I’d like to chime in… I have an OP-1, and it has a usb in and out for midi. It is also needing a host. As technology advances, bridges become necessary. If I want to pump 5pin MIDI or CV clock to my OP-1, I use the OP-Lab as the bridge. The other pieces aren’t “missing” being a host, and the OP-1 isn’t “missing something” needing a host.If I want to pump Squarps midi to the OP-1, I can simplify this with a Kenton Midi host, of which I own 2.
So indeed it may seem hard to understand at first, and I can sympathize with your initial reaction when encountering this kind of impasse. But it is the result of the needs of the device downstream where the missing component lies, not with the squarp. Now, yes, there are now coming out devices that anticipate this relatively new “problem” like the OP-Z, which can act as a host computer. So there is technically an argument to be had that future versions of this sequencer could include the option to act both as a B device and an A (host) device. For now, you will have to buy an OP-Lab for two usb B devices to speak. To free your squarps USB connection for just power, Use one of the 5pin midi outs to a Kenton midi host. Now the midi will come from one of the A or B 5pin outs, to the Kenton 5pin in, and from there, midi will go from the usb A out of the Kenton, to the usb B side of whatever device you have, like an OP-1. If you want to go usb out of squarp, to a 5pin device, the 5v power that the Kenton uses will also travel to the squarp, eliminating the need for usb power splitting cable.
Another time these hosts are needed are for USB midi foot pedals, to take their USB foot pedal commands into the Octatrack’s 5pin input for handsfree sampling. This is just a fact of life one has to come to terms with.