Bitwig is boldly going where other DAW vendors have gone before – making its own audio interface. And there’s control surface integration. But for Eurorack and analog gear lovers, there’s something you don’t normally find: pre-calibrated CV with convenient dedicated minijack connections. (Also: Linux support!)
Apart from the already crowded market for audio interfaces, various DAW makers either make audio interfaces now or at least tried in the past. Rival Ableton doesn’t have a dedicated audio interface, but Push and Move have integrated interfaces. Avid built its entire history on pairing hardware with software. Universal Audio has its own DAW (and it’s free, even). MOTU, PreSonus, Steinberg – yes, yes, and yes. Back when there was a Cakewalk, they briefly paired with Roland. Harrison, the console maker, also has a DAW (built on the open-source Ardour). Propellerhead, now Reason Studios, had an interface called Balance reminiscent of Bitwig Connect here – before the company decided to back out of the venture and axe the entire hardware team. Even Apple was rumored to be working on its own interface (code-named Asteroid), though it never saw the light of day – apart from suing O’Grady’s PowerPage. And, of course, Apple predecessor Emagic had a full MIDI and audio range.
Now, none of those really found their own killer feature. And that brings us to Bitwig.
Connect is a cute 4/12 USB-C bus-powered audio interface, it’s got the company’s signature orange, and it will run 499 EUR / 549 USD. Two features could set it apart. One is controller integration with Bitwig Studio, though it has to compete with other perfectly usable controller schemes. The other is to me a little more interesting, and I’m honestly surprised we haven’t seen more hardware to try it – obvious, intuitive connectivity for Eurorack and other analog gear.
Eurorack convenience
There’s a good chance the audio interface you already own can connect to Eurorack, but the functionality that lets interfaces do so is poorly understood and unobvious on the hardware. Control Voltage on your modular is just another signal – meaning you should be able to send and receive it with any audio jack. The reason you can’t is that most audio interfaces filter the signals used for continuous, precise CV values. The technical term (and the terminology is the other thing that confuses users) is that these interfaces are “AC-coupled” – as in they’re configured to only send and receive alternating current – as opposed to “DC-coupled” which can use the DC signals your modular does. Even then, there are exceptions – clock and trigger signals are fine, and you can even convert input pitch signals with the proper software (like Bitwig Studio, in fact). But you miss out on the fun of sending and receiving CV and modulation with your computer for fully integrated hardware modular and software.
Assuming you followed my explanation, you can save money this way. I’ve been using a MOTU M4 interface for the job, for instance. Surprisingly, you can even send CV from your Mac headphone jack, a useful tip for anyone demoing modular. Check the guides from Expert Sleepers and Sweetwater, though there are so many audio interfaces out there even those lists aren’t complete – you can also dig into the specs on interfaces and look for the phrase “DC-coupled.” There’s also an easy-to-follow guide from (cough) Ableton – most of that is useful even to Bitwig users (or VCV Rack, or whatever).
But I am guessing some people a) would be confused by what I just wrote, b) could get lost in calibration, c) might not recognize that the 1/4″ jacks on their interface can be used with a quarter-to-minijack cable, or d) can’t find the cables in their studio.
Oh, plus there’s one more caveat – on mobile interfaces, it’s easy to burn through I/O with CV this way, since once you use a jack for CV you can’t use it for audio.
All of this means that the Bitwig Connect looks hugely useful for Eurorack integration. You get two inputs and four outputs with front-panel minijack, plus out-of-the-box calibration. Then in situations when you don’t need the analog CV connections, these still double as audio connections.
One thing that will require testing: connecting audio interfaces in this way can produce noise and ground hum under certain circumstances. We’ll have to see if Bitwig addresses that or how this performs in practice.
Control surface support and integration
The other feature Bitwig is banking on here is a high-resolution encoder with controller integration – a bit like some other single-dial controllers we’ve seen over the years. Hover over a control with your cursor to access it, then twist; double-tap the encoder to lock a parameter. They’ve done some clever color-coding of the LED ring, too. That also moves the playhead, and there are accompanying transport controls. (The control surface also supports the ubiquitous Mackie MCU standard, which means it’ll work with other hosts.)
Bitwig integration also means gain settings save with projects.
Other than that, this is just generally a modern audio interface, with features like input and output meters, USB-C bus powering, and modern high-quality converters and sound. There’s also dedicated Linux support, and up to 192 kHz recording and playback throughout, an all-metal chassis, ASIO for Windows users – it’s the real deal.
Honestly, I’m skeptical mainly because I’ve seen so many interfaces go down this path. The real breakout feature here to me is making CV convenient. We’ll have to see whether the intersection of Bitwig users and Eurorack fans is big enough to sustain this product.
But yeah, as a portable interface with convenient CV I/O? This looks great. It sort of makes me wish I were a traveling Bitwig and Eurorack clinician. The open road … a Mantis case in one hand … magically I’m better at using software than I am in real life. A flurry of minijack cables, and suddenly the place has a pounding analog beat. Living the dream…
https://www.bitwig.com/connect
Oh, and speaking of Bitwig and Linux –
Switch v3.1 running smoothly in Bitwig on Ubuntu Linux 22.04 – and on a humble MacBook Air from 2015!
— Sinevibes (@sinevibes.bsky.social) January 24, 2025 at 1:57 PM
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