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Retrokits RK-006 Portable USB MIDI/Gate Hub

Retrokits

£149.00
In stock.
Shipping info

What do you call a super portable MIDI interface which also is a standalone interconnecting USB host, can drive gate signals, has per-port MIDI Filtering /Clock Processing and is about the size of an Altoids tin?? Some call it a ‘gamechanger’… we call it the RK-006!
The RK-006 is about 7x5x1cm in size (3x2x0.4″) and packs 2 MIDI Inputs and 10 MIDI outputs. Outputs can change their function to MIDI/Gate or PWM, offerering formidable connecting possibilities from any MIDI device!

So let’s elaborate on the RK-006 specifics and it’s special features which differentiate it from the rest:

DAW/DAWLESS
You can use the RK-006 completely standalone with the same ease of using a 2-in, 10-out thru hub (with usb-standalone hosting and port filtering benefits), or you can use it as a 2-in, 10-out USB MIDI interface on your favourite platform/DAW (PC / MAC / Linux / Android / iOS (on iOS you need the apple usb connection cable) Just use one of the ten presets or configure and store your own custom configurations in the RK-006 via our webMIDI-settings-interface.

MIDI MODE
Every output port on the RK-006 can be individually set to send out full MIDI or Gate pulses, making a lovely hybrid use of it’s 3.5mm TRS connectors: You can connect DIN5 MIDI Gear via the included TRS-A to DIN5 cables or just plug in a plain ‘stereo minijack audio cable’ (preferably shielded) to sync up modular gear or even ‘minijack-MIDI’ devices like the Korg Electribe or NTS-1 and such.

In MIDI mode you can apply MIDI Channel/Clock filtering and even clock modifiers (‘Multiclock’, allowing creative use of an abundance of sequencer gear which are available nowadays. Of course these ports can also power our RK-002 Smart MIDI processing cable as well.

GATE MODE

When you set a port to Gate mode the MIDI-Tempo-to-Gate multiclock is still available. This together with an assignable Run/Stop signal allows synchronisation of devices like older Sync24/DINSync units as the TR-808, TR-303 and TR-606 (just to name a few) but also newer ones like the Moog DFAM and Teenage Pocket Operators and anything inbetween; Directly from your MIDI device.

Gate signals can be triggered via a MIDI clock signal but also via MIDI Notes, adding the ability to bridge MIDI controller pads and modular gear.

MASTER CLOCK GENERATOR

The one-button on the RK-006 can be used to tap in a master clock or change presets on the RK-006 routing. You can also use it to switch from seemingly a MIDI merger/thru box to e.g. an independent dual-brain setup or one-big-master-gate-clocks-generator.

USB STANDALONE HOST

By using a simple (and included) OTG Adapter cable you can even connect plain 5V power and a USB hub to the RK-006 and host multiple USB-MIDI devices. The RK-006 will interconnect them and merge them together with the existing hardware ports. And because one USB-cable can route a whole lot more than just a MIDI-In or MIDI-Out we added extra filtering to specifically target these USB devices as well.

And while in the USB area: You can even plug in a USB Memory Stick with prepared MIDI files (also called ‘SMF’). You can export these files on a DAW like Bitwig, Fruityloops, Ableton or Reason and playback these prepared tracks on your DAWless system, ready to play or clock-slave on your standalone sequencer of choice and play along live with it.

This might already be too much info, but the story does not finish there quite yet:

USB MIDI INTERFACE

All the above can take place in the DAWless area BUT….You can also connect the RK-006 to e.g. a Desktop computer or iPad (note that iOS do need Apple’s USB2Lightning cable) and enjoy all the RK-006 ports independently addressable on your DAW! This means:

* 10 separate MIDI outputs, every one of them can accommodate 16 MIDI devices
* 2 separate MIDI Inputs

Also, for usability’s sake we added:
* Aggregate merged MIDI Out port to ALL 10 ports
* Aggregate auto MIDI Merged Input

You can find the accompanying manual here elaborating on the features. If you’re in an advanced mode – check out the RK-006 settings page (useable with webMIDI on chrome / edge browser) or download the iOS app. The MIDI SysEx implementation is available too, it’s hjuuudjz!.

Includes the following accessories:
1x RK006 Master Hub
1x Micro USB Cable
1x USB Client to USB-Host dongle (‘OTG cable’)
1x TRS-A to Female DIN5 Dongle

For more info on MIDI Type A/B please check out - https://minimidi.world/

Includes the following accessories:
1x RK006 Master Hub
1x Micro USB Cable
1x USB Client to USB-Host dongle (‘OTG cable’)
1x TRS-A to Female DIN5 Dongle

How much is my shipping?

Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK it's normally around £4 for order values under £150, and free above that. Shipping to mainland EU is typically between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.

Do you ship to my country?

Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.

Shipping methods

We use a combination of Parcelforce, DPD, Royal Mail and UPS for the UK, and for international orders it's either Royal Mail, UPS, DHL or FedEx depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.

Dispatch times

For UK orders, we normally dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 15:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.

For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes FedEx or UPS may come a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.

Shipping times

Since April 2020 the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer.

There is absolutely nothing we can do about this unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.

Saturday shipping

If you're in the UK and you order before 15:30 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday delivery (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). The success rate with DPD is about 95% so it's worth a punt most of the time. Please note that if you select Saturday shipping on an order placed earlier in the week, we'll wait until Friday to ship it.

