Not Enough MIDI Ports? Here's Your Solution

www.tapcoworld.com

 

by Craig Anderton

 

I've noticed a disturbing trend lately in computer interfaces: No MIDI ports, or at best, one MIDI port (or something on the end of a bizarro world breakout cable). Granted, a lot of what MIDI used to do outside of the computer now occurs inside the computer, thanks to virtual instruments and other plug-ins. Yet there are still a lot of great MIDI hardware synthesizers, pedals, effects, footswitches, fader controllers, and other goodies that aren't happy unless they see that little 5-pin DIN connector. So what are you gonna do if you need more MIDI?

Well, you know I wouldn't pose a question like that without an answer, and the answer is Tapco's LINK.midi 4X4 interface. It's been out for a while, but during that time it has become a workhorse in my studio, providing MIDI for Mac (PPC and Intel) and Windows computers. In fact, the main reason I'm reviewing this is for any other readers who suffer from lack-of-MIDIitis, because this little box has proven itself over and over again - and its four ports let it handle up to 64 channels of MIDI data.

As usual, we won't dwell on the specs because you can get that from the web. So, let's just dive in to explaining why the LINK.midi 4X4 has filled a need in my studio, and why it might in yours as well.

 

THE USB CONNECTION

MIDI data uses a fraction of the bandwidth of digital audio, so it has  no problem running 4 discrete ports with a USB 1.1 (or USB 2.0, for that  matter) connection. Because it's not card-based, it's transportable  among computers - any Mac with a native USB port and runs OS X 10.3 or  better (except Macs with G3 or G4 accelerator cards), and any Windows XP  machine running SP1 or better, will work with the LINK.midi 4X4. It  also works with Vista if you update to the latest firmware; the Tapco  site has the full story on updating.

What's more, the LINK.midi 4X4 doesn't need a wall wart, because it's  bus-powered. And, it's nowhere near as picky as a FireWire peripheral:  It has worked with anything I've thrown at it.

 

UPFRONT

 

Looking  at the front panel, you have three MIDI inputs and one MIDI output -  very convenient for easy, front-panel access to gear (the other MIDI  outs and MIDI in are on the rear panel). The front also has eight  activity lights - green for input activity, red for output activity -  and a MIDI switch thru so you can drive several sound modules from asingle master controller.

That's pretty much it, except for two little handles. Given that the thing doesn't weigh much, these aren't for picking the unit up but provide protection from anything that might want to smash into its front - although the front panel is slightly recessed, so it already has a bit of an advantage in that respect.

 

BRINGING UP THE REAR

The rear panel is an equally simple affair, with the aforementioned MIDI outs and MIDI in, as well as the USB connector and a Kensington lock. It doesn't get much simpler than that.

 

PHYSICAL CONSTRUCTION

At less than 2 inches high and 7 inches square, the LINK.midi 4X4 isn't exactly Lilliputian but it's not going to get in the way, either. However, there are a couple other cool aspects to the packaging. First, the top and bottom have a rubbery, slight raised surface that makes it virtually impossible for this box to scratch your desktop. Second, it can lie horizontally, or you can pull out and swivel a little crossbrace that makes a "leg," allowing for space-saving vertical mounting.

 

PLUG AND PLAY

Indeed, it is. With Windows, LINK.midi 4X4 is USB class-compliant so it doesn't need any special drivers. I just ran the wizard and clicked mindlessly on "Next" until it was installed, whereupon it showed up in any program I had that dealt with MIDI. On the Mac, I just plugged it in and it worked (one of those times where the Mac's "It just works" slogan is actually 100\% true). I think the only way the installation process could be easier is if the LINK.midi 4X4 walked up to your computer and plugged itself in.

 

CONCLUSIONS

If you don't do MIDI, you don't need this. But if you use MIDI hardware, and your interface thinks you don't, LINK.midi 4X4 is a simple, relatively inexpensive solution that adds that extra MIDI you've been craving to pretty much any modern computer. It has never burped, acted anti-social, crashed, complained, or lost its mind. If only everything I used had the same qualities, life would be much, much simpler.