XMon Breakout Cable-DIY
 

This is an intentionally wordy explanation to improve searchability. Moderators can feel free to move this post if you don't feel it's in the right place.

For those of you who are considering using an XMON with one of Avid’s current surfaces but don’t want to spend $375 on the breakout midi cable (absurd) the following explanation is how to easily and inexpensively create your own. Much of the documentation that is available online about the XMON comes from old Icon docs. Many of these manuals and docs HAVE ERRORS on the pages describing the pinout of this cable. All of the docs referenced in this post have been updated to be absolutely correct and can be found here: http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/D...ware-for-EUCON

Materials:

Connector: Any male DB-15 connector will work but I chose to use a barrier strip screw down type found here: http://a.co/d/axwzTvW
Midi Cable: I used an old one that was lying around. This one will do if you don’t have one: http://a.co/d/iGmWEDp

If you have a midi interface that these male ends can connect to, that’s all you need. If you do not have midi as part of your setup, purchase the following:

Two midi barrel connectors/couplers: http://a.co/d/cwPuiLw
Some kind of USB to midi interface. I used this one: http://a.co/d/0hRyVjo

Optional:

Female 1/4 Inch inline socket for Headphone Output (AKA Monitor A)
Female XLR inline connector for Talkback Mic Input (No Phantom unbalanced)
Two lengths of cable (3 conductor shielded).

Directions:

This is the correct pinout doc:
XMON Breakout Cable.pdf

Midi:
Cut the midi cable in half and strip back the wires so about 1.5 inches of outer jacketing is removed and 1/4 inch of bare wire is showing of each inner conductor. Remove the shields completely. Using a meter, make sure you know which wire corresponds with pin 4 (midi+) and which is pin 5 (midi-).

Open the DB-15 connector. Unscrew the terminal screw as far as they can go on all 15 pins. Take one side and slide in the + wire to the 12 hole and screw it down. Then put your - wire into the 4 hole and screw it down. Mark that midi cable as IN. Do the same with the other cable putting + into 11 and - into 3 then label that one OUT.

Connect to XMon and your midi interface (or use your barrel connectors and USB thingy) and test away.

Headphones:
This is where the mistake was in the original documentation. If you follow the pinout diagram in the D-Command or D-Control manual, you will wind up with mono headphones. There is also a version of the XMON Breakout Cable PDF floating around the DUC that is incorrect. If the link is from someone’s dropbox, it’s the wrong version. (They are both Rev A and both dated the same). Headphone L & R are pins 13 & 14 respectively. 5 & 6 are the ground and should be jumpered together. Put another way, connect the tip to terminal 13, the ring to terminal 14 and the common to both 5 & 6.

Talkback:
Connect the positive to terminal 15 and the negative to terminal 8.

And Bob's yer uncle for under $35.

Re: XMon Breakout Cable-DIY
 

This is great information!! Follow up on this-Is it possible to use Xmon stand alone?? What about with an older version of Pro Tools, PT10HD??

Re: XMon Breakout Cable-DIY
 

The EUCON XMON App will control it. No need for a surface but you would be using a mouse.

Re: XMon Breakout Cable-DIY
 

If I want to control the XMON with a very far away ICON Surface, can I break out the DB15 to its parts and extend the MIDI part over 20-30 meters and solder it to a DB15 again for the D-Control? I don't need the Headphone and TalkBack part of the D-Control. Has anyone experience with it?

Re: XMon Breakout Cable-DIY
 

I don’t see why not. You might want to use cat5 cable and two of the barrier strip connectors I linked to. That might help with the dangers of a cable that long.

Re: XMon Breakout Cable-DIY
 

I finally got around to buying the parts, making a breakout cable, installing the EUCON Xmon software, only to discover that this actually doesn't allow to control the Xmon standalone. Looks like you can control the output volumes, but can't control any of the inputs. So it doesn't work... :confused::(:mad:

Re: XMon Breakout Cable-DIY
 

Download the Avid Control app on your phone or tablet. The tablet app controls the computer app. The computer app controls the xmon.


__________________
Mac Pro 2013 12 Core Trashcan, 64 gigs, OSX 10.14.6
PT HD Ultimate 2020.3 HDX with Focusrite Red 8pre, Dock + S3.

Re: XMon Breakout Cable-DIY
 

Input trims were not implemented. The problem with them is that if you sum any inputs the trims are ignored...so you can get into a situation where levels are changing depending on what you are listening to. I just pulled up the XMON flow diagram and it looks like the reason for this is that there was only one gain per Speaker Output. The gain could change for each input if they were solo but as soon as you selected multiple inputs summed, it reverted to no input gain. The ICON probably did the calculation of what the single gain should be, taking the Source value, Speaker Trim value and Volume and setting the single gain each time anything was changed. (This explains why there are no Input Trim commands in the XMON MIDI command set)

Re: XMon Breakout Cable-DIY
 

Unfortunately I can't use the control app. I'm embarrassed to say I am running an ancient version of Pro Tools (HD10). :o:o:o

Re: XMon Breakout Cable-DIY
 

This probably doesnt matter for what you want. Try it.