Audiobus: Use your music apps together.
What is Audiobus? — Audiobus is an award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you use your other music apps together. Chain effects on your favourite synth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app like GarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface output for each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive a synth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDI keyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear. And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.
Download on the App StoreAudiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.
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IMO the 2018 9.7 iPad is a far better value proposition than any of the iPad Pro line, by a very long way. The 11" Pro is about 25% faster in single-core benchmarks (the ones that really matter), but more than twice the price. There are of course some advantages to the Pro line, namely double the RAM, better screens and speakers, but not really worth 2x the cost.
I would have gone for a 2018 9.7 model myself, except that I need more than 128Gb of storage, so instead I opted for a 512Gb 10.5.
This thread on Gearslutz is worth reading:
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/ios-android-music-audio-production-apps-peripherals/1237892-2018-ipad-pros-anyone-buy-one-yet-experiences-music-software.html
And a quote from a user who got Apple support to look into his issues (CPU spikes when using music apps):
Ok, so a quick update: After sending Apple my Diagnostic Log files, and them spending a few days with them and testing, my Support person called back to say that it looks like there is definitely an incompatibility issue with the new iPad Pro hardware and these particular apps I'm using. She was actually quite baffled and a bit embarrassed as she profusely apologized. She asked if I could contact the App Developers and explain what's going on, give them my Apple Case number, and have them contact their Apple Support Engineer to help figure out what is actually causing this issue (because apparently, Apple doesn't know.) So I've contacted Moog, and the makers of Layr, AUM and the volunteer free app Synth One by AudioKit Pro (who are actually the only ones that have contacted me back so far, but unfortunately, they don't have the resources to test on a new iPad Pro.)
It's most likely to be the low-power CPU cores kicking in and taking over music-related tasks instead of the high-power cores. I doubt very much that the devs can do anything about this, it must be controlled by iOS. Only Apple can fix the issue.
We need a famous you-tuber to make a video (like with the thermal throttle of the macbook pro).
But sadly i see not much of real performances (beside about video editing or drawing).
Now i‘m scared developers who doesn‘t own a new iPad are not aware.
The same procedure as every year.....
And keyboard, and apple pen. Everything overpriced. And everyone on youtube is playing their little music happily, trying to convince everyone else that those shitty overpriced products are compulsory to have 'THE BEST EXPERIENCE EVER' on their already super expensive iPad. (Damn I am starting to talk like Jim Sterling. Well I love the guy so it's ok).
Didn't need the storage, but got a second hand 10.5 anyway. Great machine, great price. So what it's not this years model...
I wouldn´t need 1TB but would want the 6GB RAM....but if the cpu can´t keep up anyway.....
A new macbook pro with Vega 20 GPU would come in great too but that´s a whooping €4200 (with 32GB RAM) with just 512 GB.
But the thing is waiting for the next ones is no option either since the prices will reach further up.
So maybe better to buy nothing and use my old stuff until it breaks and then buy 1-2 generations older and invest the money in new plug-ins and/or apps or other hardware.
Maybe it takes a few months if everything got updated and apps which really use all the power and then the next iPads are around the corner. I wish we would got only every 4 years OS and hardware upgrades like with consoles.
They often have less power but things are much better optimized.
Every year or 2 another screen resolution and whatever makes testing and bug free software even harder for independent developers.
I ask me also since years how and if iOS offer multi-core support. Apple says you can use all 8 cores but not sure how it works with audio plug-ins (the only thing i really care).
What does the ARM architecture offer to further improve like SSE, SSE2, AVX, AVX512 etc. on X86.
While DAW´s should be able to spread loads across cores i hope single AUv3 plug-ins can use it too like many desktop plug-ins can do (otherwise i couldn´t use some of them in real-time and there is no chance they ever come to iOS).
So is it a lemon?
To run Auria I'd go for an iPad 12'9 pro first or, even better, 2nd gen...64 Gb is the good size for my needs, might be enough also for you ? Keep in mind that 2nd hand you might find a good deal with 128 or 256 Gb...
I haven't seen here complaining about CPU spikes, can't it be an hardware issue from the ipad itself ?
You missed this thread about the issue then
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/29769/gen-3-ipad-pro-users-have-you-noticed-significant-cpu-spikes/
(and seeing that you actually responded on that thread makes me wonder how you could not be aware of the reports?)
@richardyot Oups...Seems part of my brain does not fully accept this issue...That must be the hemisphere that ordered an iPad pro 11 yesterday...
Grr...Seems IOS 12.2 is quickly needed...
It's a bummer, I almost bought a new Pro on Friday, this was the main reason I held off. I really hope Apple get this fixed.
Same here....
I was close before to buy a 11‘ to replace my 6 month old 10.5 but I thought by myself Hold on, think about one more time before buying.
