iPhone 7 plus vs iPhone 8 for live playing

StaffanKeys

Hi! I need expert advice, would an iPhone 7 Plus with its 3 GB ram or an iPhone 8 with 2 GB do a better job with multiple AUs in AUM. I would use it for live playing. Ravenscroft + Galileo + iSymphonic + Poison-202 etc...

My options are an iPhone 7plus 128gb and an iPhone 8 64gb.

Thanks in advance!

Matt_Fletcher_2000

If you are going to make any use of the screen for playing / switching apps etc then I’d personally go for the bigger screen on the 7plus.

But up to you, obviously the IPhone 8 has a faster chip I believe, so will be a bit more future proofed.

BiancaNeve

Also having double the memory on the 7 plus is useful.

StaffanKeys

Thank you for your answers.

I’m thinking more performance-wise, which does a better job handling layers, e.g. playing both Ravenscroft and iSymphonic at the same time glitch free with the lowest buffer size possible to keep down latency.

Would the 3gb ram in the iPhone 7 Plus handle this better?

Janosax

I have the 7 Plus. Bigger screen is better, 128 gb is better and CPU power is enough. It’s a nice phone for music, and I don’t plan to upgrade for now. I never reached 3gb limit even on big projects I even think it never used more than 2gb, could be different with lot of sample based AU. About Ravenscroft, you will need to use Dubstation2 on a blank AUM track as a workaround for audio crackles with this piano if playing fast chords changes, it’s an iOS issue with graphics over audio thread priority. It effects various apps, that works also with GeoShred for example.

Here is a video illustration of that workaround:

StaffanKeys

@Janosax said:
I have the 7 Plus. Bigger screen is better, 128 gb is better and CPU power is enough. It’s a nice phone for music, and I don’t plan to upgrade for now. I never reached 3gb limit even on big projects I even think it never used more than 2gb, could be different with lot of sample based AU. About Ravenscroft, you will need to use Dubstation2 on a blank AUM track as a workaround for audio crackles with this piano if playing fast chords changes, it’s an iOS issue with graphics over audio thread priority. It effects various apps, that works also with GeoShred for example.

Here is a video illustration of that workaround:

Okay, good to hear, I’m leaning towards the 7 plus. I just hope they continue to support it for another three years as I’m not planning on buying another phone anytime soon.

I actually came across the dubstation 2 workaround recently, genious solution!
Thank you for the video!

chandroji

I would go definitely with the 7plus!
Love the big screen and 3GB Ram and 128GB storage is more useful as the slightly better CPU in the iPhone 8 in my opinion!

I have the 8plus and I would never go back to a smaller screen on an iPhone!

[Deleted User]

I've got an iPhone 7 plus. Needing audio out, power supply and a controller, not trusting in bluetooth, how do you solve the connectivity problem?

StaffanKeys

@tiantong said:
I've got an iPhone 7 plus. Needing audio out, power supply and a controller, not trusting in bluetooth, how do you solve the connectivity problem?

iConnectaudio4+ 👌

[Deleted User]

@StaffanKeys said:

@tiantong said:
I've got an iPhone 7 plus. Needing audio out, power supply and a controller, not trusting in bluetooth, how do you solve the connectivity problem?

iConnectaudio4+ 👌

Yes... I'm postponing this as much as I can 🙄

Janosax

@tiantong said:
I've got an iPhone 7 plus. Needing audio out, power supply and a controller, not trusting in bluetooth, how do you solve the connectivity problem?

For headphones and power you can use Belkin adapter. For audio interface and power just use CCK3. All Bluetooth devices I use like Nanokey Studio or BlueBoard works flawlessly. You also have Zivix PUC+ option for other usb/midi din controllers.

no1normal

@tiantong said:
I've got an iPhone 7 plus. Needing audio out, power supply and a controller, not trusting in bluetooth, how do you solve the connectivity problem?

I have an Irig pro Duo with a Anker double usb battery and anker USB hub with micro usb to power (hard to find on amazon but there is still 1 they do with on/off switches for each usb slot ... not that they are needed)

It gives you 2x mono jacks or xlr ins with live monitoring, stereo out, midi din in and out, powers 4xusb midi controllers and power to ipad (use 1 usb on the hub for the soundcard.. you don't even need to put batteries in the irig although I do as a back up for when the anker battery runs out ... about 3 hrs).

The set up is portable, smaller than iconnectivity but with less inputs.

The only real down side is the mass of wires required, but that's pretty standard with IOS. I hide them all in a power extension storage box which is smarter (if you can fit the lid on) ... just don't look in the box!

no1normal

Also, for less money and more I/O I just picked up a Behringer U-Phoria UMC404HD after seeing the AudioDabblers Youtube video where he powered it the same way as I described above. (battery and usb hub)

I plan to use it with the ipad Pro as its a bit bigger than the Irig Pro Duo

vitocorleone123

I'd got with an iPhone 8. If you want a bigger screen, get an iPad. But that's just me.

