[linux-audio-user] USB Midi Interface - which one to choose?

[Clemens Ladisch]

Adrian Gschwend wrote:
> I am finaly rebuilding my studio based on Linux-only apps so I need some
> compatible hardware as well for my Synths. I still have quite a lot of MIDI
> devices so I am looking for HW with as many MIDI I/O's as possible.

The biggest interfaces have 8 inputs and 8 outputs.

Two 4x4 interfaces might be cheaper than one 8x8 interface because the
8x8 interfaces have built-in MIDI patch bay functionality.

> Actually I don't care how I have to connect them to my PC but I
> would prefer an USB device or a PCI card.

AFAIK there are no pure PCI MIDI interfaces.  Many PCI sound cards
include a MIDI interface, but often only as a gameport connector, so
you'd need a separate gameport <-> MIDI interface cable.

The following 8x8 USB MIDI interfaces are supported in Linux:

ESI Miditerminal M8U <http://www.esi-pro.com/viewProduct.php?pid=20>

Edirol UM-880 <http://www.edirol.com/products/info/um880.html>

M-Audio MidiSport 8x8
<http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.main&ID=66fc0423c8451084ba0c8f3f0b068fe1>
and <http://usb-midi-fw.sourceforge.net/>


Interfaces from Emagic (AMT8 and Unitor8), MOTU (MIDI Express xt/128),
and Steinberg (Midex 8) are not supported.



HTH
Clemens