Yamaha UW500 USB Audio/MIDI Interface with Software (Windows)
No longer available at zZounds
All-in-one solution for MIDI and audio recording on PC.
Overview
Plug In and Play!
All-in-one hard disk recording solution for musicians
Bringing it All Together!
The UW500 is truly an all-in-one solution for MIDI and audio recording. With comprehensive analog inputs, digital in/out, and multi-port MIDI capability - plus software for sequencing, editing, and tone generation - the UW500 Personal Studio has everything you need to lay down MIDI and audio tracks and turn your computer into a fully equipped, easy-to-use home studio!
The UW500 Personal Studio hooks up to your computer with a single, high-speed USB cable. Simply plug your guitar or microphone into the front panel and record! It's just as easy as using a tape recorder; yet, because it's digital, it gives you enormous editing flexibility, arranging power, and exceptionally high-quality sound. Which means you can transform your creative inspirations into fully realized, professional-sounding recordings faster than ever before!
The Complete Package
All the software you need to get your studio up and running! Included with the UW500 Personal Studio is a full selection of comprehensive software, a sequencer, a "virtual" tone generator, and an audio editor.
Comprehensive Inputs and Outputs
Simply plug a microphone, guitar, keyboard - or just about any instrument or source - into the 3 input sections of the UW500, and record your singing and playing to the computer. The MIC/GUITAR/LINE switch on Inputs 1 and 2 makes this easy. A third input is reserved for line signals, such as a… read more CD player. You've got convenient monitoring of your tracks with the front panel headphones jack - or you can use a separate stereo system.
Optical Digital In/Out For Recording
Connect a CD player to the DIGITAL IN terminal and record samples to the computer. Or connect a digital recorder (such as MD or DAT) to the DIGITAL OUT and mix down your musical creations in digital - with no deterioration in sound quality.
Clean, Detailed High-Quality Sound
The UW500 Personal Studio delivers stunning sound quality with built-in 20-bit A/D, D/A converters and selectable sampling rate (48/44.1/32 kHz). Since it stands outside your computer and has a separate power source, the UW500 is free from any computer-generated noise or interference - giving you absolutely clear, pristine sound!
All the Software You Need
Software programs included with the UW500 give you everything you need to lay down MIDI and audio tracks - and edit them, too! The XGworks lite V3.0A Sequencer ties it all together letting you record and play back your MIDI and audio performances, while the TWE Wave Editor provides detailed editing for your audio data. The S-YXG50 SoftSynthesizer lets you play back your MIDI tracks within the computer with a 16-part multi-timbral XG tone generator.
Full Multi-Port MIDI Control
The UW500 also has enormous flexibility as a MIDI interface. In addition to the conventional MIDI IN/OUT terminals, there is a special TO TG terminal for tapping into the full MIDI power of the UW500 - 2 MIDI ins and 6 MIDI outs. With a compatible tone generator, that gives you 32 channels in and 96 channels out!
High-Speed, Single-Connection USB
The worldwide standard USB connection eliminates the need for multiple cables, letting you set up easily and instantly. It also provides high-speed data transfer - both audio and MIDI - to and from your computer. With USB, you can even connect to your laptop computer for a compact, super-simple system, and take your home studio with you wherever you go!
Mix Down - To Create Your Own MP3 Files and CD Tracks
This powerful feature lets you mix the audio generated by your MIDI tracks with your audio recordings. Normally, this process involves several pieces of outboard gear. Now with the Track Down function and the USB connection, you can do it all within your UW500- equipped computer. The MIDI data (in XGworks lite V3.0A) plays back voices on the S-YXG50 SoftSynthesizer, which are automatically mixed with your audio tracks on the UW500, and sent back to the computer to be saved as a single stereo audio file. It doesn't get any easier than that! Then, simply use your favorite MP3 encoder to create MP3 files, and put your new musical creations on the Internet. Or, with an optional CD-R recorder, burn your own CDs!
