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Source Audio SB2 MIDI Hub

kurotenshi

kurotenshi

Jun 27, 2009
554
99
Amadora, Portugal
Disclosures
SourceAudio Endorser
#1
So lets discuss the so much anticipated (for me) MIDI Hub for the Source Audio SB2 series pedals.

4StringsEnough said:
This Hub thing then.....is there a way to recall scenes on it without an external midi controller like the midi mouse? The idea of having to have the Soundblox 2 pedal as well as the Hub as well as the Midi Mouse is not particularly appealing. I'd only need to change scenes between songs so, as long as I can do it with the Hub, the fact that it's not foot controllable wouldn't bother me. Does it do this? And, if it does, how does one tell which scene has been selected if there is no screen to show it? Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
#2
The original intent of the Hub was to provide low cost MIDI support for SB2.

The more we thought about all of the options it occurred to us that having multiple SB2 ports would be nice for those with more than one SB2......and while we were at it adding USB, expression in, sensor in, and some preset support.

The preset support is tricky. If you keep is simple, then the device can be under $100. If you add the functionality of the MIDI Mouse (3 segment display and foot switches), then the box gets bigger and more expensive.

The current plan is for Hub 1, and that is what is out now in Beta form. It requires some external help to get 128 presets.

The plan for Hub 2 is to add the display and footswitches to get what I think some of you want. It would be bigger and more than $100.

Jesse is thinking about what it might take to add more than one preset to the current stand-alone Hub 1. Perhaps a rotary switch that can call up 16 or so? Comments welcome, but keep in mind that we have limits on what we can do!! Thank you :)
 
#3
Some sort of preset recall would be essential for me. Doesn't need to be footswitchable as I have footswitches for the two presets per pedal in that 'scene'. And that will get me through any song. If I need to change scene, I can do that between songs by hand so a rotary control would be fine. 16 presets would be OK for me but wouldn't want any less. I assume that would be 16 'scenes' of 2 presets per pedal?
 
#4
Keep in mind that you can use any MIDI source to change scenes with the current V1 of the Control Blox.

Some ideas:

* An existing multi-effect box such as any Line6 or BOSS floorboard product typical outputs MIDI PC with each patch change. They can often output MIDI CC to for realtime parameter mod.
* Non-footswitch devices that can output MIDI including.
> Samplers
> Drum brains and machines
> Computers
> Mobile devices with USB-to-MIDI adapters and software that can output MIDI (I'm assuming wireless USB-to-MIDI devices exist? That'd be cool)
 
#5
There are a lot of apps for both Android and iOS that send MIDI. iOS has also a lot of hardware to do this, I'm not sure about the hardware for Android. The point is, if you just need to change stuff between songs there are a lot of options.

On the other hand, for people like me who already has a MIDI controller and other MIDI devices, not having a "cheap" and simple way to add MIDI support for the SB2 pedals is a deal breaker (as it has been for me with the Dimension Reverb) for buying SB2 pedals.

Can you disclosure the number of MIDI ports on the Hub? I ask because with the BEF MWBD and EQ I already have my splitter unit full. However is there is a way to daisy chain at least one of the units with the Hub I wouldn't need another splitter.
Also, how does the MIDI routing work? Is everything connected to the Hub on the same MIDI channel or can the pedals be put in different channels for independent control?
 
#6
kurotenshi said:
There are a lot of apps for both Android and iOS that send MIDI. iOS has also a lot of hardware to do this, I'm not sure about the hardware for Android. The point is, if you just need to change stuff between songs there are a lot of options.

On the other hand, for people like me who already has a MIDI controller and other MIDI devices, not having a "cheap" and simple way to add MIDI support for the SB2 pedals is a deal breaker (as it has been for me with the Dimension Reverb) for buying SB2 pedals.

Can you disclosure the number of MIDI ports on the Hub? I ask because with the BEF MWBD and EQ I already have my splitter unit full. However is there is a way to daisy chain at least one of the units with the Hub I wouldn't need another splitter.
Also, how does the MIDI routing work? Is everything connected to the Hub on the same MIDI channel or can the pedals be put in different channels for independent control?
Click to expand...

The Hub as it currently stands has 5 Multifunction in ports (i.e. for up to 5 SB2 pedals) as well as a regular Midi in and Midi Out port. It also has a sensor in for say your HH3, an expression in, USB in in addition to the power input jack.
 
#7
4StringsEnough said:
Some sort of preset recall would be essential for me. Doesn't need to be footswitchable as I have footswitches for the two presets per pedal in that 'scene'. And that will get me through any song. If I need to change scene, I can do that between songs by hand so a rotary control would be fine. 16 presets would be OK for me but wouldn't want any less. I assume that would be 16 'scenes' of 2 presets per pedal?
Click to expand...

