Lexicon MX200 midi thru ????

[Philippe Guivarch]

Hi there!

I like my MX200.
But I tried to build a more complicated rig so I have to chain the midi cables from one devices to another. The MX200 reacts very well to messages at the input but I need to output a copy of midi information from the MX200 in order to feed other devices that must react on some messages on different channels.
To me this is a normal "thru" application.
But the MX200 seems not to work this way. The devices after MX200 can't read the messages. If the MX200 is removed out of the chain, the other devices work properly.
The MX200 does not have a thru but a midi out. But the manual says "out/thru". My question is : is there a mean to have the midi out work like a midi thru ?
PS : I can't make the MX200 last of the chain because one device (captorX) has only midi IN. hence must be last

Devices : first voodoo labs GCX, ground control pro and control switcher, MX200 and two notes captor X.

Thank you for interest.

[The Elf]

I would consider adding a MIDI thru box to make your life easier now and for the future.

[Arpangel]

I think you can set this between through, and out, in the system mode parameters, you have to make sure it’s set to through

[Philippe Guivarch]

Thank you all for interest

Yes, The Elf, adding a box for midi thru is a good route I considered but I have to wait for thoman for sending me one

Yes, Arpangel It would be great to setup a system parameter to make the unit behave like a midi thru. I read the manual in deep but could not find anything like this.
Maybe there is an extended documentation somwhere ?

[The Elf]

Normally that would be the case, but nothing in the manual suggests there's a setting.

[Eddy Deegan]

I see that the MX200 supports MIDI over USB as well as DIN.

It may be that the Out/Thru port only passes thru MIDI data received on the DIN input, and not via USB. Are you sending MIDI via DIN or USB?

I also wondered if the Thru functionality is restricted to the channel that the MX200 is set to (it shouldn't be, but you never know). If you set the MX200 to Omni mode as described on page 23 of the manual then does this make any difference?

I think you can set this between through, and out, in the system mode parameters, you have to make sure it’s set to through

As Elf said, there is no mention of this in the manual. I also agree that the best solution here is to duplicate the MIDI using an external Thru box.

[Wonks]

Is the port working at all?

Have you got an audio interface for your computer with hardware MIDI ports? If so, then if you connect MIDI out to the MIDI in port on your interface, can you see if it’s sending any messages from the MIDI out port if you change patches on the MX200?

[Eddy Deegan]

Is the port working at all?

It's also worth double-checking that the cable connected to the Out/Thru port isn't faulty!

Have you got an audio interface for your computer with hardware MIDI ports? If so, then if you connect MIDI out to the MIDI in port on your interface, can you see if it’s sending any messages from the MIDI out port if you change patches on the MX200?

According to the MIDI implementation chart the only MIDI that the MX200 transmits is SysEx while connected to the editor software.

[Arpangel]

On most of the other Lexicons in this range, there is a system menu, accessed by holding down the bypass button, it just might? be worthwhile seeing what options are there, I know that on the MPX200 it was only possible to change this via the software editor.
It seems strange, that they would label it out/thru, if it wasn’t possible.

[Moroccomoose]

This is interesting, I have an MX400 but always connected via USB MIDI. None the less, I checked the manual and the screen printing on the back and it is unequivocally 'MIDI Thru' whereas on the MX200 (If the photos on the lexicon website are to be believed) the MX200 is 'MIDI Out/Thru'.

The manual is pretty poor for the MX400 so far as the actual MIDI connection is concerned and I also can't see any references to any option for Out/Thru. There is nothing in the MIDI implementation charts giving any clues either

I will have a play and see if the MIDI Thru is just that. and report back.

Cheers,

Stu.

[N i g e l]

Chaining devices with MIDI thru isnt a good idea, as others have said.
Each device distorts the data bit timing asymmetrically, which then becomes corrupted and gives errors.
chaining 1 device is ok but by the 3rd or 4th device errors occur. Modern devices might be less prone, so maybe sticking the old gear at the end of the chain might help.

------

I can confirm that my MX200 MIDI connections are labeled "IN" and "OUT/THRU".

I dont use the OUT/THROUGH but I have quickly connected a keyboard and I havent seen any MIDI data coming out of the THRU socket.

As others have said, there doesnt appear to be anything in the system settings
to help. Even the control app doesnt have an option box to select mode.

I had been thinking it might default to thru unless there is a valid SYSEX enquiry.

[Philippe Guivarch]

Thank you all ! I'll check if the unit sends something when connected to a computer ! I use the hardware midi ports, not usb

[Moroccomoose]

Hi Philippe,

I finally got around to trying this. I couldn't get 5pin DIN MIDI to work at all. I rigged a return MIDI and was getting no THRU either. However, I could get it to work via the USB but that did not pass to MIDI thru.

Sorry, I couldn't help any more.

Stu.

[Martin Vogel]

Hi
I connected the MX 200 to the Midi Out of the Kemper Profiler and another device is connected to the Midi Out/Thru of the MX 200. Most of the time the whole chain of devices works, only now and then after switching on the MX 200 does not pass on any data. Then, after turning it off and on again, everything usually works normally again. The MX 200 may not tolerate any impulses from the midi device in front of it. So far I haven't found a way to reliably prevent this behavior. A request to the German support did not result in any useful findings. Once the device is running, everything works fine until it is switched off. It's probably a malfunction, quite annoying.
Kind regards, Martin Vogel