iOS, iPhone, iPad and music 101

[ric426]

I never thought of myself as technologically challenged until recently when I started looking into using my PC and/or my wife's iPad as practice tool and eventually a basic recording/effects/amp modeling tool. The great thing about standards is that there are so many of them.
Here's what I've got to work with:

PC with 2.8Ghz Core 2 Duo CPU & 3.25Gb of RAM running XP SP3
iPad 16Gb (no WiFi) running iOS 4 but ready to upgrade to 5
$150 for an audio interface

The only audio interface I've found so far that will directly connect to both is the Focusrite iSolo, but it's not compatible with WinXP. If there are any that are iOS and XP compatible, I haven't heard about them.

Now I'm reading that you can connect a USB audio interface to an iPad using a CCK as long as you pay attention to the USB power issues, but I'm wondering if there's more to it than that and what other compatibility issues I could run into. I know the XP SP3 is a limiting factor, but does it put me effectively out of the game? If not, that opens up a lot more choices for me in terms of USB audio interfaces.

Am I going down a dead end road trying to connect to the XP based PC and iPad with the same interface, especially with a slim budget? I'm not looking for studio quality, just a decent tool for practicing and an intro to computer based audio without insurmountable config and compatibility issues.

Rather than relying on the dubious advice of the sales people in the local GC, do you have any suggestions for an affordable (for me) interface to get started with? I was all set to buy an Apogee Jam until I (perhaps foolishly) decided that I'd like to be able to feed audio into my PC as well.

[adambomb]

Art USB dual pre ( it's what I use)
You will need CCK and a 7-12 volt power supply. since you can use a 9 volt battery I use a 9 volt supply. Just like most effect pedals use.

[steve_rolfeca]

Or the Lexicon Omega.

You may need a powered USB hub, as well as the CCK. Check the Auria interface compatibility chart to be sure.

[ric426]

Originally Posted by steve_rolfeca

Or the Lexicon Omega.

You may need a powered USB hub, as well as the CCK. Check the Auria interface compatibility chart to be sure.

Yep, I figured the powered hub and CCK were mandatory if I don't find an interface that has USB *and* a direct iDevice connection and also is WinXP compatible. I've got a feeling that such a combination doesn't exist in my price range, if at all.

Is using the CCK for USB on an iDevice fairly straightforward as far as configuration of drivers/software or am I asking for problems with this approach?

[Duke21]

There is no guaranty that the CCK and a powered USB hub will make any/ every device work on an iDevice or more specific an iPad.

[steve_rolfeca]

Originally Posted by ric426

Is using the CCK for USB on an iDevice fairly straightforward as far as configuration of drivers/software or am I asking for problems with this approach?

The good news, is that drivers are not required in IOS.

The bad news, is that the interface has to be truly USB "class compliant", which is a standard for driverless USB audio. Although some USB interfaces fit the bill, most do not.

Auria maintains an incomplete, but still useful compatibility chart on their website. If you take a look, you'll see that you've got quite a few choices. Adam's ART is a good affordable choice...

Another OK cheap option is the Tascam USB800. Preamps aren't great, but it's fine for casual use. Lots of gozintas and gozoutas...

[HeavyDuty]

How did I miss this thread?

I'm to the point where 95% of my practice at home is virtual using my iPad or iPhone. I'm not trying to record at all.

My signal chain:

Greasy little fingers > bass > pedalboard > iRiffPort > iPad Retina / iPhone 4S running PocketGK

I run headphones out of the jack on the iRiffPort, this is my only real annoyance - I hate the feel of the headphone cable, I'm always snagging on things. Since you can't use the iThing's internal Bluetooth when rigged this way I just ordered a BT dongle to plug into the iRiffPort - I already have a decent set of BT cans.

I'm personally happy with PocketGK for practice use. I have paid copies of some of the other apps, but I keep coming back to PocketGK.

[Duke21]

Originally Posted by steve_rolfeca

The good news, is that drivers are not required in IOS.

The bad news, is that the interface has to be truly USB "class compliant", which is a standard for driverless USB audio. Although some USB interfaces fit the bill, most do not.

