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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Comments

  • No connectivity, this isn't going to sell very well.

  • Since the company is called Overloud, I'm assuming the amps all go to "11! "

    Does it allow you to load your own IRs?

    I'm guessing the Bias folks over at Positive Greed are non too happy about this development...

  • @SNystrom said:
    Since the company is called Overloud, I'm assuming the amps all go to "11! "

    Does it allow you to load your own IRs?

    I'm guessing the Bias folks over at Positive Greed are non too happy about this development...

    If it was an Audio Unit I think PG would have something to worry about but this doesn’t even support Audiobus, I can understand them not adding IAA but wow. No connectivity at all. It’s obviously meant for playing live or practice or using hardware to use for recording . It might have been an insta buy for me if it were an audio unit. Nembrini ftw again for me.

  • I waited to buy Auria Pro until Overloud’s TH-M was working well. It is a pretty nice amp sim in AP, but between Nembrini and GE-Labs, I’ll skip this one.

  • So Overloud TH-M has been a part of Auria Pro (or an IAP)?

  • It's a boutique VST vendor with a massive array of modeled products:
    89 Guitar Amps
    4 Bass Amps
    50 Guitar Cabinets
    2 Bass Cabinets
    77 pedal and rack FX
    18 microphones

    Full bundle costs $110.00 (It's $300 in a desktop version)
    Individual Amps can be purchased for $5 and there's a Funk and R&B Collection for for $18
    12 Amps
    12 Cabinets
    16 FX
    18 Microphones

    And a Rock and Roll Collection for $18
    12 Amps
    12 Cabinets
    16 FX
    18 Microphones

    No clue if there's some Amp, Cabinet or FX Overlap in the 2 Collections.
    The mics are 18 in all 3 options.

    Probably useful for someone that will use if for hardware replacement duties on the road or in a studio.
    If I hear a good demo I might go for the Funk and R&B Collection but I would miss the ability to add extra
    "studio" processors like the Magic Death Eye(s) or Pro-Q on the chain. Maybe they'll invest in adding the
    extra API code in an update.

    I thought I was done buying guitar products 6 months ago and I was wrong. I don't need to emulate every amp out there but I'd probably like the "Roland Jazz" and maybe the Polytone amp models and I'll probably get something very Deluxe Reverb-y in the Funk collection and 16 FX would help me get over the lack of IAA or AUv3 features for playing along with backing tracks. But no recording? Really?

  • @SNystrom said:
    So Overloud TH-M has been a part of Auria Pro (or an IAP)?

    It is an IAP.

  • edited May 2020

    I ‘ve tested the free app.
    I’m VERY impressed!
    I won’t buy because i don’t have the money for this, but...
    It may be the best amp sim on ios.

  • @flo26 said:
    I ‘ve tested the free app.
    I’m VERY impressed!
    I won’t buy because i don’t have the money for this, but...
    It may be the best amp sim on ios.

    When you say the free app are you talking about the product that download and use maybe 4 amps unlocked or something on the desktop? If you think it's got the goods... I'll take Funk and R&B Collection for $18, Alex.
    The Amps without FX don't convince me but I can't get that sense that the Amp response is spot on. I assume the raves about the desktop products are valid and they know how to model tubes and circuits accurately. Especially if they feature 240 modeled devices... that's a lot of work to measure and emulate them all.

    But I probably don't need more than the AUv3 Nembrini's and the ability to use my DAW's with other FX products for extra audio qualities.

    I imagine you'd be excited to test the Rock Collection for $18 if the money or support was there for you to test and share your thoughts. They should give you a promo key.

  • @richardyot said:
    No connectivity, this isn't going to sell very well.

    Not if it sounds great. I think the Audiobus Forum crowd is perhaps not the target audience.

    For a full-scale amp rig, the notion is that a the amp rig software is a host and it replaces an Amp and effects chain and is intended to take over the host. If it sounds great and is reliable, it becomes the thing you take to the gig rather than amp and pedalboard.

    A lot will come down to quality and reliability among the various players.

