Midi clock syncing seems to be a cause of static via USB or Jack

Synth
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I’m a new Synth owner, and I loved the product and experience so much I am also a new Play+ owner. I couldn’t be happier with the devices. Let’s start - and end - there. I’ve never been so productive and creative with a new set of devices. Huge fan.

Day 1 with the Synth, after enjoying the device for a number of hours, decided to use Ableton as a main clock, and set the Synth’s Midi Clock In so it would sync to my Ableton project’s BPM.

Here’s my tl/dr process:

  1. Connect the Synth via USB to my computer directly (not via a hub)
  2. Create a nice-sounding pattern on the Synth at 140 bpm
  3. Open Ableton, configure it to output clock, pattern, etc., appropriately so it can talk to the Synth via USB
  4. Set the Clock Sync mode on the Synth to Midi In USB
  5. Set the Ableton bpm to 135 to slow the track down, add a drum track to go along with the pattern on the Synth
  6. Run the pattern, note the Synth is going at 135.
  7. Also note I hear static in the pattern I had not noticed before (I would have noticed it)
  8. Set the Synth’s clock sync back to Internal, note the static vanishes

I changed this setup around, connecting a midi cable via the included jack from my BeatStep, output BPM from the BeatStep into the Synth, noting that when in Midi In Jack mode, the static is identical to that which I heard using Midi in USB when trying to time the Synth from Ableton.

Once the Play+ arrived, I connected the Play directly to the Synth using the included midi adapters and my own midi cable and noted the static exists on the Synth like it did in the other two scenarios.

The workaround is to use clock sync to get the Synth in time, then set the clock sync back to internal, but this is sub-optimal for songs which have multiple BPM changes, and entirely impossible to do live.

It seems like the Synth has a general issue in which static is audible when the device is in midi clock sync mode, using USB or jack modes, and from any controller used as the main clock source.

I love the devices, though! I can’t speak enough volumes about how they make the process of making music a lot more fun. Hopefully this is something that can be fixed in a firmware update and not an intermittent and unpredictable hardware issue. Looking forward to hearing if there’s a solution in the works.

Amazing products, Polyend! (Note, I’ll try the 1.1.0 beta firmware update to see if it resolves the issue as reported in Synced Delay clicking/stuttering when receiving external MIDI clock - Bug - Polyend Backstage.

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Update: this seems to have resolved the issue. I’ll do more testing tonight but after installing the 1.1 beta 2 firmware, the level of static dramatically reduced.

I did encounter a few other oddities but I’m very new to the Play+ and Synth so it could just be new user syndrome.

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Welcome to Backstage @brady.gaster, so great to have you here!

Love hearing a new Polyend user having a good time with their new gear! Glad you were able to resolve your issue.

I personally always have to use the Y-splitter with the BeatStep Pro if I’m powering over MIDI and using MIDI USB. Without the Y splitter I get bad static and noise. Don’t know if it’s the same with the OG BeatStep.

Let us know if the issue comes back as it is the first time this comes up that I’m aware of.

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I can confirm switching to internal clock stops the static clicking. I am using it within a larger setup with an mc-707 as master clock, as it doesn’t do well not being master. plus. I am using firmware 1.0.1 already. I am nt sure what to do now

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I am pleased to update, after installing the beta firmware 1.1.0 the static seems to be gone.

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That is great news!!