USB MIDI adapter recommendations?

[Sir Master]

Hi All,

I'm looking for recommendations on a USB (1.1 or 2.x) MIDI adapter. I
saw the MOTU FastLane which looked okay but I'm not exactly sure what
to look for in terms of features and performance. Is that overkill?

For example, what makes an interface "professional quality"?
Gigastudio seems to want one. For a basic home set up would I need
more than 2inx2out? I think that's a function of how many channels I
want to have available? So two in/out would/should give me 32
channels, and I can still daisy chain several MIDI instruments?

I'm looking for something under $150 street price, that I won't
outgrow a year from now when I might have an idea of what I'm doing.
LOL.

I'd appreciate any recommendations on adapters. I have an HP Pavilion
running Windows XP with USB 2.0 and FireWire ports. My model has
built in sound so there's no game port and both PCI slots are in use.

Thanks,
Mark

[Steve Nelson]

I like my Midiman 1 x 1, even use it with a MIDI patch bay, but it works
well alone...paid around $45 for it. Midiman also makes a small portable
USB adapter, I guess for use w. a laptop.
Steve
"Sir Master" <dontspam@me.org> wrote in message
news:s051fv4dm5jprcb7i235kccnpsdvu9mtg9@4ax.com...
> Hi All,
>
> I'm looking for recommendations on a USB (1.1 or 2.x) MIDI adapter. I
> saw the MOTU FastLane which looked okay but I'm not exactly sure what
> to look for in terms of features and performance. Is that overkill?
>
> For example, what makes an interface "professional quality"?
> Gigastudio seems to want one. For a basic home set up would I need
> more than 2inx2out? I think that's a function of how many channels I
> want to have available? So two in/out would/should give me 32
> channels, and I can still daisy chain several MIDI instruments?
>
> I'm looking for something under $150 street price, that I won't
> outgrow a year from now when I might have an idea of what I'm doing.
> LOL.
>
> I'd appreciate any recommendations on adapters. I have an HP Pavilion
> running Windows XP with USB 2.0 and FireWire ports. My model has
> built in sound so there's no game port and both PCI slots are in use.
>
> Thanks,
> Mark

[MS]

Did you look at:

www.edirol.com

I think they have a couple fairly inexpensive. Or, as someone mentioned:

www.m-audio.com

(same company as Midiman)

The less expensive ones only have one in, one out though, so if you want
more ins and outs, it will cost you more.

I don't know if anyone has come out with one yet that supports USB 2. They
certainly should, as that could reduce a lot of latency problems, etc. I'm
sure there will be some within the next year, but they might be more
expensive at first.

"Sir Master" <dontspam@me.org> wrote in message
news:s051fv4dm5jprcb7i235kccnpsdvu9mtg9@4ax.com...
> Hi All,
>
> I'm looking for recommendations on a USB (1.1 or 2.x) MIDI adapter. I
> saw the MOTU FastLane which looked okay but I'm not exactly sure what
> to look for in terms of features and performance. Is that overkill?
>
> For example, what makes an interface "professional quality"?
> Gigastudio seems to want one. For a basic home set up would I need
> more than 2inx2out? I think that's a function of how many channels I
> want to have available? So two in/out would/should give me 32
> channels, and I can still daisy chain several MIDI instruments?
>
> I'm looking for something under $150 street price, that I won't
> outgrow a year from now when I might have an idea of what I'm doing.
> LOL.
>
> I'd appreciate any recommendations on adapters. I have an HP Pavilion
> running Windows XP with USB 2.0 and FireWire ports. My model has
> built in sound so there's no game port and both PCI slots are in use.
>
> Thanks,
> Mark

[JB Seattle]

Daisy chaining is a nightmare. You need a midi patch bay like the MOTU or
the Midiman with 8 channels I/O and assignable.
JB
"Sir Master" <dontspam@me.org> wrote in message
news:s051fv4dm5jprcb7i235kccnpsdvu9mtg9@4ax.com...
> Hi All,
>
> I'm looking for recommendations on a USB (1.1 or 2.x) MIDI adapter. I
> saw the MOTU FastLane which looked okay but I'm not exactly sure what
> to look for in terms of features and performance. Is that overkill?
>
> For example, what makes an interface "professional quality"?
> Gigastudio seems to want one. For a basic home set up would I need
> more than 2inx2out? I think that's a function of how many channels I
> want to have available? So two in/out would/should give me 32
> channels, and I can still daisy chain several MIDI instruments?
>
> I'm looking for something under $150 street price, that I won't
> outgrow a year from now when I might have an idea of what I'm doing.
> LOL.
>
> I'd appreciate any recommendations on adapters. I have an HP Pavilion
> running Windows XP with USB 2.0 and FireWire ports. My model has
> built in sound so there's no game port and both PCI slots are in use.
>
> Thanks,
> Mark
>