Roland has announced the WM-1 Wireless MIDI Adaptor and WM-1D Wireless MIDI Dongle, products designed to bring the convenience of wireless MIDI to modern music creators.
They provide wireless MIDI communication between multiple devices, including keyboards, drum machines, and other MIDI hardware, Mac and Windows computers, and iOS mobile devices. In addition to MIDI note data, users can send MIDI sync for tempo, effects, LFOs, loops, and more—all without connecting a single cable.
The WM-1 connects to MIDI hardware devices with standard 5-pin MIDI I/O, while the WM-1D connects to computers and iOS devices via USB. Standard mode provides low-latency MIDI communication between up to four total devices. Fast mode reduces latency to 3 ms, which is better than the internal speed of many hardware devices.
WM units can communicate with each other, and with MIDI music apps on an iOS device and Mac computer in Standard mode via Bluetooth MIDI. Users of Mac computers and iOS devices can also use the WM-1D to gain the benefits of Fast mode. (USB connection with iOS devices requires the appropriate Apple adaptor.)
The WM-1 will be available for US$69.99, and the WM-1D will be available for $79.99 in October 2020.