitely be able to use both at 6@24 each
in theory if you add this and that with moderate bandwidth needs it should not mess with the OB’s very modest needs - an MTT hub ensures this by managing the streams separately - there’s nothing about that linked hub which points to it being MTT
i’m fairly sure i get 8@16 or 6@24 for both on the cheap hub i bought (£6) discussed to death on many other usb hub threads
.
other issues may arise depending on the usb bus architecture within your computer - keep it simple and test logically, but OB needs a trivial amount of bandwidth

[digitalgeist]

[quote="“avantronica”"]

I read your post to be 4 channels with Rytm and A4 combined (just the 2 channel stereo master on each).

@ digitalgeist i don’t have a push - but what bandwidth can a 'controller ’ seriously need ?? - the Elektrons need 12 each out of 480 - there’s no way i can envisage a controller (even a fancy one) needing a tonne of bandwidth such that this would cripple the OB channel count - looks to me very much like that hub is NOT MTT
easy way to test is to max out one OB device only (only one device on whole hub) - you should get 6@24
now add a second - try two OB devices - if it’s an MTT hub you’ll still definitely be able to use both at 6@24 each
in theory if you add this and that with moderate bandwidth needs it should not mess with the OB’s very modest needs - an MTT hub ensures this by managing the streams separately - there’s nothing about that linked hub which points to it being MTT
i’m fairly sure i get 8@16 or 6@24 for both on the cheap hub i bought (£6) discussed to death on many other usb hub threads
.
other issues may arise depending on the usb bus architecture within your computer - keep it simple and test logically, but OB needs a trivial amount of bandwidth[/quote]
You guys might be on to something actually, and maybe I was a bit hasty in my reply. I’ll try a few things and see where it gets me.

[insect]

just wondering why you only get 4 at 24 bit for each machine? Should it be 6 at 24 bit?

[AdamJay]

just wondering why you only get 4 at 24 bit for each machine? Should it be 6 at 24 bit?

True. I misspoke on that. 6 tracks at 24bit per Elektron instrument is normal behavior. 8 @ 16bit, per Elektron Instrument.

[AdamJay]

Also, FYIW, stay away from this Multi TT USB 3.0 hub (if using a Xeon Mac Pro!)- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G2HQR52?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01

I picked it up cheap and it won’t give me full bandwidth, giving my second Elektron only 6 tracks at 16 bit when the first is running 8 @ 16bit.

This evening I put a $33 Sonnet Allegro USB 2.0 PCIe card in my 2008 Mac Pro, dedicating that whole card to my A4 and Rytm. Fortunately for me, I have empty PCIe slots, but if I needed a USB hub for mobile use I’d shell out for the Overhub.
Not only for the piece of mind that it is tested and approved, but for the support from Elektron in the event that I were not able to get full bandwidth for my 16 tracks at 16bit across both Elektrons.

I was hoping the Allegro PCIe would alleviate some of the flipping out the Apogee Maestro application does when I toggle A4 and/or Rytm’s USB mode to Overbridge. But that has not been the case, even though they’re on separate busses. Aside from that minor inconvenience, things are stable, though. And I’m running OB and Duet 2 buffers at 128 samples without any hiccups. No tempo drift either, at least not after 10 minutes of multi-track recording.

(edit: update: My 2012 iMac i5 Quad runs this hub just fine)

[digitalgeist]

Obviously:
http://eu.elektron.se/accessories/overhub/

Too expensive?

I really need to smack myself on the forehead here - as an engineer at my day job the simplest thing we do is only work with supported products so that support with the manufacturer is easy.
The Amazon hub I have was indeed causing a few problems. Plugging my units directly into the USB bus on my laptop resolved a lot of them.
So, I have an Overhub on the way that should arrive tomorrow.

[poonti]

Also, FYIW, stay away from this Multi TT USB 3.0 hub - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G2HQR52?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01

I picked it up cheap and it won’t give me full bandwidth, giving my second Elektron only 6 tracks at 16 bit when the first is running 8 @ 16bit.

This evening I put a $33 Sonnet Allegro USB 2.0 PCIe card in my 2008 Mac Pro, dedicating that whole card to my A4 and Rytm. Fortunately for me, I have empty PCIe slots, but if I needed a USB hub for mobile use I’d shell out for the Overhub.
Not only for the piece of mind that it is tested and approved, but for the support from Elektron in the event that I were not able to get full bandwidth for my 16 tracks at 16bit across both Elektrons.

I was hoping the Allegro PCIe would alleviate some of the flipping out the Apogee Maestro application does when I toggle A4 and/or Rytm’s USB mode to Overbridge. But that has not been the case, even though they’re on separate busses. Aside from that minor inconvenience, things are stable, though. And I’m running OB and Duet 2 buffers at 128 samples without any hiccups. No tempo drift either, at least not after 10 minutes of multi-track recording.

I bought this hub late last year after seeing some recommendations, including yours, and I have it working fine on Live 9.5 with 8 A4 and 8 AR tracks. For A4, I recorded the 4 tracks, 1 FX, 1 Ext L/R, and 1 Master L/R, and made it the soundcard output for that last pair, making it 8.

On the AR, I recorded all 8 tracks possible.
Worked fine, but I did have to use my Lenovo laptop’s USB2 port (USB 3 did not work at all - no sound!)