Hmtx

If you really want a new phone, yeah the 7+ will have more RAM.

If you have a good phone already... I agree you will get more music-making potential with a iPad purchase. A 10.5" 64GB is about the same price as 7+ or 8

[Deleted User]

Apologize @StaffanKeys for "stealing" the thread. I just thought it was relevant for you question to know how to solve the problem of connectivity. It seems however that you got some relevant answers. I barely use the iPhone 7+ to play just because I don't want the extra gadgets. Hooking the iPad to my Linnstrument with the CCK is just enough for my needs.

@Janosax and @no1normal thank you for the suggestions. I know many of you are happy with bluetooth but I haven't had good experiences with it. Again, iPad, CCK, Linnstrument and speaker or headphones and I'm good to go.

[Deleted User]

@Janosax said:
I have the 7 Plus. Bigger screen is better, 128 gb is better and CPU power is enough. It’s a nice phone for music, and I don’t plan to upgrade for now. I never reached 3gb limit even on big projects I even think it never used more than 2gb, could be different with lot of sample based AU. About Ravenscroft, you will need to use Dubstation2 on a blank AUM track as a workaround for audio crackles with this piano if playing fast chords changes, it’s an iOS issue with graphics over audio thread priority. It effects various apps, that works also with GeoShred for example.

This is a strange workaround! Why Dubstation2?

Janosax

@tiantong said:

@Janosax said:
I have the 7 Plus. Bigger screen is better, 128 gb is better and CPU power is enough. It’s a nice phone for music, and I don’t plan to upgrade for now. I never reached 3gb limit even on big projects I even think it never used more than 2gb, could be different with lot of sample based AU. About Ravenscroft, you will need to use Dubstation2 on a blank AUM track as a workaround for audio crackles with this piano if playing fast chords changes, it’s an iOS issue with graphics over audio thread priority. It effects various apps, that works also with GeoShred for example.

This is a strange workaround! Why Dubstation2?

Yes I know it’s pretty strange. In fact I use Dubstation 2 almost every day in AUM for my saxophone improvisation practice. My setup also use Audiobus and Loopy. By pure coincidence I realized the sound on some heavy AU setups was more stable and crackle free with Dubstation 2 GUI opened, and noticed that CPU meter was lower. When I buyed Ravenscroft 275 I had some crackles when playing chords with my Nanokey Studio. I had this idea to use Dubstation 2 GUI opened on a blank track and that worked with hyper stable audio. More recently I noticed the same thing with GeoShred. Long story short this is an issue with iOS which give higher priority to graphics over audio threads. Dubstation 2 opened seems to lowering cpu consumption which is odd but just works, while on the opposite DS2 GUI closed tend to give crackles. Note that you can swipe DS2 in AUM’s corner to not being disturbed by its window. All this voodoo workaround seems silly, but many people here have confirmed that works for them too

[Deleted User]

Apple should fix that or explain devs howto. Garageband was flawless even in iOS11 aka CrapiOS and I expected this fixed in 12 but if you still has these crackles, crazy...
I didn’t test myself since CrapiOS I lost all trust on iDevices as live gigging option and just use them in the safe zone of my bedroom.
In fact my old iPhone4 with NS1 is better option than my iPad mini4 ATM for live duties.

@tim_cook said:
It’s amazing!

A mess ing IMO.

brambos

@Janosax said:
and noticed that CPU meter was lower.

This may actually mean that CPU load is higher. iOS devices run in a low-CPU-power ("throttled") mode until CPU demands exceeds a certain threshold. Once crossed, full CPU power becomes available, which may lead to "lower CPU load" read-outs on CPU monitors. Mind, the CPU is actually working a lot harder in those cases!

Among developers there's also a strong suspicion that this switching between low-power and full-power modes is one of the causes of audio glitches (and CPU spikes). Hence it's recommended to try and keep a more or less constant CPU demand in live mode to avoid the throttling

hisdudeness

@brambos said:

@Janosax said:
and noticed that CPU meter was lower.

This may actually mean that CPU load is higher. iOS devices run in a low-CPU-power ("throttled") mode until CPU demands exceeds a certain threshold. Once crossed, full CPU power becomes available, which may lead to "lower CPU load" read-outs on CPU monitors. Mind, the CPU is actually working a lot harder in those cases!

Among developers there's also a strong suspicion that this switching between low-power and full-power modes is one of the causes of audio glitches (and CPU spikes). Hence it's recommended to try and keep a more or less constant CPU demand in live mode to avoid the throttling

Precious piece of info ... never knew this!

