Input options and microphones

[DavePDX]

Yep, I've tried the Samson Meteor, the Blue Snowball, and the Blue Yeti with MultiTrack. The Yeti sounds by far the best, in part thanks to a built-in gain control, but alas, it no longer works without a powered hub. The Meteor is way too hot and clips very easily, and the Snowball isn't sensitive enough.

Still searching....

[dominicperry]

Studio Six Digital have announced the iAudioInterface 2 for various platforms including iphone4. Shipping Aug11 but don't hold your breath, they tend to be late. Includes a digital output (but not in, sadly).

Dominic

[DavePDX]

I got the Alesis IO Dock yesterday, and had a chance to play with it a little bit. Initial impressions:

My wife's iPad 1 fit a bit snugly (it has a leather skin on the back, which makes it a tiny amount thicker than normal), but it worked well. My iPad 2 is pretty floppy in there-- Alesis is shipping an adapter sleeve separately. Pretty weak that they couldn't manage to ship those simultaneously.
Support was less than helpful, and wouldn't tell me when they would actually ship mine. However, it works fine without an adapter if you're reasonably careful.

Happily, it works PERFECTLY with MultiTrack DAW! You can even create two new tracks, assign each to mono, enable record on both, and simultaneously record a separate vocal and guitar track. The sound quality is outstanding. It has individual input levels and supplies phantom power, so it elevates the platform to significantly higher potential. You can bypass the iPad so that you can hear the input signal directly.

It has a USB port, but this is only for MIDI, not audio. I haven't tried it, nor have I done anything with the MIDI ports yet. (It has MIDI In & Out but not through)

The only real bad news: No battery power. It needs to be plugged into AC. Of course, since you're going to have other gear (like outboard mike's), that's not a huge deal, but it would have been nice to at least have an optional rechargeable battery supply, and Alesis certainly implied it would in their initial press. OTOH, it's nice not to have to worry about running down the iPad battery while you're recording, since the dock simultaneously charges it.

It's pretty expensive at $200, but considering the sound quality, flexibility, and low hassle nature of the solution, I still think it's a winner.

[jamsden]

Got mine today too. Same issues with iPad2, but it fits ok. I placed a piece of cardboard underneath and that makes it fit better. Unfortunately the iPad cover is just the right thickness, but the magnets get in the way to insert with the cover folded over on the back.

Everything worked great. However, I too expected battery powered for completely portable operation with just a stereo mike like the AT822 or similar, mostly to get back what I use to be able to do with iPhone 3GS and Blue Mikey.

Another issue is that there's no USB input, just an output. So you can't plugin a USB keyboard like the Akai LPK25 without removing the iPad from the IO Dock and using the Camera Connection Kit. Usable, but an inconvenience.

I also wished the USB output did audio and MIDI, then the IO Dock could be used with a PC as well, possibly while using the iPad with something like AC-7 Core as a control surface for your DAW (I use Reaper and love it). That would be cool, a multi-touch, programmable control surface with a stereo audio interface for your PC - along with a portable recording setup for you iPad.

[pwnified]

I got mine also. It's got a ton of features. I've tried an RD700 stage piano directly into it, and it sound good. I also miked up a Wurlitzer with an SM57 and went direct mono, sounds awesome (but haven't tested phantom power yet). In fact I'm going to replace an old mac laptop on my keyboard stand, with one of these and an iPad. The powered monitors connect directly to the iodock, and for rehearsing or practicing you just flip the direct monitor switch, which works even with the iPad disconnected. I'm not sure what the video out is for though.

[Erik dP]

Does it work with any other devices (Ipod/Iphone) with or without an extension dock cable?

[DavePDX]

I tried it with the iPhone 4, but no go. The only thing I've found that works with the iPhone 4 is the Apogee Jam. For a very portable solution, that works extremely well.

[zip]

Happily, it works PERFECTLY with MultiTrack DAW! You can even create two new tracks, assign each to mono, enable record on both, and simultaneously record a separate vocal and guitar track. .

Hi Dave -

How do you do this? I can only seem to arm one track at a time....

thanks,

Z

[pwnified]

If you have a stereo input, you can record two simultaneous tracks of mono. Use the 'spinner' control on the large ARM button. Try it on tracks that don't have anything recorded on them yet, or are already mono, because you won't be able to record mono on a track that is already stereo. Set one track to 'Mono 1' and another to 'Mono 2', and both should be able to be armed at the same time. Hope this helps

[zip]

If you have a stereo input, you can record two simultaneous tracks of mono. Use the 'spinner' control on the large ARM button. Try it on tracks that don't have anything recorded on them yet, or are already mono, because you won't be able to record mono on a track that is already stereo. Set one track to 'Mono 1' and another to 'Mono 2', and both should be able to be armed at the same time. Hope this helps

thanks for the reply!

But I'm totally missing something. What is the "spinner" control on the large ARM button? When I go to arm a track, I see an option for stereo or mono, but nothing else. When I have a project opened with two empty mono tracks, arming one inherently "un-arms" the other...And I don't even understand where the option is to choose "mono 1" or "mono 2"...Sorry, not usually thick, just can't figure this one out.

I'm using the Alesis Studio dock - should be able to this!

thanks for any remedial help

Z