    At least one guitar-targeted AU developer admitted in some correspondence that they had to make compromises in the quality to accommodate running as an AU. I think that dev did a great job, but there are definite trade offs.

    Among other things, if you want the best anti-aliasing, CPU load goes up in a way that isn’t a big deal if all you are running is your guitar rig. But becomes a big deal if trying to run a bunch of synths or a DAW.

    We’ll see.

  • I owned TH3 for Mac. The worst GUI a man can think of. Really annoying. Some really good amps, including the Brunettis. but you have to tweak them to notice that because the factory presets are absolutely over effected. I resold the license after few months mainly for the GUI and because I owned better alternatives.
    Another italian company, though.

  • @espiegel123 said:
    Among other things, if you want the best anti-aliasing, CPU load goes up in a way that isn’t a big deal if all you are running is your guitar rig. But becomes a big deal if trying to run a bunch of synths or a DAW.

    We’ll see.

    Have your played the 4 amps that are exposed for free? They don't jump out at me but I suspect I'm spoiled by
    wrapping Nembrini's amps in extra FX like Reverb, EQ and a Compressor. But with the Cali Reverb I can get excited just with the amp and it's internal reverb but what if I want to record?

  • @espiegel123 said:
    Among other things, if you want the best anti-aliasing, CPU load goes up in a way that isn’t a big deal if all you are running is your guitar rig. But becomes a big deal if trying to run a bunch of synths or a DAW.

    Maybe the answer is to give the user the option to set the desired oversampling, the way that Gain Stage Vintage Clean does.

    The problem with having zero connectivity is that it only caters to live performance, and doesn't offer any options for recording, unless you can loop the audio back through your interface, which is a major hassle and can degrade the quality.

    There are so many amp sims on iOS that for this to compete it would have to be truly exceptional.

  • @richardyot said:
    There are so many amp sims on iOS that for this to compete it would have to be truly exceptional.

    It would take someone like @flo26 to make that judgement. But I have noticed he likes tones that I wouldn't
    use. But he can demo tones that I do like. They just leave him cold. It's like Joe Satrini's tone... just not my idea of what a guitar should sound like.

    It is worth mentioning that TH-U is a universal app so you can carry +450 emulated Guitar hardware products in your pocket and connecting a phone to an iPad would let you record into a DAW. I have an iPhone
    velcro'ed to a Fender Telecaster so maybe I'd get value from the $18 Funk/R&B Collection. I just need someone to tell me it competes with the products I already own and provides a better experience.

  • @richardyot said:

    @espiegel123 said:
    Among other things, if you want the best anti-aliasing, CPU load goes up in a way that isn’t a big deal if all you are running is your guitar rig. But becomes a big deal if trying to run a bunch of synths or a DAW.

    Maybe the answer is to give the user the option to set the desired oversampling, the way that Gain Stage Vintage Clean does.

    The problem with having zero connectivity is that it only caters to live performance, and doesn't offer any options for recording, unless you can loop the audio back through your interface, which is a major hassle and can degrade the quality.

    There are so many amp sims on iOS that for this to compete it would have to be truly exceptional.

    That is true. It would have to be exceptional, and I am not saying that it is. I am merely pointing out that people on AB Forum often don't realize that there are good reasons a developer might develop an amp/effects app intended to be used standalone.

    People here often dismiss amp/fx apps out-of-hand merely based on connectivity without regard to the quality. I.e. they dismiss as ludicrous that a developer might release a standalone app.

    So far, as good as the best of the recent iOS amp sims have been. I don't know that any have reached the high bar of being a real amp and effects replacement.

    Not saying this is the app that will do it. But the app that does might be standalone.

  • McDMcD
    edited May 2020

    @espiegel123 said:
    Not saying this is the app that will do it. But the app that does might be standalone.

    That's a good point... implementing AUv3 demands trade offs that impact the quality of the sound produced.
    In general the "guitar hardware review" press tends to follow the coolest and often most expensive solutions.
    A $110 IOS Bundle might get a reasonable review for it's capabilities to emulate thou$ands of dollars in hardware. It may (like the Hammond B-3X) be recognized as a reasonable alternative to renting hardware for a touring small club musician.