[Deleted User]

@Janosax said:
Yes I know it’s pretty strange. In fact I use Dubstation 2 almost every day in AUM for my saxophone improvisation practice. My setup also use Audiobus and Loopy. By pure coincidence I realized the sound on some heavy AU setups was more stable and crackle free with Dubstation 2 GUI opened, and noticed that CPU meter was lower. When I buyed Ravenscroft 275 I had some crackles when playing chords with my Nanokey Studio. I had this idea to use Dubstation 2 GUI opened on a blank track and that worked with hyper stable audio. More recently I noticed the same thing with GeoShred. Long story short this is an issue with iOS which give higher priority to graphics over audio threads. Dubstation 2 opened seems to lowering cpu consumption which is odd but just works, while on the opposite DS2 GUI closed tend to give crackles. Note that you can swipe DS2 in AUM’s corner to not being disturbed by its window. All this voodoo workaround seems silly, but many people here have confirmed that works for them too

It really sounds kind of voodoo. But I'll keep it in mind if I ever run into problems.

@brambos said:
Among developers there's also a strong suspicion that this switching between low-power and full-power modes is one of the causes of audio glitches (and CPU spikes). Hence it's recommended to try and keep a more or less constant CPU demand in live mode to avoid the throttling

So how do you keep CPU demand constant?>

brambos

@tiantong said:

@Janosax said:
Yes I know it’s pretty strange. In fact I use Dubstation 2 almost every day in AUM for my saxophone improvisation practice. My setup also use Audiobus and Loopy. By pure coincidence I realized the sound on some heavy AU setups was more stable and crackle free with Dubstation 2 GUI opened, and noticed that CPU meter was lower. When I buyed Ravenscroft 275 I had some crackles when playing chords with my Nanokey Studio. I had this idea to use Dubstation 2 GUI opened on a blank track and that worked with hyper stable audio. More recently I noticed the same thing with GeoShred. Long story short this is an issue with iOS which give higher priority to graphics over audio threads. Dubstation 2 opened seems to lowering cpu consumption which is odd but just works, while on the opposite DS2 GUI closed tend to give crackles. Note that you can swipe DS2 in AUM’s corner to not being disturbed by its window. All this voodoo workaround seems silly, but many people here have confirmed that works for them too

It really sounds kind of voodoo. But I'll keep it in mind if I ever run into problems.

@brambos said:
Among developers there's also a strong suspicion that this switching between low-power and full-power modes is one of the causes of audio glitches (and CPU spikes). Hence it's recommended to try and keep a more or less constant CPU demand in live mode to avoid the throttling

So how do you keep CPU demand constant?>

No idea... I think it will be difficult for a user to have much meaningful control over it. But I recall some dev-discussion about implementing a feature in DAWs to agitate a device out of its performance-throttling mode before starting playback. Not sure how much of that academic and whether that's even practical/predictable and technically possible

Janosax

@tiantong said:

@Janosax said:
Yes I know it’s pretty strange. In fact I use Dubstation 2 almost every day in AUM for my saxophone improvisation practice. My setup also use Audiobus and Loopy. By pure coincidence I realized the sound on some heavy AU setups was more stable and crackle free with Dubstation 2 GUI opened, and noticed that CPU meter was lower. When I buyed Ravenscroft 275 I had some crackles when playing chords with my Nanokey Studio. I had this idea to use Dubstation 2 GUI opened on a blank track and that worked with hyper stable audio. More recently I noticed the same thing with GeoShred. Long story short this is an issue with iOS which give higher priority to graphics over audio threads. Dubstation 2 opened seems to lowering cpu consumption which is odd but just works, while on the opposite DS2 GUI closed tend to give crackles. Note that you can swipe DS2 in AUM’s corner to not being disturbed by its window. All this voodoo workaround seems silly, but many people here have confirmed that works for them too

It really sounds kind of voodoo. But I'll keep it in mind if I ever run into problems.

@brambos said:
Among developers there's also a strong suspicion that this switching between low-power and full-power modes is one of the causes of audio glitches (and CPU spikes). Hence it's recommended to try and keep a more or less constant CPU demand in live mode to avoid the throttling

So how do you keep CPU demand constant?>

As @Brambos has explained much better than me, certainly Dubstation 2 when GUI is opened calls for more CPU power and helps the device to stop throttle. This is a big and known iOS issue, but IMO the issue is also in Ravenscroft and GeoShred as I have much more demanding AU/apps which don’t have this problem. So you still have this workaround if needed

StaffanKeys

Here is another video of the workaround that I filmed earlier today. Here I use my iPhone SE and MD-BT01.