Guitar apps and adapters

[Anorton]

I've used the iRig with effect pedals and the Ampkit app in MultiTrack. I've gotten some very good recordings with both methods, but the iRig has had issues with crosstalk from tracks already on MultiTrack; additionally, the iRig isn't able to handle the Ampkit app very well when using gain.

I will say that I have had good results using the iRig, but I think I can probably do better. The Ampkit app is the only one that records and I'm impressed with the sounds and the features.

I'm not in a position to keep dropping $40 or more to test these adapters. Has anyone used jorgren's cable with Ampkit? If so, will you post your thoughts. I'm willing to buy the Amplink if it works significantly better than the iRig and I've gotten someone to help me build jorgren's cable. I'm looking for suggestions/feedback on how your input/cable/adapter works with Ampkit or another guitar app that RECORDS. My apologies for the rather long-winded entry and my thanks for your help.

Edit-I'm using a 32 gig iPod touch (not jailbroken) with all the most recent updates.

[pwnified]

I've used jorgrens cable successfully for ampkit+ and it sounds great. It's a little hot, and the guitar I used (Tom Anderson guitar) was clipping slightly and had to turn the guitar volume down a bit, but I usually do this anyway to get the "tone". The bridge pickup would clip pretty bad, but I only use that pickup for distored sounds so the clip was masked. I think the design would benefit with some kind of attenuation after the FET or even a volume control, and I'm going to look into this. Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to try out the crosstalk issue and only used the ampkit app for testing.

I also have an order out for the iRig and the peavey adaptor and I'm going to compare them all once they arrive.

[jorgren]

Thanks for the very clear and useful feedback! If you increase the drain resistor to 2.2K, the gain will drop by about 6 dB and you should still have enough current to be recognized as an active mic connection. Or the gate resistor could be replaced with a voltage divider, say 470K in series and 470K from drain to ground. If you need more than 6 dB attenuation, you could change the series resistor to 1M.

[pwnified]

THanks jorgren, I'll give it a try. The crosstalk on your cable is about the same as the iRig unfortunately. I think we can try to completely isolating the wires going into the idevice, if that doesn't clean up the crosstalk, it must be something internal to the idevice. The iRig also has the same clipping problem with medium loud pickups. Still waiting for the peavey ampkit to ship but I'll let you know how the crosstalk is once it arrives (have a feeling it's going to be the same)

[pwnified]

I still haven't got my ampkit link but after reading this: http://www.agilepartners.com/blog/2010/ ... h-or-ipad/ I think the ampkit is going to be good. They reduced the crosstalk problem by lowering the output to the headphones and amplifying it on the adapter itself (the unit takes batteries).

[jorgren]

Ah-hah, that's clever. I need to test my particular unit for crosstalk.

[DavePDX]

I got my Ampkit link today, and have been trying it with MultiTrack, Ampkit and a few others on both my iPhone and my iPad.

So far, it seems pretty worthwhile. While it's certainly possible to get feedback with this unit, they seem to have done a very good job overcoming the crosstalk issue. The bass response isn't quite what I think it should be, but overall the sound quality is good and it works with most apps on both the iPhone and the iPad. With some apps, the overall input level was a bit too low.

I haven't tried the iRig, and since this seems to do pretty much what I want, I probably won't.

[lorhal]

Are you saying that you used Ampkit in conjunction with Multitrack?

In other words, you have both apps going, and Multitrack is recording the output of Amplink?
I thought you couldn't do that on iPad, at least not without IOS 4.2 (or jail breaking)?

[Anorton]

This comes from Amplitube's Facebook page regarding adding recording capabilities to their guitar app:

"Amplitube iRig: I don't have a date but I can say that I've heard tests of the recorders (yes that's plural... this will ROCK) and have even seen that some have a new version of AmpliTube installed here. So not tomorrow but not far off and we'll keep you posted."

It looks as if they are going to enter the fold.

[DavePDX]

Are you saying that you used Ampkit in conjunction with Multitrack?

In other words, you have both apps going, and Multitrack is recording the output of Amplink?
I thought you couldn't do that on iPad, at least not without IOS 4.2 (or jail breaking)?

No, I was merely testing the Amplink as an input device. There's currently no way to chain audio between apps live.