This interface is incredible, easy to setup and it's software is easy to navigate. There's no end to the possibilities on this interface. You can re-route any MIDI gear right from it's software. I highly recommend it.

Having a complicated midi environment can be a big bummer when you have a newer computer (like a Mac mini) where there are limited connections. This helped me out a ton, and I got 4 USB Midi synths and 3 DIN Midi synths all connected in my system now. I won't say it's an easy set up. I would for sure recommend watching the YouTube videos on the set up. I would also recommend restarting the device every 12 hours if you leave all you devices on. It tends to lose the plot (and connections) when left for a longer amount of time.

This interface is generally easy to use, once you get it set up. Due to its nature (being a complicated with multiple inputs) it takes a little to set up, I would recommend watching the YouTube videos from iConnectivity..they are very helpful. Only thing of real note is that it regularly needs to be powered on and off (I'm guessing twice a day) otherwise it forgets the connections and acts unpredictably.

I purchased this to help me ditch the MPC live from my workflow.

I have Mac's and PCs but my current music rig is a beast of a PC with a 9950x cpu and Asus proart creator motherboard (for the PCIe bifurcation etc

After installing the Windows driver and the host software I was not able to connect to the MioXL — plugging it would show that the device is not recognized by windows. Checking the event log showed that the device was erroring out when the windows subsystem attempted to initialize it.

I was able to install the software on my Mac and updated the firmware on the MioXL. I was using a USB-B to USB-C cable and connecting the XL to my motherboards USB4 ports (thunderbolt on AMD platform, I know lol).

I removed the port from my computer and plugged it into my monitors USB hub and was able to get the MIOXL working. Somewhat annoying so just be aware it doesn't play well with USB4 on AMD from what I saw.

Anyway I've got the firmware updated and this thing is great, it's helped me ditch the MPC Live as my centerpiece and just use my computer

Amazing piece of gear for the studio. It allowed me to easily chain My Roland Fantom X6 and Fender Fishman MIDI guitar to all my keyboards, sound modules, and DAW.

If you have some old classic keyboards or sound modules that no longer have updated drivers for their USB. This solves all of that. Its really as easy as plug and play. I have my chain setup as

>Roland Fantom X6 DIN1 in
>Kingston Wireless Guitar MIDI DIN2 in
>Yamaha DX7 DIN3 out
>Roland JV880 DIN4 out
>Korg TR DIN5 out
>Roland GR55 DIN6 out
>USB out to computer > computer to RME FIREFACE 802

This setup allows me to record any combination of Keyboard and Sound Module sounds using the X6 keyboard or Fender Fishman Strat as controllers. Also allowed me the use the Fantom X6 as a keyboard controller in my DAW for Virtual instruments. No need for updated drivers for any of my devices, the MIO XL takes care of all of that. The nice thing is through the MIO XL software I can set up and save any configured routing for song. This solved many problems and now can easily use the configuration I want without plugging in cables to make a chain or fighting with my DAW because of outdated drivers that are no longer supported.

If you've got a ton of MIDI devices and want a way to easily control and route them, this is by far the best piece of gear you'll buy in awhile. I spent hours trying to figure out how to best optimize my setup using the digitakt as the brain and then all the midi outs and thru ports and a Kenton box. Then I found this thing (oddly enough when I asked chat gpt how to best optimize my setup for efficiency and ease of use). Game changer. Dawless? Check. In the box? Check. It just works.
I knocked a star because the software requires some education, and it's got a few minor bugs (certain presets don't show the name on the display?), but overall it's fast and reliable. I wasn't excited for this one to come in like a pedal or a synth, but I would have if I understood how much this would positively impact my workflow, and my desire to just turn everything on and start making music. Do it!!!

I had previously owned 4x4 model and loved it. I used it for years until my studio expanded beyond the limitations of the device. I got the XL version. Rerouted my cabling. Since i used the other version it was a breeze setting up this device. There is no manual. Just videos they suggest watching. I dove into the editor made my selections and was off to the races with spares available. One thing I would like to see in the software is live activity and where they are routing to have that visual feedback confirmation. But aside from that it is a solid product.

