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.
iPad MIDI/Audio IN/OUT solutions
Hey all, I’ve been happily using my iPad as a sound modules (AUM + synths/effects) connected to my hardware rig for quite a while. I send the iPad MIDI via USB using the camera connection kit, and I route audio out from the iPads headphone port straight into my audio mixer. The problem I have now is that I want to use a vocoder on the iPad so need to somehow get audio into the iPad. Is there a simple way I can do this keeping the current setup? Maybe a dongle for the headphone socket that allows both audio in and audio out? Or maybe there’s a good interface I could buy that does everything?
Comments
You can try with irig solutions but the most useful solution could be buy an audiobox usb interface (or similar which fits your budget) and get the iPad the proper connections.
Also iTrack dock studio pack is a bargain at thomann but if you need midi din you must add extra 20€ for midi2usb converter. they seem sold out and not more in catalog
https://es.wallapop.com/item/presonus-audiobox-usb-96k-inter-306974195
There is also korg solutions but aren't cheap than audiobox and more limited IMO.
A simple, cheap iRig 1 or iRig 2 should work - all you want is a monophonic audio input for your microphone, right?
Another option is something like the Samson G-Track large diaphragm condenser microphone with USB (use the CCK to connect to iPad) which has stereo line level inputs and outputs in addition to the microphone channel.
A third option is a splitter cable with 4-pin phone plug that has 2x line out and 1x mic input like this one:
A fourth option is to simply use a wired or bluetooth headset for singing/talking into the vocoder.
Is the presonus powered by the iPad via USB? This box could be the answer.
To input a mic it will require a preamp (almost with original irig delivered for guitarrists). I had a impedance adaptor for that purpose (plug dinamic mics into guitar pedals) so add few bucks to the total price.
Yes. I think so... but if not add a powered usb hub and open the possibilities for more midi control fun.
No, you definitely need either a hub or better the CCK3 (Camera Connection Kit USB3 with iPad charging support).
BTW, the iPhone/iPad headphones jack already has mic level input so you rather need to attenuate the signal if you connect a line level source.
True I just test mine to confirm.
I think simple cable adaptors not work well due some resistors/capacitors need to tell iDevices you are plugging a headset or so aside impedance matching. Talking by memory from years ago I was after these diy things. Today with cck3 the headache free path will be a dedicated audio midi interface with hub IMHO.
How is it powered then if not by USB?
I guess I could just buy one of these iRig mics? It has headphone out built in to the cable for monitoring.
https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irigvoice/
Exactlly that - the iDevice expects a load of about 1-2kOhm on the headset mic line.
Only if it detects that load the software enables the input at all.
Most dynamic microphones appear as 200 Ohm, most guitar pickups as 5kOhm or above, so the input remains muted and won't show in your app.
Considering low prices of current USB interfaces, it's not worth the hassle.
Even more because that plug is not the most reliable connector on earth
It means powered usb port which cck3 without pluging it to current isn’t (and plugged it’s something I should test).
Pluging power into cck3 makes work the audiobox. Tested with battery pack delivering 2A. Interesting found, thanks for made me dabble
So powered hub in between is a must desirable but not totally necessary.
I’m really happy with my ultra mobile iRig Pro IO (around 130 euros in Europe): great sound quality, phantom power, good mic gain, powerful and clear headphones preamp, midi in/out, up to 96 kHz... Works on batteries with your iDevice (they last very long, just buy 4 Eneloop AA), you have an optional wall plug which charges iPad, or you can like I do most of the time at home, use a CCK3 to provide power to the unit and charges your iDevice too (not official but works perfectly). And that works perfectly also with Mac, Windows and Android. My Lenovo Windows 10 laptop with Asio4All allows for 64/128 buffers (depending on Ableton Live project complexity) low latency perfectly stable audio with iRig Pro IO. There is also a Duo version with dual audio inputs, but it’s twice the size (still very compact) but I can’t comment on headphones preamp and reliability of this one.
https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irigproio/
You can keep using your USB midi, and just add any USB audio interface. You can hook up as many USB devices as you like via a standard hub, then just plug that into the iPad with the Camera Connection Kit
For anyone that is interested I solved this by buying the following cable from Amazon for £7. Works perfectly and way cheaper than an iRig!
UGREEN Headphone Mic Splitter... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B073ZCWDZY?ref=yo_pop_ma_share
Just an OT clarification...
You can hook up as many midi devices as you like, but only one audio device at a time.
Sorry to bump this thread, but for anyone using the Presonus Audiobox USB 96 with their iPad with a Lightning port, is the Apple Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter the only thing required? I bought the Presonus since it's on sale, and I don't have a powered USB Hub. Hopeully I won't need a powered USB hub since the only thing I need to connect to my iPad is the Presonus interface.
Thanks!
Yes, but you will probably need to connect power to the Lightning port on the adapter.
What I use.
Thanks @uncledave That's the plan.
@Poppadocrock You use the Audiobox with a lightning iPad?