    Some of the big show acts have moved to amp sim hardware to get the speakers off the stage and put the sound mix out using "in-ear" monitors. Easier set up tear down and a more predictable sound from venue to venue.

    A small scale version of these benefits could be attributed to this app on an iPhone run directly into the sound mixing board and back to stage monitors or in-ear monitors.

    No matter how this plays out the revenue from this app will be limited. Who needs 50 amp types except for
    a studio player that wants to make every producer happy "on demand" by learning and creating dozens of "user presets" for every potential request. Like those Guitar Players in the "The Voice" band. They nail every style as requested by the show in a matter of hours. That's a talent that keeps you working in LA/Nashville/NYC.

  • edited May 2020

    I’ve just been having a go on this. If you set up an account you get some extra free amps.

    The free version comes with chorus, reverb and overdrive effects, but no delay or wah.

    The midi learn is pretty good (I.e. simple and good options like whether toggle or momentary switch). However, it does crash the app if you try and delete a midi setting. Also, there’s a wah on/off switch, but I can’t see how to actually control the pedal by midi (the wah is an IAP). Certainly all a lot better on this front than Bias FX2 with its ‘no midi at all’ own goal.

    I’m interested in a stand-alone as, like @McD suggests, I’m looking to use an iPhone as a separate guitar only device. GeLabs is working well for me, though when I do run it through AUM on my iPad it bails out on me after a while with a sickening sonic scream... still looking for the ‘everything works perfectly on everything’ holy grail.

    I have to say I like the GeLabs pricing model of having all the gear and just paying for preset slots. This one is certainly not looking cheap. Going to play some more with Th-u now to get a better idea of how it actually sounds (without spending any money... well maybe one delay... and then maybe a wah if it sounds worth it).

    EDIT: I forgot to mention the 2 track looper. Nice extra for the free version. Seems to work ok, I had funk drummer running in the background, set bpm the same in both apps and triggered the looping with a foot switch. All went well, I’ll try it for a longer period later to see if it stays in sync.

  • More testing, not good news, not for me anyway. Overload disables my iPad volume control when I use it with my Sonic Port VX, something I’ve not experienced with any other App.

    Looping with an external drum app didn’t sync very well. This might well have been my playing, so I tried to enable the internal metronome, when I press the ‘count-in’ button the app crashes instantly. This feels, once again, like an App that’s been released without anyone checking to see if the included functions actually work properly. Why then would I want to part with any cash or waste any more of my time with it?

  • edited May 2020

    I'm baffled at Overloud's tone deaf approach to enter the iOS music app market. Not including the app as an AUv3 would be one thing, but to port over the software with absolutely zero connectivity is just bizarre. No IAA, no AudioBus...you can't even do a bubblegum mechanic and record a part with a metronome and then export it out to futz around getting it to lock on the grid of your DAW.

    I am coming from a home studio recording POV, so just for live performance the app may earn a following. I will say however, I've been a guitar player for 25+ years and know dozens; if you're going to go the amp sim route on iOS, the thought of having one set up for live stuff and another for recording sounds like a pain in the ass, just me. I'd want my tones available consistently and usable in whichever situation I'm in.

    I bought the elite package in Bias FX 2 ( go ahead and laugh) because I felt that with IAA & AudioBus I could still use the app (which does have some good tones & features). I also felt like a company is probably going to listen to critiques and suggestions a bit more seriously from paying customers but I know I am smoking some serious
    hope-ium to expect that.

    I won't be practicing that theory with Overloud's app. This is too much of a fumble & a missed opportunity. Plus, and this goes for Bias FX 2 as well, there's a huge elephant in the room in the form of Nembrini. That company has done an excellent job introducing their brand and developing a following.

    They supported Audio Units from jump street, have priced their wares competitively and perhaps most importantly, knew their audience and listened to them. When bugs have been found they fix them and they keep introducing solid amp sims at reasonable prices.

