What do you think about the newest MOTU USB Micro Express ?

rantony · Post by **rantony** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:09 pm

Hello,

I'm looking for a good multiport USB MIDI Interface. I need the following features:

1- Merging

2- Re-channelizing capability

3- Transposing

4- Preset saving (need about 10 presets)

5- PC compatibility (Windows XP)

6- Standalone operation capability

7- Half rack (8.5 inches) or smaller size

The MOTU USB Micro Express meets all these requirements, but I read many comments about stability and driver issues under Windows XP. But I don't know if these problems only apply to the older "metal" version. Did anybody try the NEW version with plastic casing ? This exact one:

http://www.motu.com/products/MIDI/micro_usb/

I need to know if it is a good choice. If not, is there any other product that you might suggest to me ?

One more thing: Can someone tell me if the data process capability of the MOTU USB Micro Express compete with MIDI Yoke free software ?

Thanks a lot for you help !

1nput0utput · Post by **1nput0utput** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:50 am

The Micro Express does everything you want it to do except for transpose incoming MIDI notes. Both the older model and the newer model have a metal enclosure. The older one is probably steel and the newer one is some kind of polycarbonate alloy.

rantony wrote:One more thing: Can someone tell me if the data process capability of the MOTU USB Micro Express compete with MIDI Yoke free software ?

I don't understand what you mean by this. From what I know about the program, MIDI Yoke can accomplish all of the MIDI filtering/merging/re-channelizing/etc. that the Micro Express can. MIDI Yoke can probably also do many MIDI transformations that the Micro Express can't. But, of course, the interface must be connected to the computer in order to use MIDI Yoke to do anything.