Kenton USB Solo Mk2

Kenton’s latest interface makes it easier than ever for digital to talk to analogue.

MIDI‑to‑CV converters are one of those unglamorous studio essentials. Nobody buys one because it’s exciting. You buy one because your Minimoog doesn’t have USB, your DAW doesn’t have CV outputs, and the gap between the two needs bridging. Kenton Electronics have been filling that gap for over 30 years, and the USB Solo Mk2 is their latest attempt to make the analogue‑digital love affair as painless as possible.

Overview

The USB Solo Mk2 is a small, single‑channel MIDI‑to‑CV converter housed in a compact metal desktop box measuring 140 x 87 x 45mm and weighing a svelte 210g. The rear panel is where all the action happens. On the left is a single USB‑C socket, which provides 5V power and USB MIDI data from a computer. To its right sit five 3.5mm mini‑jack sockets for CV, gate and the three aux outputs. Finally, a pair of five‑pin DIN sockets handle traditional MIDI. The MIDI thru output can double up as a DIN sync connector.

The USB Solo Mk2 is conveniently small, measuring 140 x 87 x 45mm and weighing just 210g.

The front panel is minimal: a three‑digit LCD alongside three buttons. Parameters are selected with Select and their values adjusted with Dec/Inc. It’s an old‑school approach that works well enough. The most common parameter numbers are printed on the case, but others will require the manual to be close by. If you prefer, there’s a free configuration app available from Kenton’s website that gives you everything on one screen. Up to 32 complete parameter sets can be stored and recalled as presets — either from the front panel or via MIDI Program Change — and all settings live in non‑volatile EEPROM, so there’s no backup battery to worry about. Kenton have pre‑loaded the unit with presets for popular vintage synths, like the SH‑101, SH‑09, Prodigy, Minimoog, MS‑10 and MS‑20, CS‑10, ARP 2600, and the like.

The USB Solo Mk2 has two modes of operation. In Standard mode it accepts MIDI from USB and DIN simultaneously (merging them together) and converts to CV. In Interface mode it does the same, but additionally behaves as a USB MIDI interface, relaying MIDI between your computer and the five‑pin DIN...