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.
Comments
My other hub is an ANKER - a 60w one. So on paper, it should be better suited but it only bests the APANAGE when it comes to fast charging. I read some negative reviews on Amazon ref the APANAGE and fast charging so I only use it to charge low power stuff like my gen one Pencil and graphics tablet.
The bit that separates the APANAGE for me is that not only will it stream data to/from 5 IOS devices (up to 7 on paper, but I only have 5 to hand!) but it keeps them fully charged at the same time via 'trickle charge'. This was a game changer for me as I use a Windows workstation as my audio workhorse. Constant concerns about device charge status isn't something you want to be worried about in that situation.
Thanks @jonmoore and @Aud_iOS !
" I can't speak to OBS, but in Quicktime you can definitely screen capture w/ Studiomux. W/ IDAM active you cannot capture the screen - that's an IDAM rule, not a Quicktime rule."
Just looked into IDAM, hadn’t heard of it before. Confused about what you mean- You said you can screen capture when using studiomux, but the next sentence says that you can’t screen capture when IDAM is working. Does studiomux use a different method/technology than IDAM (and IDAM is only when you connect through apple settings)? But studiomux can send/receive as much audio/midi as normal when its also screen capturing at the same time?
Also would still appreciate if anyone could test using OBS, I need to use OBS instead of quicktime for live streaming purposes (and NDI capability). OBS is free btw
@dan151 - when you click "enable" on your iOS device(s) in Audio MIDI Setup - that activates IDAM. IDAM disables screen capture. IDAM is a single stereo channel of input, 48khz and is the USB isochronous audio format. IDAM also provides 16 channels of bi-directional MIDI. IDAM when activated will also disable photos transfer, and will disable the Content Caching service if you happen to have it enabled for Caching/Internet Sharing. Studiomux does use a different protocol for audio - I think it's UDP. Studiomux will create an 18/2 audio Device that will show in Audio MIDI Setup, which you can select for your default Input/Output device, or you can use the Studiomux plugins. You can still screen capture with Studiomux without limitations to Audio/MIDI, or other Apple services.
Wow, so a $10 app kicks Mac OS's ass.
Rather say it’s the only app that takes advantage of it!
Nicely said...
Humor aside tho - are there any other iOS apps that create an Audio Device on the Mac like Studiomux does? Would be really cool If Audiobus did this - Any possibility of that @Michael ?
Audiobus , (all versions) , Aum , & Ape Matrix , all integrate perfectly with Studiomux already...............
StudioMux or ModStep are $10 each and with ModStep you don't have to buy Studiomux separately to get the same benefits. Simply install the Studiomux server on your Mac/PC (Studiomux and ModStep are by the same developer).
Being an Ableton man on the desktop means I have a preference for ModStep anyway (it's a fantastic iOS DAW, can't wait for ModStep 2). And even though it can't host AUv3 MIDI FX plugins, when used in tandem with ApeMatrix or AUM you get everything you need; and streaming of Audio/MIDI directly into your DAW!
It's worth stating that on Windows the workflow is a little different in that you have to use the Studiomux VST to stream Audio/MIDI into your DAW. You don't get the 18/2 virtual device. But the bandwidth is just the same. You just load a separate Studiomux VST for each channel in Studiomux/ModStep. I tend to set up subgroups first in ApeMatrix (hosted in ModSep). This is especially useful for percussion related stuff (I make a lot of use of the @brambos suite of percussion and MIDI FX AUv3's).
The best thing is that you have the flexibility to do things the way that suits you best, rather than having to bend to the workflow of a restrictive iOS DAW.
The integration is great - there’s still dependency on Smux tho - and it would just be simpler to directly map AB3 channels to an Audio Device on the Mac, rather than going through an outside Host app.
@Aud_iOS
I see @Michael replied earlier and then removed it, so I suspect there's more going on here than a simple case of AB3 enabling a similar feature. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that Studiomux is doing what it does in a manner that's using an unofficial 'backdoor', one that Apple could close in the future (always a risk with Apple even if you're doing things by the book!). Pure speculation on my part, but it might explain why no other developers have followed suit with something similar.
The closed similar feature I've seen is Elektron's Overbridge 2.0 software, which channels audio streams directly into the DAW via USB 3 in much the way as Studiomux (although unsurprisingly, it looks a little more polished as a package).
I’ve been meaning to dig in a bit more - but I think main challenge would be the macOS side, where you’ve got to write the drivers/kext etc to make an audio device - and work with UDP or some tcp/ip to send the audio - I don’t think it’s off book, but it’s definitely not trivial. But at this point, short of that feature and OSC, AB3 has all the other features of Smux, I think.
I have a TP-Link 7+2 port with 48W, use it since years, and since about a year one Anker 7+3 port with 60W. Both work great with many devices attached, although some (Korg Monologue, BCR2000) don't draw power. The Anker hub is insofar a bit different, it provides power on all ports even if the host device (computer, iPad) is switched off.
I would think that the Apanage hub should be sufficient for most situations, especially when you can switch off single ports.
Another thing: instabilities in the power grid like during a thunderstorm can permanently damage the hub PSU. I fried at least two PSU's in the last decade. Now I always have a security switch with me to prevent such damages.
https://www.afrodjmac.com/blog/2015/3/23/easily-connect-ios-devices-to-your-mac-with-audiomux-and-midimux
Latency with Studiomux?
What is benefit of Studiomux vs iDam?
Individual mixer control for each app?
IF this works like this wow, frees up one whole audio interface for a new piece of hardware! LOL
Oh don't read anything into that; I just asked about IDAM without actually reading any of the thread cos I was in the middle of putting our little one to bed 😅 Didn't think it worth keeping once I realised my folly.
Yep, hit the nail on the head. We considered this in the very early days pre-Studiomix but decided not to do it for that reason, as well as the price of maintaining such a behemoth.
@RUST( i )K
Latency is negligable with Midi only but is definitely an issue to be managed with audio and midi. But nothing too crazy if your used to making manual latency adjustments in your DAW.
@Michael I thought it might be a consideration. And don’t worry next time I see a deleted comment, I won’t be overcome with conspiracy theories...