Compatibility with RK-006
I just hooked up the Arp and like it so far. My plan is to integrate it with my existing setup that's based around the Retrokits RK-006. I think this is a very flexible partner for the Arp, allowing control over many MIDI devices and the RK is rock solid in my experience. I have it set up in mode 1 (basically a simple MIDI thru setup, where the RK duplicates incoming MIDI to all its out ports).
My plan is to use the MIDI host capability of the RK (I've connected a powered USB hub to it). This works well with other MIDI devices, e.g. I can use my Digitone Keys to play notes via USB and the RK passes them through to other MIDI devices connected to the out ports as expected.
When I connect the Arp to the RK with the same USB-B cable as I used for the Digitone, it powers up and I see the lights of the RK blink when I press play, signifying it's receiving data from the Arp, but I can't get my devices to play anything the Arp is supposedly transmitting. If I hook up the Arp via regular MIDI, either via the RK or directly into the unit, it plays back as expected. I also tried powering the Arp separately and connect to the RK with a the other Arp USB port (type A, both ends) cable but that doesn't work either.
Any thoughts as to what I can do to get it to work? Or is the USB on the Arp only designed to work with a computer, as the manual states "supports MIDI over USB to connect to software sound generators, VSTs and DAWs."
Yes it's available to receive data; when I connect my Digitone Keys to the RK via USB (only) and configure it to send MIDI over that USB connection, the RK passes through the MIDI data to connected synths on the MIDI channel set on the Digitone.
When I do the same with the Arp, same channel, the RK blinks but doesn't pass MIDI out; when I connect the Arp via DIN to the RK MIDI in, it does work so MIDI channel etc should be configured.
I have the RK in it's basic mode (mode 1, essentially taking any input and route it thru to all its 10 ouputs). But to be sure I'll reset the RK when I get home tonight and see if that changes anything, will update if I find out more.