Audiobus: Use your music apps together.
What is Audiobus? — Audiobus is an award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you use your other music apps together. Chain effects on your favourite synth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app like GarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface output for each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive a synth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDI keyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear. And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.
Download on the App StoreAudiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.
Comments
Alright! I’m not surprised it works, I guess within reason, it is always better to slightly overload the system as opposed to starving it of energy.
I wish manufacturers stated acceptable voltage range as opposed to a specific number.
I guess X station comes from the time when selling of the original PSU was part of the continuous profit making even though I have experience of Novation sending me stuff like replacement keys and PSUs for free.
Whilst I don't have an X-Station, I have owned its little brother the XioSynth for years (bought it new).
Whilst it is apparently BadGear! ;-) It's been brilliant for me. It is a Keyboard, MIDI interface and audio interface all in one and can be battery, USB or mains powered. It's the perfect device for iOS and that's without mentioning the actual synth part which sounds surprisingly good. I even quite like the keyboard
I couldn't quite stretch to the X-Station at the time but actually preferred the form factor of the XioSynth as I didn't really need all the faders and smaller was better.
Novation, if you're listening, please make a new XioSynth/X-station type keyboard. Mine is starting to show its age (and has a big broken chunk out of the case as it i gigged with it for years) and I'd love a newer, smaller, lighter version.
There aren't too many MIDI keyboards with built in audio interface, and for use with iOS that's a huge feature. (are there any others other than the IK mulitmedia one, which due to many factors not least of all its proprietary cable is not for me).
Please. :-)
While it’s a different beast, I (unknowingly, it was the PSU that came with the synth 2nd hand) ran an original BassStation for years with a 12v PSU. Worked fine for ages but it gradually began to fail until it didn’t work at all.
There are far more knowledgeable on this board than me but I always thought you can supply too many amps safely but not voltage. I’m just mentioning this as I wouldn’t want you to screw your kit for such a simple thing. I’d love an X-Station (or if you’re listening Novation an X-Station “2”) so there’s a bit of envy there too!
I personally agree, without having much knowledge on the matter. It’s true that sometimes things work even if specs aren’t adequate but might/will have issues over time.
My 9v 1A is arriving today. AA to C battery adapters are also in the post. I’ll pop my eneloops in there. It will be great to be able to charge them inside the unit. I just hope there’s some decent overcharge protection in there.
Correct. A device won't draw more current than it needs (which is why a 20W iPad charger won't blow up an old iPhone that can't take advantage of the extra Power available) but if you tried to power the same iPhone with too much voltage you'll turn it into an iBBQ.
It’s interesting that the manual has a screenshot with 10.1v showing.
For anyone in the vicinity of Leeds, there’s an X-Station 61 on Ebay ending at 11.10am GMT tomorrow currently listed for £22. It’s cunningly listed as a Novation M Station. If it wasn’t collection only and nearly 300 miles away I’d be bidding on it myself...
@SpookyZoo RESIST!
When I purchased my XStation 49 brand new here in Australia it came with a 12 v dc 1 amp power adapter. Its always worked fine. My other one runs fine on a 9 volt psu.
Hahahahaha
I actually saw this one. Nowhere near me unfortunately.
Actually bought another 61 last month cheapish. Listing said it had a broken key and one dodgy pot.
Bought it with the intention of using as parts and spares. Which is just as well because even though it arrived packaged well, Royal Mail had managed to bash it up pretty bad during delivery that the thing literally fell apart in my hands.
This one went for £69. Someone got a bargain. I’m looking for a 2nd X-station or Xiosynth with 49 or 61 keys at the moment, but I’m trying hard to stay below £100, so I’m having to be patient. Frustrating when the only reason for not buying is distance, though.
Haha, the whole internet speed and convenience vs reality of a physical distance. It happened to me to trigger happily buy collection only stuff on eBay and then face the torture of needing to spend time; money and energy to get it home. Clicking the buy button being the easiest part of course.
