Previously, we at musictrack have reviewed the Quicco Sound mi.1. With this review, we take a look at its successor, the mi.1 Cable, which has a variety of improvements and upgrades over the older model.

mi.1 Cable features

The big deal about the mi1.Cable is that it eliminates the need for MIDI cables to connect or sync gear.

Going cable-less, at its extreme, means that you don't have to worry about keeping your MID gear (we mean desktop synths and modules and the like) right there in front of you, or at least within reach determined by the length of a cable.

If you own any MIDI gear, the aforementioned layout and cabling dilemmas are something you always have to consider. Thinking about these things takes your focus away from production, and in the end, some people may even have modules that have been packed away, sleeping in a closet somewhere, thanks to such troublesome issues.

Further, many recent synth modules come with USB for both MIDI and PC editing control, so while it is possible to use them remotely, once again you are limited to the length of the USB cable, or the number of USB slots on your PC. In any case, the problems associated with cables are numerous.

The mi1.Cable does away with all of this.

Of course, if your audio interface has MIDI In, Out and Thru, you can send MIDI info from your DAW or other connected devices through the interface to your MIDI gear.

For example, say you have a MIDI equipped vintage analog synth stashed in your closet. You could send MIDI data to it from your DAW via the interface and have control over the synth that way. And of course you'll still need to connect audio cables.

mi1.Cable specs

・Low Latency
　Wireless devices have an inherent amount of unavoidable latency, compared to wired devices.
　The mi1.Cable connects over Bluetooth, so the latency is around 5ms. 5ms is about the same time as if you were talking to a person standing 1.7 meters away.

・Accurate Timing
　MIDI events are time-stamped and transmitted, and adjusted on the receiving side so timing is very accurate.

・No Need for Power Supplies
　If the wireless adapters themselves needed power supplies, the whole thing would be meaningless. The adapters get their power from the very small current present at the MIDI port.

・No Need for Setting Up
　Normally, Bluetooth devices must be paired and set up. The mi1.Cable sets come paired from the factory so there is no need for the end user to do anything at all. They're truly plug and play.

Two Connection Modes

The mi1.Cable has two connection priority modes.

・Latency Priority
　When playing a keyboard, or using other realtime control, latency really needs to be as low as possible. There is a latency mode that addresses this. The average latency is 5ms, so for remote playing this mode is suitable.

・Timing Priority
　When connected to a sequencer or other such device, timing is important, so the timing priority mode is best suited for these applications.

As you can see, the mi1.Cable has a variety of uses suitable to different situations and working environments. Of course, it's built to the standards set by the MIDI Standards group, and some devices do not meet the standard, so please check for compatibility via the link below.

mi.1 compatibility list

One more thing, most devices place the MIDI sockets on the rear panel, so the mi1.Cable has been designed to take up as little space as possible and not get in the way—it has a very low profile.

Demo & Review Video

We give the mi1.Cable a thorough testing in a variety of situations, connected to various MIDI devices, so be sure to check out the video.

Sales Info (Japan only)

by musictrack