How many different usb controllers are possible on one computer?

[superscan]

I have three powered hubs of 7 ports each and have not run into any issues on MacOS Yosemite - High Sierra. I did have a 4 port non-powered hub that my NI gear didn't take to it.

[BBFG#]

12 =
Kronos X/padKontrol
Montage 7
V-Synth-GT
M3 exp
Radias
Maschine Studio
2 - VMK-188+
2 - Emu xBoard 61
Nanopad 2
NanoKontrol 2
& (MOTU MIDI 128xt, eLicenser)

BTW, we're a two keyboard player family.

[Mushy Mushy]

12 =
Kronos X/padKontrol
Montage 7
V-Synth-GT
M3 exp
Radias
Maschine Studio
2 - VMK-188+
2 - Emu xBoard 61
Nanopad 2
NanoKontrol 2
& (MOTU MIDI 128xt, eLicenser)

BTW, we're a two keyboard player family.

Ah ok. Makes sense however I would use old school MIDI for the synths.

[kb420]

I'm currently using 6. Most of the time I only use about 3 of them at one time.

[thecontrolcentre]

These days I'm using 4 ... 3 connected to a powered USB3 hub and 1 connected directly to a USB2 port on my PC. I've previously run 4 off 1 buss-powered USB2 hub without issues.

[bmrzycki]

The USB 2 specification allows for a maximum of 127 devices with hubs being considered devices too. This is just the maximum designated by the protocol, there may be other limitations by the OS or motherboard USB chipset.

For modern computers you can probably be in the range of 30 devices without issues. Just make sure to not daisy chain hubs, that’s against the spec and can cause all sorts of problems.

[Tj Shredder]

For modern computers you can probably be in the range of 30 devices without issues. Just make sure to not daisy chain hubs, that’s against the spec and can cause all sorts of problems.

Any 7 port USB 3 hub out there is technically 2 daisy chained 4 port hubs...
USB 2 is different...

[carrieres]

what host do you use ?
afaik, ableton is limited to 6

[Johan-v]

what host do you use ?
afaik, ableton is limited to 6

Thanks everybody,

I will probably use reaper.

Regards,

Johan

[fabi]

what host do you use ?
afaik, ableton is limited to 6

not an ableton user, but knowing that i probably never will be, either...

I've got

-two usb2midi interfaces
-an old evolution mk-425c keyboard connected via usb
-my soundcard, which, as many do, also acts as a midi interface
-two bcr2000's running in u3 mode - meaning that in addition to the normal usb midi mode, the input and two outputs on each show up as separate midi devices in my host. meaning that one bcr2000 is actually more like 3 or 4 usb midi devices i think.
- a nanokey2 (actually i used to have three of those, but because they always got mixed up in their order i stopped using more than one at a time)

so that makes at least seven devices for me. probably more, because of the way the u3 mode works on the bcr2000's...

and i don't even think i am using that much. i wonder how other people with more serious studios work around issues such as these.

next addition will be an arturia keystep for christmas, btw.

[DJ Warmonger]

How many?

More than the number of hands of you and your friends

[sin night]

I would rather worry about the computer processing power (which synths and how many are you going to use) and the lenght of the cables.

For the record, in my setup I have 20+ din midi in/out (most of them in use), along with a few usb controllers (Maschine Mikro, KeyStep...):

- 1x iConnect Midi4+ -> 4in/4out (+2 Korg SQ1 hosted on its usb)
- 2x Motu Midi Express -> 4in/6out each
- 1x Motu Micro Lite -> 5in/5out
- 2x M-Audio Midisport 2x2 (old grey version) -> 2in/2out each
- 1x Roland Studio Capture -> 1in/1out
- 1x Maschine Mikro MK2
- 1x Arturia Keystep

Sometimes I connect also my Beatstep Pro and/or my BCR2000 (although I leave them disconnected most of the time because I don't have room for them). Then I also have my Minitaur connected through usb for the editor (but it's connected also through standard midi cables, so I don't need to turn on the computer to play).

I mostly use the midi outs to sequence hardware synths and sync effects to midi clock; the midi inputs are used mainly for the software editors or to record when I play a synth (but I usually play just one at once).

On Mac you can rename the midi interfaces and I take advantage of this feature when I have more than one of the same model.

[acYm]

with today's computers finally being fast enough, you can put an instrument on each midi device, and have everything operating in real-time and just move in and out of devices just like the tabletop/hardware workflow. much better than that in fact if you have a push or a launchpad as the centerpiece.

note that the drivers of a mobo's usb ports may have a lower limit of connected devices on the same root hub than the physical limit of the usb spec, and it can be quite a bit lower, on mine it's like 16 devices on the usb 3.0 before I need to start connecting devices on a splitter in my usb3.1 slot, which uses another driver.
there's this windows popup that can happen when you plug something in and it goes like sorry bro I see this device but can't use it, driver's full.

I got myself a nice hub with on/off switches last year, so practical. https://www.amazon.ca/ORICO-Charging-Sw ... B00JP47EFG

[fabi]

with today's computers finally being fast enough, you can put an instrument on each midi device, and have everything operating in real-time and just move in and out of devices just like the tabletop/hardware workflow. much better than that in fact if you have a push or a launchpad as the centerpiece.

I'm doing pretty much this, but with the couple of zaquencers, bidule and a few volcas and other stuff right now. Bringing synths and fx in and out via midi controlled tape stop emulation of reelbus 4. Fun stuff!