    I am interested in seeing what Yonac has created with their long rumored AUv3 update/replacement for ToneStack. They can certainly see what not to do with this Overloud disappointment.

  • @steve99 said:
    Also, there’s a wah on/off switch, but I can’t see how to actually control the pedal by midi (the wah is an IAP).

    If you have an iRig BlueBoard, it has a 1/4" jack you can use to plug-in an expression pedal to operate the wah.

  • @SNystrom said:

    @steve99 said:
    Also, there’s a wah on/off switch, but I can’t see how to actually control the pedal by midi (the wah is an IAP).

    If you have an iRig BlueBoard, it has a 1/4" jack you can use to plug-in an expression pedal to operate the wah.

    Sure, thanks for trying to help. I know I can connect a pedal, but I couldn’t see a way to make the midi assignment for the Wah, other than for power on/off. It may be I just didn’t look hard enough (given up and gone back to Ge Labs).

  • 👍🏻

  • The extra FX'es that come with the "Login/Authorize" process really help.
    I put a Reverb and Chorus in front of the Amp and added a mic'ed speaker cabinet after the "Darkface" (Fender?) amp. It sound very nice for the type of playing I like. Standlone is OK for paying with Session Band backing tracks and other music sources.

    I'm encouraged to go for the "Funk/R&B" $18 package and get more Amps, FX'es, Cabs and Mic's.
    12 Amps - grand total of 16?
    12 Cabinets -
    16 FX
    18 Microphones

    It looks like I'll get these products in the Collection - nice, 2 reverbs, 3 compressors, a lot of good clean amps
    and some interesting FX boxes with averaged prices of $0.50 each. Now I need to look at the Rock Collection and see how much overlap there is. On the desktop this collection costs $80.

    Funk and R&B Collection: (Rock Collection follows below):

    RIG PLAYER

    BASSFACE ’59

    BRUNETTI SingleMan

    CALIPER 50 CLEAN

    Darkface ’65

    HIGH WATTAGE NORMAL

    JAZZ 12'O

    MARKUS II CLEAN

    M. PLEXI

    THD UNIVALVE

    TOP30 (UK) BRIGHT

    TUMBLE ODS - CHANNEL 1

    FENDER TWEED DELUXE

    1X10" CALIPER STUDIO 50

    1X12” BLUELUX (US)

    BRUNETTI SingleMan

    1X12” GK (US)

    ALNICO '57

    JAZZ 12'O

    2X12" LANE (UK)

    2X12" OB DARKFACE '65 (US)

    2X12" OB TOP30 (UK)

    4X10" OB TWEED '59 (US)

    4X12 GREEN (UK)

    4X12 VINTAGE (UK)

    9-O' PHASER

    AMPTREM

    AUTO WAH

    ENSEMBLE

    FUSSRACE

    GATE EXPANDER

    MILD FLANGER

    OCTAVER

    ROX

    RSS COMPRESSOR

    TUBE NINE

    UNIVIBRATO

    Tape Delay

    PLATE REVERB

    ROOM REVERB

    VCA COMP

    The $18 Rock Collection has completely different Amp and Cabs focus on Marshall and Hi-Watt heads. A couple of the FX units and duplicated with the Funk Set but most are different (Cry Baby Wah for example):

    RIG PLAYER

    CALIPER 50 CLEAN

    CALIPER 50 LEAD

    DVMARK® MARAGOLD DIST

    HIGH WATTAGE NORMAL

    OVERANGE 120

    OVERLOUD RHYTHM

    M. PLEXI

    ROCK '64 (UK)

    ROCK '75 (UK)

    ROCK 22.10 BOOST

    ROCK '900 (UK) CH.B

    TOP30 (UK) BRIGHT

    2x12 RANDALL CB

    1x10" CALIPER STUDIO 50

    1x12 OB WANTED (US)

    2x12 BRITISH STATE (UK)

    2x12" BRUNETTI

    2x12 OB GREEN (UK)

    2x12 OB TOP30 (UK)

