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Roland A-880
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Roland A-880

MIDI Interface from Roland

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«  Very useful tools ... »

Published on 12/02/13 at 02:05
I have a very oriented "hardware" installation and therefore the number of MIDI devices to manage demand a minimum of organization.

In fact, I use it in conjunction with an Edirol UM-880 MIDI interface.
My multitimbral machines are directly connected to the UM-880 HandShake mode (bi-directional connection where the 'In' one is plugged into the 'Out' on the other and vice versa).
Port 8 of the UM-880 is connected (always HandShake) on port 8 of A-880, it is used for my monotimbrales machines (each with its separate MIDI channel).

Thus, with or without a computer turned on, playing on 2 devices (A-880 and UM-880), I can theoretically control any machine on my setup from any other.

Foot!

UTILIZATION

Very useful and easy to use!

No drivers, no software (except maybe some MIDI editors as the deceased or SoundDiver MidiQuest XL but check), a priori not updated (no change of Firmware) ...

In fact, it is not a MIDI interface in the sense commonly used, that is to say a device to connect to a computer and to use the MIDI from the computer (with software installed therein) and the outside world (keyboards, racks and so on).
It is a MIDI Patch completely autonomous, with 8 inputs, 8 outputs and to make Merge and split between its inputs and outputs.
We can therefore change the way the various devices in a MIDI setup are interconnected without having to touch any cables: everything is done from the front of A-880.
This relieves the MIDI cables, plugs affected devices and the back of musician / technician.

In short, if the A-880 is a MIDI interface, then any audio patch may be considered an audio interface.
It is up to you.

OVERALL OPINION

A-I 880 for many years.
Before being used with the UM-880, it was with an Emagic AMT-8 on the same principle.

On stage, the moment that you have several machines manage hardware, this kind of machine can very quickly become almost indispensable: a pressing 2 buttons, the keyboard controller controls another rack (or several at the same time) without chaining the devices one after the other through the "Thru" jacks, which is anyway to avoid.
In addition, the A-880 with 64 memory patches, we can easily imagine a specific MIDI routing each piece (for example) with change on the fly by simply sending a Program Change from the master keyboard.

In the studio, it can act as mega ThruBox with Merge function bonus gift (as is my case).