Pre-orders

If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.

If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.

Product Overview

What do you call a super portable MIDI interface which also is a standalone interconnecting USB host, can drive gate signals, has per-port MIDI Filtering /Clock Processing and is about the size of an Altoids tin?? Some call it a ‘gamechanger’… we call it the RK-006!
The RK-006 is about 7x5x1cm in size (3x2x0.4″) and packs 2 MIDI Inputs and 10 MIDI outputs. Outputs can change their function to MIDI/Gate or PWM, offerering formidable connecting possibilities from any MIDI device!

So let’s elaborate on the RK-006 specifics and it’s special features which differentiate it from the rest:

DAW/DAWLESS
You can use the RK-006 completely standalone with the same ease of using a 2-in, 10-out thru hub (with usb-standalone hosting and port filtering benefits), or you can use it as a 2-in, 10-out USB MIDI interface on your favourite platform/DAW (PC / MAC / Linux / Android / iOS (on iOS you need the apple usb connection cable) Just use one of the ten presets or configure and store your own custom configurations in the RK-006 via our webMIDI-settings-interface.

MIDI MODE
Every output port on the RK-006 can be individually set to send out full MIDI or Gate pulses, making a lovely hybrid use of it’s 3.5mm TRS connectors: You can connect DIN5 MIDI Gear via the included TRS-A to DIN5 cables or just plug in a plain ‘stereo minijack audio cable’ (preferably shielded) to sync up modular gear or even ‘minijack-MIDI’ devices like the Korg Electribe or NTS-1 and such.

In MIDI mode you can apply MIDI Channel/Clock filtering and even clock modifiers (‘Multiclock’, allowing creative use of an abundance of sequencer gear which are available nowadays. Of course these ports can also power our RK-002 Smart MIDI processing cable as well.

GATE MODE

When you set a port to Gate mode the MIDI-Tempo-to-Gate multiclock is still available. This together with an assignable Run/Stop signal allows synchronisation of devices like older Sync24/DINSync units as the TR-808, TR-303 and TR-606 (just to name a few) but also newer ones like the Moog DFAM and Teenage Pocket Operators and anything inbetween; Directly from your MIDI device.

Gate signals can be triggered via a MIDI clock signal but also via MIDI Notes, adding the ability to bridge MIDI controller pads and modular gear.

MASTER CLOCK GENERATOR

The one-button on the RK-006 can be used to tap in a master clock or change presets on the RK-006 routing. You can also use it to switch from seemingly a MIDI merger/thru box to e.g. an independent dual-brain setup or one-big-master-gate-clocks-generator.

USB STANDALONE HOST

By using a simple (and included) OTG Adapter cable you can even connect plain 5V power and a USB hub to the RK-006 and host multiple USB-MIDI devices. The RK-006 will interconnect them and merge them together with the existing hardware ports. And because one USB-cable can route a whole lot more than just a MIDI-In or MIDI-Out we added extra filtering to specifically target these USB devices as well.

And while in the USB area: You can even plug in a USB Memory Stick with prepared MIDI files (also called ‘SMF’). You can export these files on a DAW like Bitwig, Fruityloops, Ableton or Reason and playback these prepared tracks on your DAWless system, ready to play or clock-slave on your standalone sequencer of choice and play along live with it.

This might already be too much info, but the story does not finish there quite yet:

USB MIDI INTERFACE

All the above can take place in the DAWless area BUT….You can also connect the RK-006 to e.g. a Desktop computer or iPad (note that iOS do need Apple’s USB2Lightning cable) and enjoy all the RK-006 ports independently addressable on your DAW! This means:

* 10 separate MIDI outputs, every one of them can accommodate 16 MIDI devices
* 2 separate MIDI Inputs

Also, for usability’s sake we added:
* Aggregate merged MIDI Out port to ALL 10 ports
* Aggregate auto MIDI Merged Input

You can find the accompanying manual here elaborating on the features. If you’re in an advanced mode – check out the RK-006 settings page (useable with webMIDI on chrome / edge browser) or download the iOS app. The MIDI SysEx implementation is available too, it’s hjuuudjz!.

Includes the following accessories:
1x RK006 Master Hub
1x Micro USB Cable
1x USB Client to USB-Host dongle (‘OTG cable’)
1x TRS-A to Female DIN5 Dongle

For more info on MIDI Type A/B please check out - https://minimidi.world/

Technical Specs

Includes the following accessories:
1x RK006 Master Hub
1x Micro USB Cable
1x USB Client to USB-Host dongle (‘OTG cable’)
1x TRS-A to Female DIN5 Dongle

Shipping Details

How much is my shipping?

Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK it's normally around £4 for order values under £150, and free above that. Shipping to mainland EU is typically between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.

Do you ship to my country?

Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.

Shipping methods

We use a combination of Parcelforce, DPD, Royal Mail and UPS for the UK, and for international orders it's either Royal Mail, UPS, DHL or FedEx depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.

Dispatch times

For UK orders, we normally dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 15:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.

For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes FedEx or UPS may come a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.

Shipping times

Since April 2020 the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer.

There is absolutely nothing we can do about this unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.

Saturday shipping

If you're in the UK and you order before 15:30 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday delivery (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). The success rate with DPD is about 95% so it's worth a punt most of the time. Please note that if you select Saturday shipping on an order placed earlier in the week, we'll wait until Friday to ship it.

Pre-orders

If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.

If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.