Getting Nixie to detect my devices with MC6, Conduit, +/- Widi

ThePenwellCrash · January 29, 2023, 9:54pm

Hello! First time posting in this community, but I’ve read quite a bit and realize there are some brilliant minds here - hopefully some of you will be able to help me out in my new journey to understand MIDI.

I recently purchased an MC6mkII and built a board of strymon products to figure out what is capable by delving into digital, software, and MIDI. Major learning curve, but I’m getting my head wrapped around it. Thus far I’ve been able to get my computer, MC6, and pedalboard all connected with either physical cables or CME Widi products so I can use the midi controller and Morningstar Editor software simultaneously. The hang-up I am now facing is trying to integrate Strymon Nixie software, and it just won’t detect my “big-box” Strymon pedals with my current set up. I’ve included in this post a screenshot of my MC6 controller settings, and 2 mock-ups of my signal path (one assuming physical cables, the other assuming Widi). I have a Strymon Conduit with should work as a midi/usb interface, but my understanding is that so should the MC6.

The only time I got Nixie to work was when I had the computer USB <—> Conduit, the Conduit 5Pin <—> Mobius/Timeline/BigSky, and nothing plugged into the Conduit TRS Jacks, but I haven’t been able to recreate that success since, plus it removes the MC6mkII from the path which defeats the purpose of using Nixie to edit my presets that I would then save to the MC6.

I do not have the Morningstar Editor connected when trying to use Nixie. I’ve included the computer/firmware/signal path info below.

If anyone has any suggestions or insights as to how I can get Nixie to see my devices while still being able to keep the MC6mkII connected, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you!

Problem: Strymon Nixie software won’t see my devices (Mobius/Timeline/BigSky)

Computer make/model: Apple iMac M1

OS: Ventura 13.0

Nixie: Version 1.0.0.3

Midi interface: Strymon Conduit (Firmware v1.06) or Morningstar MC6mkII (Firmware v3.10.2)

Connected pedals: Compadre, Iridium, Mobius, Timeline, BigSky

Settings:
MC6mkII: MIDI THRU OFF and MIDI CROSS THRU ON.

Mobius/Timeline/Bigsky: MIDICT ON, MIDIPA ON, MIDITH MERGE, MIDIST OFF, and they each have their own MIDICH

Connection details:
Audio Instrument/Patch Cable Path: Guitar —> Mobius (Pre) —> Compadre —> Iridium —> Mobius (Post) —> Timeline (stereo) —> Bigsky (stereo)

Midi Cable Path: MC6mkII —> Conduit —> Compadre + Iridium (TRS Jacks) + Mobius (5Pin) —> Timeline —> BigSky —> MC6mkII

USB Midi Path: iMac M1 —> MC6mkII or Conduit

Wazatron · January 31, 2023, 8:05pm

I’m very interested in this as well. I have my MC8 connected via USB to my computer, and while my DAW recognizes the MC8 the Nixie software doesn’t recognize any MIDI devices, not even my audio interface. Lots to learn here.

trevorbeingtrevor · February 7, 2023, 1:39am

Does that mean that even if you repeated the same setup it would not work? If you were able to get that working, could you try the exact same setup, but with Conduit swapped for the MC6? That would focus the problem to just the MC6 to some degree.

Another thought, I think Nixie is picky about what firmware the Mobius, Timeline and BigSky pedals themselves are on so you might have to update those individually before you string them all together.

ThePenwellCrash · February 8, 2023, 5:40pm

All the firmware and software was up to date on every device and computer. I don’t know what I changed, but I’ve now gotten it to work with the MC6 and Some widi products. This is the signal chain that works. This allows me to run the Morningstar editor or Strymon Nixie. Any widi products can be swapped with physical cables and still work.

Works

Computer (Widi Bud Pro) <—> MC6 (Widi uHost) / MC6 (DIN5) <—> Strymon Mobius/Timeline/Bigsky (DIN5 daisy chained)
Computer (Widi Bud Pro) <—> MC6 (Widi uHost) / MC6 (DIN5) <—> Strymon Conduit connected to Mobius/Timeline/Bigsky (DIN5 daisy chained) + Iridium/Compadre (TRS)

Interestingly, this is the response I got from Strymon support email.
“ Nixie most likely won’t recognize the pedals if the MC6 is in the MIDI signal path. It can, and usually does, interrupt the flow of MIDI data between the pedals and Nixie. There isn’t a workaround for this.”

So Strymon support doesn’t seem to want to acknowledge the MC6, but thus far it is working fine.

However, I’m trying to keep my computer, MC6, and pedalboard separate from each other using Widi. This above solution has only worked when I send wireless from computer (Widi Bud Pro) to the MC6 usb (Widi Uhost), and then MC6 physical cable (DIN5) to and from the pedalboard (DIN5). I’ve got one more Widi product (Widi Jack), which I tried putting on the pedalboard, but the MC6 doesn’t work with Nixie when the uHost is the only thing connected to it, although it still controls the Midi Pedalboard fine.

Not Working

Computer (Widi Bud Pro) <—> MC6 (Widi uHost) <—> Strymon Mobius/Timeline/Bigsky daisy chained (Widi Jack)
Computer (Widi Bud Pro) <—> MC6 (Widi uHost) <—> Strymon Conduit (In from Widi Jack) connected to Mobius/Timeline/Bigsky (DIN5 daisy chained + Out to Widi Jack) + Iridium/Compadre (TRS)