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.

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Audiofuse alternatives?

I have a focusrite interface / studio monitor but was looking for something that I can use for....

iPad (running AUM etc)
Keystep USB keyboard

Was looking at the audiofuse but is there anything else.

Needs to connect to Mac plus have input from my guitar pedals

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Comments

  • @NimboStratus said:
    I have a focusrite interface / studio monitor but was looking for something that I can use for....

    iPad (running AUM etc)
    Keystep USB keyboard

    Was looking at the audiofuse but is there anything else.

    Needs to connect to Mac plus have input from my guitar pedals

    Cool thing about the entry level Audiofuse is it can be powered by battery.

  • @NimboStratus I've had an AudioFuse for 2 years now. Has been faultless in operation. The built in 3 port USB hub is a bit of a winner. I can plug in external drives into this for access on the iPad as well as USB midi connections. It also has traditional 5 pin connectors too, in case you have gear that can use that. I don't think there are that many interfaces that have the flexibility with USB connections without needing an external HUB. If you have a USB hub then the options might open up for you depending on what you find important. Are you going to be using the interface primarily in a specific room or are you planning on travelling with it?

  • @Arktek, yes the USB hub part is a killer feature for me and didn't know you could plug in external drives and access so that's pretty sweet too! Having the option for the 5 pin might be useful at some point as I start to wire up additional stuff (possibly).

    It will be used primarily in my home studio alongside my Focusrite 18i20 which is the main interface for my main projects but want to have a different set up specifically for the iPad music projects.

  • @NimboStratus said:
    @Arktek, yes the USB hub part is a killer feature for me and didn't know you could plug in external drives and access so that's pretty sweet too! Having the option for the 5 pin might be useful at some point as I start to wire up additional stuff (possibly).

    It will be used primarily in my home studio alongside my Focusrite 18i20 which is the main interface for my main projects but want to have a different set up specifically for the iPad music projects.

    The Focusrite has ADAT ins and outs....so does the AudioFuse....so, you'll be able to send audio both ways between the two digitally. Which opens up a lot of possibilities. Like using the iPad as an FX send or vice versa if you are so inclined. You can also send MIDI both ways via those 5 pin connectors so syncing things should be pretty straight forward too.

    I need to have a look at one of these 18i20s myself.

    This could be a very powerful combo setup.

  • edited January 2021

    WOAH! I can link them with ADAT!? That is insanely cool!

    @arktek One potential issue, I have the 18i20 clock as external as have it connected to a Helix Rack via S/PDIF. How will that sync / work with the Audiofuse clock? Also do I need the IPad camera interface cable thingy or can I go direct into audio fuse USB hub?

    Thanks!

  • Picked up a second hand audiofuse, here's hoping the clock syncing isn't going to be a total PITA.

    It wouldn't be a showstopper if I couldn't use the Helix Rack at the same time as the Audiofuse it's not really part of my electronica projects. But would be nice!

  • @NimboStratus said:
    WOAH! I can link them with ADAT!? That is insanely cool!

    @arktek One potential issue, I have the 18i20 clock as external as have it connected to a Helix Rack via S/PDIF. How will that sync / work with the Audiofuse clock? Also do I need the IPad camera interface cable thingy or can I go direct into audio fuse USB hub?

    Thanks!

    You will need a CCK for the iPad to use the Audiofuse. As far as clocking goes. I don't know how that will work out. You'd have to experiment with the set up. It would be nice if the 18i20 could be the source of the clock, but maybe it doesn't matter in this setup? It is a very cool potential with the ADAT connection though. 8 channels of bi directional audio could be very useful. With the Line 6 included in that setup you have a very powerful rig.

  • @arktek so is the CCK just so you can power the iPAD too or is it doing some other magic?

  • @NimboStratus said:
    @arktek so is the CCK just so you can power the iPAD too or is it doing some other magic?

    It's allowing you to use the interface as an audio interface. The interface plugs into the USB part of the CCK. Without this there is no way to plug the interface into the iPad. Using the USB ports on the AudioFuse won't do it. It also has the second benefit of providing access to power for the iPad while you are using the interface.

