Laptop / Macbook owners - lack of USB ports and external synths

[rubez]

I wonder how do laptop or macbook users who are lucky to have 2 free USB ports handle using external synths?

Usually on pc I do midi over USB and have numerous hardware synths.

I have seen an Arturia audio interface with USB hub built into it (only 3 ports though) maybe this could help solve the problem?

How does your set up handle this?

[chk071]

Well... not many alternatives to using a USB hub, are there?

[vurt]

Well... not many alternatives to using a USB hub, are there?

midi via midi cables, with a single usb 4x4 midi interface?

now we're done.

[rubez]

Oops I should have mentioned I was wanting to negate the need for a USB hub. I hate the clutter so if an audio interface could do both jobs in one that would be desirable to me.

[rubez]

Well... not many alternatives to using a USB hub, are there?

midi via midi cables, with a single usb 4x4 midi interface?

now we're done.

There are interfaces that you could permanently have 4 hardware synths wired up using 4 pin midi cables?

(sorry kinda noob in this area)

[vurt]

Well... not many alternatives to using a USB hub, are there?

midi via midi cables, with a single usb 4x4 midi interface?

now we're done.

There are interfaces that you could permanently have 4 hardware synths wired up using 4 pin midi cables?

(sorry kinda noob in this area)

i have a midi 4x4 (a few companies make them) but it is separate from my audio interface. plus for midi in and out, youd need 8 cables, so perhaps not the best option if you hate clutter?

[chk071]

If you hate clutter, don't get external gear.

[vurt]

If you hate clutter, don't get external gear.

it's true!
luckily, i have no issues with clutter, i work better in chaos

[FranklyFlawless]

I wonder how do laptop or macbook users who are lucky to have 2 free USB ports handle using external synths?

Usually on pc I do midi over USB and have numerous hardware synths.

I have seen an Arturia audio interface with USB hub built into it (only 3 ports though) maybe this could help solve the problem?

How does your set up handle this?

I had my live music setup separated from my laptop which is used for other purposes, but I recently sold all of my hardware synthesizers to preorder a different one and had to go back to using my laptop with Surge XT, which is a softsynth. I only need one synthesizer to make sound.

[RobGee]

I don’t think I’d run my hardware with my laptop unless I could only afford one machine.

I’m running an Edirol UM-550 for midi but there’s still lots of stuff that needs USB for editors, patch storage/organisation and also power.

That’s not even taking into account the hassle of plugging everything back in every time you take the laptop out

[chk071]

I don’t think I’d run my hardware with my laptop unless I could only afford one machine.

I’m running an Edirol UM-550 for midi but there’s still lots of stuff that needs USB for editors, patch storage/organisation and also power.

That’s not even taking into account the hassle of plugging everything back in every time you take the laptop out

There are lots of issues with laptops for audio computers IMO: Small screen, lack of USB ports, a system built to consume little energy, i.e. to perform worse, less bang for the buck compared to desktop PC's, usually coming with less disk space etc. etc.

Not that that was the question here, but, I know why I always go for desktop computers. Not just for audio, of course.

[Ex Machina]

There are lots of issues with laptops for audio computers IMO: Small screen, lack of USB ports, a system built to consume little energy, i.e. to perform worse, less bang for the buck compared to desktop PC's, usually coming with less disk space etc. etc.

Not that that was the question here, but, I know why I always go for desktop computers. Not just for audio, of course.

I used a late 2015 quad core 2.8GHz MacBook Pro running Cubase Pro with over 20 hardware synths attached. I never had a single problem with that setup other than the fact that it's just too slow for modern music software.

I replaced that aging laptop with an M1 Max MacBook Pro with 64GB of RAM and a 2TB NVMe drive just recently for $2,500 for a unit in mint condition. The M1/M2 Max MacBook Pros are the best laptops hands down (even if ginormous, unbearably loud, scorching hot "gamer" laptops will outperform even the latest 12-core M2 Max MacBook Pro). All of the MacBooks are dead silent and give off almost no heat.

I use a MOTU 16A 32 in/out Thunderbolt 2 audio interface and three MOTU MIDI Express 128 MIDI interfaces for all my external gear. All of my synths (even those with USB ports) are connected via standard MIDI cables. MIDI just works unlike USB which STILL in 2023 has LFO and other clock syncing issues with your DAW, timing jitter, signal noise, and all around flakiness.

You can either do it the right way using a few extra standard MIDI cables or deal with the trials and tribulations of USB MIDI on each individual device.

Incidentally, MOTU makes a 5 in 5 out "micro lite" MIDI interface that is USB bus powered and uses the same technology as in their larger, more expensive MIDI interfaces. Even though the micro lite is a half rack unit, MOTU makes a mounting kit to place it into a single space of your rack if you have one. That way all the MIDI cables are connected in the back and you never see the clutter.

Finally, I probably will end up building a water cooled Intel Core i9 13900K PC tower at some point to use as my main music computer. I'll probably load it up with 128GB of RAM, a 2TB NVMe system drive, and two 8TB NVMe data drives (one for backups). I don't play games so I will probably get the cheapest graphics card that includes at least three Display Port connectors for my three monitors. A machine with these specs will most definitely outperform my M1 Max MacBook Pro.