XGworks Lite V3.0A Sequencer Recording Your MIDI and Audio Performances
What is XGworks lite V3.0A? And just how can it help you create fantastic music? XGworks lite V3.0A is a comprehensive MIDI and audio sequencer, with a full 100 tracks for recording. With the UW500 as the front end, you can record all MIDI and audio parts to XGworks lite V3.0A - then cut, copy, and paste them, clean up the timing, and use the versatile editing tools to craft your final masterpiece. With all of the tracks in front of you on the computer monitor, editing is far easier than on a stand-alone hard disk recorder! Naturally, you can create various versions of your song, and save them all to disk. And for those who need even more music recording/editing power, Yamaha offers the full-featured, comprehensive XGworks lite V3.0A - which among other impressive functions gives you notation editing and printing, a convenient drum window, a powerful Voice to Score feature, support for editing XG Plug-in Boards, and special Auto Arranger and Guitar Arranger features.
S-YXG50 SoftSynthesizer - A Complete Synthesizer Right in Your Computer!
The amazing S-YXG50 SoftSynthesizer is the perfect addition to the UW500 Personal Studio and XGworks lite V3.0A. It's a full-featured, "virtual" synthesizer that uses the processing power of your computer to generate sound. Since the S-YXG50 is fully compatible with both GM and XG, you can tap into the wide variety of song software that's available and practice or play your guitar along with MIDI-generated backing tracks of your favorite music. There's a wide variety of MIDI songs commercially available at the Yamaha Virtual Shop.
TWE Wave Editor Comprehensive, Detailed Audio Editing on Your Computer!
The TWE Wave Editor puts a wealth of comprehensive audio editing features at your fingertips, and gives you the power to alter and enhance your audio recordings - quickly and easily! Naturally, any audio you record 'such as your voice or your guitar playing, or even samples taken from MDs or CDs - is fair game for editing. Then, bring the new audio into XGworks lite V3.0A and mix it with your MIDI tracks for complete, professional-sounding productions!
Yamaha USB-MIDI Drive
This driver software provides "plug and play" installation to your Windows computer. It also features a virtual patch bay from which you can instantly change the MIDI port assignments of the UW500 - without having to re-patch any cables!
Making Tracks
Lay down some blues with the UW500 and the included software! Whether you've had experience creating sequenced tracks on a computer or not, you'll be amazed how incredibly fast and easy it is to produce professional-quality MIDI/audio recordings with the UW500 Personal Studio. Take a look and see just how fast and easy can it be!
Create a New Song
With all software properly installed and running (including the S-YXG50 SoftSynthesizer), create a new song in XGworks lite and select "Create Style Block" from the Edit menu.
Choose a Music Style
Select the desired music style - in this case, an R&B pattern - and the desired sections (Intro, Main, Fill In, etc.). Here, we'll create a 12-bar blues, with the Main pattern running for 11 measures and a Fill In kicking in on Bar 12.
Enter the Chords
Next, select "Create Chords" from the Edit menu and type in the desired chords - here, a simple blues progression in the key of A.
Record Your Guitar and Voice
Now, add your own parts. Connect a guitar to the UW500 (through your favorite stomp box effect!), and while listening to a loop of the MIDI backing tracks, record your guitar playing to an empty track. If you want, plug in a microphone and add some vocal parts, too!
Generate the MIDI Backing
Select the entire range of the created style and call up "Convert to MIDI Track" from the Edit menu. This automatically creates several MIDI backing tracks (drums, bass, and rhythm guitar), which play back from the S-YXG50 SoftSynthesizer.
As long as you have space on your hard disk and plenty of processing power in your computer, you can record and simultaneously play back up to 100 tracks of MIDI and audio! And don't forget you can use the TWE Wave Editor to tweak and transform your audio tracks. read less
All-in-one hard disk recording solution for musicians
Bringing it All Together!
The UW500 is truly an all-in-one solution for MIDI and audio recording. With comprehensive analog inputs, digital in/out, and multi-port MIDI capability - plus software for sequencing, editing, and tone generation - the UW500 Personal Studio has everything you need to lay down MIDI and audio tracks and turn your computer into a fully equipped, easy-to-use home studio!
The UW500 Personal Studio hooks up to your computer with a single, high-speed USB cable. Simply plug your guitar or microphone into the front panel and record! It's just as easy as using a tape recorder; yet, because it's digital, it gives you enormous editing flexibility, arranging power, and exceptionally high-quality sound. Which means you can transform your creative inspirations into fully realized, professional-sounding recordings faster than ever before!
