The Tech 21 MIDI Mongoose is a MIDI foot controller, a floor unit that sends program changes and continuous controller messages so a player can run MIDI-equipped gear hands-free. Tech 21 describes it as "a super simple way to control your gear on stage, in the studio, and on DJ decks for sound and ligh[ting]"1. It can access 128 patches on any of 16 selectable MIDI channels, and GuitarPlayer's Art Thompson listed it at $12921. It belongs to the wider family of MIDI pedals.
Footswitches and controller inputs
The Mongoose keeps its front panel to five footswitches, built with what Tech 21 calls "smooth-action custom actuators"1. With those five switches, "you can change groupings of preset programs by five or ten at a clip"1, so a player can step through banks of five or jump in tens without a bank-up and bank-down pair. For deeper control, the unit has "2 independent inputs for continuous controllers to facilitate use with your other MIDI equipment"1, letting expression pedals or other CC sources feed MIDI gear alongside the program changes.
Power: battery, DC9 or MIDI cable
The Mongoose runs three ways, which matters on a crowded pedalboard:
- A standard 9V alkaline battery, not included, gives a minimum of 200 hours of usage1
- An optional power supply, Tech 21 Model #DC91
- Phantom power via the MIDI cable1
The optional supply for the Mongoose is the Tech 21 Model #DC9. The earlier MIDI Moose uses a different supply, the Model #DC4-A, so the two are not interchangeable13.
MIDI Mongoose vs MIDI Moose
Tech 21 positions the Mongoose as "the next generation of its predecessor, the MIDI Moose"1, with "a significantly smaller footprint and additional capabilities"1. The Moose, still documented on Tech 21's archive pages, is a "super simple, stage-friendly alternative to access 128 patches"3 and uses "Up and Down footswitches to select groupings of five preset programs"3. The Mongoose's five switches, which can move through programs in groups of five or ten, are the visible change, along with the smaller body and the two continuous controller inputs13.
| MIDI Mongoose | MIDI Moose | |
|---|---|---|
| Footswitches | 5, change groupings by five or ten at a clip1 | Up and Down, select groupings of five3 |
| Continuous controller inputs | 2 independent inputs1 | Not a listed feature1 |
| Optional power supply | Tech 21 Model #DC91 | Tech 21 Model #DC4-A3 |
| Battery | 9V alkaline, minimum 200 hours1 | 9V alkaline, minimum 200 hours3 |
Tech 21's own framing of the design: "Tech 21's intuitive engineering eliminates the intimidation of trying to decipher an encyclopedia-sized manual just so you can change a program"1.
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Questions
How long does a battery last in the MIDI Mongoose?
Tech 21 says a standard 9V alkaline battery, which is not included, provides a minimum of 200 hours of usage. The related MIDI Moose also adds a battery-saving feature that turns off the numerical display after 5 seconds, which points to how a controller like this stretches battery life on the road.
Can the MIDI Mongoose be powered through the MIDI cable?
Yes. Along with a 9V alkaline battery and the optional Tech 21 Model #DC9 power supply, the MIDI Mongoose supports phantom power via the MIDI cable, so a single MIDI connection to a powered device can run the controller without a battery or separate supply.
How many MIDI channels does the MIDI Mongoose support?
The MIDI Mongoose can access 128 patches on any of 16 selectable MIDI channels, according to Tech 21's product page.
What is the difference between the MIDI Mongoose and the MIDI Moose?
Tech 21 describes the MIDI Mongoose as the next generation of the MIDI Moose. It has a significantly smaller footprint and additional capabilities, and it uses five footswitches that can change groupings of preset programs by five or ten at a time, where the Moose uses Up and Down footswitches to select groupings of five preset programs. The two also take different optional power supplies: the Mongoose uses the Model #DC9 and the Moose the Model #DC4-A.
How big is the MIDI Mongoose?
Tech 21 lists the MIDI Mongoose at 11.5 inches long, 2.5 inches wide and 1.25 inches high, in an all-metal housing.
Sources (3)
- Midi Mongoose, Tech 21 NYC, 2023-01-25
- Tech 21 SansAmp PSA 2.0 Review, GuitarPlayer, 2020-10-12
- Midi Moose, Tech 21 NYC, 2019-06-23