See this reply from another thread:

rsmith601 said:
The Hub does not care about presets on a given pedal. It only captures the most current setting.

Your question is the same one we got from our beta testers! Jesse is thinking about this, but there is no clear and intuitive way to deal with it.
Click to expand...
 
#9
Dazonbass said:
If the line6 M9 can change the settings like I do with my BEF pro, then I am happy.
Click to expand...

I've personally be primarily using a Line6 M5 as my MIDI controller for the Control Blox. It will send MIDI PC for each patch change on the M5, thus the Control Blox changes patch simultaneously and simply follows along. As a bonus the M5 now gives you a patch name to look at. Plus a tuner and the FX it includes.
 
#10
The line 6 M series is a great solution for a controller. The midi mouse (i have) works well too, but the best controller for the hub may be the Midi Moose. Instant access buttons and a slim long form. I'm hearing here that adding a controller seems like a hastle, but I see a lot of boards with loop switchers and the midi moose is about the same as that.

It would be nice to have a midi mouse type version of the hub, but having that basic setup to experiment with I can tell you that scrolling thru PC's is not as desirable as instant access like my FCB1010 or the midi moose.

The hub is as small as it can possibly be and can be easily tucked away, and by going this route it lets the users decide from tons of midi controllers out there. I understand that a majority of people here use pedal boards and want to keep things compact, but for me its more about function and ease of use. I use a rack type setup (really a pedalboard in a metal enclosure I stand on) and the FCB1010 controls them remotely.

Ik multimedia has released the Blueboard midi controller and it can link with iphone/ipad, then using midi designer can be fed into the hub's midi usb goving you preset/scene control and opening up lots of fun possibilities with a HH-USB and all those CC's for every parameter.
 
#11
oh, and I think the more impressive feature of the hub is the hot hand/expression pedal routing. The hub has an 1/4" expression input and the 1/8" Hot Hand input and the hub switches these in conjunction with the exp inputs saved on each SB2 pedal, like an Expressionator.
 
#12
Any news on the hub? Enjoying my Orbital, and so far making do with just the 2 onboard presets, but would like to add more. Also contemplating adding the OFD to my board, but at that point I would really need extra presets to mix & match with the Orbital
 
#13
x52dcd said:
Any news on the hub? Enjoying my Orbital, and so far making do with just the 2 onboard presets, but would like to add more. Also contemplating adding the OFD to my board, but at that point I would really need extra presets to mix & match with the Orbital
Click to expand...

Funny you should ask. I was just out in the lab playing with one. It is very effective. It looks like we will start to sell them direct from our web site in mid-January.
 
#14
Hey rsmith, so is the mid-January prediction coming true? My pedalboard is becoming a bit to crowded so I was thinking on going all SB2 and also adding the Dimension and OFD but, like x52dcd, the MIDI and extra presets are a must for me.

You said you will be selling on the website, you are not planing on selling via distributors?
 
#15
kurotenshi said:
Hey rsmith, so is the mid-January prediction coming true? My pedalboard is becoming a bit to crowded so I was thinking on going all SB2 and also adding the Dimension and OFD but, like x52dcd, the MIDI and extra presets are a must for me.

You said you will be selling on the website, you are not planing on selling via distributors?
Click to expand...

Yes, mid-Jan looks good at the moment. We will start by selling it directly. I am not too excited about sending them outside the US, but I am sure that I will give in to the needs and wants of TalkBass users who need it!
 
#17
kurotenshi said:
There are a lot of apps for both Android and iOS that send MIDI. iOS has also a lot of hardware to do this, I'm not sure about the hardware for Android. The point is, if you just need to change stuff between songs there are a lot of options.
Click to expand...
Please could you elaborate on this for the less technologically minded amongst us? If I could change patches with my Android phone that would be great. But how would I link the phone to the hub?
 
#18
4StringsEnough said:
Please could you elaborate on this for the less technologically minded amongst us? If I could change patches with my Android phone that would be great. But how would I link the phone to the hub?
Click to expand...
I think Gadget Junky has gotten the iPad to work using the USB camera interface cable, but that it the only thing that is remotely close to doing this sort of thing. Don't think the Android or the iPhone are going to cut it.
 
#20
midi usb worked great on ipad....but only to the SB2 pedals. no midi signal will go to the midi out/thru.

And question to apple, why not let the camera connection kit work on iphone. grrr. And I just searched and not all Androids can be a USb host. bummer


I slso have an iRig Midi
 

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