MIDI Mate users

I know this is quite an old thread but for those who are still, or will continue, using the Rocktron Midimate with their Axe-Fx there is a solution for a "compact" power supply for the Midimate. I recently bought a midimate (ebay - on the cheap) that did not come with a power supply. I contacted Rocktron direct and they informed me that these units can be powered with a DC power supply - positive ring, negative tip (just like Boss pedals).

Yes, you read that correct - a DC power supply. The guy at Rocktron did mention that the Midimate needs 800mA minimum and the plug needs to fit a 2.5mm pin. Most DC power supply plugs are made for a 2.1mm pin and will not "fit over" the midimate power jack pin. A 5.5mm x 2.5mm DC plug works perfectly.

I'm currently powering my midi-mate with a VisualSound OneSpot 9V DC adapter (1700mA output). Takes up one plug on my Furman PL-8 conditioner and it's daisy chained to power a couple of Boss RC-2 loopers to boot. It works great and is about as compact as it'll get because the onespot is a switching DC powersupply (no bulky, heavy transformer).

http://www.visualsound.net/1spot.htm

Just thought I'd pass that on to the great folks who read this forum. ;)
 
I neglected to mention that the VisualSound OneSpot 9V plug fits the Axe-Fx's "phantom power to pins 6 & 7" jack perfectly - no need for the 5.5mmx2.5mm plug if you're using a 7 pin MIDI cable to power the MidiMate with phantom power. Just plug the OneSpot into the Axe and use a 7pin MIDI cable. ;)
 
corona said:
I neglected to mention that the VisualSound OneSpot 9V plug fits the Axe-Fx's "phantom power to pins 6 & 7" jack perfectly - no need for the 5.5mmx2.5mm plug if you're using a 7 pin MIDI cable to power the MidiMate with phantom power. Just plug the OneSpot into the Axe and use a 7pin MIDI cable. ;)
Click to expand...

This is great & helpful news... thanks for sharing!:) That Rocktron power brick bouncing around in the back of the rack case was annoying.
 
With the VisualSound OneSpot, is the Combo Pack necessary just to do the phantom power for an Axe-Fx?
 
The VisualSound OneSpot 9V for pedalboards (the link in my April 10, 2009 post) doesn't need any adapters to "fit" the phantom power jack on the AxeFx. The "OneSpot for pedalboards" polarity is positive ring/negative tip right out of the box. I would double check to make sure the "ring" on the AxeFx's phantom power DC jack is not grounded to the chasis - that would cause problems. I don't have a 7pin MIDI cable so I have not verified whether the Phantom power jack would work. I jumped the gun by saying "you're good to go". Now that I've thought about things, there needs to be more investigation into using the AxeFx's phantom power jack to power the MIDImate through a 7pin MIDI cable.

I use the OneSpot voltage directly into the "DC jack" on the MIDImate (after I replaced the 2.1mm plug with a 2.5mm plug) and then it daisy chains to a couple of RC-2 pedals - no 7pin MIDI cable experience to offer you guys.
 
I'm using a different brand of DC power supply, but into the back of the AxeFx and then powering the Midimate via phantom power/7 pin cable. Works well.

I can only assume that the phantom power jack on the AxeFx is tolerant regardless of whether the input power is AC or DC and regardless of polarity. Has to be because of the variety of brands and different configurations of controllers out there.

(But I'll do some more reading - RTFM - before I hit the gigs over the weekend just to be sure).

Having said that, my experiences with switchmode type power supplies hasn't always been great. Often a "shocking" experience if powering pedals up without audio cables plugged in and providing a ground. I might put in an email to support just to be sure.

:cool:

Chris
 
Hi guys !

What about the quality of the switches of the Midi Mate ? The MM seems perfect for me, but I don't feel comfortable about those plastic switches... Will they resist to a guy with a few extra pounds with Caterpillar shoes ? :mrgreen:

Thanks !
 
Reiep said:
Hi guys !

What about the quality of the switches of the Midi Mate ? The MM seems perfect for me, but I don't feel comfortable about those plastic switches... Will they resist to a guy with a few extra pounds with Caterpillar shoes ? :mrgreen:

Thanks !
Click to expand...

I gig the MM regularly and often w/the Axe FX. The MM holds up super well to a lot of my abusive and mis-stomping.

I do have to be mindful of the shoes I wear :lol: (I have long and big feet... and some brands of shoes are manufactured too wide for MM use). So, now, I simple look for the "Midi-Mate Friendly" label on my walking shoes. (Sometimes the width of my chosen pair of large shoes can cause a mis-step if I'm in a frenzied patch change, so laugh but my choice of shoes that night matters.)

The buttons DO absolutely hold up to abuse. Seriously... the MM buttons wear fine and have lasted well more than a year so far with my AF. Easy pedal to maintain and carry. Just a little Deoxit juice in the 7-pin connector every few months and I'm comfortable.

Excellent festival gig we headlined last night. MM and AF were perfect. My choice of shoes: ASICS! :mrgreen:
 
Well, the VS 1-Spot does not work out of the box with the AxeFx/Midimate setup ... must be a different jack from that combo pack that works ... it fits, as discussed earlier ... but the midimate does not power up. I have been running the midimate with the 7 pin midi cable and Rocktron mother-load adapter plugged into the AxeFx power recepticle in back.

Anybody else try this/find a solution? What connectors come with that jack combo pack?

Thanks ...
 
I've seen in a french board, while doing researches on the Midi Mate, that it has some problems with the power section. Some had missing soldering, other found a workaround with a little piece of metal that should be moved into the power input.

It seems to be the Midi Mate's weak point.
 
Both of my 1-Spot adapters came with 5.5 mm x 2.1 mm connectors. Both of my MIDI Mates and my Axe-FX came with 5.5 mm x 2.5 mm jacks. So in my case, the 1-Spot plug would not fit the jacks on either the MIDI Mate or the Axe-FX. I purchased a 5.5mm x 2.5 mm plug (Ebay item #130289370901). I cut off the plug from the 1-Spot, soldered the replacement plug in it's place, and connected to the Axe-FX phantom jack. It works great. I made sure that the tip (center) was negative on the new plug. I tested it plugged directly into the MIDI Mate first, then the AFX phantom jack. No problems.
 
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