You’re here because you have a device, bought before April 15, 2025 or a Trash Panda Quad from the US warehouse purchased before September 15, 2025 and you want to perform a firmware update.
MIDI Interfaces
You’ll need a MIDI interface for your PC with a MIDI output. The update process involves sending a large MIDI SysEx file. Unfortunately, not all MIDI interfaces support this reliably. While Morningstar MIDI controllers and WIDI Uhost/Jack work fine with the WebMIDI interface, they are NOT capable of sending large SysEx files. Please ensure your MIDI interface supports this functionality before starting the update. Otherwise, the update might fail midway, leaving your device erased and without a suitable MIDI interface to complete the update.
I’m not sure. How can I test my MIDI interface?
You can check whether your interface can handle large MIDI SysEx files by sending a firmware file with no device connected and observing the MIDI interface’s status LEDs. These usually blink when messages are being sent. When you send the firmware file, the LED should blink or stay lit for about one to two minutes. If that happens, your interface should be ready.
These devcies are tested and will work:
- RME Fireface
- ESX MIDIMATE ex
- SSL 12
These devices are tested and will NOT work for the legacy update:
- Morningstar MC6 MkII (probably all Morningstar controllers)
- CME WIDI uHOST (probably all CME WIDI devices)
- PirateMIDI (Not tested, but doesn’t support MIDI SysEX)
Sending the Update
You now need a software that is capable of sending MIDI SysEx messages. For Windows MIDI SysEx file transfer utility is tested, for macOS SysEX Librarian works well.
Sending the Update File with MIDI SysEx File Transfer Utility
Once the MIDI SysEx file transfer utility is installed, you’re ready to proceed.
- Open the MIDI SysEx file transfer utility.
- Connect the device you want to update directly to the MIDI interface (without any other devices in between) and turn it on.
- In the MIDI SysEx file transfer utility select your MIDI interface and chose the .syx file with the firmware for the device you want to update.
- Click “Validate and Send SysEx”. The transfer starts. Please ignore the progress bar in the app and wait until you get a message that says “Transfer Complete”. This will take approx. 2 minutes. When done the device will restart and the update is done.
To ensure the update completes without issues, do not use your PC or the device during the process.
Sending the Update File with SysEX Librarian
For the SysEX Librarian please refer to the user manual.
During the Update
All devices communicate their state during the update via two of their LEDs (or two colors of a dual-color LED).
When the update starts, the device resets and only one LED stays on. We refer to this LED as LED1.
LED Status Overview:
- LED1 on, LED2 off: The device is ready to receive the update
- LED1 on, LED2 blinks: Update in progress; LED2 toggles with each memory page written
- LED1 off and LED2 on or off: Update failed — try again
Devices and LED mapping
| Device | LED1 | LED2 |
|---|---|---|
| HYDRA4X | Master Red | Master Green |
| Siren | Phase | CH B Red |
| Trash Panda Quad* | Preset 1 | Preset 2 |
When the update finishes successfully, the device restarts and functions normally.
Available Legacy Updates
| Device | Version | Download |
|---|---|---|
| HYDRA4X | 1.1.1 (16th May 2025) | Hydra4X-1.1.1.syx |
| Siren-v2 | 2.1.1 (26th March 2025) | Siren-2.1.1.syx |
| Trash Panda Quad | 1.4.0 (14th November 2025) | Trash-Panda-Quad-1.4.0.syx |
Failed Updates
If the update fails — whether due to a computer error or a power outage — you can simply try again at any time. However, please note that the device will not function normally until a firmware update completes successfully. A device with a failed update may appear unresponsive or “dead,” but it will still accept a new update attempt.
If the update fails repeatedly, try to download the file again— it might be corrupted.
If you have persisting problems, please get in touch.