  • edited January 2021

    @arktek ah so then if the iPad is connected to the audio fuse then you cannot connect the audio fuse to the Mac via usb. I thought you used the usb hub the connect the iPad so makes sense hence now, I think! Thanks

  • @NimboStratus Yep.
    For the iPad to use the AudioFuse for audio it has to be connected to the main connection. The USB hub works for data like MIDI and moving files etc. If you want to connect MIDI between the Mac and the iPad while you're doing all this I would suggest that you connect the 5 pin connections between the two interfaces. You can run MIDI via WiFi, but it won't be as tight. You could also use the monitor outs of the AudioFuse as audio sends to the 18i20 if you want as I believe their signal level should be within tolerances.
    That's why the ADAT connection is a big thing. You can have the Mac connected to the 18i20 and have the iPad connected to the AudioFuse and you have a lot of flexibility going on between the two.
    If you just want to run audio to the Mac from the iPad you could just use IDAM, but IDAM just runs audio from the iPad to the Mac and not the other way around.

  • edited January 2021

    Cool! Thanks!

    So plan is :wink:

    iPad--> CCK --> Audiofuse USB main
    Audiofuse --> ADAT --> 18i20
    Audiofuse --> MIDI --> 18i20
    18i20 --> USB --> Mac
    Keystep --> USB --> Audiofuse USB hub

    Then if need be the Helix Rack can actually go into the Audiofuse - Helix --> XLR or 1/4" --> Audiofuse and keep the SPDIF going to 18i20 then don't need to worry about the clock stuff as can use 18i20 as master for the Audiofuse slave.

    I think this is best option and means I can keep current rig kinda separate from iPad side of things BUT also use pedalboard/helix into the iPad side of things too.

    Thanks again for all your help!

  • @NimboStratus sounds like a plan...👍

  • @arktek for the life of me I cannot get anything into the 18i20 ADAT from the Audiofuse :-(

    They are both locked to 48khz using ADAT. Any ideas?

  • edited January 2021

    @NimboStratus here's a suggested fault finding workflow I would work through to work this out:

    1) Plug the AudioFuse into your Mac and use the Arturia Control Centre Software to make sure that the ADAT ins and outs are selected instead of the SPDIF ones. When ADAT is selected over SPDIF you should see ins and outs 1 -16 available in AUM or whatever is your DAW. 7-16 are the ADAT ins and outs. If it's just SPDIF you will only see channels 1- 8 as inputs and outputs.

    2) Verify which interface is your clock source and which one is running internal. I don't think it should make a big difference as. long as one of them is internally synced and the other is synced to the ADAT.
    Focusrite suggest that it doesn't matter for two way direction. If you were only going one way they suggest that the receiving unit is synced to ADAT and the sending unit is synced internally.

    3) I would verify that the from each optical connection is going to the corresponding of the other (Always good to check the simple things)

    Sources:
    https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360001464789-How-do-I-connect-and-sync-an-external-preamp-unit-with-an-optical-ADAT-output-to-my-Focusrite-interface-via-ADAT-

    http://downloads.arturia.com/products/audiofuse/manual/AudioFuse_Manual_1_0_0_EN.pdf

    Let me know if this helps you down the right path.

    1. I have ADAT selected for IN/OUT in the ACS. In AUM I see in hardware inputs Audiofuse 1-14 not 1-16.

    2. Tried both the 18i20 and audiofuse as the source and both show locked at 48.

    3. In --> out and out--> in.

    Maybe the unit is faulty!

    Also if I plug a guitar into audiofuse i can see in AUM but how do I listen to AUM output, ie. the wet mix?

    Ugh, I hoped this would just work.

  • now I don't see any inputs in AUM!

  • There is a mix balance knob on the right hand corner of the AudioFuse - give this an adjust to see if you start hearing the wet mix - through phones or monitors from the AudioFuse. Half way you should hear the input and the mix in even amounts.
    Sorry, yep should be 1-14 (my addition got confused).
    In AUM I am assuming you have one of the ADAT lines for the output? I would think then you would have to arm the track in the DAW on the Mac you are using in order to hear the input?
    Sorry if this is all basic and you have this covered, just working from the grass roots.

