best basic MIDI interface

[cranbo]

hi,
i'm looking for the best basic MIDI interface for the money.

I have heard USB MIDI interfaces can have problems with jitter or high latency. What are your recommendations?

What I am looking at (in no particular order):

1. M-Audio MIDISport UNO
2. Edirol UM-1SX
3. a MIDI-to-Joystick cable for my Creative Soundblaster PCI512

Is USB the best way to go? Are there no other solutions (i.e., a dedicated Firewire MIDI interface? Or something USB2?)

worlds of thanks,
cranbo

[MrM]

I stand corrected and have wiped my message

[cranbo]

mrM, so are you staying stick with the Soundblaster PCI in this case?

[MrM]

What is your latency now?

[KX]

In any case USB is faster than midi.
If your USB bus is working properly,
no latency problem expected.

[bombastique]

USB is perfectly acceptable and I think what you've 'heard' is incorrect information.

[macouno]

Well for midi only usb is fine... remember latency is not about your midi interface but about how long it takes your audio card & processor to calculate what sound to create according to your midi signal. The midi signal itself is next to nothing data wise.

I have the Edirol UM-1S (not the new X) and it works absolutely fine... though check on their website what usb driver/version it supports, there's a list on there. Check that against what you have... if your system isn't too outdated it should work fine.

Actually... my soundcard is usb as well... and that does quite a good job also... I guess it depends on how complicated you make things.

thing is basicly... if latency is the issue you're trying to solve... the midi interface won't do it... you need a better audio card. Have a look at the M-audio audiophile which is like 1 step up from the card you have and I think it has midi on it as well... so you'd only need that. You'd lose your soundblaster's internal soundbanks though, but latency wise you enter another realm altogether.