Roland today introduced the WM-1 Wireless MIDI Adaptor and WM-1D Wireless MIDI Dongle, products that let you connect MIDI devices wirelessly with other hardware, Mac and Windows computers, and iOS mobile devices.
The WM-1 connects to MIDI hardware devices with standard 5-pin MIDI I/O. The WM-1D connects to computers and iOS devices via USB.
Standard mode provides low-latency MIDI communication between up to four total devices. Fast mode reduces latency to 3 ms—better than the internal speed of many hardware devices—providing ultra-fast communication between two WM units for timing-critical applications.
WM units can communicate with each other, and with MIDI music apps on an iOS device and Mac computer in Standard mode, via Bluetooth MIDI.
Roland says that the WM-1D is ideal for Windows computers, which don’t have Bluetooth MIDI support built in. Users of Mac computers and iOS devices can also use the WM-1D to gain the benefits of Fast mode. (USB connection with iOS devices requires the appropriate Apple adaptor.)
Video Demos:
Pricing & Availability
The WM-1 will be available for $69.99 and the WM-1D will be available for $79.99 in October 2020. See the Roland site for details.
About time. Price is a little high but not terrible for a specialist market.
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Another option is CME’s Widi Master. Very happy with mine: solid connection and no setup, like an invisible cable. Also cheaper.
https://www.cme-pro.com/widi-master/
CME’s WIDI Master is indeed highly recommended. A more compact and sleek installation, power is derived from the DIN ports in 99% of the cases and there is also an alternative of self powering them in the case the latter does not work.
I hooked up a pair of my WIDI Masters for the first time yesterday and was impressed by the ease of use. They paired with one another without hassle. For me, the latency is definitely noticeable, but suitable for controller use in the studio. I did a test by layering the WIDI Mastered synth with a few other synths that have direct USB MIDI connection to my Mac, and the latency is obvious in that scenario. However, when I just played the WIDI Mastered controller, the latency was totally acceptable for me.
but is it wi-fi or bluetooth? I can’t understand.
Does need the Roland Usb dongle to work or is universally compatible?
Yamaha MD-BT01 only costs 43 € ….
But I find the Yamaha very temperamental – so much so I can’t really rely on it live. I’ll be interested to see if this is any better.
What platform are you using it with? With my iPad Air 2, it works flawlessly. I often use it for rehearsals, and in a couple occasions even for a live: it never failed me, and the latency is absolutely acceptable.
I suspect there may be something wrong with your devices, as I have issues with my hackintosh: I can’t, for the life of me, get it to connect. It connects, like, once every 50 attempts. It might be my cheap Bluetooth dongle’s fault though, as it worked well in the past and still works with other Macs.
Late 2010 Macbook Pro, High Sierra, Logic Pro X. Connects maybe 1 in 5 times and then not at all for ever (well, it feels like that long). I guess it’s the price for having to work with other people’s hand-me-downs 🙂
Would be nice if they had cheaper midi out only and midi in only versions as well.
Battery life being?…
Around 60 hours.
Thanks. 🙂
needs “battery life”? there goes trusting this thing on stage….
Yes; what if the audience demands encore after 60h concert.
like in any rave you mean?
Lol ?
You mean like the wireless mics and guitar setups that people have used live on stage for decades?
It’s wireless but with a wire. I can see it.
There is a useful comparison to be found between CME WIDI Master and Roland WM-1. And CME WIDI Uhost and Roland WM-1D https://www.cme-pro.com/roland-wm-1-vs-cme-widi-master/
Hey guys my friend have one of those wireless midi from roland and i have put it in my roland fr3x accordeon and it want to turn on does anyone know why it want turn on we have done everything we could