MIDI 5-Pin DIN to 3.5mm TRS Adapter, Type A 2-Pack

What is it?

A one-piece straight MIDI adapter. 5-pin DIN male on one end, 3.5mm TRS female socket on the other, on a single black moulded body. You receive two.

The audio cable is NOT included. What links the adapters is any ordinary 3.5mm stereo male-to-male aux cable - the $1-4 cable already sitting in your drawer. The adapters are what turn that cheap cable into a MIDI connection.

Two ways to use them

1 adapter + 1 aux cable: 5-pin MIDI device to a 3.5mm device.

Push the DIN end into the 5-pin MIDI socket on your synth, drum machine or pedal controller. Plug one end of the aux cable into the adapter's 3.5mm female socket, and the other end into the 3.5mm TRS MIDI port on the second device. One adapter is all this needs.

2 adapters + 1 aux cable: join two 5-pin MIDI devices with an audio cable.

An adapter on each device, one cable between them, straight through. You pick the length, instead of being stuck with a moulded MIDI cable in a fixed length.

Specifications

1. DIN end: 5-pin male, nickel-plated metal shell
2. Audio end: 3.5mm (1/8 in) TRS female socket, knurled nickel ring
3. Single straight moulded body, black, ribbed strain relief
4. Cable: not included
5. Brand: AZSMZ
6. Condition: new
7. In the box: 2 adapters

Compatibility - please read before ordering

MIDI over 3.5mm TRS exists in two wirings, called Type A and Type B. They look identical, they are not interchangeable, and a mismatch does not fail loudly - there is simply no signal and nothing tells you why. This is the number one mistake people make with these adapters.

These adapters are wired Type A (DIN pin 4 to ring, pin 5 to tip, pin 2 to sleeve).

Type A is used by: Korg, Roland, Yamaha, Boss, Moog, Akai, Line 6, IK Multimedia, Make Noise, most keyboards, synths, drum machines and pedal controllers, and Ableton Push.

Type B is used by: 1010music (bitbox, bitbox mk2, bitbox micro, MX4, fxbox), Arturia Keystep and Beatstep Pro, Novation Launchpad Pro.

How to check what you need: look in your device's manual for a 3.5mm "TRS MIDI" or "AUX" input and see whether it specifies Type A or Type B. If your device only has full-size 5-pin DIN MIDI ports, you do not need this item - unless you are using method 2 above to run an audio cable between two of them. If your manual is not clear, message me with the make and model and I will tell you which type it takes before you buy.

A note on cable length: a standard shielded aux cable suits the short runs most people need. For very long runs, or runs alongside power transformers and motors, a purpose-built MIDI cable is the better choice.