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Audio interface recommendations sub £100 please

I need a gigging audio interface that is reliable and
can be used with a buffer size of 128 or less
and has midi in and out.

Any suggestions.

Thank you in advance

Comments

  • edited November 2019

    Zoom U-24. Hands down.

    Under £100.
    Full size 5 pin MIDI i and out. No fiddly breakout cables required.
    Battery power + bus power + adaptor. Use it on the go without needing mains power.
    2 in 4 out
    Phantom power
    Hi-Z input
    Separate phones level and balance.
    24 bit 96khz.
    Class compliant. Uses standard USB lead.

    The only fiddly thing you need to worry about (unless you have an iPad Pro with USB C) is the CCK lightning to usb adaptor. No proprietary leads to lose at a gig.

    If you need more inputs then the U-44 has 4 audio ins.

  • @klownshed
    That one looks great.
    Actually the 44 looks like might be the one I upgrade to.

    Thanks for the breakdown.

  • Again Zoom U-24

  • edited November 2019

    @CracklePot Beware that u44 requires an optional attachment in order to use the extra input capability. Unless I’m wrong and missing something.

  • Yeah, the u44 requires a separate attachment for 2 other inputs. Mine just came yesterday. I was debating the h6 and this, but I have other audio interfaces already and this is perfect for portability.

  • I got a used presonus iTwo for $80, it was great. No apple CCK needed, just the lightning cable (saves $30 right there). 2 in, 2 out, midi io, that’s it.

    The monitoring is just a knob that pans between the analog inputs and the software. The analog input monitoring is summed to mono, my only complaint, but it makes sense that that is the compromise they made for simplicity. I would just do my monitoring in software, like audiobus, if I wanted stereo input thru to the output.

  • edited November 2019

    The bottleneck of buffer size you can use will be dependent on the processor in your iPad, I believe. When you hit a note, it has to be able to compute the audio completely by the time the sample buffer runs out, or there will be a crackle. Faster processors will be able to compute the audio more reliably at shorter buffer sizes.

    How efficiently the audio app is coded, how much polyphony you are using, how many apps are running, all will affect how short you can get the buffer before the crackles start.

  • I plugged a Behringer 202HD into my desktop to check that it worked. My more reputable and much more expensive interface is gathering dust.

    Well it’s in its box but the Behringer is quiet as a mouse and super stable. Very happy with the round trip latency. Still shocked!

  • @BlueGreenSpiral said:
    I plugged a Behringer 202HD into my desktop to check that it worked. My more reputable and much more expensive interface is gathering dust.

    Well it’s in its box but the Behringer is quiet as a mouse and super stable. Very happy with the round trip latency. Still shocked!

    I've done the same thing. I originally bought a 202HD to use on my iPad. I liked it enough that I replaced a higher end box on my desktop with the Behringer and bought a 404HD for my iPad. I've pulled it apart to check inside. The preamps are good. They use decent op-amps and good codecs. Really pretty good for the money -- better than what is used on some much more expensive boxes. The only complaints I have are that the headphone outs aren't great (I don't use them anyway) and the on device metering is pretty minimal.

    The new MOTU's look very good for the money. Really nice DACS and the drivers spec out to be very good. I haven't tried them though, and on iOS you are going to have to live with the class compliant drivers anyway. On macOS and Windows, the drivers are supposed to give a round trip latency of 2.5ms. This may well push me to buy one of the M2's for my Mac.

    To get MIDI I/O on the device for the Behringer, you would have to go with the 404HD. The price has gone up on the 404HD's (in the US at least) since I bought mine. But, they are still good value at this price.

  • I bought a used 6i6 mk1 for 100€ few years ago. I dont think there is anything better for the price

  • Thank you guys for your assistance.

    I ended up purchasing a Zoom U-44.
    Found it new for £89 on Amazon UK.

  • edited November 2019

    Damn. Had a rushed purchase a couple weeks ago and I totally forgot about these Zoom U-series. Got an M-Audio Air and I'm kicking myself now.

  • @DatGood

    I got lucky with the Zoom.

    M-Audio does record well, no complaints here.
    The Zoom fits the bill for what I need to do
    especially with the digital ins/outs.
    Most probably the next thing will be the
    little preamp module to get the full four inputs.

  • Okay, