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iConnect Audio 4+: Discussion

edited December 2016 in Other

I'm hoping to upgrade to exactly this unit (iConnect Audio 4+) for the ability to output two channels in stereo.
It's for live performance, so needs to perform at a high level. I'm just doing a little preliminary research.

Can anyone let me known of any known issues or personal grievances with this unit?
Thanks and all the best,
Oscar

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Comments

  • I used both an iCA4+ and an iCA2+ with 3 iPads and a MicroBrute in a live performance last week @OscarSouth - no issues. The only thing that people find awkward is the iOS version of iConfig. However, when I set mine up, I made sure to use only the iOS version to make sure I could work with it on stage if I needed to change anything last minute, and it was fine for my needs.

  • The only issue with mine is that the Vocalive (IK Multimedia) app crashes everytime I try to use it alone, in audiobus or in AUM with ICA4+. Unless I missed it, I haven't seen anyone else report this problem so I started a ticket with IK and got this reply:

    Hello,

    Sorry to hear about your troubles with VocaLive.

    Our development team is aware of this and will be addressing it in an upcoming update/patch.

    We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding while we resolve this issue.

    If you need additional help, please reply to this email.

    Thanks,

    Daniel Llosa
    Technical Support
    IK Multimedia. Musicians First.

    I then asked them for a timetable for when to expect the patch and I received this reply:

    Hello,

    Thanks for your email.

    We are applying this patch to our other apps, which is to be followed soon by VocaLive. We do not have a estimated time for release.

    Otherwise the interface seems to work flawlessly.

  • Does the ICA4+ support two iPads? I can see the documentation says it does, but can anyone confirm that it works seamlessly in real life?

    Would I still need WiFi to Link two iPads together?

  • edited May 2016

    Yes - it supports two iPads @lukesleepwalker I ran it with two iPads live last week. No you do not need to Link two iPads together via wifi when using with the iCA4+.

    https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/13463/gig-couple-of-ipad-musicans-are-performing

  • edited May 2016

    In that setup (see the pics in the thread I linked) I had Thesys and iSEM running on one iPad and AUM + most of the other stuff running on the other and routed the audio from iSEM to AUM via the iCA4+. I was also running Model 15 on a 3rd iPad which I had connected to the iCA2+, and I fed a pair of Line outs from the iCA2+ into the Line ins of the iCA4+ and again routed to AUM, as well as feeding the MicroBrute via another Line in.

    I was also using the Alesis kbd to control the Model 15 app. Since I had also initially wanted to perhaps control some of the other apps, I had it connected via the USB host port to the iCA4+, and then DIN out from the iCA4+ to DIN in on the iCA2+ to drive the Model 15 app as well. In the end I only used it to drive the Model 15 app, but, again, no issue with MIDI routing Alesis -> iCA4+ USB -> DIN out -> iCA2+ DIN in -> Model 15. I also had mapped the cutoff and resonance to a couple of the knobs on the Alesis to control those live while playing the Model 15 via the Alesis kbd.

    Had I wanted to, I could have also used the MicroBrute kbd to control any of the other apps likewise, since I also had it connected to the host port (both the Alesis and the MB via a powered USB hub), but as it happened, I was playing the MB live as the MB instead.

    The one minor issue I faced was that I had not reserved the USB host ports for the devices (the Alesis and MB), so it was variable which ones they would get connected to, but, that was my oversight, not a problem, and I changed it live in the iConfig routing on the iPad at the gig once I'd figured out which one was sending on which host port :smile:

  • Hi - I’m wondering if anyone here could confirm if its possible to use the ICA4+ to do the following:

    Mix stereo audio from two iPads using a third iPad.

    iPad A>>>

    ICA4+>>>iPad C

    iPad B>>>

    i.e

    iPad One (playing it’s audio signal > analog in on the ICA4+)
    &
    iPad Two (playing it’s audio signal > analog in on the ICA4+)
    With these two stereo pairs then being digitally fed into a third iPad (being fed from the ICA4+ USB output via lightening) with both stereo channels being discretely unmixed and being fed into something like Cubasis or Auria pro for mixing.

    Also what would the round trip latency be for all three devices - how would this affect things if the three iPads were using Ableton Link?

    Cheers!

  • edited May 2016

    Yes. Not a problem at all @samboom. Latency is about 5ms for the device standalone, so, although I've not measured it, I'm guessing about 10 total roundtrip. Perfectly acceptable for live playing. No idea about Link.

    However, you would not need to send both of the others in via Line in. You could connect two via USB to the iCA4+ and send the third in via Line in, as I did above (see comment and link).

  • One thing to remember is to save your live config so that you don't get surprised by any device reset. Should not happen but just in case :smile:

    In iConfig for the iPad, to get to the save dialog, swipe in from the left. Took me a while to figure that out :smiley:

  • I use the ICA4+ live with two iPads (iPad 4 and Air 2), with a Novation Launchkey MK2 midi controller connected to the USB Host port, and run two sets of stereo outs to the mixing board. I connect an electric guitar to analog input 1 and a vocal mic to analog input 2. I'm totally happy with the setup, and would recommend the ICA4+.

  • @Shaken&;Stirred said:
    I use the ICA4+ live with two iPads (iPad 4 and Air 2), with a Novation Launchkey MK2 midi controller connected to the USB Host port, and run two sets of stereo outs to the mixing board. I connect an electric guitar to analog input 1 and a vocal mic to analog input 2. I'm totally happy with the setup, and would recommend the ICA4+.

    :+1:

  • @MusicInclusive said:
    Yes - it supports two iPads @lukesleepwalker I ran it with two iPads live last week. No you do not need to Link two iPads together via wifi when using with the iCA4+.

    https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/13463/gig-couple-of-ipad-musicans-are-performing

    Sorry, should have been more explicit. If I wanted to clock sync two versions of Loopy running on two iPads, would I use Link over Wifi (which is rock solid) or revert to MIDI clock sync through the ICA4+?

  • @lukesleepwalker said:

    @MusicInclusive said:
    Yes - it supports two iPads @lukesleepwalker I ran it with two iPads live last week. No you do not need to Link two iPads together via wifi when using with the iCA4+.

    https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/13463/gig-couple-of-ipad-musicans-are-performing

    Sorry, should have been more explicit. If I wanted to clock sync two versions of Loopy running on two iPads, would I use Link over Wifi (which is rock solid) or revert to MIDI clock sync through the ICA4+?

    Ah! I see. Well, you could do either. I was using MIDI clock sync.

  • @MusicInclusive said:
    Ah! I see. Well, you could do either. I was using MIDI clock sync.

    Perfect, thanks for the feedback. Have they worked out all the issues with ICA4+ and iOS 9? I'm running 9.3.1.

  • @lukesleepwalker said:

    @MusicInclusive said:
    Ah! I see. Well, you could do either. I was using MIDI clock sync.

    Perfect, thanks for the feedback. Have they worked out all the issues with ICA4+ and iOS 9? I'm running 9.3.1.

    Yes. All issues worked out AFAIK. There's a new firmware update that's meant to enhance MIDI, but I haven't applied it yet. I'm also still running 9.3.1

    9.3 fixed the problem with the iC devices. Kudos to iC for hammering on Apple to get them to fix that in 9.3 and El Capitan.

  • Thanks @MusicInclusive.

    Just wondering - on your other thread you have posted a screen grab of your AUM page - with some grey inputs named USB 3+4 and USB 5+6. Am I correct in assuming that these are the virtual inputs from the ICA4+ as seen by AUM?

    Do these appear automatically or do you need an iconnectivity app for these to appear in AUM?

    Would these also appear in Studiomux as well?

  • @MusicInclusive said:
    I used both an iCA4+ and an iCA2+ with 3 iPads and a MicroBrute in a live performance last week @OscarSouth - no issues. The only thing that people find awkward is the iOS version of iConfig. However, when I set mine up, I made sure to use only the iOS version to make sure I could work with it on stage if I needed to change anything last minute, and it was fine for my needs.

    Reading the reviews online, the one big grievance seems to be that the iConfig app doesn't work. But your point is that it works as long as you stay within the iOS version (not the Mac/PC version)? Does it save your preconfigured setups?

  • @samboom said:
    Thanks @MusicInclusive.

    Just wondering - on your other thread you have posted a screen grab of your AUM page - with some grey inputs named USB 3+4 and USB 5+6. Am I correct in assuming that these are the virtual inputs from the ICA4+ as seen by AUM?

    Do these appear automatically or do you need an iconnectivity app for these to appear in AUM?

    Would these also appear in Studiomux as well?

    They appear automatically. I simply made sure I had the routing correct in the iConfig app.

  • edited May 2016

    @lukesleepwalker said:

    @MusicInclusive said:
    I used both an iCA4+ and an iCA2+ with 3 iPads and a MicroBrute in a live performance last week @OscarSouth - no issues. The only thing that people find awkward is the iOS version of iConfig. However, when I set mine up, I made sure to use only the iOS version to make sure I could work with it on stage if I needed to change anything last minute, and it was fine for my needs.

    Reading the reviews online, the one big grievance seems to be that the iConfig app doesn't work. But your point is that it works as long as you stay within the iOS version (not the Mac/PC version)? Does it save your preconfigured setups?

    The iConfig app works fine with one exception - and I can't remember what it is right now. I think (and I'll check - but I don't have it hooked up presently) that it's something to do with setting something about the mixer levels.

    You can save your config to flash, but, that of course means only one config. For a live performance with a static rig, that's OK. But if you want to save multiple setups you currently need to use the Mac/PC version - which works fine IME.

  • @MusicInclusive said:

    @lukesleepwalker said:

    @MusicInclusive said:
    I used both an iCA4+ and an iCA2+ with 3 iPads and a MicroBrute in a live performance last week @OscarSouth - no issues. The only thing that people find awkward is the iOS version of iConfig. However, when I set mine up, I made sure to use only the iOS version to make sure I could work with it on stage if I needed to change anything last minute, and it was fine for my needs.

    Reading the reviews online, the one big grievance seems to be that the iConfig app doesn't work. But your point is that it works as long as you stay within the iOS version (not the Mac/PC version)? Does it save your preconfigured setups?

    The iConfig app works fine with one exception - and I can't remember what it is right now. I think (and I'll check - but I don't have it hooked up presently) that it's something to do with setting something about the mixer levels.

    You can save your config to flash, but, that of course means only one config. For a live performance with a static rig, that's OK. But if you want to save multiple setups you currently need to use the Mac/PC version - which works fine IME.

    Again, a million thanks for the input. I'm getting one!

  • edited May 2016

    @Shaken&;Stirred said:
    I use the ICA4+ live with two iPads (iPad 4 and Air 2), with a Novation Launchkey MK2 midi controller connected to the USB Host port, and run two sets of stereo outs to the mixing board. I connect an electric guitar to analog input 1 and a vocal mic to analog input 2. I'm totally happy with the setup, and would recommend the ICA4+.

    This is great to hear as it is similar to how I to set up my live rig. Do you use Audiobus/MiMix for routing outs or AUM?

    Question for you and @MusicInclusive: did you buy a second lightning-to-USB-B cable to connect a second iPad? Or does a USB-A female to USB-B male adaptor work with the other included cable?

  • @lukesleepwalker said:

    @Shaken&;Stirred said:
    I use the ICA4+ live with two iPads (iPad 4 and Air 2), with a Novation Launchkey MK2 midi controller connected to the USB Host port, and run two sets of stereo outs to the mixing board. I connect an electric guitar to analog input 1 and a vocal mic to analog input 2. I'm totally happy with the setup, and would recommend the ICA4+.

    This is great to hear as it is similar to how I to set up my live rig. Do you use Audiobus/MiMix for routing outs or AUM?

    Question for you and @MusicInclusive: did you buy a second lightning-to-USB-B cable to connect a second iPad? Or does a USB-A female to USB-B male adaptor work with the other included cable?

    I have used AB/MiMix in the past. However, on this occasion I was using AUM. Was painless.

    I already have another iC cable, so I used that. I recommend getting a second iC cable, although some folks have had some success with regular cables + USB -> lightning etc. I haven't used that option myself.

  • I updated the firmware on mine to the latest, 1.1, and now iOS iConfig can't find it anymore. I hope this gets fixed asap. Anyone else had this happen?

  • @Munibeast said:
    I updated the firmware on mine to the latest, 1.1, and now iOS iConfig can't find it anymore. I hope this gets fixed asap. Anyone else had this happen?

    Yes this happened to me too. I kept rebooting the iCA/ipad gave up and left it for a while and it worked again when I came back to it.

  • @lukesleepwalker said:

    @Shaken&;Stirred said:
    I use the ICA4+ live with two iPads (iPad 4 and Air 2), with a Novation Launchkey MK2 midi controller connected to the USB Host port, and run two sets of stereo outs to the mixing board. I connect an electric guitar to analog input 1 and a vocal mic to analog input 2. I'm totally happy with the setup, and would recommend the ICA4+.

    This is great to hear as it is similar to how I to set up my live rig. Do you use Audiobus/MiMix for routing outs or AUM?

    Question for you and @MusicInclusive: did you buy a second lightning-to-USB-B cable to connect a second iPad? Or does a USB-A female to USB-B male adaptor work with the other included cable?

    I Was using audiobus/MiMix before AUM was released, but have since switched to AUM. My second iPad is connected via a lightening to USB Cable.

  • edited May 2016

    @Shaken&;Stirred said:

    I Was using audiobus/MiMix before AUM was released, but have since switched to AUM. My second iPad is connected via a lightening to USB Cable.

    Thx for the report. Can an iOS device be connected via the Host port?

  • @MusicInclusive said:

    @lukesleepwalker said:

    @Shaken&;Stirred said:
    I use the ICA4+ live with two iPads (iPad 4 and Air 2), with a Novation Launchkey MK2 midi controller connected to the USB Host port, and run two sets of stereo outs to the mixing board. I connect an electric guitar to analog input 1 and a vocal mic to analog input 2. I'm totally happy with the setup, and would recommend the ICA4+.

    This is great to hear as it is similar to how I to set up my live rig. Do you use Audiobus/MiMix for routing outs or AUM?

    Question for you and @MusicInclusive: did you buy a second lightning-to-USB-B cable to connect a second iPad? Or does a USB-A female to USB-B male adaptor work with the other included cable?

    I have used AB/MiMix in the past. However, on this occasion I was using AUM. Was painless.

    I already have another iC cable, so I used that. I recommend getting a second iC cable, although some folks have had some success with regular cables + USB -> lightning etc. I haven't used that option myself.

    I've taken the plunge and bought the 4+
    I'm thinking whether I should buy the iConnectivity cable immediately or not (it's priced even more obnoxiously than Apple's own official cables!!)

    Are there any known issues with CCK? (I have powered and unpowered models). If it's potentially workable then I'll hold fire and only buy if necessary, but if it's definitely going to function in an inferior way then I'll just pull the trigger immediately.

  • You need the iConnectivity cable for charging your iPad through the iCA4+ (the cable has a small 'black box' attached that takes care for that).

  • edited May 2016

    What about basic connectivity? The powered CCK will take care of charging

  • Just bought the thing, professional tools and all that.
    Wondering if I should sell off my CCKs. Maybe there are some other uses for them.

  • I haven't tried the new powered CCK but I don't see why you can't use that along with a normal usb lead with the iCA4+

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