MIDI merge box

eljodon

eljodon

Well-Known Member
Hi,

I'm looking into getting a MIDI merge box because I'm using a Mini Effects gizmo>Eventide H9>2nd Eventide H9>Strymon Timeline>Strymon Mobius on my pedalboard and from the Mobius a long MIDI cable goes into a rack with the Effects Gizmo>Sound Sculpture Volcano>Voodoo Labs Switcher>Digitech Whammy Pedal. I read that using more than 7 MIDI units in series is "asking for trouble"
I'm trying to minimize the delay between presets or any potential issues, so if the MIDI Solutions merge box can be used, should I use it on my pedalboard for the MEG, H9's and Strymon pedals or for the units on the rack?
How would I set it up with the Mastermind editor with the units that I'm using the MIDI merge box? Thanks
 
You'll need a MIDI Thru box, not a merge. A merge box combines two MIDI signals into one. A thru box splits a signal into two or more outputs.

For that setup, I would recommend two thru boxes, one for the pedalboard and one for the rack. That's the only way you're going to get the MIDI chain length down to a safe number.

The PBC doesn't need to know that the thru box is there, the setup is still the same.
 
rjmmusic said:
You'll need a MIDI Thru box, not a merge. A merge box combines two MIDI signals into one. A thru box splits a signal into two or more outputs.

For that setup, I would recommend two thru boxes, one for the pedalboard and one for the rack. That's the only way you're going to get the MIDI chain length down to a safe number.

The PBC doesn't need to know that the thru box is there, the setup is still the same.
Click to expand...

Sorry to bother you again, but where in the chain would you put the MIDI thru box on the pedalboard? After the PBC and the one out of the the MIDI thru box to the MEG and the other one to the H9's and the 2 Strymon in the usual in series? Thanks
 
I would wire it PBC -> Thru Box 1 -> Thru Box 2. That results in the shortest MIDI chain length. Then, connect all of your pedals to the other thru box outputs. Don't use a pedal's MIDI thru port unless there are no more outputs available on the thru boxes.
 
Thanks! Then perhaps I should get the MIDI Solutions Quadra thru box for the pedalboard instead of the dual don't you think?
 
Hi,

First post here, but this is something I've been thinking about for my own setup.

One thing you might want to consider is how to power the thru box. The way I understand the documentation for the MIDI solutions Quadra thru is that it needs power via the midi cable, which (again, as I understand it) the PBC doesn't supply. But I think the MEG can supply power over the midi cable.

I've looked at the Kenton 5-way thru box: this needs its own power supply, (using a centre-positive plug) but looks like it would work well.

Cheers,

Andrew
 
The MIDI Solutions boxes are a special case -they use a trick to draw power directly from a standard MIDI connection. You don't need to have phantom power on the MIDI port at all. This trick makes it not 100% compatible with all MIDI devices, but it does work with our products in most cases. It'll be fine connected directly to a PBC.

Now that I'm thinking about this, I'm not certain you could connect one thru box directly to another (MIDI Solutions would know, of course). You may have to connect Thru box -> one pedal -> 2nd thru box.

The Kenton thru box would be fine as well, it does need its own power supply as stated, but it has no compatibility issues as far as I know.
 
Very useful to know -- thanks! I wasn't sure if/how the Quadra would work with the PBC, which is why I looked at the Kenton.

And I know it's been said numerous times by just about everybody, but: Ron your support here is absolutely fantastic. Great products, great advice, great help all around. Cheers!
 
I 2nd that Andrew L and thank you for your input.That's why I own many RJM products, not just because they are amazing, but also because of their support. Ron has been great helping me out with my silly questions.Lol!

I was thinking about getting the Quadra just to make things easier. The MIDI Solutions with 2 outs it's working fine on my pedalboard when I plug the PBC MIDI out to the MIDI thru box and splitting the signal to the MEG then running in series to the 2 H9's and the Strymon Timeline and Mobius but I would have to use the out of the Mobius into my rack stuff with a long MIDI cable to the Effects gizmo>Volcano>Voodo labs Switcher and the Whammy pedal.

With the Quadra (from the PBC)I could use one of it's MIDI out to go directly to the rack and the last 3 for the MEG then the 2nd out H9>H9 and the last one Strymon Timeline>Mobius. Seems like the best way I can think of.
 
Hey - so I've been using the Midi Solutions Quadra Thru for about a year now with my PBC - no issues.
But recently my Strymon TimeLine and Bigsky as well as my Eventide H9 have been tripping out and cycling through every preset at crazy speeds. So I switched Midi cables and it fixed it for about 2 weeks.
Today it happened again - I looked at my Quadra Thru and it's blinking pretty crazy and now it won't light up at all when I plug a midi cable into it from the PBC.
Thoughts? Obviously that's messing with my setup pretty dramatically. HELP! Thank you! - Paul
 
Try plugging the PBC directly into one of your pedals and see if it works. That'll help determine if it's the PBC or the Quadra Thru at fault.
 
Thanks Ron - good idea. Looks like it was my Quadra Thru crapping out. Replaced it with the newer 3.3V or 5V MIDI specifications Quadra Thru and the Mastermind is powering and operating it just fine
 
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