Like other reviewers here I was also debating on buying this device for a while. I debated for weeks because I also thought this was a "boring" purchase. We all want to spend our hard earned money on the newest synth or drum machine, or other "fun" things. A utility like this is usually on the bottom of the list of things to buy. Well, after using this thing for a few days I can honestly say this is actually a really fun purchase. The fun I can have not rearranging my MIDI routing anytime I wan't to change my setup is priceless. Having presets to go from my DAW controlling my hardware to my Digitakt doing the sequencing is fantastic. I can rearrange my whole MIDI flow with the twist of a knob. Its a huge time saver which in turn allows more time for music making a less time plugging and unplugging cables. So at first glance it may not look like a fun device but it is once you get it up and running. I should have bought this years ago honestly. Prior to this I did by the Motu Midi Express XT which broke pretty much the day after buying it. I know a lot of people say Motu is great but I found their software dated and hard to use and the hardware felt cheap and unreliable. The Mio XL on the other hand is heavy and feels like its built like a tank. Their Auracle software is great and user friendly. I had my whole studio rigged up in just about an hour and most of that was just plugging everything in. Once everything was plugged in the MIDI routing took seconds. The ability to rename ports is huge and makes for quick and easy routing. If you need the BEST MIDI management solution on the market thie MIO XL is what you want.

When it works, it works; offers extraordinary routing options and opportunities. The hardware feels solidly built and touch-screen adjustment make the smallish display surprisingly versatile. There's a generous amount of physical input & output and my studio still has room to grow even with all the DIN & USB gadgets connected. It's not cheap but it certainly seems good value for money.

I have been noodling about with audio hardware & software for 30+ years. Reasonably familiar with midi routing, able to navigate most of my tools and toys without excessive reliance on manuals most of the time.

Midi's been around longer than that; successful and ubiquitous because it's generally so simple. I imagined I could get both my MIO XL units functionally connected to a dozen instruments and a handful of effects boxes in a day. It actually took less time than that to physically configure everything. The catch: I wanted to use midi over the network so as to engage both boxes at different places in the studio with just one ethernet cable between them, which meant I needed to get into the software side of things. Downloaded and updated Auracle, which is the computer-based configuration interface. Fumbled. Watched a bunch of online videos. Fumbled some more. Watched more videos.

Half a year later, I gave up and asked for help.

To their credit, IConnectivity offers very communicative, robust support system staffed with people who really seem to know their stuff.

It wasn't until I experienced a very capable IConnectivity employee who owns and uses many of their products struggle over 6+ hours to enter data into various columns of two pieces of software (Auracle plus network sessions in Audio Midi Setup) and *still* not get it fully connected that I realized it isn't just me: this is one *ridiculously* complex & arcane setup process if one wants to use the midi over ethernet functions. Even for standard USB & midi routing Auracle seems to me a denser and less intuitive piece of software than many.

Your milieage may vary, and I'm sure I'll soon sort through this with a bit more help. I would buy this again, but had I known what a strange dance setup would be I would have asked for the help far sooner.

I was excited to get this device as I have a lot of USB synths, as well as MIDI DIN equipment. I wanted to replace my MIDI interface and USB hubs with the MIO XL, and just use the network connection to run all my gear.

The configuration is easy and straightforward, and had the network and DIN working perfectly in no time. The one star is because connecting USB devices was a nightmare!!!
Some devices would connect when I plugged them in (sometimes), some would not connect at all. Some sort of connected but did not pass MIDI. While trying to connect devices (ie plugging in another USB cable) it sometimes dropped all USB port connections I HAD managed to acquire. I could not get them back without powering everything down and starting again from scratch.
After doing this several times (and after having returned the first unit hoping the second would be better),I finally gave up.
The idea of having to massage the USB connections every time i used it was not acceptable, and I never managed to connect even half of my usb synths. My dream of one central MIDI interface for all my synths, DIN and USB, is over. It's going back tomorrow.
I dont see any reviews here that are using the USB ports extensively. Dont even try!!

All my devices worked .perfectly, as always, when I plugged their respective USB cables back in to the hubs where I had them originally

I have been working extensively with MIDI and digital audio for 30 years. I do know what I am doing. But there is only so much you can do when you are plugging in a USB cable to a device and it doesn't do what is is supposed to!