Auria maintains an incomplete, but still useful compatibility chart on their website. If you take a look, you'll see that you've got quite a few choices. Adam's ART is a good affordable choice...

Another OK cheap option is the Tascam USB800. Preamps aren't great, but it's fine for casual use. Lots of gozintas and gozoutas...

Steve maybe you have an answer.
I use the Focusrite iTrack Solo, as most knows.
I did try to run it with a powered USB hub and the CCK in order to avoid the need to use the short and stiff iDevice cable. The USB cable for connecting to PC or a iDevice power supply is long. But when I've tried to connect the iPad to the iTrack with a powered UsB hub and the USB connection the iPad didn't see the iTrack. Is it due to wrong powered USB hub?

[steve_rolfeca]

Originally Posted by Duke21

Steve maybe you have an answer.
I use the Focusrite iTrack Solo, as most knows.
I did try to run it with a powered USB hub and the CCK in order to avoid the need to use the short and stiff iDevice cable. The USB cable for connecting to PC or a iDevice power supply is long. But when I've tried to connect the iPad to the iTrack with a powered UsB hub and the USB connection the iPad didn't see the iTrack. Is it due to wrong powered USB hub?

Ask Focusrite.

Here's my guess, though:

There's a reason that USB interfaces use drivers on Mac and PC. Class-compliant USB is a pretty bare-bones standard. Manufacturers can run all sorts of proprietary extensions if they write their own drivers. When you use most class-compliant interfaces in CC mode, you give up a bunch of features.

No-one uses CC except IOS users these days anyway. Since the iTrack already has a dedicated IOS port, there's no reason for the USB port to be class-compliant. I suspect that it isn't, and that's why your powered hub didn't work.

[faviobarrio]

This past weekend I tried connecting my bass to my iPad via an iRiffPort to a power amp and a speaker but the output was very, very low.

I have a Behringer BDI21 (-don't judge-) that drives the power amp well enough...should I be connecting to this first for more juice infront of the power amp?

[Rip Topaz]

That's what I use coming out of my iPhone.

My chain is bass, apogee jam, iPhone, BDI21, PA.

[faviobarrio]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

That's what I use coming out of my iPhone.

My chain is bass, apogee jam, iPhone, BDI21, PA.

OK, thanks. I'll try it like that next time.

My band and I are on hiatus and the PA is in the guitarist's basement, so for me to test "real world" situations I'm using a Samson Servo 120 power amp (120w into 8 ohm bridged) into a Trace Elliot 1x15.

[Duke21]

Originally Posted by faviobarrio

This past weekend I tried connecting my bass to my iPad via an iRiffPort to a power amp and a speaker but the output was very, very low.

I have a Behringer BDI21 (-don't judge-) that drives the power amp well enough...should I be connecting to this first for more juice infront of the power amp?

But remember Rip use the BDI just as DI!

[Rip Topaz]

Exactly. I never turn on the effect of the BDI21.

[faviobarrio]

Originally Posted by Duke21

But remember Rip use the BDI just as DI!

Yup, that much I figured. Otherwise I'd be flavoring the JamUp goodness ;-)

[Duke21]

I use my PBDDI as a DI when needed.

[Rip Topaz]

When I use my PA system only, a DI isn't really necessary, as the Carvin powered mixer has a gain control for each channel to adjust the incoming signal. It also has line level inputs on a few channels, so the DI becomes strictly a signal splitter to allow me to go to both the PA and my amp.

I do use the XLR jack to run to the PA when using the BDI21.

[faviobarrio]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

When I use my PA system only, a DI isn't really necessary, as the Carvin powered mixer has a gain control for each channel to adjust the incoming signal. It also has line level inputs on a few channels, so the DI becomes strictly a signal splitter to allow me to go to both the PA and my amp.

Ah...this is good to know as my amp will serve as monitor if/when I debut the iOS rig live.

[Rip Topaz]

As long as you're using the proper cables and adapters, you should be fine.

[faviobarrio]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

As long as you're using the proper cables and adapters, you should be fine.

I'm going to try the iPad -> BDI -> Power amp -> Speaker tonight to make sure that that was what was wrong.