MOTU MIDI Express XT USB

Using a Mac (Intel) OSX 10.4.10
Downloaded drivers
Plugged it in (not via a USB hub!) used one USB socket on MAC (two others going to large usb hubs)
Firewire for Audio

Just works

Timing mush better than previous USB MIDI interfaces
Routing great:
I use two presets SEQ when using a ... Sequencer (DAW)
All to all when using a master keyboard without a sequencer

Both work very very well

Great - no lag

So far so good

?

Hey dude........

Found a manual to download.
It's a shame that those guys of motu don't want to put a manual online!!! What's the deal?!

Hope you can read the german language (@#*!!!)

http://klemm-music-data.de/download/manual/


you need the file :

USB-MIDI 2003 Win.zip 06-Apr-2004 04:11 4.5M

Very easy to figure out the basics. I got it on a trade and never saw the manual.

More advanced stuff is a little crippled with the front panel. Software is the other half of it.

SMPTE, MIDI routing, 8x8 interface, two of the I/Os are on the front (helpful), PANIC button (VERY helpful - see below), pedal...

Comes with software that sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. No LCD screen.

Crappy. Even with a MAC.

Worked PERFECTLY well on OS9. After upgrading to OS X, the interface stopped working properly. Missing presses, releases, etc. Numerous OS reinstalls, driver reinstalls, installation of older versions and everything in between. No MIDI loops or jams; It's just FUBAR'ed.

You can't compromise with the PANIC button whenever a key got stuck -the thing trips on itself so much that I couldn't get any usable performance from it regardless of the device I'm controlling.

With such fragility to software changes, this isn't going to be your 'best friend'. You could be one update away from your MIDI being crippled.

All of my interaction with MOTU has been through their website. This is an older XT, not the newer, sleeker version.

There is little or no documentation giving a clue as to why this is happening. I wonder if they even care.

-but at least they had SOMETHING driver-wise for OS X. I don't know what it does differently but it does it wrong as compared to OS 9's driver.

ugh. If it works right, it works well. Baffling how they could design something so nice but not survive an OS upgrade.

If your cashflow depends on your MIDI interface, keep your distance.

its easy...when it works. and for the most part [of three years or so], it has.
that said, i got the new drivers [for XP], which includes the clockworks interface. dont really care for this; it 'looks' cleaner, but i prefer the earlier interface.
editing is no problem. just connect a virtual midi cable from this port to that port on the screen. you dont have to do any of this if youre using a sequencer, though...

smpte striping is the gretest thing about this. use it for tape all the time.

its MOTU. and i got a PC. there relationship is intermittent. like i said above, its worked great for several years. then i tried the newer drivers, and it was crap. went back to the old driver, and its crap. did a full reformat [fs:ntfs], reinstalled nuendo and motu drivers, and its crap. ever since i ve had it, nuendo always hangs a bit while intit'ing the midi interface. no biggy there.
now, i cant sequence live. i open the port and i can hear [only port 1], but recording, it wont let me. before i had reformatted, it wouldnt let me record live, only step record.

like i said, its intermittent. after being a user of motu's micro express, midi express, timepiece av, and the 896firewire, i reccomend not gambling, and get soemthing like the midex from steingberg [for pc], even the older unitor 8s from emagic are good.

dont bother

If it were lost or stolen, would you buy it again or get something else?
no.
Anything you wish it had?
better drivers!

Really easy - i dont know what the others are on - i had only minor problems installing the parallel version under XP pro. Its been used live, studio, multiple outputs, inputs and live midi recording, transmits data fine. The main problem people have had is (and id lay money on this) is that they didnt change the parallel port settings in BIOS. This needs to be normal or SPP, nothing else will do!

Good capabilities, timing not as good as the unitor, but not far off

NO sounds (obviously)

Yes it can be depended on, yes we have used it many times at gigs with NO problems

never had to bother them - wouldnt anyway, chances are they dont know enough, besides i only ever contact tech depts when talking to manufactuers - its much quicker.

I wouldnt replace it cos it'd be a hassle to find again - id go for a unitor. For the money i paid its been mucho worth it.

Version 1.01 Released on 01/14/03 WORKS WITH XP.
Finally works in WINDOWS XP. Previous versions didn't.

Many Midi capabilities.

I can now depend on this peice of equipment. I almost trashed it because usable drivers for XP were unavailable.

Support through e-mail is the best option. Calling them will be difficult.

Its a patchbay , not hard at all(It's me again, with a new motherboard ). IT DOES WORK IN WINDOWS XP(In my previous entry, I said it didn't). IF YOU HAVE A MOTHERBOARD WITH THE VIA 686b chipset on it (AMD 761,KT133a) then you will blue screen everytime. This has nothing to do with AMD processors, just that particular chipset on some AMD Athlon motherboards(I am glad I figured this out, because XP is the best M$ OS I have ever used).

nice time code features. THe new Clockworks console rocks!!!

IT DOES WORK IN WINDOWS XP(In my previous entry, I said it didn't). IF YOU HAVE A MOTHERBOARD WITH THE VIA 686b chip on it (AMD 761,KT133a chipsets) then you will blue screen everytime(Or just reboot). Not saying

I never called them, but I do owe my apologies to the developers of the drivers because they DO work in Windows XP

Great for the money, works WELL in Windows XP

How hard can it be. It's a patch bay.

It has all of the features I need.

DOES NOT WORK UNDER WINDOWS XP. I have tried everything. Fatal error caused in XP and you MUST reboot. It seems to ONLY work in Windows ME.

I have never called them . I have heard that they are no help at all. So why waste time. I want to buy an emagic UNITOR but, they are now owned by APPLE and support for MS Windows may be cut.

Windows XP is better than all of the other Windows versions, and the driver WILL NOT work in it. It seems like MOTU doesn't care either. I WILL NEVER EVER PURCHASE ANOTHER MOTU PRODUCT IN MY LIFE. I suggest that no one purchases this 'tihs' .

If you're using a PC....forget it. unless you like blue screens, hung notes, and miscommunication from your sequencer. the included software is out of date, the interface i sloppy.

has smpte stripping.

n/a

Doesn't work.

I've actually had success with thier support, but it took months of persitence. initially i would have rated it a 1, but i have had good treatment, even if they couldn't solve my problems.

I am replace the unit as i type this. I have had enough.

Supposedly if you're running a Mac they work quite well.

I gave it a 2 cuz they look cool.

The device is easy to use - but don't bother using the included software, GO to the web site and download the current drivers.

Feature set is good - wished it worked. The mapping/patching app is straight forward - although in reallity I suspect seldom used in todays environments.

NA

None. The unit barely worked with Cubase 5 (Windows environment). Most of the time recorded midi would be 1/4 note off sync. With windows XP and Cubase SX the device drivers caused blue screens.

"hello, I have a problem with a MOTU midi interface"
"Are you using a PC or a mac?"
"A PC"
click.....

I sold it on ebay (with a warning to inly use on a mac) for $250. I swore I'd never buy another MOTU product. Last week I had to for a strange reason - and that unit (a 2408) did not work either. If it was stolen I'd laugh at the thiefs.