I love this box: just plugged in my 3 keyboards and set connections in sampler software - voila. Planning to connect a few more MIDI devices to take advantage of the easy setup. Really glad I found it!

If you are looking for a way to route any midi controller or keyboard to any sound module or destination, this is what you need. It does not require that you set up MIDI Studio in Pro Tools, you only need to route all you instruments through the software and create presents for each configuration.
This is what I have been looking for!!
Excellent product!

I love this!!! All of my keyboards are linked and that is between usb and 5 pin din midi connections. I'll never sell this unit!!

I'm running two keyboards through this interface over the network to an iMac running MainStage on the other side of our sanctuary, and there is zero latency. It's been fantastic. I wish the presets and made for the routing would always stay on even when the software is turned off, so that way when you turn on your unit you don't have to always open the software again to connect the devices over the network. But this is just a little thing compared to how reliable and fast it works after all is running. Fantastic piece of gear.

The one time I've been disappointed, not by Sweetwater but by the product itself it's got a steep learning curve
You would think it would be simple but the documentation is poor.
It is a headache but I'll get over it.

I thought this was going to be plug & play; not! No documents in box, the software from website didn't help much either. Hopefully I'll get it running after some patience and work. No bearing on
Sweetwater the service was quality as usual.

If you are in need of complex routing options or just basic midi communication with your devices: This is the last stop. You can set up a control matrix per device. Essentially this unit is a matrix, of matrices. The USB device hosting is a life saver for anyone with limited ports on their computer/laptop. The standalone functionality is wonderful as well. I can use the MioXL live, with no computer, once I have a preset programmed. If you need better midi integration in the studio or live, stop switching out cables and just get this beast.

As time went on, my home studio grew more complex.. and device heavy. I've got a bunch of synths (some of which no longer play well with Windows via USB, due to old drivers), an Alesis strike pro drum kit, guitar amps which support midi, various effects pedals that support midi, so on.. and so forth. MIDI, especially over USB, was just an endless nightmarish frustration when trying to record.

I rack this up, install drivers, plug midi cables in, fire up protools, and there's 16 new DIN IN and OUTs to use. I still have the USB (for the devices that support it hooked up to the computer), so an option there I can use. However, when I go to track, now I can simply make an instrument track, pick the DIN the device I want is plugged in to on the mixer, and I KNOW I'm getting the right device straight through. Same with outs, just pick it and go. Done. Done, and done, without fighting anything.

So, all of the sequencers, synths, guitar cabs, effects pedals, e-drum kit, even my KHE amp switcher.. all works flawlessly as it should. And if I want to route anything a bit different? Can fire up the software, pick a new destination for any input, and send it out. So no more hunting around for midi-through if I want to send a sequencer out through an analog synth.

Outstanding tool that made my home studio functional, and friendly, once again. Now I can focus on being creative instead of putting on the engineering hat every time I want to do something. :)

I've had my mioXL for over two years now, after upgrading from a mio10. Personally, I believe this to be the most extensive and flexible MIDI interface available. Unfortunately, this incredible piece of hardware is completely offset by the lack of anything resembling a user's manual for its operating software. Yes, you read that correctly. Although this unit has been available for over two years, iConnectivity still hasn't see it necessary to provide a user manual for Auracle X, the software interface between the user and all of the external gear. Yes, there are on-line videos available for simple things, but even those are so Mac-oriented I find it insulting. If it weren't for the incredibly tenacious tech support people, I wouldn't have held on to this interface for as long as I have. Unfortunately, every time I have made a major change to my studio inventory and re-pluuged things into the mio, the thing looses connectivity with my Windows 10 computer, and any of the four DAWs I currently have running on it. The last occurrence has been an ongoing stream of email communications with a tech employee that has gotten me nowhere for the last three weeks. Even though I would prefer to get the mio running properly again, I find that I just can't afford to waste any more time chasing what appears to be a dead horse. So, as of June 2022, this device is far from "complete". If, especially, you haven't been playing with large-scale MIDI implementations for a couple decades, and if you don't have a LOT of MIDI experience, you are only asking for a headache if you purchase this device in its current state. I'm not sure whether I'll just toss it, or not, because at some point I would assume that iConnectivity will remove their heads from their asses and actually take the time to write a manual that describes the device's functioning, in detail. Until that time, however, this interface is jusat a waste of time.