Several reasons prevented me to buy up to now:
The new 11’ iPad Pro 256GB cost me a minimum 1.049.-€
A new Smartcover 89.-€
A new Pencil 135.-€
A new USB-C dongle 60.-€ or even more
All together a new Pro cost me around 1.400.-€
I have to sell my „old“ 10.5 incl. Pencil and Smartcover, otherwise I have two quite similar sized iPads. I will loose money! How much?
But the main reason is the question: how much better will be the 11‘ compared to the 10.5‘? Is it better? Will I win or will I loose ⁉️
Is it really worth to switch from an iPad I’m quite happy with?
When I read about the cpu/audio problems here, I feel happy that I didn’t bought it.
Maybe it’s better to wait as been an early adopter... 😎
I would like to read really good success stories from people who switched from a 2. Generation Pro to a new one! 😊
IDK... maybe rationalizations about $$$ spent or not spent?
The 2018 iPad Pro has only been out for a few weeks and offers a lot better specs...
Perhaps some time is needed for app optimization or is it the iOS? I'm not a developer... can a developer chime in?
At the end of the day, yes-ish. But coming from an iPad Air 2 with a dying battery, even a new non-pro 9,7“ would have been a massive improvement.
Clearly there are lots of issues, and I guess we’ll see who is mainly to blame. In the meantime I’m using a 1024 samples buffer size and waiting for updates for iOS 12, Beatmaker 3, all the Moog and Audio Damage apps and whatnot.
Update:
I decided to skip the iPad Pro and kept the the 2018 iPad 9.7 as I got a real good deal on it. I think it came to $289 after discounts for 128GB. I was actually on my son's 2017 iPad and could do most what I needed on it without any issues including the Auria Pro with Ravenscroft, Pro R etc. I just purchased to see what I could expect.
I was worried that 9.7 would be too small for Auria Pro, however I am perfectly fine with it. Probably would have loved a 12.9 if it were in my hands. Did not experience any issues and expect the new 2018 to perform just as well if not a little bit better than 2017 model.
I am sure the Pro 11 issues will get sorted, however my decision was more based on the best bang for the buck and I think it was a decent deal for a new 2018 9.7.
I would still be interested in your experiences with the Pro 11 as I might buy one later when next generation or updated version comes out. Thx
I charge this new iPad with my Anker power delivery enabled thing and a normal type c to type c cable. The charging is so incredible fast of the the new iPad Pro. Any one noticed that? I made a test with 20% left and charged it for 60 minutes. I came up at 80% after that. Now that’s what batter charging should have looked like all those years....
Has anyone recommend a usb c hub or dongle to connect a midi keyboard and headphones? Passthrough charging would be good too.
You’ll need the USB C to 3.5mm adapter from Apple but this will work fine. It’s what I have. It has 2 USB C ports, one for charging and one for data or in this case audio, 2 USB 3 A ports, HDMI, microSD and SD. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076BGJXTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_YiL.BbPXEKP8H
Thanks!
Are both USB-C ports on this usable for devices or is one strictly for power?
The Specs are bizarre good, but also keep in mind that the A10 processor still renders hardly slower than everything above. It has not only to do with speed but also with throttling. So of course there's peakspeeds you can reach, but keeping the machine cool will not allow for long super speeds. Benchmarks do not say everything.
One is strictly power
Just got my 11". One thing I notice with the hub is that plugging or unplugging the USB-C power to it resets it, and when using an audio interface the audio is invisibly set to max, requiring you to touch the volume control to reset state. That was a fun discovery... The CCK3 was nice that you could hotswap the Lightning charging cable on the fly.
This might be a symptom of this cheap ass hub. I'm curious if anyone is having better results with one of the more expensive ones.
[Edit] Actually the max volume reset happens when plugging the hub in, too. It's also doing it with a simple USB-C to USB-A adapter, so maybe it's just this Sonic Port VX that I grabbed to test with. I've never used it with the USB connection to an iOS device.
[Edit the second] Okay, just tried with a cheap USB-A to 3.5mm cable I had bought in prep, and it works fine with it. No more ear bleeding volume resets.
Amazon is completely overwhelmed with the orders of Black Friday and stuff.... I ordered a HUB with additional USB A(!?) ports and as I am naive I bought a soundcard with USB that provide a Mic and Headphone. My idea is that I finally get a jack with this setup.
We will see and I will report. I dont really believe it, but maybe the Soundcard thing is really just plug and play and will work with the ipad. Beside that I dont have much ideas to get my Headphones on this brand new machine.
Fingers still crossed that apple will finally get its shit straight and make the iPad pro again....
so is it just the new iPads with the issues or should one not update to the latest os either, I'm on an iPad mini 4 os 11.4 ?
I think the general consensus is that iOS 12 is an improvement, especially on older devices. It’s certainly true for my Air 2.
I’ve filed a bug report with Apple regarding the crackle issue on my 11“ a couple of days ago, but haven’t heard back yet.
I've got the lowest end iOS 12 device (mini 2) and 12 is much better than 11.
ah good to know.. thanks guys