MIDI cable length versus reliability and latency
“We have a MTP AV USB and the question of MIDI cable length and latency has come up. What are the length / latency specs for MIDI cables? We understand the use of quality cable and have seen product from Monster cable in lengths of 50 ft., Pro C0 in 30 ft., and HOSA in 25 ft. We have been told that 20 feet is the maximum cable length before latency will be a problem. We are using a 2408 MK II w/ Digital Performer, a Mac G3 B/W, 450MHZ, 896 MB Ram, Adaptec 39160 card, (2) Seagate drives and understand there will be some degree of accumulative latency within the system as a whole. This system is in the setup stage so actuals are unknown. Any guidance / direction would be appreciated.” (For the record, the person who sent in this question is a Sweetwater customer. The e-mail was forwarded to Tech Support who has already responded in detail. But we still thought this would be an interesting question for inSync.)It appears that you may be confusing audio recording issues with MIDI issues here. Latency is generally not much of a problem with MIDI data, but can be an enormous problem in audio recording. Your choice of MIDI cable will have no effect on the performance of your audio recording system. The biggest factor for latency in your system is going to be the performance of your CPU.Though there are a few who will quibble with this statement, your inSync editor says that MIDI cable length does not contribute noticeably to MIDI latency. Or, at least no one has been able to prove it does. MIDI cable length does, however, affect the quality of the MIDI signal, and in that way can have a bottom line effect on the reliability of your MIDI system. These reliability problems can manifest themselves in ways that may appear to be latency, but are not. MIDI is an unbalanced audio signal so cable length and quality has the same implications as unbalanced audio lines: shorter and higher quality are better. 20 feet is a very safe and conservative limit for MIDI cable length. Runs of 50 feet or more are possible with high quality cable. If you are having reliability problems (dropped or stuck notes, things falling out of sync, erratic controller operation) you need to check your cables, and their environment. Environment in this context means to look at what your cables are near. If they are running next to sources of interference they may not work as reliably. Treat MIDI cables no different than audio cables.
When you need help, Sweetwater has the answers!
Our knowledge base contains over 28,000 expertly written tech articles that will give you answers and help you get the most out of your gear. Our pro musicians and gear experts update content daily to keep you informed and on your way. Best of all, it’s totally FREE, and it’s just another reason that you get more at Sweetwater.com.
Offer applies only to single-receipt qualifying purchases. Select manufacturers may require that only the manufacturer’s products qualify towards the minimum purchase amount needed to be eligible for promotional financing. Otherwise, an invoice that meets the minimum purchase amount and contains at least one qualifying manufacturer product is eligible for promotional financing. No interest will be charged on promo purchase balance, and equal monthly payments are required on promo purchase until it is paid in full. The payments equal the amount financed divided by the number of months in the promo period, rounded up to the next whole dollar. These payments may be higher than the payments that would be required if this purchase was a non-promo purchase. During the last month(s) of the promo period the required monthly payment may be reduced due to the prior months’ rounding. Regular account terms apply to non-promo purchases. New Accounts as of 07/31/2025: Purchase APR is 34.99%. Penalty APR is 39.99%. Min Interest Charge is $2. Existing cardholders: See your credit card agreement terms. Subject to credit approval.
Offer applies only to single-receipt qualifying purchases. No interest will be charged on the promo balance if you pay it off, in full, within the promo period. If you do not, interest will be charged on the promo balance from the purchase date. The required minimum monthly payments may or may not pay off the promo balance before the end of the promo period, depending on purchase amount, promo length and payment allocation. Regular account terms apply to non-promo purchases and, after promo period ends, to the promo balance. New Accounts as of 07/31/2025: Purchase APR is 34.99%. Penalty APR is 39.99%. Min Interest Charge is $2. Existing cardholders: See your credit card agreement terms. Subject to credit approval.
The estimated required monthly payment shown which excludes taxes and delivery equals the amount financed divided by the number of months in the promo period, rounded up to the next cent. During the last month(s) of the promo period the required monthly payment may be reduced due to this rounding. These payments apply only with the financing offer shown. If you make these payments by the due date each month, you should pay off this amount financed within the promo period, if it is the only balance you are paying off. If you have other balances on your account, this payment will be added to any other minimum monthly payments.
Applies only to select items from this manufacturer. Ask your Sweetwater Sales Engineer for more details.