My only problem is that my MOTU 16A Thunderbolt 2 audio interface won't work with any of the Thunderbolt 4 ports on any of the newer PC motherboards. I REALLY don't want to have to replace my MOTU 16A because there is no other audio interface with 32 ins and outs that even comes close to matching the $1,500 retail price of the 16A. I'm not paying over $3,000 for a shitty USB 2.0 RME interface. Back when I was using a custom built PC I was using a 32 i/o RME RayDat PCIe audio interface card. That was nothing but trouble. A total nightmare in fact. That f-ing card "hard crashed" my PC at least once every six months forcing me to do a clean install including 100s of plugins. I don't understand how RME is held in such high regard when their products are garbage in my experience.

[RobGee]

I don’t think I’d run my hardware with my laptop unless I could only afford one machine.

I’m running an Edirol UM-550 for midi but there’s still lots of stuff that needs USB for editors, patch storage/organisation and also power.

That’s not even taking into account the hassle of plugging everything back in every time you take the laptop out

There are lots of issues with laptops for audio computers IMO: Small screen, lack of USB ports, a system built to consume little energy, i.e. to perform worse, less bang for the buck compared to desktop PC's, usually coming with less disk space etc. etc.

Not that that was the question here, but, I know why I always go for desktop computers. Not just for audio, of course.

I used a late 2015 quad core 2.8GHz MacBook Pro running Cubase Pro with over 20 hardware synths attached. I never had a single problem with that setup other than the fact that it's just too slow for modern music software.

I replaced that aging laptop with an M1 Max MacBook Pro with 64GB of RAM and a 2TB NVMe drive just recently for $2,500 for a unit in mint condition. The M1/M2 Max MacBook Pros are the best laptops hands down (even if ginormous, unbearably loud, scorching hot "gamer" laptops will outperform even the latest 12-core M2 Max MacBook Pro). All of the MacBooks are dead silent and give off almost no heat.

I use a MOTU 16A 32 in/out Thunderbolt 2 audio interface and three MOTU MIDI Express 128 MIDI interfaces for all my external gear. All of my synths (even those with USB ports) are connected via standard MIDI cables. MIDI just works unlike USB which STILL in 2023 has LFO and other clock syncing issues with your DAW, timing jitter, signal noise, and all around flakiness.

You can either do it the right way using a few extra standard MIDI cables or deal with the trials and tribulations of USB MIDI on each individual device.

Incidentally, MOTU makes a 5 in 5 out "micro lite" MIDI interface that is USB bus powered and uses the same technology as in their larger, more expensive MIDI interfaces. Even though the micro lite is a half rack unit, MOTU makes a mounting kit to place it into a single space of your rack if you have one. That way all the MIDI cables are connected in the back and you never see the clutter.

Finally, I probably will end up building a water cooled Intel Core i9 13900K PC tower at some point to use as my main music computer. I'll probably load it up with 128GB of RAM, a 2TB NVMe system drive, and two 8TB NVMe data drives (one for backups). I don't play games so I will probably get the cheapest graphics card that includes at least three Display Port connectors for my three monitors. A machine with these specs will most definitely outperform my M1 Max MacBook Pro.

My only problem is that my MOTU 16A Thunderbolt 2 audio interface won't work with any of the Thunderbolt 4 ports on any of the newer PC motherboards. I REALLY don't want to have to replace my MOTU 16A because there is no other audio interface with 32 ins and outs that even comes close to matching the $1,500 retail price of the 16A. I'm not paying over $3,000 for a shitty USB 2.0 RME interface. Back when I was using a custom built PC I was using a 32 i/o RME RayDat PCIe audio interface card. That was nothing but trouble. A total nightmare in fact. That f-ing card "hard crashed" my PC at least once every six months forcing me to do a clean install including 100s of plugins. I don't understand how RME is held in such high regard when their products are garbage in my experience.

I’ve been using various RME soundcards for over 20 years and they’ve been rock solid on every system. The Raydat is one of my current cards and I’ve had no issues with it.

[thecontrolcentre]

I wonder how do laptop or macbook users who are lucky to have 2 free USB ports handle using external synths?

Usually on pc I do midi over USB and have numerous hardware synths.

I have seen an Arturia audio interface with USB hub built into it (only 3 ports though) maybe this could help solve the problem?

How does your set up handle this?

I'm using 3 USB hubs and a 10-out midi-splitter to connect 15 hardware synths, a digital mixer/audio interface and 4 midi keyboards/control surfaces to my 2014 Scan 3XS i7 laptop (with 4 USB ports). Works great with Live once it's all connected up. I have a couple of external SSD's too.

[Ex Machina]

I'm using 3 USB hubs and a 10-out midi-splitter to connect 15 hardware synths, a digital mixer/audio interface and 4 midi keyboards/control surfaces to my 2014 Scan 3XS i7 laptop (with 4 USB ports). Works great with Live once it's all connected up. I have a couple of external SSD's too.

I take it most of your synths are modern units with USB MIDI connectors? I'm curious. How does the MIDI splitter work? Is it one 16 channel MIDI port and you connect synths to it each on their own separate MIDI channel?

But wouldn't that prevent you from using multitimbral synths? I have several "modern" digital synths, e.g., a Virus TI2 keyboard, a Nord Rack 2, a Nord Rack 3, a MicroWave II XT, and even my OG MicroWave I Rev A that are all multitimbral. Plus, I use software editors for many of my synths (even older synths like my two Roland MKS-80s) that require a dedicated MIDI in/out port on one of my MOTU MIDI interfaces for bidirectional communication with my computer running the editor/librarian software.

I don't see how you could run a similar setup unless every one of your synths has a dedicated USB MIDI port.

Please enlighten me.