16 channels of MIDI with 1.1 USB ???

S

sushi-mon

New member
I have a Roland V-drum kit that I plan on using with the M-box2. Given that the mbox2 uses the 1.1 USB with about 12Megabytes per second capacity, i.e., roughly a max of 10 channels at 44.1k 24 bit.

This has me thinking that I might be restricted with the V-drums using it's MIDI out and only realy being able to record and play back up to 10 channels at a time from the V-drums.

So maybe I am better going with a fire-wire box. Thoughts on this ?

Sush
 
you're worrying about the math too much.
first off USB 1.1 at Full Speed supports a rate of about 12Megabits per second...not MegaBytes.
Second, analog wise the Mbox2 only supports 4 channels at a time (analog/digital). Because of this, your "10 channels" answer doesn't even factor into the equation....also because Pro Tools sums all your channels down to two channels before sending them back out to the Mbox for monitoring.

But, you'll be fine trying to use your V-Drums with the Mbox...you'll get all 16 channels.
With firewire, you will get more analog inputs, yes...and firewire is more reliable. The Mbox is a good device because it's USB powered so you can take it on the road easily.
 
Also remember that MIDI is not Audio. MIDI is data, like a text file that it being sent. The host merely reads that text (in MIDI's case a bunch of 1's and 0's), and then creates a sound based on the info. MIDI channels usually send Kilobytes of information, not Megabytes.
 
Interesting, thanks for the feedback.

So, I will be able to manipulate all 16 channels from my V-drums through the m-box ? I just want to make sure I can do that. I really want to use a drum simulator, such as, Fxpansion's BFD, to fine tune my MIDI drum performance with better sampled drum sounds and room mic'ing, ect.

I can do this with the M-box2 as the interface ? I am concerned about not being able to simulataneously "mix" 16 channels of the MIDI performance.

Sush
 
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