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.
Lewitt Connect 6 as Studiomux replacement - a positive review
I’ve been a long time user of Studiomux for using an iPad with a desktop DAW, sending audio both ways to use iOS effects and live sampling. As fairly widely acknowledged, Studiomux as an app is on its last legs, no longer supported and no longer working at all from iOS 16.
An iConnectivity 4c audio interface is an alternative, but I’ve always been put off by the price (when Studiomux could still just about serve my needs). Then last year Lewitt came out with the Connect 6 interface, to my knowledge the only other device offering a simultaneous computer and iOS connection with bi-directional audio routing. I’ve read very little user feedback on it, but I recently picked one up (as new) for under £100 on eBay and I’m delighted to report it’s exactly what I need and it is working fantastically.
My main desire to replace Studiomux, apart from it’s eternal ‘never quite working properly’ flakiness, was a wish to bring Samplr back into my setup, sampling live from mic/guitar and from Ableton. I’m using AUM on my iPad as a host, but to get audio into Samplr from AUM you need Audiobus, which won’t run at the same time as Studiomux 5 (it did though work in SMUX 4 which was Audiobus compatible).
With the Lewitt Connect 6 I am able to send audio direct to my iPad from its inputs, or from Ableton, and then back either into Ableton and/or direct to my mix outs. The control panel for routing seems very straightforward and logical (I’ve not had to look at the manual once). Latency to me seems acceptable / workable, certainly better than Studiomux sending / receiving from AUM, although I wasn’t being too critical as I was so chuffed to see and hear the audio flowing where I wanted and being able to freely chop/slice/loop etc.
One potential issue is the lack of a Hi-z input for guitars on the interface, but I use a wireless guitar transmitter/receiver which I think sorts this out anyway, certainly sounds ok to my ears. The big control knob on the interface itself is very simple, you push it to change function and the display makes it clear what you’re controlling.
Also works bus powered on a usb-c iPad or from my Mac laptop. There’s a connection for usb-c through power, though I’ve not tested that yet and I’ve yet to try it with a lightning device (next experiment, will update here).
So, in conclusion, it’s a big thumbs up from me, especially as I think I was expecting the usual fire extinguishing limitations that cripple so many of my ‘this is exactly what I need’ acquisitions. Form factor is good too, despite slightly odd looks, easy to carry around and feels fairly robust.
Comments
Some experimental tech updates:
The Connect 6 works connected from computer to usb-c hub/dongle to iPad, so it's possible to plug in midi controllers to the iPad too (there's no midi connection via the interface itself). Also works standalone and unpowered via usb hub/dongle, i.e no computer involved. (see pic 1). Power pass through to iPad also working when connected directly.
Works with lightning CCK, though needs 5v power connected to interface (usb-c). I tried it with no power connected and with a powered hub and that worked, but a bit glitchy - may be ok with a different hub? Worked powered and then into a powered hub to CCK to enable connection of midi controllers. (see pic 2).
When connected to iPad alone, you can use either 'mobile' or 'computer' sockets, the former gives you 2 channels in/out, the latter 6 channels in/out. The routing is set in the desktop app, but persists when unplugged. For example, I wanted to not hear my guitar input until after AUM. Using the desktop app, I was able to route it away from passing direct to the outputs whilst still going to iPad (though I'd need to go back to desktop if I wanted to change it back). At the same time, my mic input is still on direct monitoring, so plenty of routing flexibility.
All in all, success on all fronts.
sounds good!
I currently have an audio4c but I've noticed some sound coming from my speakers since I hooked it up (seems like ground noise) but I didn't have that with my audiofuse
I want to give the Lewitt a go....see if the output can be any cleaner
I read very mixed reviews....my only concern is with the lack of Hi-z inputs...admittedly I don't record guitars that much but does it affect any other instruments? how do you get around it?
I see less inputs and no midi compared to the audio4c but I'm kinda ok with that
is the sound output any good though?
