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Hi,i am planning to plug my dp to my laptop via midi through some USB interface,steinberg ur12 or similar, to use pianoteq.
My dp has no USB conection ,just midi out.
So what kind of wire must i use to conect it,the dp I mean , to the interface?

BTW i will use headphones 99% of time.
Is ur12 a good choice or should i take ur22 or another one?
I have already an akg701 and a headphones amplifier wich i have used almost never.

Best regards.

According to http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/audio_interfaces/ur_series/models.html the UR12 has no MIDI connection. If you use such an extern audio card, you would need a MIDI-USB cable (around 30€). The UR22 would be more convenient since it uses 1 USB port for the two functions (audio+MIDI).

Ok I see.Thanks.

Another doubt:
if in the future i get a new dp with no midi out,just USB, will then I need the midi-usb cable? Or it just works from midi out in the dp but not with the USB dp connection? So then what should I use?

If the digital piano support only USB, all you need is a plain USB cable (the same you use for a printer or a scanner). The MIDI-USB cable would be useless.

No - you'll only need a USB to host cable (ie a printer cable). Fewer pianos and other keyboards are being fitted with proper (din) MIDI sockets which are being replaced by USB to host connectors. This is fine if you're connecting the piano direct to a computer, which is what most people will be doing nowadays. In this case, MIDI is carried in both directions via USB, and you won't need a converter lead.

Some people still prefer the old MIDI sockets because:

1. They can connect direct to other midi devices, such as sound modules.
2. There are no earth loop and noise problems, which can occur with MIDI over USB since the circuits are not isolated in the way traditional midi ones are.

So,if the dp has USB just a USB cable is enough to connect it to the computer with no device between them.
But if i want to use a USB sound interface... well i have been looking at pictures of the ur22 and i am confussed. If the dp has midi i get it.
But if it has just usb, would then be impossible to use the external souncard?

The type of MIDI connection you have (or use) has no influence on the type of sound interface you use. MIDI is a network of control signals and has nothing to do the audio signal.

The point that Frédéric L was making is that some adio interfaces also have MIDI to USB converters in them, so give you extra options for connecting your keyboards to the computer. So, for example, if you have a DP that does not have USB connections, you can use the audio interface to connect up MIDI and the interface will convert it to USB, without the need for an extra converter cable.

With a USB only DP, you can use the UR22 as an audio card without using the MIDI ports. Then, if you choose the UR22 now because your DP has a MIDI port, your device will still be usefull once you change your DP.

It is good to know that i will be able to use the card wichever dp i get.

In the case of dp with only usb socket, how the devices are connected?
Dp--->soundcard----->computer?
Dp--->computer--->soundcard?

I am sorry for asking these silly questions.

If you have only USB the connections are :

DP --(USB)-- computer --(USB)-- soundcard --(audio)-- speakers

Note: if your piano has a LINE-IN plug, you can connect the soundcard to the piano with an audio link to get the sound coming from the DP speakers. (The DP will be connected twice : audio and USB). It may cause some ground loops and a nasty noise, but there exists ground loop isolators.

Well, thankyou very much, this has been really helpful. I think i will go with the ur22.

For the price of that UR-22 ($150) you could get any one of several other models that have MIDI inputs.

Also ... keep in mind that you can get any of these interfaces at half-price on ebay.

I think ur22 has also midi. Anyway i will search eBay. Lets ser what it is out there.

Yes, UR22 has MIDI to USB and, afaics, is as good a deal as you'll get for this class of exteranl audio interface.