MIDI via XLR- Is this as simple as I think?

  • Thread starter Thread starter chris_allen123
  • Start date Start date
C

chris_allen123

New member
Hi everyone, the Studio I work for has just purchased a Roland Virtual drum kit and as well as recording its audio output from the liveroom via the breakoutbox into the controll room, we would naturally want to record the MIDI output to PC as well.
The problem arises in bringing the MIDI cables and data through the wall without getting out the powerdrill and ruining the soundproofing!
There are many XLR and a couple of 1/4" Jack inputs available to us in the studio.
My question: is wiring pins 2=Screen, 4=Source & 5=Data of a 5 pin DIN cable to pins 1=Screen, 3=Source & 2=Data of a 3 pin XLR connector into the breakout box and then XLR in the control room and ending in another 5 pin DIN to connect to the PC likely to work?

Thanks,
Chris.
 
I used to use a setup similar to that all the time. Worked like a charm. I looked at the MIDI signal with a scope one time, just to see how much cable it would take to degrade the signal to the point where I could see a difference. As I recall, it was on the order of 100 feet before there was any significant rounding of the corners of the waveform. (Not that I would ever try to use a 100 foot MIDI cable.)

Naturally, YMMV.

I would be a little concerned about crosstalk between the cables in a bundle. Be sure to do some critical listening with a mic hooked up to a preamp running at high gain before trying to use such a setup in a session.

Don
 
Thanks for the reply, it's not an area I have ever broached before- non standard MIDI connections, I will check for crosstalk and hopefully things will go smoothly!

Thanks,
Chris.
 
Back
Top