Safe to Connect USB Audio Interface and MIDI Keyboard Indirectly via USB Hub??

Steinberg Lounge Computer/Studio Hardware & Setup
#1

Hi all.

I’ve realized that with my new set-up, my computer doesn’t have enough ports to support all of my external equipment.
I need to plug my audio interface and usb MIDI keyboard indirectly via a USB hub. This hub will have external power. My question is–is this safe, and will there be any MIDI or DAC latency? My guess is that it’s fine given that the connections are regular USB 2.0 anyway, but I realize that using a single usb hub for keyboard, mouse, usb MIDI, and an audio interface might be a bit much. That’s why I am looking into a hub with its own power source.

May I have advice about this?

#2

I would say that it “should” work with no issues. On my old Windows 7 computer (which I still use periodically) the USB connections are actually coming from one connection on the motherboard. So effectively, what seems like separate USB ports is actually an internal USB hub. I never had any Cubase issues with that PC and latency issues were nil. So… as far as latency goes for you… who knows. You really would need to try it out on your system.

Like you said, definitely get a powered hub. They are not expensive and, going by your description, you don’t have enough USB ports. So you have to do it unless you purchase another computer. Good luck. :wink:

Regards :sunglasses:

#3

Can you recommend a good hub? I’ve been doing a lot of research and many options seem to have issues that range from “not working” to “frying your hard drive”.

#4

I can’t but, hopefully somebody else will have a recomendation for you.

Regards. :sunglasses: