The BM-1 turns any instrument with a five pin DIN socket into a wireless MIDI device. Plug it in and note data travels over Bluetooth rather than down a lead, which helps if your synth, digital piano or controller sits across the room from the computer. Two adapters come in the set. Nothing needs rewiring.
Notes in both directions
Both sockets use the standard five pin format, which means what you play and what you tweak travel either way. Underneath sits Bluetooth 5, working to the MIDI over Bluetooth Low Energy standard.
Range and timing
Korg quotes a working distance of 20 metres with a clear line of sight. Latency measures around 3 ms, taken with BLE5 between a pair of BM-1 units. Walls and bodies will shorten that reach in practice, as they do with any radio link.
Computers, tablets and phones
Windows, macOS and iOS or iPadOS are all supported, alongside Bluetooth MIDI controllers and Apple hardware running Bluetooth 4.0 or later. For Mac and iOS there is Korg's Bluetooth MIDI Connect utility, while Windows machines take a separate BLE-MIDI driver. Grab whichever matches your setup.
Power and updates
No battery or mains supply is involved here, because the unit draws 5 V or 3.3 V straight from the MIDI OUT socket it plugs into, at 37 mW. Firmware updates and group connections run through the KORG BM-1 App. That app is on iOS and iPadOS only.
Specifications
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5, MIDI over Bluetooth Low Energy-Compliant |
|---|---|
| Connectors | MIDI IN, OUT (5-PIN DIN) |
| Compatible devices | MIDI devices with 5-pin DIN OUT, Bluetooth MIDI controllers, Mac, iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch that supports Bluetooth 4.0 or later |
| Supported OS | Windows, macOS, iOS/iPadOS For details on OS compatibility for the BM-1, visit the KORG website . * Group connections and firmware updates configured via the KORG BM-1 App are available only for iOS/iPadOS. |
| Latency | Approx. 3 ms (measured with BLE5 when using two BM-1 devices) |
| Communication range | 20 m (when no obstacles are present) |
| Firmware updates | Available via the KORG BM-1 App on iOS/iPadOS |
| Power supply | Compatible with 5 V/3.3 V (via MIDI OUT) |
| Power consumption | 37 mW |
| Dimensions (W x D x H) | Main adapter: 57 x 21 x 21 mm/2.24" x 0.83" x 0.83" Sub adapter: 27 x 21 x 21 mm/1.06" x 0.83" x 0.83" |
| Weight | Main adapter: 12 g/0.42 oz Sub adapter: 11 g/0.39 oz |
| Software/driver | KORG BM-1 App (iOS/iPadOS) KORG Bluetooth MIDI Connect (Mac, iOS/iPadOS) KORG BLE-MIDI Driver (Windows PC) |
Specifications from Korg. Appearance and specifications are subject to change without notice.
