The Strymon Conduit is a MIDI hub built in pedal format: a small box that sits on a pedalboard and routes MIDI between a controller and several effects pedals. Guitar World's news editor introduced it at launch as "the Conduit MIDI Hub, a smart MIDI pedal controller," and reported that it was available now for $1491. It belongs to the wider family of MIDI pedals that let one footswitch control presets, bypass and parameters across a whole board.
Ports and connectors
At launch, Guitar World reported that the Conduit "boasts a total of 6 MIDI ports" and "sports opto-isolated five-pin DIN MIDI In and Out ports"1. The same report also describes four 1/4-inch TRS MIDI jacks, each set up for sending and receiving MIDI data; the two descriptions were both given at launch and have not been reconciled, so they stand here side by side.
| Connector | What the launch report says |
|---|---|
| Five-pin DIN MIDI In | Opto-isolated1 |
| Five-pin DIN MIDI Out | Opto-isolated1 |
| Four 1/4-inch TRS MIDI jacks | Each handles sending and receiving MIDI data1 |
Opto-isolation on the DIN ports is a standard safeguard against ground loops when connecting gear with different power supplies.
The port counts come from the same launch report but describe the box two ways: 6 MIDI ports in total, and four 1/4-inch TRS jacks alongside the DIN In and Out. Both figures are as reported at launch1.
Strymon's own support articles name the Conduit as a way of sending MIDI messages to several of the company's pedals234:
- blueSky, either directly or through a compatible 5-pin MIDI to 1/4-inch TRS MIDI interface2
- Cloudburst, likewise3
- Sunset4
In practice that is the Conduit's job: translating between a controller and pedals that use TRS-style MIDI connections, so a single MIDI stream reaches everything on the board235.
Size, build and price
The Conduit measures 2.62 inches deep, 3.5 inches wide and 1.2 inches tall, which Guitar World emphasized as small for what it does1. The chassis is anodized aluminum with threaded mounting hardware, described by Guitar World as aiming for road-ready robustness and easy mounting1. Guitar World also noted that it is designed and built in the USA1.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Depth | 2.62 inches1 |
| Width | 3.5 inches1 |
| Height | 1.2 inches1 |
| Chassis | Anodized aluminum1 |
| Mounting | Threaded mounting hardware1 |
| Origin | Designed and built in the USA1 |
Recording Magazine's Paul Vnuk Jr. listed it in review as "the Strymon Conduit TRS & MIDI Hub ($149)"5, matching the $149 launch price Guitar World reported in May 20211. Recording Magazine reviewed the Conduit in November 20215.
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Questions
How many MIDI ports does the Strymon Conduit have?
Guitar World reported at launch that the Conduit boasts a total of 6 MIDI ports. The same report also describes four 1/4-inch TRS MIDI jacks that each handle sending and receiving MIDI data, alongside the five-pin DIN In and Out ports. The two counts describe the same box from different angles: one counts the ports, the other the TRS jacks.
Does the Conduit have five-pin DIN MIDI connectors?
Yes. Guitar World's launch report says the Conduit sports opto-isolated five-pin DIN MIDI In and Out ports. Strymon's own support articles also list the Conduit alongside a compatible 5-pin MIDI to 1/4-inch TRS MIDI interface as a way of sending MIDI messages to pedals such as blueSky, Cloudburst and Sunset.
What is the Strymon Conduit made of?
It has an anodized aluminum chassis, which Guitar World described as aiming for road-ready robustness, with threaded mounting hardware for easy mounting. Guitar World also noted at launch that the Conduit is designed and built in the USA.
How big is the Strymon Conduit?
Guitar World's launch report gives the dimensions as 2.62 inches deep, 3.5 inches wide and 1.2 inches tall, which the report emphasized as small. That pedal-sized footprint is the point of the Conduit: MIDI routing in a box that fits on a board like any other pedal.
How much does the Strymon Conduit cost?
The list price is $149. Guitar World reported that figure at the May 2021 launch, and Recording Magazine's review by Paul Vnuk Jr. also listed the Strymon Conduit TRS & MIDI Hub at $149 in 2023, so the price held steady across both dates.
Sources (5)
- Strymon seeks to make your pedalboard smarter with its new Conduit MIDI Hub pedal controller, Guitar World, 2021-05-27
- How do I control blueSky with MIDI?, Strymon, 2023-11-15
- How do I control Cloudburst with MIDI?, Strymon
- How can I control Sunset with MIDI?, Strymon, 2021-07-15
- July 2023: Strymon Zelzah, Recording Magazine (recordingmag.com), 2023-07
