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 Store

Audiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.

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  • edited May 2013

    Behringer UCA222 does stereo output via usb port of the CCK, but does a D to A conversion internally. Only £23 plus postage if you already have a CCK. No MIDI though unless you use a hub and a separate usb MIDI interface.

  • @mgmg4871 : does it mean that we can connect one USB to the ipad via CCk and the the other USB to the PC directly ( since EIE has a 3 port USB hub ) ?
    I still didnt get how we could connect the ipad directly to the PC with only the EIE in the path

    @PaulB , I have the 222 but doesnt that mean we still need another interface to get the Stereo back into the DAW on the PC ? So the Stereo output from the 222 would go into the input of the 2nd interface which would then go in the PC DAW.
    .
    the "Digital pass thru" of the iConnectMIDI would be something that works with direct audio going from ipad to pC/mac...thats how I understood it..

  • @thepinkelefant Hmtx is right. I misread the question. EIE only works either or PC/IOS.

  • So did I. Thought the request was for good quality audio, not a digital iOS to PC link.

  • edited May 2013

    Yep, that "digital pass thru" idea is quite a ground breaking feature. It will be interesting to see how well the new iConnectMIDI works.

  • @thepinkelefant almost all macs built in the last 4 years have a digital optical spdif input integrated into the mic/line input jack. You just need the proper optical cable to get the optical out from the UCA222 into it, one like this: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&cs_id=1022902&p_id=1557&seq=1&format=2

    Obviously, if you don't have such a Mac, you'd need another audio interface with optical input.

  • Blow me, so it does. I have optical i/o ports on the audio interface of my music pc as well. :)

  • So would two UCA222 devices and an optical cable make a pure digital signal path?

    For Under $80??!!

  • No. Optical output only.

  • Ah, OK. But what are the benefits of SPDIF over using the RCA analog outs? Are you really going to notice a difference?

  • edited May 2013

    Bypassing the D to A and A to D conversion has to make a difference of some kind. It rather depends on the converters concerned. I may not notice with one transfer, but the cumulative effects of many tracks transferred this way and mixed in a project may be more noticable.
    I guess it can't hurt to use it if it's there. No chance of earth loops/hum, at least.

  • yes. Avoid any unnecessary conversion.

  • Looking for some advice here.

    Currently my live/rehearsal setup goes like this:

    M-Audio 49 Keyboard Controller -> iPad 4 (via CCK) --> Audio out (through stereo headphone jack).

    I would really like to have my audio come out through the lightning port instead of the headphone jack, but with the keyboard plugged in there I can't.

    I need an interface that would connect to my iPad via the lightning connector. The connection would need to allow MIDI OUT to the iPad and audio IN from the iPad.

    So basically this:
    Keyboard -> Interface
    iPad -> Interface
    Interface -> Audio out (preferably balanced output)

    In my current setup, the iPad is doing the D/A conversion through the headphones and I'd rather have a better interface do that (the sound quality comes out overdriven through the phones jack).

    Any thoughts? Hope I'm explaining this right.

  • Usb hub into the CCK, keyboard and usb audio interface into the hub.

  • I recently bought an Akai EIE, based on Dubhausdisco's recommendation () and seeing it integrated in his studio setup - and I have to say it's one of the best pieces of audio gear that I've bought in a LONG time. Works perfectly with my iPad 2. It's a great-sounding (and great-looking) solid brick of an interface. A few notes about it: 1) As Dubhausdisco mentions, DO NOT take a chance on buying a generic Camera Connection Kit - shell out the few extra dollars for the one made by Apple. I made the mistake of buying one of those "all-in-one" iOS adapters, and the EIE just didn't work with it. 2) Having 3 USB ports available - plus the standard MIDI I/O - opens up a lot of possibilities. My main reason for buying it was for the multitrack audio recording, not so much as a MIDI interface. I connected an M-AUDIO Trigger Finger (USB) and an Alesis Fusion MIDI synth (5-pin MIDI) each on its own MIDI channel playing separate sounds in Magellan. And then the iPad can be used as an X-Y touchpad controller to modulate the sounds. Amazing!

