Dual Midi Cable Source (longer than 4m/13ft)?

greenblob · September 23, 2013 at 11:44 PM

Does anyone know where I can buy a few Dual Midi Cables longer than 4 meters/ 13ft? The 13ft one I have is a bit short when running from the rear of my foot controller to the rear of the KPA. Would love to have it a bit longer so I can route it a little off to the side of the stage and not continually stand on it.

Im looking for something around 20 or 25ft ft (6 to 7.5m). I guess I could get one custom made (cost?) or put one together myself (PITA) but would prefer to avoid either of those options. 13 ft seems to be the longest I found online. I'm in the USA.

I know I could zip tie or tape 2 single cables together but would prefer a factory made dual cable as they always seem to lay nicer (and are easier to coil up and store - especially at 25ft).

Thanks

greglecompte · September 23, 2013 at 11:51 PM

why not just buy 2 cables and zip tie them together I got a bunch of 20 ft midi cables from guitar center for around 5 dollars each,or you could buy another 16 ft cable and use a midi coupler available from radio shack

K3MP3R · September 24, 2013 at 12:11 AM

You can probably get 2 MIDI cables and a roll of large heat shrink to make your own single cable for less than 20 bucks from monoprice.

I did this for my footboard once. Had my ts, amp pedal and power all in a shrink tubing.

Check out the comments in the product descriptions to get an idea of shrinkage. You can get quite large gauge to fit many cables, but want to be able to shrink down so it looks neat as well.

TieDyedDevil · September 24, 2013 at 12:38 AM

I believe that best-tronics.com can accommodate your request. I've ordered several stock cables from them and have been pleased with their work.

greenblob · September 24, 2013 at 4:38 AM

Quote from K3MP3R

You can probably get 2 MIDI cables and a roll of large heat shrink to make your own single cable for less than 20 bucks from monoprice.

Heat shrink goes quiet rigid when it's shrunk down. Does the cable even stay flexible? I understand I could just use a few inches of shrink every 2 ft or so. Is that what you did?

Quote from TieDyedDevil

I believe that best-tronics.com can accommodate your request. I've ordered several stock cables from them and have been pleased with their work.

Thanks for the link. This is more what I was after. I didn't see any dual cables in their products, but I emailed them to get a quote for a custom order. I'm expecting the cost to be a little obscene but can't hurt to ask.

AxeMan2U · September 24, 2013 at 4:56 AM

Please let us know what the cost quoted is when you get it.

greenblob · September 24, 2013 at 5:12 AM

Will do.

I'm actually thinking I should just stop being lazy and make some. I'm very handy with a soldering iron (part of day job) but finding the right cable for a decent price and small enough quantity could be tough. I see some mogami cable that would be perfect but haven't found a place to buy it yet (unless I want a 500ft drum). Will see what the best-tronics guys say first I guess.

K3MP3R · September 24, 2013 at 7:03 AM

Quote from greenblob

Heat shrink goes quiet rigid when it's shrunk down. Does the cable even stay flexible? I understand I could just use a few inches of shrink every 2 ft or so. Is that what you did?

Thanks for the link. This is more what I was after. I didn't see any dual cables in their products, but I emailed them to get a quote for a custom order. I'm expecting the cost to be a little obscene but can't hurt to ask.

This stuff is just the normal tubing not some of the heavier stuff you see used to keep cable connectors from bending, so quite flexible and acts just like a cable should. I tubed the whole thing as it it was mostly for looks to keep it looking like one cable and not a snake jungle. If your going to use it in a few spots, just use zip ties they go on and come off a lot easier. Honestly if it is just for running only 2 midi cables I would just find a ready made cable that is like that already or get a muti wire cable and put your own ends on and cut off what you do not use. Doesn't have to be a fancy cable if your make your own. It's a digital signal so you either get it or you don't, there is no signal quality affecting performance. You just need a durable cable and nice fitting connectors. I was just thinking of tubing because you might have needed a power or something else as well going with the midi.

TKustom · September 24, 2013 at 7:51 AM

Mogami does dual midi cables up to 9m (30ft) length:
http://www.mogamicable.com/category/bulk/dig_interface/midi/

greenblob · September 24, 2013 at 9:22 PM

I did some email legwork and here’s the results:

Quote from Best-tronics for custom made 25ft dual midi cable
“Custom Green MIDI Loom-25=$91.56 I would just need to know what breakout length you would like on each end if you decide to order. Feel free to contact me with any questions or if you would like to go ahead with the order. Thanks Jim”

Ok, not cheap, but I’d bet it would be premium quality.

I also emailed Mogami trying to find out how to either purchase the 30ft Dual Cable listed on their site (part# midi-30d) or just the raw cable itself and got an unexpected reply,

Reply from sales @ MogamiCable.
“ We have never stocked the dual midi cables that Mogami shows in their catalog, nor the dual midi cable that would be used to make them. It seems like one of those items they added to look for market feedback then did not produce them.
Sorry for the wild goose chase. I would personally use tech flex braided sleeve type wrap to tie two conventional (hopefully midi) cables and add numbers to the ends to identify them”

So, yup. It looks the only options are to go custom made (or homemade), or just bundle two midi cables together somehow.

I honestly thought you’d just be able to buy one off the shelf online somewhere and I was just searching for the wrong thing in Google. Oh well, now I know.

Thanks for the help guys.

HELL-G · September 24, 2013 at 9:31 PM

I'm going to make one myself using a Hybridcable carrying dual midi and 240V as i don't want to use a mod on the FCB for phantompower which would make the use of a wall wart necessary. The cable i chose is this: http://www.thomann.de/de/sommer_cabl…kombi_kabel.htm

I'll post a pic when it's done.

TKustom · September 25, 2013 at 7:56 AM

Quote from greenblob

I also emailed Mogami trying to find out how to either purchase the 30ft Dual Cable listed on their site (part# midi-30d) or just the raw cable itself and got an unexpected reply,

Reply from sales @ MogamiCable.
“ We have never stocked the dual midi cables that Mogami shows in their catalog, nor the dual midi cable that would be used to make them. It seems like one of those items they added to look for market feedback then did not produce them.
Sorry for the wild goose chase. I would personally use tech flex braided sleeve type wrap to tie two conventional (hopefully midi) cables and add numbers to the ends to identify them”

Wow, now that is a weird way for market research

e_del · September 25, 2013 at 10:50 AM

i recently got these dual cables, for my modded FCB1010 pedalboard.
http://www.ebay.it/itm/Hosa-MID-2…M-/330898217484

Actually 4m is the longest size, but a cheap solution to try could be using this connector
http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-GMD108-Fe…r/dp/B000068O44
and two "regular" 4mt cables...

(I have to admit that those HOSA cables are perfect for indoor use, but don't seem to be made for a rough live stage usage...)

greenblob · September 25, 2013 at 3:03 PM

Yep. I'm using that exact cheapie Hosa cable at the moment while I search out a permanent solution.

Robrecht · October 2, 2013 at 11:34 PM

After a long search, I bought a 5m dual midi cable here:

http://www.conrad.be/ce/nl/product/…-Zwart-MaleMale

This particular retailer also seems to supply to Holland (conrad.nl) and Germany (conrad.de). The cable is from a brand called Paccs; it looks and feels fairly sturdy.

trebie · October 6, 2013 at 10:27 PM

Instead of hard to get dual MIDI cable you could use a long 5 wire MIDI cable. This has all five pins of the connector wired. To connect you have to rewire the MIDI socket in your MIDI device or build an adaptor from 5 pin female to two standard 3 wire male MIDI plugs.