MOTU MIDI Express Rack Unit Models

[aoresteen]

I am trying to put together a complete list of the MOTU MIDI Express RACK units.

So far I have come up with:

1) MIDI Express (LOGO: Orange Unicorn)

2) MIDI Express PC (LOGO: Orange Unicorn)

3) MIDI Express PC Notebook (LOGO: Orange Unicorn)

4) MIDI Express XT (Parallel) (LOGO: Blue Unicorn)

5) MIDI Express XT (USB) (LOGO: Blue Unicorn)

6) MIDI Express XT (3rd Version) (LOGO: Blue MOTU)

7) MIDI Express 128 (LOGO: Blue MOTU)

Have I missed any RACK units?


Thanks!

[mikehalloran]

MOTU makes hardware that allows two half rack MIDI units to be joined and rack mounted.

I have a pair of current micro express units including the rack hardware that I don't need and should sell.

[aoresteen]

MOTU makes hardware that allows two half rack MIDI units to be joined and rack mounted.

I have a pair of current micro express units including the rack hardware that I don't need and should sell.

Mike,

I was not aware that MOTU has trays for 2 of their units. Thanks! I have 1/2 size Yamaha & Roland modules in a tray.


Alesis had 1/3 tray size Micro units:



These are in my rack storage case. I ended up with dupes when I was traveling between Atlanta & Orlando and wanted to have the same stuff in both locations. To get the the rare Alesis trays I had to buy some with units that I already had.

I am looking for MOTU units that came as full size (width) rack units. I should have made it clearer.

Tony

[mikehalloran]

MOTU makes hardware that allows two half rack MIDI units to be joined and rack mounted.

I have a pair of current micro express units including the rack hardware that I don't need and should sell.

Mike,

I was not aware that MOTU has trays for 2 of their units. Thanks!
Tony

Not a tray. It's a $14.95 set of brackets and bolts.

https://motu.com/en-us/store/catalogue/ ... g-kit_169/

[aoresteen]

I have acquired all the legacy/vintage MIDI Express rack units:



I am looking for the last drivers MOTU released for these rack units - both Windows & Mac. If you have one please let me know. If the driver is on MOTU's website please post the link.


I have set up test environments:

PC has PC-DOS 7.0, WIn 3.1, Win98 SE, WinXP SP3.

Mac 6.0.8, 7.1, 7.5.5, & 8.1 (SE-30 & Quadra 605). I am looking for a Power Mac Beige G3 233/260/300 MHz for sys 9.2.2 to X 2.8 Jaguar as these were the last Macs that came with a serial port on the mobo.

Thanks all!

[mikehalloran]

I have acquired all the legacy/vintage MIDI Express rack units:

…

I am looking for the last drivers MOTU released for these rack units - both Windows & Mac.

That's easy.

The good news: The MIDI drivers for the current MOTU MIDI units are backward compatible. The only difference in the two installation packages contained in the download are SMPTE (most) or not (micro express & Fastlane). Drivers older than 10.3 (2010) have been removed from the MOTU website.
https://motu.com/en-us/download/#category=2&product=17

The bad news: Those vintage units require firmware 2.0.1 and USB Controller 1.32 chips to connect to current PCs and Macs. Although the firmware flashes on startup, there are stickers on both chips. I bought the last set from MOTU in 2012, the day after they were removed from the web site. You will find EPROMs flashed for both now and then on eBay and reverb.com but it's never consistent.

I have no idea if the serial port versions can be connected to anything modern.

Screenshot 2024-10-28 at 10.23.35 AM.png (2 MiB) Viewed 4012 times