MetaServer for Windows 6.0 Beta 1 — Native MIDI, Cubase Selected Channel, Full Redesign
Hi everyone,
We’ve just released MetaServer for Windows 6.0 Beta 1 to our beta testers. Months in the making, rebuilt from the foundation up — this is the largest update to the Windows companion app since its inception.
What’s new
Built on the latest Windows frameworks
MetaServer 6.0 has been rebuilt from the ground up against the current generation of Windows frameworks and APIs. This is the foundation everything else in this release sits on, and it has real consequences for users:
- Native Windows MIDI Services — the modern MIDI subsystem Microsoft introduced for Windows 11, designed for low-latency professional audio use. Future Windows MIDI improvements will benefit MetaServer directly, without us having to retrofit them.
- Modern .NET runtime — better performance, smaller memory footprint, and a longer support window from Microsoft. No legacy framework dependencies.
- Current Windows networking stack — improved Bonjour/mDNS handling, better behavior on mixed IPv4/IPv6 networks, and proper integration with Windows Defender Firewall and network profile detection.
- Long-term Windows compatibility — by building against the current frameworks rather than older ones, MetaServer is positioned to work cleanly on Windows 11 24H2, future Windows updates, and ARM64 devices (Snapdragon X / Copilot+ PCs) as that ecosystem matures.
In practice, this means MetaServer for Windows is no longer playing catch-up. It’s built on the same generation of foundations that the modern Mac version is built on, and it’s set up to keep pace with future Windows releases instead of needing periodic rewrites.
Native Windows MIDI Services
MetaServer now creates its own virtual MIDI ports directly, using the modern Windows MIDI Services API. LoopMIDI is no longer required for new setups — one install, no third-party dependencies, no manual port creation, no workarounds.
For users with existing LoopMIDI-based setups: you can keep them. The MIDI page includes a “Revert to legacy MIDI” option that switches MetaServer back to the previous behavior, so your current routing continues to work without changes.
Dedicated DAW MIDI ports
In addition to the general-purpose Metasystem port, MetaServer can now create dedicated virtual MIDI ports for each supported DAW:
- Cubase
- Nuendo
- Studio One
- Reaper
- Ableton Live
- Digital Performer
- Dorico
- MCU (for any DAW supporting Mackie Control)
Each can be toggled independently on the MIDI page. This isolates DAW-specific traffic from general MIDI and removes the need to manually configure routing in most cases.
Selected Channel MIDI Remote for Cubase — now on Windows
The deep Cubase integration our Mac users have had for some time is now available on Windows with full feature parity:
- Two-way mirror of the selected channel (volume, solo, mute, record, sends, inserts, Plugin Manager)
- Transport controls
- Real-time sync as you move through your project
Installation is handled automatically via the Integrations page — Cubase scripts, presets, and the Cubase MIDI port are all managed in one place with per-component install state and one-click reinstall.
Cubase Plugin Manager integration — Windows ready
Our upcoming Plugin Manager integration works on Windows from day one. When it ships, Windows users won’t be waiting on a follow-up release — it’s already wired into the Cubase Selected Channel script.
Complete UI redesign
MetaServer for Windows has been rebuilt from the ground up with a new visual language matching the Mac version. Key changes:
- Status page — real-time connection diagnostics with response time, stability, variation, and range. Live sample graph showing the last ~60 seconds.
- Network page — quick-connect QR code, IPv4/IPv6 info, optional TCP mode for unstable networks, optional USB-only mode for tightly secured environments.
- System Access page — automated checks for Windows Defender Firewall and network profile (Public/Private), with explanations and one-click fixes. This should significantly reduce setup friction for new users.
- Integrations page — per-DAW configuration with component-level visibility into what’s installed, where, and at which version. Reinstall any component individually.
- Key Shortcuts page — assign global hotkeys to switch scenes, navigate, or trigger MetaGrid Pro actions system-wide.
- Logs page — searchable, filterable, with a built-in “Send to Support” button that packages everything we need to diagnose issues.
- Settings — appearance (Dark/Light/System), custom icon directory, auto-update preferences.
Other improvements
- Improved USB transport reliability
- Bonjour discovery improvements for mixed IPv4/IPv6 networks
- Internal logging overhauled — far more diagnostic information available
Requirements
- Windows 10 (1809+) or Windows 11
- Recommended: Windows 11 24H2 for full native MIDI Services support
Known limitations (Beta 1)
- Native Windows MIDI Services requires Windows 11 24H2. On earlier versions, MetaServer falls back to legacy MIDI handling automatically.
- A few rough edges in the Logs page (long stack traces, tooltip clipping) — cosmetic, doesn’t affect functionality.
How to participate
This release is currently in the hands of our beta tester group. If you’re already a beta tester, you should have received it through the usual channel. Public release will follow once we’ve worked through beta feedback.
A note before we wrap up
This release was not a small one for us. MetaServer 6.0 is a complete rebuild — foundation, architecture, UI, and integrations — that took months of focused work. There is no part of this app that wasn’t touched. We did it because the Windows version deserved to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Mac side, not trail behind it. We hope it shows.
Thanks to everyone who’s been patient with us along the way. With 6.0, the two versions are finally peers — same depth, same integrations, same polish, and the same forward-looking foundation.
— The MetaGrid team