    4x12 BRUNETTI CUSTOM

    4x12 GREEN (UK)

    4x12 HIPOWER (UK)

    4x12 VINTAGE (UK)

    2x12 SLO 12K (US)

    7 BAND GEQ

    9-0' PHASER

    BRUNETTI MERCURY BOX

    THE CAT

    CHR-2

    CRY MAYBE

    D-DELAY

    D-REVERB

    DIODE 250

    DISTONE

    OCTAVER

    QUIET

    RICH FLANGER

    RSS COMPRESSOR

    TUBE NINE

    UNIVIBRATO

    After this it's ala carte or at any point $110 for everything. I'd consider everything if it could work in DAW's
    but for standalone... I'm good with what I have and will think about the Funk/R&B if I cn build up some credit card karma.

  • Seems like yet another missed opportunity in the guitar realm. I’d pay double right now for this app with any connectivity. Thank goodness for Nembrini.

  • Yeah, I'm gonna stick with free and hope they add AU or some kind of interconnectivity. Then wait for the Black Friday half-off sale.

    If there's no plans for interconnectivity, I'm perfectly happy with the plethora of options I already have.

    Considering the guitar situation we were in just a few years ago, I'm not going to miss "th-u(d)" a bit.

  • McDMcD
    edited May 2020

    @SNystrom said:
    Yeah, I'm gonna stick with free and hope they add AU or some kind of interconnectivity. Then wait for the Black Friday half-off sale.

    If there's no plans for interconnectivity, I'm perfectly happy with the plethora of options I already have.

    Considering the guitar situation we were in just a few years ago, I'm not going to miss "th-u(d)" a bit.

    Part of it is an architecture issue. They designed it like Amplitube and ToneStack as a platform with
    dozens of IAP devices. It's too big to drop into the limitations of AUv3 and IAA is an effort on a deprecated
    set of API's. They have a lot more devices than Nembrini to convert to AUv3. It's like Korg needing to
    re-design the Gadget toolbox.

    Anyway there are dedicated guitarists that will appreciate the pricing model and portability. Not folks that tend to hang out here. Not sure anyone mentioned it yet but there's a Looper in there in addition to an Amp Tweaker that lets you use different Tube vendors and a Rig assembler widget. It's got more assets that the other older Amp Sim's on IOS
    and probably better quality too, I suspect.

    It's yet another italian software company joining IK Multimedia and Nembrini. I wonder if they have any common employees at any stage of their history?

  • edited May 2020

    By the way, if you have desktop version it costs a little bit cheaper

    Also all rigs, that were purchased on the desktop version, are available for $0,99.

  • @McD said:

    It's yet another italian software company joining IK Multimedia and Nembrini. I wonder if they have any common employees at any stage of their history?

    You know @McD I thought that too, it was like the Gibson/Heritage guitar thing that came to mind. It's either a coincidence or there was a team that began working together to create guitar amp software that splintered along the way. Or there's just some good mojo in the olive oil over there...

  • Also all rigs, that were purchased on the desktop version, are available for $0,99.

    That is cool.

    Been using Overloud since TH1. Strange that it started out as a plugin, then introduced a standalone version. Now entering the iOS universe with a reverse mindset. That is a bit of a disappointment given that this is a plugin for Auria Pro and second if it had auv3 I'd be done searching for any other amp gear. Overloud gives good amp sim IMHO.

  • I popped for the "Funk and R&B Collection" and it's definitely a good way to go for me. A great collection of
    Amps, FX and Cabinets for my preferred genres. Works well on my iPhone 5s too so I can use it in velcro mode for my outdoor practicing sessions with backing tracks and apps.

    There a even 2 "Tumble" Clean Amps along with the Fenders, Roland Jazz and Boogie. 3 Reverbs (plate, room and a basic stomp) and several overdrive boxes.

    The only drag is the constant visual list of the apps yet to be bought to look through to pick out the hardware you own to make a rig. But once I get about a dozen rigs I'm probably set for a good while.
    You can pass the presets between devices easily with AirDrop.

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