MIDI connectivity for Mac + iOS device + hardware

Mike,

Can you tell me more about the iConnect Midi4 that you mentioned on the Digitakt thread? Basically, I’m not quite getting how the audio through works and probably only grasping the bare minimum as to what this thing can do.

Would this allow me to use the Digitakt to sequence a few Volcas, an external sampler, some iOS stuff like Gadget and Maschine on my Mac?

Right now my plan is to hook the hardware stuff (Volcas, sampler, Digitakt) to the Mackie and also run audio from headphone out of my audio interface (Apogee One) into a channel of the mixer or the tape in to be able to hear audio from the computer (basically to get Maschine, which I am running standalone on my Mac into the mix). How would the audio from the iOS be routed in such a setup? Sorry I am usually a totally hardware OTB guy, so once ios and computers are involved I start to cringe. That’s one of the reasons I haven’t really given Maschine a proper chance.

I should probably mention that I’m actually not recording audio using a DAW at the moment other than occasionally using GarageBand. For now, I plan to record from the tape outs of the Mackie to a little Boss multitrack recorder (although I’m contemplating adding an MPC Live to work as a multitrack).

Also, can this run standalone without a computer. That would be essential for me.

The audio pass through is a little interesting in that it only does “pass it through”, you still have to monitor it somehow. It appears as an audio interface to devices and generally you monitor it from the computer end by creating what is called an “aggregate device” with your regular interface, essentially combining its in/out with your interfaces in/out.
The signal from iOS is now seen as an audio input from the agg devices perspective. You need to use a daw or some software to select the inputs from iconnect and output to the main outs of the interface. With the apogee one in an agg device with iconnect the main stereo outs of iOS would be inputs 3/4 and you’d send them to outputs 1/2 (headphone out)…
You can for sure sequence iOS apps from a hardware sequencer(Digitakt) but with monitoring through a computer comes inherent latency and can be finicky to align with hardware but can be done and is easier for melodic parts than beats.
In my world I tend to use the iOS and computer audio along with some other things as part of my “full lab” to perform sonic experiments and certain hardware I’m more focused on practicing with and making sure it’s tight and reliable.
Great device though, It’s the nervous system of my rig…
Oh, and yes completely standalone for midi, you program it with iOS or a computer and it holds the last uploaded setting, you can save and recall configs from devices.
You can even hook up a wifi router and control your hardware remote from your iPad…:smile_cat:
:monkey_face:

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Thanks so much for the detailed info. It is certainly a device I will consider. Lots to think about at the moment, but part of me wants to keep my new setup as simple as possible. It could be something that i decide to phase in later.

As far as I understand you would not wand the iconnect midi, but the iconnect audio4+
I use this to connect and load my ipad in my setup. I can connect midi and audio, it also works as a USB to DIN Converter as I want to use my NanoControl2 on my OT.
It is expensive and mildly said complex to setup. One it works it runs… Take a look into the features of the iconnnect audio 4+

regards
f.

Thanks. I was mainly just looking for a way to midi sequence multiple devices that are lacking midi through with the Digitakt I ordered. Just hearing the word “latency” makes me cringe, so I’m thinking about maybe initially not incorporating iOS devices into my setup and staying completely OTB and getting a Kenton Midi Thru 5 for $100 to hold me over until I’m ready to make that leap.

latency is an issue if you work with ableton live, for example.
I was happy to use the ipad and I was able to even use as an effect device while it is connected through the iconnect…

This is why I originally suggested the mio4 while just mentioning I used the 4+. It’s the midi only version of the midi4+ (no plus), costs 150 and does worlds more than a thru. It’s a thru, merger, router, filter, remapper, with lots of connectivity… Rock solid bi directional midi…

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Just to clarify for people reading OP was originally asking about a thru box on DT thread to sequence hardware from DT and I suggested a mio as a more flexible option which lead to questions about 4+ which were moved to this thread…

It’s pretty sweet, I have an IPad hooked up and also have an iPod touch 5 that I sometimes use as the brains of a synth with a midi keyboard. iPad+iPod+computer+iconnect=more cpu horsepower for audio goodness…
That plus full midi connectivity really makes my rig feel like one interconnected thing instead of separate pieces…
:ecstatic:

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Hearing so much love for the ICM4+ makes me think that I should give it some real thought. I do have a number of iOS programs like Gadget, so I could consider running the ICM4+ just as a simple midi router for a while and then slowly experiment with phasing in some of the iOS stuff at some point.

How hard would it be to configure just as a standard router for a few 5-pin midi sources? Also, since I would need to connect the Digitakt does that mean that I would have access to three other devices via 5-pin midi? I’m not sure if the DT will do midi over USB, if so I’m guessing this would allow me to plug in the DT over midi and connect four devices over 5-pin midi?

It’s probably configured OK right out of the box to do what you need, if not you attach it to an iOS device or computer and run the iconfig software and save the settings to the iconnect. It remembers the last settings you upload to it and works absolutely wonderful as standalone which is how I use it most…
If you use dins for DT then you’ll only have three pairs left but the DT should run fine off the usb host port, you can plug a single device into the host port or attach a hub for up to 8 usb class compliant midi devices…
:smiley_cat:

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Excellent. The Midi over USB from the Digitakt definitely makes this more attractive to me because it frees up the 5-pin midi slot! This thing is starting to look like a no-brainer with all of the positive reviews I’ve read so far. In Japan it’s $100 for the Kenton, $200 for the Mio, and $260 for the ICM4+. Definitely worth the extra $$$ over the Mio.

Sorry for a potentially silly question, but for sequencing an iOS device. If it’s an older iPad with the headphone jack I could sequence it with the ICM4+ without being connected to a computer by running a cable from the headphone jack to my mixer? For the iPhone 7, there is no headphone jack, so I’m guessing I need to be connected to a computer to run the audio through to an aggregate audio interface as previously explained. Is that correct? Is there any way to do midi over wifi to sequence something on the iPhone and leave the lightening adapter open to run audio.

There is a switch in the software that will toggle it off as an audio device as seen by iOS, then midi will still work and the audio will go out the headphone output. The iPhone 7 if it has no headphone out you would use the aggregate. It’s possible to control with wifi but you’d need a wifi router.
It’s a tight unit though without ever using that stuff much even

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Thanks! I’m definitely leaning in this direction. I should know by tomorrow if I made the first round of Digitakt orders here in Japan and will most likely pull the trigger on this as well if it’s on the way. I like the idea of having room for expansion in the setup.

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Wow, thats new to me. I own an iCM4+ and love it to bits but this just made my day. So I can connect my OB-6 and any other USB keyboard into a USB hub which in turn is plugged into the USB port on the back?

I thought you could only attach one USB device to it (away from the Computer and/or iOS device)…

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music to my ears… i wonder if i can use the Overhub I purchased now that I have no overbridge ready boxes!

U[quote=“Nikarga, post:19, topic:39624, full:true”]
music to my ears… i wonder if i can use the Overhub I purchased now that I have no overbridge ready boxes!
[/quote]

Using one with my mio10, works very well.

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I’ll add that I’ve been getting away with an upowered hub with a korg nono2 and a few devices with plugs, been working great… Powered hub is only needed if the devices draw more than 500mA…

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Got the email saying that I made the cut for the first round of Digitakt shipments here in Japan, so I pulled the trigger on the ICM4+. Thanks for all the advice everybody.

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I recommend these a lot, I’m not sure if folks without a midi router box know what their missing…
For me there was life before midi box, and then life after midi box… :ecstatic:

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