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choosing an audio interface
What should I look for in an interface? I currently have an Focusrite itrack dock. I currently do not use a midi controller, so thats no big deal for me. Are there other interfaces that have a higher quality of sound? for my needs could i do better than the itrack dock?
Comments
I think the itrack dock is generally well regarded, so unless you have a specific reason to upgrade then I can't think of any reason to get rid of it. If you want something theoretically "better" you could go for an Apogee Duet, but the difference in sound quality is IMO going to be marginal. If you need more inputs then something like a Quartet or a Scarlett 6i6 would be worth considering.
I don't have any direct experience with it, but I've heard nothing but good reports. I have a Line 6 Sonic Port guitar interface which is similar, I chose it over the Apogee Jam because it was slightly cheaper and also came with the Mobile Pod app. The Mobile Pod app is fun, but ultimately it can't compete with the other guitar apps (BIAS FX, Tonestack, and Flying Haggis), so if I was to do it again I might actually plump for the Jam. I seriously doubt there is any real difference in sound quality between the the units though.
I also have an iTrack Dock and it sometimes exceeds my needs. I also have a 49LaunchKey midi keyboard that I need to configure, as well as a LaunchControl and Mini LaunchPad. All is much more than I need for what I do.
That is me though and your needs might be different to mine. Even a mixing desk I work with on the weekend is slightly overkill, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
We're biased of course, but the Focusrite Scarlett Range might be worth looking at.
https://global.focusrite.com/product-range/scarlett
To be fair the iTrack Dock is much more versatile and complete compared to the Jam. The Jam is just a guitar interface, whereas the iTrack dock can connect microphones, monitor speakers, and USB MIDI controllers and can also record two audio channels simultaneously.
If all you are ever going to connect is a guitar, then devices like the Jam are perfect: cheaper, smaller, more convenient. However if you are ever likely to want to record vocals, or two channels simultaneously then you need a more versatile interface.
I have the Line 6 for when I just want to use the guitar, and a Scarlett 2i4 for when I need vocals or vocals + guitar.
I considered the iTrack dock but the 2i4 has much better monitoring because it allows you to set the volume coming from the iPad independently from the recording volume, so you can create your monitor mix on the fly - with most interfaces you need to do this in your DAW/app instead - it's one of those small things that makes recording more convenient since you have a physical dial at hand rather than having to fiddle with levels in your apps. It's really only important for vocals though, otherwise it's not really necessary.
The other drawback of the dock is that it could become obsolete if the form factor of the iPad changes, the big iPad Pro for example is not compatible because it's too big to fit in the dock.
On the other hand the dock is very convenient since there are no cables (other than power) and it charges the iPad, whereas the 2i4 is a nest of cables because it requires a hub. You pays your money and your makes your choice
I need to upgrade from my Alesis io dock 2 as it's not ideal for my Mini 4 or Pro. Been considering the Focusrite 18i8 for a while but read it has latency issues with iOS 9.3. My old f/w Focusrite interface had problems with OSX, which also puts me off. Any users who can confirm the 18i8 works fine with iOS 9.3?
The bug is still there, but there is a very easy workaround: once you connect the interface to the iPad you then just plug in a pair of headphones into the iPad's headphone socket, which seems to reset the iPad audio, and the latency is back to normal. Can confirm this works on 9.3.1 with the Scarlett 2i4 on iPad Air 2.
So what falls short with the Line 6? It's wishful thinking that the Apogee Jame comes with Tonestack or BIAS FX. But a pleasant thought anyway....
The hardware is fine, but the app is a little limited compared to other guitar apps. It's great for quickly dialing up a preset and jamming, for example if you wan to (vaguely) match the sound of Nirvana or Led Zep there are presets that get you there very quickly - much more so than most other apps actually. But the sound quality isn't on a par with the best iOS apps IMO. Good enough for having fun, but not good enough for recording.
Thanks. I would have made the same mistake as you did. I mostly just want to occasionally fly in some bass parts now and then, but it would be nice to have a device that would accommodate an MPK Mini2 as well. (Apparently, I'd need to get a USB hub to have it work with the iPad.) But the docks to me suddenly make an iPad session a real production, you know? You've got to pull out the gear and clear the space....
An Interface often forgotten about is the Focusrite 8i6, an older box that does work with ios, though. It has four ins (2 Combo, 2 TRS) and four outs analog (TRS). On top of it: digital in/out as cinch and Midi in/out. I never had problems with this one, couldn't tell with ios 9 at all, though (haven't used it in a while). It goes away cheaply on ebay...
I mean "cheaply" for a box with this amount of connections, I think I bought mine for 150,00€
That sounds pretty good. On 1/4" line in and connection for a midi keyboard would be all i'd need...
What do you need in an interface? Is there something the iTrack isn't doing for you or are you just wondering about bumps in fidelity?
When I was looking for a dedicated iOS/iPad interface I looked at all the major brands like Apogee, Focusrite, M-Audio, PreSonus, iConnectAudio, etc. and read up alot on interfaces on blogs, forums & retail sites.
Since I loved all my Tascam gear in previous setups I went to their website and saw their newest interface line. I dug the specs & appearance and found a good deal on it so I bought the US-2x2 interface.
Two things I love about the US-2x2 interface: there are real MIDI In & Out on DIN connectors so if you want to use hardware synths and non MIDI USB controllers it's very easy to.
Second is the latency monitoring solution. There's a knob that lets you control the balance between hearing the iPad "computer" volume (the tracks from Auria or drum machine) and the instrument/source you're recording through the interface. Most interfaces just give the option for one or the other. Being able to mix the two helps with latency but it mainly let's you get a good cue mix going during overdubs.
The Tascam is competitively priced too, in the ballpark of $120 to $150, and built like a tank. Definitely an interface to consider.