I was *afraid* of this purchase. The mioXL went in my cart, then out, then in, then out, and finally it hit me: it's a boring purchase, but you're eventually going to need this, no matter what you think. It's a big pain in the *** to change configurations. Wouldn't you just like to get your setup... and then never have to mess with it again?

Then I read the review that talked about it having a "learning curve."

Let me put that to bed immediately: It was easier to set this up than it was to have the rediculous chains of MIDI THRUs and my 2x2 Merge and 1x4 splitter box in order to get things routed properly. I literally set up my entire studio of 9 devices in approximately 15 minutes. I will explain what I did and why:

1. Disconnect all the MIDI cables in the environment
2. Plug Pyramid A and B outputs to DIN 1 and 2 Inputs
3. In the Auracle Software, rename DIN 1 and 2 to "Pyramid A" and "Pyramid B"
4. Connected the 1010 Blackbox to DIN 3. Renamed DIN 3 to "Blackbox.
5. Got masking tape and wrote out the names of the devices on the top of the unit. (Will explain why in a moment)
6. Plugged my Virus B into DIN 4. Plugged in my Digitone to a usb port.
7. Clicked on Pyramid A in Auracle, selected "Virus" and... HST 2 was renamed to Digitone
8. Did "clear all" and then selected "Pyramid A" then selected Blackbox, Virus, and Digitone, as in the screenshot below. "A" represents what I clicked first, "B" represents the devices I wanted "A" to be routed to.
9. Tested, and all my sequences worked.
10. Saved first preset, and washed my hands of it.

If you follow a similar process to what I did here, there's *NO WAY* to screw it up. This is literally as easy as it could possibly be. I'm a software engineer by trade true, but one that values a good HCI, and this one is great but has one major flaw that I didn't talk about yet.

On the second Photo, you'll notice that when I rename a DIN--that the DIN information is permanently lost. This is WHY I used masking tape to mark off my devices on the unit. Because once you plug in your gear, the unit itself only reports the DIN numbers on the front panel.

You can save yourself trouble by adding the number or the DIN to the name, but your max character limit is 15, so abbreviate carefully. This problem could be solved by some hardcoded "soft text" that surrounds each DIN section in the UI, so no matter what your name is, you can readily see "ah yeah, that's DIN 7."

USB routing offers "Host Reservations" so You can permanently map a USB port to a device, the devices getting assigned as you plug them in. VERY useful feature.

My only gripes with the unit at this point is this: USB Power. I have both a 1010Music Blackbox and a Dreadbox Nymphes. The Nymphes states that the current supplied should be at least 1000mA, with its own usage at 350mA. (Actually a pretty good feat of engineering for analog electronics.) The Blackbox doesn't specify, but most embedded systems are in that same range. The PSU of the mioXL has 1500mA but can't apparently supply enough current. This is quite literally, the only =-( here and it makes me frown as I really wanted to reclaim DIN spaces for future vintage synth purchases. I *have* to dock a star here, as it's guaranteed that I'm not the ONLY synth user that will require USB power AND MIDI over that same cable. This artificially limits the Blackbox--though I can still chain and control devices downstream from it.

I will update this in the future when I set up the RTP MIDI network on a wireless network here at the studio in order to control my iPhone's "Synth One."

At any rate... I've never been bowled over by a product like this before. I was expecting teeth-pulling and frustration. This is an incredibly well-engineered product, and I have no compunctions against telling you that you SHOULD buy this before ever considering MOTU. MOTU doesn't even let you rename device names in their Windows software, and more than one review online talks about how MOTU's "technical support" tends to be "throw away your PC and buy a MAC."

Unacceptable. Happy to call out BS like that. Power to the people!

It works like A charm with an 8 channel Audio interface. Very versatile as to how you can set up midi patching for working in sync with A DAW. I haven't even scratched the surface yet as to what it is fully capable of.

Good lead, great service, great product. always glad to do business with you!

