I think of the Analog Heat as an audio interface and Elektron advertises it as such. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered an audio interface with a midi out that couldn’t be used to send midi from the computer with.
Fair enough, if they advertise it that way I agree I would expect that, I’ve only ever seen it marketed as an effects unit.
Sure. Forget my want for Heat to do this for the moment. All of the other Elektrons won’t do this either, but a shitty (although actually quite good TBH) budget Behringer does this stuff without a second thought. The amount of times I see Elektron decisions defended on here or get told that there are convoluted workarounds is kinda exasperating sometimes. There are simpler methods sometimes too. I’ve personally answered many people on here trying to send sysex from their computer to a third party device and not knowing exactly why their particular Elektron won’t do it. Hence my question. But I’ve asked Elektron directly, so I’ll await their answer. And I’ve framed it as a feature request, so finger’s crossed. Because how cool an audio and midi interface would the Heat (or another modern Elektron) be if it could pass USB midi straight to the Midi Thru port.
I understand that there is a Behringer device that can do this, but the fact remains there is a technical reason for it to not work this way, as asked by OP (edit: wait, that’s you! 
) and I don’t think it should be an expectation now that every device with a USB port can act as a Midi hub - that’s not defending Elektron.
If they can add a feature like that though it would be great, the Midi features are already well stocked on these boxes so it would make them pretty super powered.
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Just spent 45 minutes troubleshooting this, before it dawned on me that just maybe the USB MIDI isn’t forwarded to the MIDI THRU port. Good to have it confirmed, anyway.
Did anyone contact Elektron about it?
Edit: I’m talking about the Analog Heat Mk1.
Sending midi USB to a Digi midi track you can pass notes and map CC 70-77 to other CCs via midi DIN OUT.
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But you cannot send midi usb from one digi to another, correct? Or from a midi usb controller. I was of the impression usb midi host is needed and the controller must be class compliant usb midi.
Midi host needed indeed.
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My Heat is hosted by the MioXL. It receives USB MIDI alright, but doesn’t pass it on thru the DIN plugs.
An host allows to communicate with several midi USB gear, but it doesn’t change Elektron gear behavior concerning USB thru DIN outs.
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Hypothetical: USB midi controller > Usb midi host > digitakt > digitakt DIN out to some other gear
Does the usb midi controller only then control digitakt and not other gear via DT’s din out?
Same as above.
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Does it get held up at a merge? so if there is a midi merger between DT and the USB midi host, will it not pass signal through the merger?
Just did a quick survey on all my USB MIDI gear, and none of them seem to be passing data from USB on to DIN thru/out. So the answer to the thread title is probably a “yes”, due to some protocol/stack related issues?
Gear tested:
Analog Heat
TD-3
RD-8
Microfreak
Rytm (does pass dinsync clock on to my 606, though)
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