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WK6600 with a Keytar Midi Controller


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Greetings,

I would like to know if it's possible to use a keytar/ midi-controller with the WK6600?    The midi controller has the standard round 8 pin input/output.

The only possible way I see to link it to the WK6600 is through its USB port.  Does anyone sell a converter cord like that and will this work?

 

Rob

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Welcome to the forums Rob, 

 

I'm not aware of any all-in-one "cable" that can do this.  That would be a great product to develop.  Popular converter cables like E-mu Xtab can take standard midi ports and convert those to usb for a computer but, a cable for converting standard midi to the usb on a keyboard like the WK-6600 is elusive.  

 

Many "usb only" midi devices require a usb midi host.  Right now, those options are using a computer as a host or one of the usb midi host boxes out there...... so..... it can be done.  It just takes a bit more effort, money and cabling.  

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Hello Rob, several of us had discussed this somewhere here before, the lack of standard DIN ports on many new instruments creates a break in the ability to "daisy chain" standard midi din instruments, part of the original reason for the development of the midi spec. Kenton makes a host box but it's expensive.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kenton-USB-Midi-Host-/291416847138?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43d9cc3322

 

or this:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Disaster-Area-Designs-gHOST-Converter-USB-MIDI-Host-Interface-/291396666469?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43d8984465

 

iconnectivity makes a 2-usb 4 port din box  (iconnectmidi) for around $100 or a little less. Not sure if this is a real host box though since its description seems to imply it needs to be connected to a computer as a host, defeating the purpose of what I thnk you want to do.

 

Economic reasons dictate the usb only interface unfortunately. Manufacturers need to install the dedicated UART midi chip and optocouplers to create the midi DIN interface in any hardware that has these. Considering the midi spec was developed specifically for keeping all music devices communicating with a universally recognized interface it seems a real step backward in the industry just to shave a few bucks. And midi connections and specs were designed to eliminate such things as data crosstalk, data echo and groundloop noises which computers are not always too good at achieving with music equipment connected. Just my opinion.

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Thanks for the detailed explanation Jokeyman.  I think you helped me make up my mind.  For one thing, I didn't want to spend that much just to plug in the AX-1 to play on stage with my band.  I don't want to have to drag all that stuff along with it as it kind of defeats the purpose and would probably be a challenge to get it all working like it's supposed to. 

I think it might be time to part ways with it (possibly on Ebay) and invest what it brings into something else more useful.

 

I still think the WK6600 was a good value for what it cost me.  It replaced my Roland D-50 (mother board died) and I think the key action is just as good and the variety and quality of some of the sounds are even better.  Using the AX-1 with it was just kind of a fun thing, but that's all.

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