The Complete Package
All the software you need to get your studio up and running! Included with the UW500 Personal Studio is a full selection of comprehensive software, a sequencer, a "virtual" tone generator, and an audio editor.
Comprehensive Inputs and Outputs
Simply plug a microphone, guitar, keyboard - or just about any instrument or source - into the 3 input sections of the UW500, and record your singing and playing to the computer. The MIC/GUITAR/LINE switch on Inputs 1 and 2 makes this easy. A third input is reserved for line signals, such as a… read more CD player. You've got convenient monitoring of your tracks with the front panel headphones jack - or you can use a separate stereo system.
Optical Digital In/Out For Recording
Connect a CD player to the DIGITAL IN terminal and record samples to the computer. Or connect a digital recorder (such as MD or DAT) to the DIGITAL OUT and mix down your musical creations in digital - with no deterioration in sound quality.
Clean, Detailed High-Quality Sound
The UW500 Personal Studio delivers stunning sound quality with built-in 20-bit A/D, D/A converters and selectable sampling rate (48/44.1/32 kHz). Since it stands outside your computer and has a separate power source, the UW500 is free from any computer-generated noise or interference - giving you absolutely clear, pristine sound!
All the Software You Need
Software programs included with the UW500 give you everything you need to lay down MIDI and audio tracks - and edit them, too! The XGworks lite V3.0A Sequencer ties it all together letting you record and play back your MIDI and audio performances, while the TWE Wave Editor provides detailed editing for your audio data. The S-YXG50 SoftSynthesizer lets you play back your MIDI tracks within the computer with a 16-part multi-timbral XG tone generator.
Full Multi-Port MIDI Control
The UW500 also has enormous flexibility as a MIDI interface. In addition to the conventional MIDI IN/OUT terminals, there is a special TO TG terminal for tapping into the full MIDI power of the UW500 - 2 MIDI ins and 6 MIDI outs. With a compatible tone generator, that gives you 32 channels in and 96 channels out!
High-Speed, Single-Connection USB
The worldwide standard USB connection eliminates the need for multiple cables, letting you set up easily and instantly. It also provides high-speed data transfer - both audio and MIDI - to and from your computer. With USB, you can even connect to your laptop computer for a compact, super-simple system, and take your home studio with you wherever you go!
Mix Down - To Create Your Own MP3 Files and CD Tracks
This powerful feature lets you mix the audio generated by your MIDI tracks with your audio recordings. Normally, this process involves several pieces of outboard gear. Now with the Track Down function and the USB connection, you can do it all within your UW500- equipped computer. The MIDI data (in XGworks lite V3.0A) plays back voices on the S-YXG50 SoftSynthesizer, which are automatically mixed with your audio tracks on the UW500, and sent back to the computer to be saved as a single stereo audio file. It doesn't get any easier than that! Then, simply use your favorite MP3 encoder to create MP3 files, and put your new musical creations on the Internet. Or, with an optional CD-R recorder, burn your own CDs!
XGworks Lite V3.0A Sequencer Recording Your MIDI and Audio Performances
What is XGworks lite V3.0A? And just how can it help you create fantastic music? XGworks lite V3.0A is a comprehensive MIDI and audio sequencer, with a full 100 tracks for recording. With the UW500 as the front end, you can record all MIDI and audio parts to XGworks lite V3.0A - then cut, copy, and paste them, clean up the timing, and use the versatile editing tools to craft your final masterpiece. With all of the tracks in front of you on the computer monitor, editing is far easier than on a stand-alone hard disk recorder! Naturally, you can create various versions of your song, and save them all to disk. And for those who need even more music recording/editing power, Yamaha offers the full-featured, comprehensive XGworks lite V3.0A - which among other impressive functions gives you notation editing and printing, a convenient drum window, a powerful Voice to Score feature, support for editing XG Plug-in Boards, and special Auto Arranger and Guitar Arranger features.
S-YXG50 SoftSynthesizer - A Complete Synthesizer Right in Your Computer!
