Hi,
I've read that you shouldn't connect audio related equipment through a USB hub, but rather go directly to the computers USB ports. I've read this for audio interfaces, midi control surfaces and keyboards and external drives containing samples.
So, here are my questions. (Sorry, on re-reading this before posting I realise I have gone a bit overboard with the number of questions!):
1. Why? I am guessing that it's to do with overloading the single connection from the hub to the on-board USB but I haven't found a simple clear 'this is why you shouldn't do it' yet. Further, does the 'don't do it' statement refer to all types of hub, or just passive ones? Is a PCI Express USB card considered a hub?
2. Given that midi data is relatively small, compared with audio, what's the reasoning behind saying you shouldn't connect USB midi gear through a hub? Given the choice (which I have on a couple of my midi devices) should I use the native midi connections in preference to USB?
3. I run a small media production business and I create, work with and archive a vast amount of video and audio data. I have ten external hard drives (a mixture of USB 2 and 3) and until now they have been connected fairly randomly to direct USB ports or through a couple of powered hubs. I really would like to consolidate these, ideally to a single powered hub. Typically, I don't access these drives frequently, other than to archive the day's work, or a finished project. That's with the exception of things like stock music, sound effects, stock images, specific client templates/assets etc. These are all stored on one of the external drives. I also have a separate external drive for my twenty years-worth of collected samples. Is the strategy of hanging all ten drives off a single powered hub risky? Am I introducing problems elsewhere? Should I disconnect drives until I actually need to use them?
I'd welcome any advice.
My audio interface (temporarily a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 following the death of my 6i6 ) is on a dedicated USB port on the PC. I also have a PCI Express USB 3.0 card which has further ports, to which I connect 2 x midi keyboards, a Korg nanoKONTROL Studio, an AKAI LPD8 and a Korg padKONTROL. My PC is quite well specced (i7 980 at 3.33GHz, 24GB ram, Win 10).
Thanks
I've read that you shouldn't connect audio related equipment through a USB hub, but rather go directly to the computers USB ports. I've read this for audio interfaces, midi control surfaces and keyboards and external drives containing samples.
So, here are my questions. (Sorry, on re-reading this before posting I realise I have gone a bit overboard with the number of questions!):
1. Why? I am guessing that it's to do with overloading the single connection from the hub to the on-board USB but I haven't found a simple clear 'this is why you shouldn't do it' yet. Further, does the 'don't do it' statement refer to all types of hub, or just passive ones? Is a PCI Express USB card considered a hub?
2. Given that midi data is relatively small, compared with audio, what's the reasoning behind saying you shouldn't connect USB midi gear through a hub? Given the choice (which I have on a couple of my midi devices) should I use the native midi connections in preference to USB?
3. I run a small media production business and I create, work with and archive a vast amount of video and audio data. I have ten external hard drives (a mixture of USB 2 and 3) and until now they have been connected fairly randomly to direct USB ports or through a couple of powered hubs. I really would like to consolidate these, ideally to a single powered hub. Typically, I don't access these drives frequently, other than to archive the day's work, or a finished project. That's with the exception of things like stock music, sound effects, stock images, specific client templates/assets etc. These are all stored on one of the external drives. I also have a separate external drive for my twenty years-worth of collected samples. Is the strategy of hanging all ten drives off a single powered hub risky? Am I introducing problems elsewhere? Should I disconnect drives until I actually need to use them?
I'd welcome any advice.
My audio interface (temporarily a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 following the death of my 6i6 ) is on a dedicated USB port on the PC. I also have a PCI Express USB 3.0 card which has further ports, to which I connect 2 x midi keyboards, a Korg nanoKONTROL Studio, an AKAI LPD8 and a Korg padKONTROL. My PC is quite well specced (i7 980 at 3.33GHz, 24GB ram, Win 10).
Thanks