I have tried to control the synth via Midi USB, unfortunately without success. Firmware 1.0.1 I tried it with a Torso T-1 and Ableton Live. In Live I noticed that the synth is not even recognised. I have tried all MIDI settings and different cables. It does not work. Can anyone confirm this as a bug or do I have a faulty device? I also noticed that my big encoder is crooked. Is this the same for anyone else?
That should definitely not be crooked no.
Quick questions:
- how exactly are you connecting the devices?
- Are you routing them via a computer? If so - what kind of CPU is in it?
- AMD device are notorious for causing connection issues for Polyend devices, which can be fixed by connecting them via a USB-Hub (read all about it here).
Connection to the T-1 via a Y-cable that is connected to the Synth and the T-1. Connection to MacBook Air i5 via the USB cable supplied by Polyend. All cables and adapters have been used successfully in other constellations.
I’ve moved our discussion into a separate topic, just so it’s easier to find also for future users.
When you say a Y-Cable i assume you mean a USB-Y / Splitter Cable (had no idea those exist, but i’m not surprised)?
Does the device show up without issues if you use a regular cable?
I don’t know if this helps your case or not but worth asking. Click main encoder and go to synth. Is your settings under synth set to USB and whatever usb channel you’re needing for each grid or whatever grid you wanna use.
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Yes, USB is selected there. I have just tried TRS which works.
The connection to the Mac was made without the Y-cable. I have tried several cables including the one supplied by Polyend. The Synth is not recognised by Ableton Live.
Since you mentioned Mac:
- Did you get the Permission window asking you to allow to connect the device to the Mac?
Just curious because i automatically was thinking of this issue here:
Maybe newer Apple M-Chip products have an issue? The Synth works fine for me on an M1 Macbook.
Do you per chance have a different computer you could try the connection with?
i5 is an old chip (2017).
I don’t have another computer.
No permission window pops up.
The synth is displayed in the system overview.
I have tried a MIDI monitor programme. It can’t recognise the synth either.
I don’t really care about the connection to the computer. I want to control the synth with the T-1. The Y-cable in question has already proven that it works in several constellations.
Oh sorry, I5 not M5 
(also the latest is M4 i think 
)
Keep in mind the Synth is TRS-B in case you are using TRS cables.
Or are you saying the T-1 is powering the Synth via USB? This may cause other issues depending on USB Host/Client capabilities.
Also just so i understand the connections:
- Computer goes (via usb split cable) to Synth and T-1.
- When doing so, there is no direct connection between T-1 and Synth.
Sorry for insisting on asking these questions. I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around the setup (and that Y-cable).
There’s nothing to apologise for 
Much more thanks to you for your help!
I have tested MIDI TRS. It works.
There are 2 different constellations.
- the synth is connected to the Mac with the Polyend USB cable and gets its power from there. T-1 is not involved.
- the T-1 is connected to the Synth via the Y-cable and draws its power from the Synth. The one and only plug of the Y-cable is plugged into the Synth. The two sockets of the Y-cable are connected to the T-1 and the power supply unit. No computer involved.
Thanks for the clarification!
Regarding direct computer connection let’s see if someone else has a intel based mac to test on (or maybe Polyend has some answers for us).
And thanks for clarifying the Y-cable conundrum 
Interesting - so this cable is meant to split power/data delivery?
Because you say “draws its power from the Synth”.
As far as i know the Synth (like all the other Polyend products) does not provide any power delivery via USB.
Which makes me wonder if that is the issue here. Since it expects Data and PD over the same connection, the splitting may cause issues?
Also if the T-1 expects the Synth to be a USB-MIDI Host, this will not work either as the Polyend Devices generally are just USB-MIDI Clients.
First of all: I think posting photos of your different connection setups would rule out any misunderstandings here. Especially when it involves exotic new cable types that @Sandroid never heard of 
Next: With the T-1, are you able to do something similar with other gear than the Synth? I don’t see anywhere in the T-1 manual that it should have USB host mode. And neither does the Synth. I believe that for a USB connection to work, one device should be the host and the other should be… Ehm… Not the host 
If neither device is a host, this won’t work.
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It may well be that there is a problem because the T-1 and the Polyend Synth both get their power from the same USB cable.
But why does MIDI via USB not work when I connect the synth to the MacBook Air with the supplied cable? Simple setup, just the synth and the computer. Other devices such as Digitone, Analog Rytm, S-4, T-1 and Keystep are recognised by my computer without any problems. The synth is not. That’s why I think the problem is not the T-1 or the Y-cable but the Synth.
That’s the thing i’m curious about as well. So hopefully someone has a Intel based Mac they can test this with. Sadly i don’t.
Seems like these Intel based Macs from 2017 or earlier might not accept USB MIDI or Audio. @iso you have one?
It’s probably the other way round that the Synth doesn’t accept the AirBook, because the Mac has accepted all the midi and audio devices that I’ve connected to it, and there have been a lot of them over the years.
Apart from that, the problem has been solved for me as I have returned the Synth. Not so much because of the midi over USB problem but because I don’t like the pads. It wasn’t an easy decision for me because I really liked the GRAIN, WAVS, PMD and PHZ engines. In honour of the Synth, I have to say that I’ve been playing the Soma Terra for a year now and have become very spoilt in terms of touch sensitivity.
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