Does USB MIDI benefit from WDM drivers?

NukeYork

New member
I'm posting this in Cakewalk forum AND in the MIDI forum.

Does USB MIDI benefit from WDM drivers?

Before I acquire a MIDI interface for my new computer, I was wondering if it makes a difference whether I use the USB port, or a MIDI interface that's built in with the PCI soundcard. I'll be running Cakewalk Sonar in Windows 2000, but don't know if the new WDM drivers are going to be an issue with these methods of MIDI connection. I'm planning on playing DXi soft synths in real time, and occasionally using MTC MIDI sync. From what I gather so far, it looks like the WDM drivers are very helpful when playing the DXi soft synths on an MS Windows based system. I just need to know what performance issues there are (if any) with regard to these two MIDI connection methods. Which is best for performance- built in to the PCI soundcard or USB?

Also, would a soundcard with a DSP processor help reduce latency while using DXi soft synths, or are the built in DSP chips used mainly for real time effects?
-thanks

Intel 845 with P4 1.6 GHz
memory- 512mB DDR
two hdd ATA 100 7200 rpm
OS- Win 2000
application- CW Sonar
 
Correct, WDM is a digital audio 32-bit interface.

Regarding performance, USB is tragic. And if you have any other USB devices running concurrently, it's a train wreck. :)
 
WDM only makes a difference in handling digital audio.

When dealing with MIDI (a serial interface) you're talking 38.4k/sec. When dealing with digital audio you're up in the 1,152k/sec for transfer rates of data to and from the interface. WDM would do nothing for such a slow transfer rate found on MIDI and it is well below the 12Mbit/sec bandwidth of USB.

I have found that my Midiman USB 2x2 interface is much more reliable than the onboard interface on the SB cards though...

Soft synths do not work with MIDI part of your soundcard! They depend om the digital audio part of your soundcard to operate. Hence WDM would be a necessity there to reduce your soundcard's audio latency. The note data is the only thing sent to your soft synth from the MIDI interface. What happens after that is what depends on WDM.
 
thanks a million! not only were your answers helpful, but also pretty quick. That explains why product literature for MIDI interfaces does not mention WDM drivers.
I'm sort of stuck on the sound card/MIDI issue. The computer itself went together fairly easily. I have put in dozens of hours in the last week alone in researching the audio hardware, in trying to find which soundcard is the best for my application, but have only narrowed it down to about half dozen, at this point.
 
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NukeYork said:
thanks a million! not only were your answers helpful, but also pretty quick.
I'm sort of stuck on the sound card/MIDI issue. The computer itself went together fairly easily. I have put in dozens of hours in the last week alone in researching the audio hardware, in trying to find which soundcard is the best for my application, but have only narrowed it down to about half dozen, at this point.

If its any help, I'm seriously considering an Audiophile 2496. Right now I use a SB Live and the latency is absolutely terrible!! I made the mistake of playing around with NI's FM7 soft synth and am hooked on the thing. Now I have an excuse to spend the $160 on the Audiophile... :D
 
that looks like a decent price on the Audiophile. There are a lot of good things being said about Midiman/M-Audio. I'm looking for at least 4 tracks, like the Delta 66. I've got a decent mixer (Carvin FX1244) so I really don't think that I need to spend the extra bucks on the Omni I/O package.
I'm also looking at ST Audio Hoontech C-Port, EgoSys WaMi rack24 & 192 and WaveTerminal, Terrratech MT88, but haven't heard much from actual users. Also looking at Aardvark LX6, but they have no WDM's yet, as far as I can tell. Also, looking at Event, MOTU, Lynx, Creamware, etc. It's nice to have a couple decent mic preamps, but I really don't need 8 of them, like which many of these are equipped. I've been studying about all of these, and a few more, and am going to buy one soon. .....got that itch, ya know....
 
Brzilian, you may want to go to the soundcard forum and read the post, "M Audio Comparisons" before you acquire that Audiophile 2496.
 
Read it - nothing of interest to me really...

All I need is two inputs and a card that gives me lower latency with soft synths. The Audiophile has all of that and is under $200 - about what I want to spend.

The 24-bit audio will be a nice extra, but anything will be an improvement over my current SoundBlaster Live Value.
 
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