The Disaster Area Designs MIDI Box ONE is a small adapter that converts standard 5-pin (DIN) MIDI communications to a variety of 1/4-inch formats1. Many modern pedals, including Meris and Chase Bliss units, receive MIDI over a 1/4-inch guitar-cable jack rather than a round DIN plug, and the MIDI Box ONE sits between a conventional MIDI source and those pedals, translating the signal so they can talk to each other. It lists from $39.99 USD as of 26 October 20261.
What it does and how it is set up
The box takes MIDI in on a standard 5-pin DIN socket and sends it out of a single 1/4-inch jack. Disaster Area Designs describes it as featuring a single MIDI output that can output MIDI on either the tip or ring of its 1/4-inch jack1. Which conductor carries the signal is set with a DIP switch, and the setting has to match the pedal you are connecting:
| Mode | What it suits | Cable |
|---|---|---|
| Tip Active | Alexander, Meris, Empress, Bondi, and other devices using voltage mode on the jack tip1 | Mono / TS1 |
| Ring Active | Chase Bliss Audio and other devices using voltage mode on the jack ring3 | TRS1 |
For the two pedal makers players most often ask about, the maker's instructions are straightforward. Meris: all current pedals, connect with a mono / TS cable, set the port to TIP ACTIVE1. Chase Bliss Audio: all current pedals, connect with a TRS cable, set the port to RING ACTIVE1.
The MIDI Box One does not have any MIDI Thru capability, and must be placed at the end of your MIDI chain, according to Disaster Area Designs1. If you need to feed several devices in a row, that is what the larger MIDI Box 4.2 is for.
MIDI Box ONE compared with the MIDI Box 4.2
Disaster Area Designs also makes the MIDI Box 4.2, a larger converter with four outputs and hardware MIDI Thru3. The two share the same basic job, converting 5-pin DIN MIDI to 1/4-inch formats, but they differ in size, outputs and chaining:
| MIDI Box ONE | MIDI Box 4.2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Outputs | Single MIDI output1 | 4 TRS MIDI output ports3 |
| MIDI Thru | None, must sit at the end of the MIDI chain1 | Dedicated hardware MIDI Thru, repeats any MIDI data received; multiple units can be chained by linking MIDI THRU to the next box's MIDI IN3 |
| Ports | One port, set by DIP switch3 | Four independent control ports, each set to one of four output modes with DIP switches, configurable on the fly without a computer or editor3 |
| Size | 1.99 in x 1.99 in x 1.06 in (51 mm x 51 mm x 27 mm)1 | 4.4 in x 2.38 in x 1.06 in (112 mm x 60 mm x 27 mm)3 |
| Power | 9 to 12V DC, 50mA maximum1 | 9 to 12V DC, 50mA maximum3 |
In short, the ONE is the compact choice for a single 1/4-inch MIDI pedal at the end of a chain, while the 4.2 handles several devices at once and passes MIDI along to the rest of a rig13.
Compatibility: what works and what does not
The MIDI Box ONE is a converter, not a controller, so it needs a compatible MIDI controller to generate the MIDI data in the first place. Disaster Area Designs specifies that it runs on a 9-12V DC input with a 50mA maximum current draw1, and it is listed from $39.99 USD1.
Devices the maker lists as compatible:
- Chase Bliss Audio: all current pedals, TRS cable, RING ACTIVE1
- Meris: all current pedals, mono / TS cable, TIP ACTIVE1
- Alexander, Empress and Bondi devices using voltage mode on the jack tip, via Tip Active mode1
Devices the maker lists as not compatible with the MIDI Box ONE:
- Jackson Audio1
- Swindler Effects1
- Cooper FX1
- Boss 200-series devices1
For those, Disaster Area Designs points players to the MIDI Box 4 or the 5P-TRS PRO cable1. The MIDI Box 4.2, for comparison, does list Cooper FX's MIDI-compatible pedals among devices it supports, using a TRS / stereo cable with the port set to TRS MIDI TYPE A3.
Disaster Area Designs' product page lists the MIDI Box ONE's power requirement as 9 to 12V DC input, 50mA maximum, and also carries a separate 9V DC figure with a lower current figure. The two listings disagree and the company has not ruled between them, so check the draw your power supply can spare before sharing a output with other pedals.
Questions
Does the MIDI Box ONE have a MIDI Thru?
No. Disaster Area Designs states that the MIDI Box One does not have any MIDI Thru capability and must be placed at the end of your MIDI chain. If you need to pass MIDI data on to other devices, the company's MIDI Box 4.2 has a dedicated hardware MIDI Thru port that repeats any MIDI data it receives, and you can chain multiple MIDI Box 4 units by linking the MIDI THRU of one to the MIDI IN of the next.
Does the MIDI Box ONE work with Chase Bliss pedals?
Yes. Disaster Area Designs lists all current Chase Bliss Audio pedals as compatible. Connect the MIDI Box ONE to the pedal with a TRS cable and set the port to RING ACTIVE mode, which suits Chase Bliss Audio and other devices that use voltage mode on the jack ring. Note that some older Chase Bliss pedals, such as the Warped Vinyl Mk1 and Wombtone Mk1, support MIDI clock only.
What power supply does the MIDI Box ONE need?
The MIDI Box ONE requires a 9 to 12 volt DC input with a maximum draw of 50mA, according to Disaster Area Designs. The company's product page also lists a 9V DC figure with a lower current figure, and the two listings do not agree, so it is worth confirming the draw of your supply before adding the box to a shared power source.
Does the MIDI Box ONE work with Meris pedals?
Yes. Disaster Area Designs lists all current Meris pedals as compatible. Connect the box to the pedal with a mono, or TS, cable and set the port to TIP ACTIVE mode. Tip Active suits Meris and other devices that use voltage mode on the jack tip, along with Alexander, Empress and Bondi devices.
Do I still need a MIDI controller with the MIDI Box ONE?
Yes. Disaster Area Designs describes the MIDIBox as a data converter only, and says it will not magically make your controller work with these devices. Device support also requires a compatible MIDI controller sending the MIDI data in the first place. The box changes the format of the MIDI signal, it does not generate one.
Which devices is the MIDI Box ONE not compatible with?
Disaster Area Designs states that the MIDI Box One is not compatible with Jackson Audio, Swindler Effects, Cooper FX, or Boss 200-series devices. For those, the company points players to the MIDI Box 4 or the 5P-TRS PRO cable instead.
Sources (3)
- MIDI Box ONE, Disaster Area Designs
- PBA-4 Dual Junction Box, Disaster Area Designs
- MIDI Box 4.2, Disaster Area Designs
