guitar interfaces for iPad

[teleblaster]

Anyone have experience running a guitar into JamUp, or Amplitube or Bias? I'm pretty excited about the Bias desktop s/w, so I figured I'd get it for my iPad. There are a number of iguitar ntefaces for iPad. I'm really only interested in a single guitar (hi-z) input at this time. Narrowing down to that the interfaces fall into 2 categories: those that really just send the analog signal through the iPad's audio input (like IK Multimedia's irig) and those that have a digital converter (like IKM's iRig HD, Apogee's HD unit and others).

I'm inclined to go with the iRig basic, at least for now. The problem I have with the HD, and the Apogee is that while they do the AD, the audio out is coming through the iPad's audio output instead coming out of the iPad digital to an A/D converter and pro audio out in the converter. I'm not sure what the point is in putting the A/D in the device is you shovel off the D/A and output to the iPad? Is it worth the $50 - $100 extra cost?

[andygabrys]

keep in mind I don't BOTHER with the iOS recording in general, i am usually home, but if I were to get a setup going, I would be using a USB 2.0 class compliant interface into the camera adapter into the iPad, and recording in Garage Band (if I wanted to later transfer to Logic) or possibly using Auria.

Some of the newer interfaces also have MIDI capability on board - the newest version of Apogee's Duet 2 has this so its more useful for iOS devices.

an opinion but it might turn you on to something different.

[teleblaster]

keep in mind I don't both with the iOS recording in general, ....

did you mean to say 'bother' with ...?

I don't have any plans to record anything serious on my iPad. The bias software sounds so dang good on the desktop, that I wanted to try it out on iPad. My first order goal is to turn my iPad into a 'goof around on the guitar without having to plugin to an amp' Now if the sonics on it are good enough, and the s/w is reliable enough I might consider using it for the occasional walk-on gig. That led to my question. Is there really an appreciable diference between the $30.00 unit that utilizes the iPad's audio in, vs the $100.00 or so units that have their own converters for AD, but still rely on the iPad's DA and audio out. The form factor on these devices is what's compelling to me for the stated use case; 'goof around on guitar...'

All that said, the thought of getting a high end device that has it's own AD/DA and MIDI as could open up other interesting scenarios; small portable setup that's capable of creating 'production ready' tracks that I could fly into my desktop via dropbox or iTunes (whatever the iPad sync mechanism is).

[andygabrys]

yep you got it - Bother. Not cause its not useful, just cause I don't get around to it.

a couple years back I bought an IK Multimedia iRig and I haven't even plugged it in (it was on sale for $30.00) so that was an astute use of money

I realize now that you are not looking for a totally pro portable setup, just something to goof around on. So buying a new class compliant USB2 interface isn't what you are after - fair enough.

ya know - most of what I hear with an amp sim is the amp sim. Plugging in direct to my Duet 2 or via my 610 tube preamp yield about the same resulting sound. So I would think that you shouldn't be too worried about the small cheap interfaces being low quality.

[teleblaster]

Well I have a workable solution in place using el cheapo iRig interface into my iPad driving Positive Grid's bias tube amp emulator. Gotta say, bias is pretty dang impressive! I'm gonna start another thread on that one...

Can't give much love for the iRig, except that it's cheap, and it allowed me to demo the bias s/w on iOS without having to throwdown for an expensive interface for my iPad. It's as noisy as all getout, and frustrating that the dongle to the iPad's lightening jack is only about 3 inches long.

I'm already planning to use this rig, with a better interface for some of the casual walk on gigs I do where hauling my normal live setup is not worth the effort.