iConnect vs app solutions

raindro

Hi y'all. Are there any reasons to get an iConnect audio instead of just using StudioMux or MusicIO? Any major benefits? I do need a new audio interface, but I could get a good one for a lot less than the $200 that iConnect audio 2 costs. I use Windows and had mega issues with MusicIO. I am also having issues with StudioMux though hypothetically it should work (and sometimes does). Does the iConnect function reliably?

Matthew

Never used iConnect. I know StudioMux works well on Mac.

OscarSouth

Because Iconnect is amazing! You can use two iPads as if they were one.

gonekrazy3000

It comes down to one thing. Latency. The hardware solution can bring it down to <4ms which means it's literally almost nonexistent. I can't stand the latency when bouncing between two systems using studiomux that made me finally buy the iconnectaudio4+
No regrets at all since and yes. It is rock solid in windows. The 4+ has the added benefit of being able to share up to 7 midi devices between two systems when connecting a hub to its USB host port. Meaning you can literally control two iPads or pcs with 1 controller.

aaronpc

Check out MIDIMittr for USB. I have an iConnect, and it's great, but for quick or on the go connections, this little thing works every time. Uses lightning cable and a little widget in the desktop's main menu. Mac and Win and free.

ToMess

@gonekrazy3000 said:
It comes down to one thing. Latency. The hardware solution can bring it down to <4ms which means it's literally almost nonexistent. I can't stand the latency when bouncing between two systems using studiomux that made me finally buy the iconnectaudio4+
No regrets at all since and yes. It is rock solid in windows. The 4+ has the added benefit of being able to share up to 7 midi devices between two systems when connecting a hub to its USB host port. Meaning you can literally control two iPads or pcs with 1 controller.

Studiomux doesent have any latency on me, but i use a mac

Goozoon

you have to have mac.. for music making

gonekrazy3000

@ToMess said:

@gonekrazy3000 said:
It comes down to one thing. Latency. The hardware solution can bring it down to <4ms which means it's literally almost nonexistent. I can't stand the latency when bouncing between two systems using studiomux that made me finally buy the iconnectaudio4+
No regrets at all since and yes. It is rock solid in windows. The 4+ has the added benefit of being able to share up to 7 midi devices between two systems when connecting a hub to its USB host port. Meaning you can literally control two iPads or pcs with 1 controller.

Studiomux doesent have any latency on me, but i use a mac

I meant latency when used in situations like bidirectional midi.
Midi from pc(Ableton)->iPad(step poly arp)-> pc(ableton)
In those cases studiomux is terrible. Basic midi latency is negligible aka iPad->pc
But when doing complex chains like midi controller->Ableton->ThumbJam (scale lock)-> step poly arp->Ableton...... it's never gonna be usable with studiomux.

@Goozoon said:
you have to have mac.. for music making

This latency is true for both mac and pc (I own both)
Please keep ignorant comments like this elsewhere. Os used is irrelevant when hardware is identical.

Goozoon

Asio for win cant be compared with Mac, imho

eross

i have an iconnect midi 2+. it by far the best investment i ever made for integrating ios apps into my workflow. latency is perfect, and i'm very particular about latency. It works so great sometimes i forget it is even there. i can basically treat my ipad as a plugin withing abelton live. Also a fun thing to do is sent audio out of my macbook, , into audiobus, have a bunch of effects processing, and send it back to my macbook to record within abelton. so much fun. i highly recommend.

ToMess

@gonekrazy3000 said:

@ToMess said:

Studiomux doesent have any latency on me, but i use a mac

I meant latency when used in situations like bidirectional midi.
Midi from pc(Ableton)->iPad(step poly arp)-> pc(ableton)
In those cases studiomux is terrible. Basic midi latency is negligible aka iPad->pc
But when doing complex chains like midi controller->Ableton->ThumbJam (scale lock)-> step poly arp->Ableton...... it's never gonna be usable with studiomux.

Well i get midi from ableton, route it to ipad and then get the sound out of ipad(also used steppolyarp doing arp on ipad synth) back to ableton and havent noticed any latency.

