Using MIDI Solutions boxes with Pyramid

Greetings my musical nerds!

I am trying and failing to get the MIDI solutions boxes, MIDI Solutions THRU and MIDI Solutions Merge to work with Pyramid.

Default config:
MIDI Keyboard into Pyramid Output A -> into a MIDI Solutions T8 which distributes MIDI to several other devices.
This works.

Wish #1:
Connect TWO keyboards to Pyramid
Mainly to avoid disconnecting and reconnecting DIN cables; only using ONE LIVE MIDI STREAM AT A TIME, one keyboard device on at a time)

2 MIDI Keyboards into MIDI Solutions Merge -> Pyramid

does not work; no little down arrow/up arrow show in the Pyramid’s LCD Screen, EVEN WHEN ONLY ONE CONNECTION TO MIDI Solutions Merge is present, so NO signal confusion, just the Merge box seems to eat some MIDI stream!

Wish #2
Split the signal from ONE keyboard BEFORE the Pyramid
MIDI Keyboard
into MIDI Solutions THRU -> Pyramid
into MIDI Solutions THRU -> Another MIDI device

does not work; no little down arrow/up arrow show in the Pyramid’s LCD Screen

NOTE: with ALL other devices, the two MIDI Solutions boxes seem to work OK

Any suggestions welcome!
TIA

You have connected your keyboard into midi output !?
that’s not right
Whatever you’re playing on needs to go into ‘input’

Perhaps my post was not clear:

Default config:
MIDI Keyboard into Pyramid INPUT -> Parva Output A -> into a MIDI Solutions T8 which distributes MIDI to several other devices.
This works.

Wish #1
Connect TWO keyboards to Pyramid
Mainly to avoid disconnecting and reconnecting DIN cables; only using ONE LIVE MIDI STREAM AT A TIME, one keyboard device on at a time)

2 MIDI Keyboards into MIDI Solutions Merge -> Pyramid INPUT

does not work; no little down arrow/up arrow show in the Pyramid’s LCD Screen, EVEN WHEN ONLY ONE CONNECTION TO MIDI Solutions Merge is present, so NO signal confusion, just the Merge box seems to eat some MIDI stream!

Wish #2
Split the signal from ONE keyboard BEFORE the Pyramid
MIDI Keyboard
into MIDI Solutions THRU -> Pyramid INPUT
into MIDI Solutions THRU -> Another MIDI device

does not work; no little down arrow/up arrow show in the Pyramid’s LCD Screen

The questions are:
What is the MERGE box from MIDI solutions doing to the MIDI stream to make the Pyramid NOT see at as the same as the stream WITHOUT the box?

Same question with the THRU box from MIDI solutions

What is the THRU box doing to the MIDI stream to make the Pyramid NOT see at as the same as the stream WITHOUT the box?

Is there any configuration change in Pyramid that could accommodate these two MIDI boxes?

My initial guess is that the two (unnamed) keyboards do not provide sufficient power over the MIDI connection to run the Merge box. Is your Merge box the new “Multivoltage” model or not?
http://www.midisolutions.com/prodmrg.htm

Your description is a bit vague, but my guess is the same as above; the (unnamed) MIDI keyboard does not provide sufficient power to the T8. Is it a “MultiVoltage” T8?
http://www.midisolutions.com/prodt8.htm

There is no such configuration to change, and I believe that the problems you are having are nothing to do with the Pyramid.

1 Like

I guess you need to buy a MS power adapter to sent power to your MS units.
Quite a lot of modern gear don’t deliver enough power via their MIDI outputs.

AFAIK Midi Solutions have ‘V2’ updates of some of their boxes that will work with with lower power though.

You might also look for powered Kenton thru/merge boxes or go for a iConnectivity MIO interface. MIO devices will give you a lot of routing / merging options and more + they are very solid and reliable. Since I use MIO, I don’t really need my old MS merge / thru boxes anymore.

Yeah I’d corroborate this.
These midi solutions boxes are great, but only work with a certain level of power - typically devices which are powered from mains power (at least) rather than batteries/usb, and even then some devices don’t send enough power. I use them a lot (I have 2) and they quite often just ‘don’t’ work with certain combinations of equipment due to lack of power.
There are passive devices which would help you with wish # 2 :
I have a phillip rees 5S midi selector
http://www.philrees.co.uk/products/selector.htm
which is basically passive, and allows two (actually 5) devices to be connected, and then the rotary switch selects between them.

Just noticed that Philip Rees ceased trading in 2006. Feels like yesterday I bought the device !
Been doing this too long dog

In the past I’ve been tempted to buy MIDI Solutions boxes, but I don’t want to find out that it won’t work with my gear due to it running on MIDI buss power. I bought a iConnectivity box instead.

Heheheh, I know how you feel. I have a V3 which is still kicking and is super useful.

2 Likes

wow thanks for this, i didn’t think my midi merge could be part of the problem but i’ve been on forums before and it’s turned out i had my ins and outs all messed up!

so i double checked and put the korg minilogue as the “power 1 in” on the midi solutions M8 which has no power of its own.

this means i’m now getting signal in… one part of one problem solved!

thanks!

1 Like