New Toys: CME WIDI Master

Artesia Pro has CME’s WIDI Master. This is for the interconnection of any 5-pin DIN-socketed MIDI devices wirelessly over Bluetooth 5 MIDI—the latest wireless standard approved by the MIDI Manufacturers Association.

Not only does this get rid of MIDI cables between different vintage instruments, it allows new control over many MIDI devices. There is no need for any special software, computer or extra hardware, and there is no increase in latency.

I received WIDI Master for review and it comes as a pair of MIDI dongles—one for the MIDI Out socket and the other for the MIDI In socket of your keyboard or drum machine. It is powered over the MIDI Out jack, and a short jumper cable connects it to power the receiver dongle plugged into the MIDI In.

Bluetooth 5 pairing is automatic and the range is about 20-meters in any direction, sufficient to operate anywhere on a live stage or in your   studio. You can connect two instruments together or use a mobile controller to send MIDI to your keyboard rack. WIDI Master also transmits MIDI Clocks and SysEx information for drum machines and/or sequencers and arpeggiators.

The WIDI Master sells for $59.99 MSRP and works with the new MIDI 2.0 standard going forward. I think it is a great idea that I first saw at the 2020 Winter NAMM Show, and a cool new gadget that will always be    current and updatable with new features via the WIDI Plus application.

artesia-pro.com/products/widi-master