Hello everyone,

I'm a really basic user of Cubase with the MX61: I only like to record some performances as audio track without further modifications.
I recently updated the Yamaha Steinberg USB driver (v2.1.1) from an old version probably dating back from two years ago. Since then, I have noticed a slight difference in the sound output when the MX61 is connected to the computer. Just when I plug the cable, the sound seems to be more bright, more "cheap". I do not have any notion about sound management so I am completely lost. Do you have any idea what could cause this slight shift in audio quality when the MX61 is connected ?

I am sorry if my question seems unclear because of an unaccurate choice of words, I hope you would nevertheless be able to help somehow.

Thank you very much

Hi Tom,
There could be several reasons why you are getting the results you are getting - let's make sure we are actually hearing the MX61. (many computers have a built in sound set, that if you are not diligent, you will wind up playing instead of your MX61.

In order to connect the MX61 to a computer, you'll need a computer (Mac or PC) we'll assume you have one of the two, and you'll need the Yamaha Steinberg USB Driver for that particular computer make and Operating System. We'll assume you have the driver as you say you do and a Windows computer.

If that is correct: We can make our first test as follows:
Connect the MX61 to your computer with a standard USB cable
On your Windows computer, click on the START and find "Yamaha Steinberg USB Driver" Folder on the list
In that folder find the "Control Panel"
Open that control panel and you should see three tabs: ASIO, MX61, ABOUT

Let us know what the 3 tabs report...

In the meantime, please tell us which version of Cubase you are using ... Cubase AI, Cubase Pro, etc.
Things to check if all of this is working properly:

Make sure when communicating with the computer via USB that you set the MX so that LOCAL CONTROL = OFF and that your MIDI Track is set to Receive and Transmit to the "Yamaha MX61-1" via USB Port 1. Local Control is what allows the keyboard of the MX61 to directly play the tone generator of the MX61 (local)... you want to turn this OFF, so that the keyboard only SENDS MIDI messages OUT to the Cubase MIDI Track set to Receive and THRU that data back to the MX61.

If you do not set Local Control to OFF you may hear doubling of the signal..,
The AUDIO will be coming from the MX61 - so you need to connect a quality pair of Monitor Speakers to the Main L/R Outputs of the MX61 or use a pair of headphones attached to the MX61's PHONES jack on the back panel. (The Yamaha Steinberg USB Driver will not use your computer's sound system). The MX61 is an audio interface... connect your speakers to the Main L/R Output of the MX61 (or connect the MX61 to the device you are using as your audio interface - and connect that device to your speakers).