If you own a lot of hardware synths this is essential. I first owned the mioXM but out grew out of it recently. My setup is organized around 2 midi controllers (Keystep Pro and Keylab Essentials 61) and an iMac running logic. I can control everything how I want and when I want without rewiring midi cables. Most of the other midi hubs only work with a computer. But if I want to use my Behringer Odyssey and it's sequencer as the center of the composition I can. Which is further enabled and enhanced by the use of presets. Once you fully understand the routing its quite powerful. RTP also allows you to add more PC's to your setup if that is necessary for you. Last best thing is rack mountable. I'm all about rack modules because I can add more vertical space but not horizontal or surface space in my studio.

I've owned MIDI distributors and routers since the 1990s, when they required a dedicated PCI card in the computer. The iConnectivity is as rock solid and reliable as they come, with countless routing options. Novices to computer MIDI should note, however, that its capabilities are deep and not always intuitive.

"Compatibility - Windows: Windows 7 SP1 or later" For the drivers only! The software to set it up (Auracle) only works on Win 10 (I connected a second computer to the front USB port to get around this because my DAW Station is running Win 8.1). The firmware failed to update and Auracle crashes when selecting the "Preset" button (to configure routing). Tech Support had no response when I inquired what to do (did not answer the question). I was unable to even configure a preset, so I returned it and got the MOTU MIDI Express XT instead. Sweetwater was great about the whole mishap and did what they could, but I expect a product to work when I buy it. I'm funny that way. ;-)

Great device for combining a bunch of synths, hardware sequencers and a master clock. As others have stated, getting going can be a bit of an upward trek - personally I found the Auracle software fairly straightforward, but had to jump through some hoops to get Auracle to talk to the unit to begin with.

.

If you receive a unit with early firmware (in my case my unit had version 1.0 firmware), it's possible that the latest Auracle (v1.83 when I was working this out) on Win10 will detect the unit and inform you that you need to update the firmware before setting things up. However, I could not get the firmware updater to work using Auracle 1.83.

The workaround is to uninstall Auracle v1.83, then download Auracle v1.81 from MIO's AuracleX website and install that. With Auracle 1.81 installed, updating to the latest firmware worked first time. Then I uninstalled 1.81, reinstalled 1.83 and all was in good order.

It's the best midi interface I've owned hands down. It was turnkey outta the box, didn't have to configure anything, just plug & play. This thing is a workhorse & replaced my MOTU midi interface that I've had for some years. Whether you need a daw or not this interface is it for all of your old/new midi gear!

Pro's: 8 x DIN In/Out, 4 DIN Out, 10 USB In/Out. Basically a MIDI patchbay in a 1U rack. Route anything to anything and filter messages on any channel at the input or output. Plus the ability remap channels makes the incredibly versatile in a live setup where you can switch between 16 configurations without the need for a PC.

Con's: Documentation is limited to a few short instructional video's, You can only access 15 of the 22 inputs/outputs from your Windows based DAW, and a Factory Reset was required to get it to recognize certain class compliant USB MIDI controllers after a firmware upgrade erasing all my settings. Certain class compliant USB devices may not be recognized. For example it does not see my Conductive Labs NDLR so I had to connect it to a DIN input and output.

Put the effort in to learn it, and you'll love it. If on the other hand you cant live without a detailed manual you'll hate it. Personally this is the nerve center of my extensive synth/sequencer collection.

I think this MIDI router is honestly aimed at a live setup more than in conjunction with a DAW. What the advertising fails to point out is that although this unit has 12 MIDI DIN Outputs, and 10 USB Ports your DAW can only address the first 8 MIDI IN/OUTS and 7 of the USB Ports. If you have sound modules connected to DIN Outputs 9-12 you must map USB ports internally to those, losing them as USB Outputs. Also the documentation for Auracle the mapping and control software is just a collection of Videos, most which just cover the basics, and I had to search to find an explanation and solution video describing why my DAW didn't see all the ports. In a live setup this is a great tool, you can route anything to anything and save 16 configurations you can switch between w/o having the unit connected to a PC.

I have a fully-hardware based setup with multiple synthesizers and multiple sequencers, but I use a Squarp Pyramid as a brain. Getting the control scheme routings right has been a struggle. I started off with a MOTU MIDI Express XT, which did not work.