    One problem I DID have was that I got an incompatibility error when connecting my older Evolution MK-249C MIDI controller via USB into the EIE. It was getting power over USB, but the iPad wouldn't recognize it as a MIDI input device. So the workaround I came up with was to connect the MK-249C via USB AND the standard 5-pin MIDI connection simultaneously (the USB just being used for power). Once I did that, the MK-249C worked fine. It does use up an input, but that's not a big deal to me right now.

    The fact that I can also use the EIE with my PC or a laptop - that's a major bonus. Sorry for the cliche', but this thing really IS like a Swiss army knife of audio/MIDI gear.

    Sometimes new pieces of gear just add more clutter to a home studio setup. The EIE is the opposite; it's one of those rare pieces of gear that simplifies your studio and actually reduces the amount of clutter. I found it for $140 on Amazon. It's definitely a bargain.

    Really looking forward to following this discussion board. Good stuff.

  • I've had the EIE for a few months now and love the quality and flexibility of the thing.

  • edited June 2013

    +1 for EIE.. It's amazing this was never marketed as IOS device.

  • Just ordered a Studioconnect for my iPad 3, $99 bucks!
    I was turned off by Akai's poor history of support, so when I saw that the EIE pro was discontinued, my interest died. I've dealt with enough frustration over Akai's never releasing a proper OSX software program for their "upscale" version of the alesis micron. Forget em.

  • edited June 2013

    The Pro EIE does not work with IOS devices anyway. It's the standard 16 bit oversion we were talking about. Good thing you didn't order it.

  • Well the Studioconnect seems to have issues.

    Let me ask if I'm understanding you guys right: could I use the Akai EIE as an iPad interface (via camera kit) AND an audio interface for my laptop at the same time? How would that affect the MIDI channels?

  • edited June 2013

    You cannot use EIE as Ipad/PC simultaneously as far as I know, but I will try that via a powered USB hub this evening and post results here. If someone else has a more definite answer please chime in.

  • Only one box will do that simultaneous trick, the new iConnectMidi2+ or 4+. When they finally arrive.

  • Are there any other interfaces that do the following?

    1. Charge the ipad.
    2. Provide Audio I/O.
    3. Provide Midi I/O.

    I am under the impression that the EIE does this, and also the Griffin StudioConnect.
    First of all, am I correct on that? And second, are there any other devices that do this?

  • What about the Tascam iU2? Anyone used that one? Does it do all 3 things above?
    To me the EIE is pretty large and clunky, and has more mic inputs than I would need, so I am looking for something a little smaller.

  • Lexicon Omega
    8x4x2, good preamps, 48 V, Midi, spdif, inserts(!) for the two xlr inputs, can be used standalone for band rehearsal too as normal mixing desk, low price, good quality etc...
    i love it, beside my Apogee Jam

  • I use the Roland duo capture mk2 with an iPad 4 and 2. No psu, batteries or hubs required. Great piece of kit if you need true mobility with no hassle. £65 at most shops in the UK so pretty good value too.

  • I use my Novation Xstation....Have 24bit, 2 input, 2 Output, 1 Midi in 2 Midi Out, plus an hardware Synth plus Midi Controller.... and work on my iPad connected with his power supply.... It's cool because the hardware synth root thought the input and you record it inside Auria without other cable :)

  • I had an idea this evening. My mixer (Mackie ProFX16) in my studio has a USB out, why not try connecting that to my ipad? And it worked!

    That doesn't help me playing live because I'm not lugging that thing around, but at home it gives me the ability to quickly track any instrument in my studio to Garageband or Loopy or whatever and that is pretty sweet. No hub needed either.

  • Sinapsya,
    I had heard about those before. Sounds like a good way to go.

    On that note, I wonder why more midi controller keyboards don't have a built-in audio interface? It would be handy, and wouldn't cost much to add it in.

  • Any one try the Roland Duo Capture Mk2

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