The amazing S-YXG50 SoftSynthesizer is the perfect addition to the UW500 Personal Studio and XGworks lite V3.0A. It's a full-featured, "virtual" synthesizer that uses the processing power of your computer to generate sound. Since the S-YXG50 is fully compatible with both GM and XG, you can tap into the wide variety of song software that's available and practice or play your guitar along with MIDI-generated backing tracks of your favorite music. There's a wide variety of MIDI songs commercially available at the Yamaha Virtual Shop.
TWE Wave Editor Comprehensive, Detailed Audio Editing on Your Computer!
The TWE Wave Editor puts a wealth of comprehensive audio editing features at your fingertips, and gives you the power to alter and enhance your audio recordings - quickly and easily! Naturally, any audio you record 'such as your voice or your guitar playing, or even samples taken from MDs or CDs - is fair game for editing. Then, bring the new audio into XGworks lite V3.0A and mix it with your MIDI tracks for complete, professional-sounding productions!
Yamaha USB-MIDI Drive
This driver software provides "plug and play" installation to your Windows computer. It also features a virtual patch bay from which you can instantly change the MIDI port assignments of the UW500 - without having to re-patch any cables!
Making Tracks
Lay down some blues with the UW500 and the included software! Whether you've had experience creating sequenced tracks on a computer or not, you'll be amazed how incredibly fast and easy it is to produce professional-quality MIDI/audio recordings with the UW500 Personal Studio. Take a look and see just how fast and easy can it be!
Create a New Song
With all software properly installed and running (including the S-YXG50 SoftSynthesizer), create a new song in XGworks lite and select "Create Style Block" from the Edit menu.
Choose a Music Style
Select the desired music style - in this case, an R&B pattern - and the desired sections (Intro, Main, Fill In, etc.). Here, we'll create a 12-bar blues, with the Main pattern running for 11 measures and a Fill In kicking in on Bar 12.
Enter the Chords
Next, select "Create Chords" from the Edit menu and type in the desired chords - here, a simple blues progression in the key of A.
Record Your Guitar and Voice
Now, add your own parts. Connect a guitar to the UW500 (through your favorite stomp box effect!), and while listening to a loop of the MIDI backing tracks, record your guitar playing to an empty track. If you want, plug in a microphone and add some vocal parts, too!
Generate the MIDI Backing
Select the entire range of the created style and call up "Convert to MIDI Track" from the Edit menu. This automatically creates several MIDI backing tracks (drums, bass, and rhythm guitar), which play back from the S-YXG50 SoftSynthesizer.
As long as you have space on your hard disk and plenty of processing power in your computer, you can record and simultaneously play back up to 100 tracks of MIDI and audio! And don't forget you can use the TWE Wave Editor to tweak and transform your audio tracks. read less
Specs
Host Connection: USB (A type-B USB port located on the UW500 rear panel) Audio
Audio
Capability: One stereo- or mono-line recording (*1), One stereo- or mono-line Playback
(*1), The input line is selectable by the Input selector switch *Simultaneous recording and playback are possible (full duplex).
ADA Conversions: 20-bit analog-to-digital conversion, 20-bit digital-to-analog conversion
Sampling Frequencies: 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz (selectable)
Audio Inputs: Adjustable (by 2 separate Input Gain switches and 2 separate Input Volume knobs on the front panel) analog input x 2 (1/4 in. standard TS phone jacks), Digital (optical)
Audio Outputs: Digital output (optical), Headphone output (1/4" standard TRS phone jack)
Front Audio Controls: Input Gain switch x 2, Input Volume switch x 2, Input Selector switch (Analog Mono, Analog Stereo, Digital, Track Down)
Rear Audio Inputs and Outputs: Line level inputs x 2 (RCA-pin jacks), Line level auxiliary inputs x 2 (RCA-pin jacks), Line level outputs x 2 (RCA-pin jacks)
MIDI
Interface Capability: Maximum: Maximum 32-channel inputs and 96-channel outputs
Rear MIDI and Connections: IN (DIN5P) - 16 channels, OUT (DIN5P) - 16 channels, TO TG serial port (9-pin serial)* - 16-channel inputs and 80-channel outputs *Offers direct connection to the TO HOST port on an external tone generator.
