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
I’m looking for an audio interface that allows you to route audio from one app to another, that ideally doesn’t require a desktop app to setup loopback.
Cables are required, or at least a USB-c for my iPad Pro is.
@hibjshop The Steinberg 816c looks beefy. A little too much heft for my needs, but certainly seems capable.
@NoiseFloored iConnectivity, thanks. Sadly the widely maligned software support makes me hesitant. But if the pickings are indeed so slim, it may warrant a second look.
If cables are ok, there are tons of interfaces that can handle loopback -- most multi-channel ones. Even something like the Zoom interfaces.
Hey guys if you are still looking for loopback on iOS, Arturia MiniFuse does it and it works perfectly with these line of interface.
Regarding the Focusrite Scarlett 4i4, I can confirm it works very well for guitar and bass on a Mac using Bias FX as a plug-in to Logic. I use the line inputs for a synth but needed to boost input level as they are fixed and set very low. A cheap mixer solved that.
Don’t use it with my iPad so can’t comment on that usage.
This is the first I have heard of this. Can you elaborate?……..and how do you like the MiniFuse as an interface for the iPad? I have found very little info online about this interface with the iPad!
The RME fire face ucx does it with some basic DSP effect
Beheringer/midas X-R series does it too and have lots of great DSP effects included
Iconnect has great connectivity and allow to be connected to two Computer /iPad at the same time!, though it seems the sound quality is a bit behind than the too first.
The Audient ID4Mk2 has a 'Loop Back Port' that can be accessed on iOS/iPadOS (Inputs 3 & 4) BUT there is currently NO app to set the loop-back levels for all the channels and they are muted by default when turning on the device.
(When I get fed up I'll get in touch with Audient and ask for a dedicated iOS/iPadOS app).
The levels are NOT set with 'Midi CCs' as the interface has no midi-port...
...if that was the case it would be easy.
Same deal with UR-242, it has a 'Loop Back' check-box and sends everything back on the main channels but this 'check-box' is greyed out on iOS/iPadOS...
Cheers!
The Audient iD4 mk2 didnt Loopback on my iPad even after installing the Mac OS drivers and trying to configure it from there.
I have not done an elaborate testing with the iPad but I can confirm it works…cus I was checking it out. I have an iPad with lightning port so it doesn’t power the interface. I used a usb hub just to let you know. Maybe a usb C iPad might power the interface.
But from aum, I can see the extra virtual channels. Maybe I will make a video and share. Cheers.
i use a Zoom. loopback is done with patch cords by connecting outputs back to inputs.
The problem is that the settings don’t stick after powercykling the device (ie. the settings you make on the desktops are gone when power is cut).
(The ID app remebers the settings but you have to launch it to set the levels after a reboot, there is no dedicated ‘driver/kext/extension’ for it, it’s 100% class compliant)
…so what is needed is an iOS app that allows us to control the loopback levels.
It’s the same deal with the new Arturia MniFuses…
Cheers!
Slightly tangental to this topic, but I just realized how powerful doing loopback with iOS can be.
I'm using an iConnectivity Audio 4+, but any interface will work for this. Drambo outputs on 4 ICA4+ channels into audio hardware for processing. I then run the audio hardware back into my ICA4+ and master it with AUM (Note: I use the ICA4+ headphone out as my final output).
As far as I can tell Drambo and AUM are able to run on separate threads because of this, giving my setup a lot more CPU headroom. For those who don't have latency as a high priority its pretty powerful. Also opens up the ability to run a looper on your audio in AUM and load another project in Drambo, for track transfers.
@Samu were you ever able to find a way to natively unmute (on ios) the id4 mk 2 loopback channels?
Nope, I think we do unfortunately need an ID app for iOS to be able to do that…
One of the use-cases would defnitely be to pipe audio from Garageband to other apps 😎
Sooner or later I’ll request and ID app for iOS but I have no high expectations on that we’ll get one. But I urge everyone Audient interface owner who wants loopback on iOS to send them a message and ask for it. (The ID app supprts both Audient and EVO interfaces so there would be a potential ‘market’ for it).
Cheers!
Finally found. The Steinberg UR 44C. Use with dspmix ur c app. Toggle on the loopback function.
Successfully used with aum and audioshare, works seamlessly.
Tried them ALL. It was out of stock for quite a long while but back now.
Fantastic interface for ios, a dream come true.
Thanks Stein🙌🏻
So far this thread has confirmed the following interfaces to successfully access the loopback channels on iOS/iPad:
Steinberg UR 44C
Steinberg UR816C
Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 3rd gen
RME fireface ucx
iConnectivity iconnect4
Arturia Minifuse
iRig Stream PRO
Any updates to this for 2024?
I can personally vouch for the Allen & Heath Zedi-10FX. I've successfully routed the iOS/system audio on the mixer (not a cable loopback) and pick it up in AUM to mix as I wish on iOS. This of course enables you to sample from any source without the barriers of iOS.
I'm always looking for the ideal interface though and wondering which additional models out there successfully implement loopback on iOS in 2024?
Update: this has changed for IOS for whatever annoying reason; there is no longer a toggle for loopback. However you can just use channel 7/8 when choosing your input with AUM/DAW and there will appear your background audio. All day on this one, nothing noted online.
Thanks for the info!
What has changed in your setup?
Did you upgrade to a newer iOS version?
Just took a long break with it all. Came back and got very confused. Technology 🤷♂️