It’s a bit like all those internet music jamming methods that all fall flat because the inability of the internet to beat the speed of light. Damn you physics!
mine is starting to die... heh.. will def look for 2nd hand one, 61 or 49. xio is cool with that step seq thingy
Guys, two questions. Please cause I spent hours and can't figure it out. 1 - Mac - Audio Midi Setup - OS Mojave - should there be any ports - I think latest drivers are not compatible any more with this OS.
2- Can you send midi clock from your DAW to XStation to control ARP tempo - (tried USB and MIDI) if so please tell me where. I know it can be done. Went through manual few times, checked many forums and got here - last post not so long ago! WOOHOO someone is still using it
Thanks a lot!
There is allegedly a buried menu option for external midi clock sync for the arp in either the firmware or driver update process, but I don’t know the details.
Thats the problem.
FOUND IT
ARP Sync with external src :
1 - press GLOBAL !!! Twice !!! --- press up BANK/PAGE until:
WRITE - GLOBALS SAVED and it works !
Hope some people that are struggling with it can find this post as this one was not an easy one.
Good to see you got there.
Did you get working drivers yet?
I’m still on High Sierra but if the X-Stations won’t work on Big Sur there’s no way I’ll be deliberately updating.
If that’s the same procedure as this :-
#
Hey Zam,
The arpeggaitor can be sync'd to MIDI clock. Here's how:
1) Make sure you are in "Synth" mode.
2) Press the Global button twice
3) The LCD screen should now read "Synth Tune Cents"
4) Press the Page up button to the left of the LCD until the screen reads "Midi Clock Sync"
5) Set it to "EXT" using that data/value knob
6) To choose the source for the MIDI clock press the Page up button again and you'll be presented with "Ext Clock Source" on the screen
7) Choose USB or MIDI depending on whether you are sending MIDI clock information via USB or the MIDI IN DIN socket.
Easy!
#
I found it quite quickly on the Vintage Synth Explorer forum, but the second post down said it doesn’t work, so I ignored it...
Glad it works after all.
Yes - exactly same. You found it quickly ..google search lvl 99 haha - It took me some time. Anyway, yes - Synth mode. and then follow the steps. Regarding Big Sur - I use Mojave but I had laptop with Big Sur today and Novation in MIDI was detected straight away - same as Mojave - no ports. No drivers installed - plug and play. As of Audio Interface functionallity - not sure.
Necroing this for a hot tip and a question:
Tip- focusrite/novation STILL stocks at least a few xstation parts and will send them to you internationally for cheap. I just got a new button sheet for mine after sending a support email. Very cool.
Question: anyone know if the boards of different models can be swapped? I want a backup to pilfer parts from for my 49, and 25s are cheaper and easier to find.
Well, if you were producing several models of the same synth where the only major difference was the number of keys and the casing, what would you do to take advantage of economy of scale in production?
Yep, I'm actually in the process of getting a board form a battered 61 into a 25. I'll let you know if I'm successful.
Also, let me know if you'd like any photos of anything specific while I have them both open.
It worked!
25 is up and running. Just need to work out what's up with the red board.
Killer! Thanks for sharing that. So weird that this hole in the market exists such that we’re forced to hoarding this stuff.
Hi everyone
My X-station's midi doesn't work on my Mac OS Big Sur
But the audio interface is fine
They all can be used on my Mojave
Is it the compatible Issue?
Agreed.
In the market for an X-Station. Curious if the keybed is better than the XIO's too?
I have a XIO currently and getting convincing piano track with a VST and it's weird velocity curve options is proving challenging.
Hoping the X-Station would be the solution. TIA
Re: The velocity Curve, I'm not sure about the Xio, or how realistic for Piano the X-Station is.
It has an interesting Velocity control of 128, where the first 8 values (0-7) are preset velocity curves, and the values 8-127 are then fixed velocity values.
Yes, the same implementation on the XIO. And I really got to dig into the playing, unlike the snap & response of my simple Keystep controller. Thanks for the info!