Power Supply: PA-3B AC Adapter
Power Consumption: 10 W
Rear Power Input: DC IN (connected to the PA-3B power adapter)
Dimensions (W x D x H): 200 x 158 x 47 mm
Weight: 800 g
System Requirements: Host Computer: Pentium 166 MHz or faster CPU, 32 MB or more physical memory (RAM), USB port, Windows 98 or ME
S-YXG50
Voice Data: AWM2 Custom technology
Wavetable Data Size: 2MB (using highly-optimized compression technology)
Multi-Timbrality: 16 parts
Polyphony: 128-note max (can be scaled by the user)
Voice Set: 76 melody voices (fully programmable), 42 SFX voices (fully programmable), 21 drum kits/SFX kits (fully programmable)
Sample Rates: 44.1/22.05/11.025 kHz
Synth Modes: XG/GM/TG300B
Audio
Capability: One stereo- or mono-line recording (*1), One stereo- or mono-line Playback
(*1), The input line is selectable by the Input selector switch *Simultaneous recording and playback are possible (full duplex).
ADA Conversions: 20-bit analog-to-digital conversion, 20-bit digital-to-analog conversion
Sampling Frequencies: 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz (selectable)
Audio Inputs: Adjustable (by 2 separate Input Gain switches and 2 separate Input Volume knobs on the front panel) analog input x 2 (1/4 in. standard TS phone jacks), Digital (optical)
Audio Outputs: Digital output (optical), Headphone output (1/4" standard TRS phone jack)
Front Audio Controls: Input Gain switch x 2, Input Volume switch x 2, Input Selector switch (Analog Mono, Analog Stereo, Digital, Track Down)
Rear Audio Inputs and Outputs: Line level inputs x 2 (RCA-pin jacks), Line level auxiliary inputs x 2 (RCA-pin jacks), Line level outputs x 2 (RCA-pin jacks)
MIDI
Interface Capability: Maximum: Maximum 32-channel inputs and 96-channel outputs
Rear MIDI and Connections: IN (DIN5P) - 16 channels, OUT (DIN5P) - 16 channels, TO TG serial port (9-pin serial)* - 16-channel inputs and 80-channel outputs *Offers direct connection to the TO HOST port on an external tone generator.
Power Supply: PA-3B AC Adapter
Power Consumption: 10 W
Rear Power Input: DC IN (connected to the PA-3B power adapter)
Dimensions (W x D x H): 200 x 158 x 47 mm
Weight: 800 g
System Requirements: Host Computer: Pentium 166 MHz or faster CPU, 32 MB or more physical memory (RAM), USB port, Windows 98 or ME
S-YXG50
Voice Data: AWM2 Custom technology
Wavetable Data Size: 2MB (using highly-optimized compression technology)
Multi-Timbrality: 16 parts
Polyphony: 128-note max (can be scaled by the user)
Voice Set: 76 melody voices (fully programmable), 42 SFX voices (fully programmable), 21 drum kits/SFX kits (fully programmable)
Sample Rates: 44.1/22.05/11.025 kHz
Synth Modes: XG/GM/TG300B
Documents and Manuals
For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 714-522-9011
Web: https://usa.yamaha.com/support
Phone: 714-522-9011
Web: https://usa.yamaha.com/support
Reviews
Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
(65 ratings)
Submitted September 28, 2005 by a customer from yahoo.com
"Yamaha products"
Have a nice DS2416 + AX44 combo since introduction. Bought UW500 for my laptop (and I'm very happy). Can someone offer me anything (in it's class, naturally) to beat these or even come close? Please note that these are using 20bit converters (yes, it's Sep. 2005)! I've already done 200+ mainstream music (mastering) projects in Iran with these beasts...
Sound
Very good sounding D/A converter, excellent drive on (pro) headphones. A/D converters could be better.
Features
Wish it didn't recognize SCMS, no coaxial I/O. Anyway, who cares about these issues in the pro world?
Quality
Oh... It's MADE IN JAPAN not China.
Manufacturer Support
As always.
The Wow Factor
UW500 is built to last. Very practical tool for location/stage recording with a laptop.
Musical Background:
Recording Engineer
Musical Style:
Ethnic, World Music
15 of 15 people (100%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
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