When you look at what Logic Pro does for $199, it justifies the cost of a Mac ten times over. I feel like I save money in the long run. And don’t give me that Reaper is only $60 because look at how many effects, software instruments, sounds, loops, smart drummers, virtual amps, stomp box effects, Flex Time, Flex Pitch it has out of the box, and everything feels like a cohesive product. To get that level of features on any product not named Logic costs near a grand. So much for the money you saved on the device. And there’s no iLok or anything like that. You can run Logic on as many Macs as you own. I’ve made multiple albums on a very modest 5-year old laptop kitted with extra RAM and SSD. Logic is not that power hungry so you don’t need the latest Mac to run it. And GarageBand is pretty capable for what it is, taking a lot from Logic. Both programs are wonderful for casual songwriters as well as professional users. I say this because I get so sick of PC users saying this or that about Apple products while not realizing that as a whole package, Apple might actually even be cheaper. Oh and if you’re editing video, Final Cut Pro is cheaper than other pro level software, too. And syncs your separately recorded audio with one click.
As for recording interfaces, unless they’re made to work well with iOS devices, it’s often a little bit of a compromise. You often need at least a powered USB hub plugged in the camera kit for full bus power. It becomes a lot of things plugged into each other. The only pro-level small devices that avoid this are Apogee devices, but they kind of have this Apogee feel about them and at that price range, I prefer others. I believe an Audient iD4 is iPad compatible but only with a USB hub. But I believe that it is the cheapest entry level device that actually sounds really good and has good drivers. But don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing like an Apogee One, either. It’s a really good sounding device with a great built in mic, good mic pre, good DI, and great converter that works natively into an iPad without a series of adapters. You’ll always be able to resell it if you outgrow it because like Apple devices, Apogee devices retain value because of the name recognition. This might be why more devices are self powered. Such devices connect to the iPad easier.
As for people who wonder why you would ever record into the iPad, it’s becoming pretty hip to do so as a field recorder. iPad GarageBand projects can easily be imported into Apple Logic and turned into a real track and as long as you recorded with a quality device like an Audient or Apogee, your recording can sound plenty professional.