ToMess

@Goozoon said:
Asio for win cant be compared with Mac, imho

True, asio sucks really hard to what is built in to osx. Im so glad i dont have to deal with shitty windows drivers anymore

gonekrazy3000

@ToMess said:

@gonekrazy3000 said:

@ToMess said:

Studiomux doesent have any latency on me, but i use a mac

I meant latency when used in situations like bidirectional midi.
Midi from pc(Ableton)->iPad(step poly arp)-> pc(ableton)
In those cases studiomux is terrible. Basic midi latency is negligible aka iPad->pc
But when doing complex chains like midi controller->Ableton->ThumbJam (scale lock)-> step poly arp->Ableton...... it's never gonna be usable with studiomux.

Well i get midi from ableton, route it to ipad and then get the sound out of ipad(also used steppolyarp doing arp on ipad synth) back to ableton and havent noticed any latency.

that's still not bidirectional midi, i route midi back to ableton to run Serum on ableton. what you described would give around 11 ms latency which yes is not noticeable.
a single hop aka pc->ipad or ipad->pc is negligible latency on studiomux.
bidirectional midi would be midi from pc->ipad->pc or ipad->pc->ipad.
in this scenario studiomux is quite noticeable while the iconnect is not.

Goozoon

It is like comparing Android and iOS on the 'same' powerfull hw spec platform
I think @gonekrazy3000 is missing something with his:

Os used is irrelevant when hardware is identical.

raindro

@ToMess said:

True, asio sucks really hard to what is built in to osx. Im so glad i dont have to deal with shitty windows drivers anymore

I've resisted buying a mac for so long but you're totally right

OscarSouth

The (tired) Mac vs Windows argument that's being baited here is a non factor for one simple reason: Unimaginable amounts of great music have been made on each platform.

Considering this, if anyone has an issue making music with a Windows machine, they can safely conclude that the problem lays on the other side of the keyboard.

raindro

Nah I have always used windows and have had a bunch of asio glitches that Mac people don't seem to deal with. I think there's some truth in it.

Aud_iOS

Latency is very complicated and will vary by the individual setup, for a variety of reasons (clock time, when it's measured, how its measured by app, temperature, cable runs, other network traffic, sample rate, hops etc etc etc). the iconnect stuff is using RTP-MIDI, which is already what Apple uses, though they use a sample rate of 10khz for some reason, I think they only operate in Server mode too not sure why this is. Latency is also an over-generalized term - what type, when its measured, the type of data, order its received, type of USB that may be involved, which MIDI Din pins are involved, how they are powered, and when... all this stuff makes even a baseline tough to get.

Jose_Bee

You can use windows built in sound aggregator, choose the properties of the recording device then check listen to: then your main / other audio interface. My preference is using studiomux for non complex audio and midi sync, I've found trying to create any vaguely difficult midi integration more hassle than it worth these days. I've got a ic2+ and had a ica4+ very briefly but sent it back due to issue with the control app on both windows and iOS.

Carnbot

Studiomux works well for me on PC but then I always use my iConnectaudio4 except when away from home.
Each Pc is different so you are more likely to have an issue unless you have a top pro spec PC.

I would like to see Apple introduce more of an advantage in connecting an ipad to a Mac, so far there isn't much over a PC. If they allowed more open access to ipads files that would be a good start.

gonekrazy3000

What most people don't seem to grasp is I'm using windows on a Mac pro. Yes. It's a mac. And yet I prefer windows on it. Hence why I said it's irrelevant when hardware is identical lol. Coz it's literally a Mac.

nic_b_nice

Absolutely love I audio4+!

Connect my airbook with windows10 or OSX. Even connect my pc running vista. Don't forget you plug pretty much anything to it: iPhone, DVD players, midi controllers, two sets of monitors, etc

Jumpercollins

Something new !

asia

@aaronpc said:
Check out MIDIMittr for USB. I have an iConnect, and it's great, but for quick or on the go connections, this little thing works every time. Uses lightning cable and a little widget in the desktop's main menu. Mac and Win and free.

@aaronpc I thought midimittr sends only midi? It can send audio too?