Does the audio4c have balanced outputs? Do your speakers have balanced inputs? Can you connect the balanced outputs to the balanced inputs? That will be the best way to reduce noise. Conversely, cross-connecting balanced and unbalanced would be the worst way to increase noise.
everythinng is balanced, using balanced cables....it's barely noticable...I notice it tho as my previous sound interface didn't have it at all
OK, sounds good. Is it possible that the audio4c is being powered differently than the audiofuse? Maybe the power supply is adding noise. Also, is the audio4c output maybe at a lower level; do you need to increase the speaker volume? Or, maybe the audio4c is just noisier...
from what I've read...it's just signal amplifier noise
it is very quiet....but noticable. I just dont recall it being present with the audiofuse and I used that for years!
it's no big issue (well, it is but..) I just wondered if this could be improved with a Lewitt 6
not impressed with the lack of hi-z input or midi but for what I use it for it might be worth looking into
checking the power specs
Audiofuse was powered with a 15V power supply, audio4c is with a 12V
would that make the difference?
I bought mine 2nd hand and I just noticed my power supply is not the same as the one on Myvolts.co.uk? with the black box on it? I just got standard plug-lead thing...could that be adding noise? or is that the one it comes with?
How many virtual ins and outs are possible between iPad and Mac to route out a DAW into AUM and back into it from there?
12 I think...although I'll never need that many
Does it route midi between the devices or just audio?
Which device are we talking about? Lewitt Connect 6, audio4, or audiofuse?
With the Lewitt? Mono tracks? If that's the case I'll get this over the iConnect 4c.
audio4c
wont work on audiofuse and Ive not tried Lewitt
I've not tried the Lewitt...I meant the audio4c
both!
this site was ver helpful
https://andrewtasselmyer.substack.com/p/addendum-how-i-use-the-ipad-with?r=2chjaj&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
although it mentions the lewitt its mainly about the audio4c
Are you talking about the 4c or the Lewitt?
when i say both i mean the 4c sends/receives both audio and midi
the link is where i got alll my info from
The iConnectivity Audio4c is way expensive . I'd much prefer buying 2 interfaces instead
The cheapest solution for ios<->desktop is buying a used discontinued iConnectMIDI2+ which doesn't have audio ports but can passthru audio and route audio to an existing soundcard on the desktop
You would need two 6 input/6 output audio interfaces and would still have to solve MIDI routing, of I understand correctly what the Audio4c provides.
I get that Audio4C provides a special case solution , no workarounds , it's a tool meant for audio bridge , but still ....
Midi is the easiest part , you can connect via BT or ethernet .
As for interfaces I'd use 2 of NI Komplete Audio 6 MK2 as a workaround . Not the same since only 2 channels would remain in digital domain , more cables etc ... (that's why it's a workaround)
Personally I wait for the plugdata app (puredata) to be stable and try to stream audio per AU instance via ethernet . I had issues in the past using MobMuPlat with IAA since it couldn't handle much data on buffers above 128samples ( and only 1 stereo channel )
But I wish that someone will make a new app like StudioMux , much easier
The Audio4c is about $400, delivering 4 balanced analog in/outs, plus 10/10 digital in/outs
Good luck finding a substitute based on 2 Adat interfaces for that price.
Aside from 2 in/out channels less, you need 4 TOSLink cables and have to deal with sync.
(not all are created equal, but my Adat interface negotiates sync on every IOS app open or switch... clicky di click click ... and MacOS may reset it to 96khz regardless of what‘s selected in Audio/Midi setup (10-20% probability)
can't say that's quite true. like with most things, second hand market you can find them at reasonable prices. Only about 6 months a go I got one for £180
guess I might have been lucky
nice
hey steve!
love the review....in regards to the lack of Hi-z...do you know if thatcan be sorted with a small desktop mixer?
one of the things holding me back
(and my issues with my audio4c!)
@steve99 : with the Lewitt, how many channels of audio can be routed back and forth between the two devices?
@nnyz I was using a wireless guitar tx/rx to get around the lack of hi-z, but more recently I’ve gone back to a cable and a Behringer ADI21 acoustic DI that I exhumed from the detritus of my shed floor (for both my electric and acoustic guitars). Seems to do the job (though I am no sonic purist). A small mixer would definitely also do it.
@espiegel123 Two channel in and out, ‘to mobile’ and ‘from mobile’. I think the control panel software is probably free to download if you wanted to check it out? I found the routing very intuitive (and flexible), a rare uncomplicated joy to use.
So, only two audio streams can be sent back and forth between iPad and Mac/PC?
If that is the case, that sounds like less of a stidiomux replacement than the Audio4c.
2 legs bad? All audio interfaces are equal, but some are more equal than others.