  • If you don't see any inputs in AUM you might need to restart the AudioFuse or just unplug and replug it in...

  • I'm disappearing for about 30 minutes or so in case this is time important, but I'll check back in a bit later.

  • I’m going to be out of contact for a while. But, I just updated the firmware in my AudioFuse and it’s not very happy. I’ve lost mic inputs which I regained for a second and then they disappeared again. I’ll have to have a look tomorrow. So, it might be firmware related - I think this version might be broken...I’ll let you know what I discover.

  • I have latest firmware on audiofuse. It seems to connect if I power on in a certain direction but for the life of me it won't lock to the 18i20 now!

    There isn't even line outs so cannot connect to 18i20 that way.

  • One reset trick is to completely unplug the power from the back of the unit and reinsert it after a few seconds or so. I can’t get near mine just now to try that.
    You know you could just use the monitor outs as sends? I would turn down the output level with the big knob, plug the output of the monitor send into the input channels of the Focusrite and then bring up the level to what works for you. It should work as those are line level outs designed to go into amplifier stages.

  • It’s interesting, if you look at the update log for 1.2.3 it talks about improved analog path, ADAT and clock
    https://www.arturia.com/audiofuse/resources

    I wish I could get in there right now....

    Did you update the AudioFuse firmware or was it already up to date when you received it?
    If you did update it was it connected via a hub or directly to the computer?
    I’m in detective mode....🕵🏻‍♂️

  • It was already 1.2.3 but the firmware notes don't mention improved ADAT as far as I can see

  • That link above referenced it.

    If you connect directly to the Mac you could try to reinstall the firmware. That’s what I was thinking of doing when I get back to it. It was very weird that this happened.
    It was all so happy before I decided to do the update.

  • @arktek thanks for all your help!!! I’ve had to opt for the main outs to two of my 18i20 audio inputs. It’ll work but was kinda thinking I might want to out each of the 8 tracks in AUM to eight separate tracks via ADAT into logic. But I suppose I could create the mix on iPad down to 2 channels into logic for the final master.

  • edited January 2021

    @NimboStratus got up this morning plugged it all in and yep, it wasn't working.
    So, first I unplugged the power adapter from the rear of the unit. Waited a little bit (5 -10 secs max) plugged it back in and I managed to resurrect the AudioFuse, well at least it was up and running and putting out audio again.
    But, the ADAT outputs and inputs weren't there....so, I plugged it back into the Mac and reconfigured the AudioFuse, selected internal clock and ADAT.
    Opened up Logic tried to select the AudioFuse interface, but it wasn't there except for a bracketed version for input. Went into the Audio MIDI setup app and discovered that the AudioFuse clock source was set to Wordclock. I changed that to Internal and now it all appears to be working again. Unplugged from the Mac and connected the iPad and it is working there again as well. I can't physically test the ADAT connection, but I can see them and I have all my other functionality back. This is a much better place to be compared to where I left off last night (I was making plans about a replacement).
    So, connect the AudioFuse into the Mac and see if this is maybe the problem?

  • edited January 2021

    Interesting. So before I start unplugging stuff, it is likely that if I can get the clocks to actually sync then I could sent from AUM or an iPAD DAW 8 different tracks to the audiofuse, then down the 8 ADAT channels to the 18i20 to 8 separate tracks in Logic?

    Mind you am thinking that mixing on iPad via audiofuse/18i20/monitor to two track then final master in logic might be better anyway

  • Yep, so I think the issue is with the ADAT connection is that the AudioFuse is being setup with Wordclock instead of Internal when you select the ADAT ins and outs. If you then go into the Audio MIDI setup app in the Mac you can select Internal clock source and this setting will hold in the AudioFuse until the next time you change or reset it.
    For the sake of our combined knowledge bank if you try this and it works can you let me know? I know sometimes you can't beat a stereo pair, but I'd just like to know if this is the fix and if it works or not.

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