For anyone considering these two, the problem I faced was that, no matter what settings I used, if the Pyramid were serving as the master clock, the MOTU would double its BPM when distributing clock to other devices. I spent hours with customer service, on forums, and encountered a few people with similar issues and similar troubles. It seems like there's something in the combination of those two devices that just doesn't work.

Anyway, I replaced the MOTU with this device, and everything has worked very well. The software is a bit ugly, but eminently usable. The routing configurations are quite robust, and the MIDI filtering is good. I haven't had this device for long, and haven't done any gigging with it, so I can't speak to its stability in adverse conditions or over time, but racked up in my studio, it's rock-solid. No MIDI slop that I can detect.

Would buy again. And, of course, as always, great customer service from the Sweetwater team and my rep Greg.

I use my mioXL in a rack of MIDI synths across the room from my desk. The synths are from the 80s, 90's up to today. I loved the idea of being able to sequence them all at the same time without re-patching. Before I had a mix of interfaces and thru boxes. I was never able to fully control everything without having to re-patch or adjust which devices had bi-directional and which only had incoming.

The short answer is that if you spend the time to learn it, the mio will do what you need--whatever that might be. The "problem" is that you have to learn how it works. It is a flexible, powerful tool, with all that entails.

The long story: Initially I had configured each device to each have a unique RTP (MIDI over the network) connection. I was seeing horrendous clock drift when sequenced from several different programs. My solution was to use one RTP session for clock, broadcast from the RTP session to every device which I want to see clock. I use a second RTP session for sending note data to relevant devices (and parameter data from those devices to the computer) with each device on a distinct MIDI channel (or channels). I use a third RTP session for the controllers which only send from the mio to the computer (a m-audio keystation and Akai EWI-usb). And, finally, I use a fourth RTP session for a Nord Drum 3P--since it needs 6 channels by itself.

I do some filtering to ensure that nothing other than the computer is sending clock (I'm looking at you Korg Monologue).

Since I shut the rack off when not in use, I found it better to have the mio initiate the connection to the computer (not the default). Once I got that set up, it has been rock solid. It was a bit sketchy when the computer was initiating the connection.

Spending the time to set it all up carefully really paid off. Drawing diagrams with MIDI channels, filtering points, etc, was very helpful. Now I can send and receive to/from every device I own without re-patching.

Pros: It will do whatever you need. Filtering, remapping, complicated routing... it'll do it.
Great build quality
Multiple configuration profiles -- I could easily set up a live routing setup without the computer
Lots and lots of ports
Great customer support for technical issues.

Cons: The documentation is limited. I don't want to watch youtube videos, I'd rather read a manual. Filtering isn't documented anywhere (support was able to send me a doc for a different product that did help).

My unit was adequate until one day it just stopped powering up. I submitted a service claim with iConnectivity and the only solutions they offered were a) pay for the service and wait an indefinite but (not anytime soon) amount of time or b) a small discount on a new unit. But what made it most insulting is the way the representative treated me as if they were doing me a huge favor. This was severely disruptive to my work flow and I will never buy or recommend a product by iConnectivity again. I realize things happen but the test of true quality is how the company responds when a problem like this does come up. iConnectivity failed in every way. They are probably better off serving the hobbyist bedroom producer, not professionals who rely on these devices as working tools.

The second flagship of the mio10 interface would recommend all iconnectiviy equipment. have the mio10 and what they claim it does it works as claimed. The mioXL will do the same aside from having din connections itself has multiple USB thus 5 din pin connections and more to offer. The price is the same as the mio10 too?
In the future I intend to get an iPad for more flexibility as well as my Bk3 backing board. If you own 10 synthizisers via din connect all keyboards to the input as you also may have M8 MERGER connect one of the mio10 out's to the input 1 of the M8 the rest of your inputs connect directly to synthizisers MIDI out's, next connect your external modules MIDI input to the M8's MIDI out.
Go to to iconfig in the program select DIN 1-10 and make sure they are lit in blue which means they're active same for USB HOST JACK after setting these don't make any other changes .
Happy playing!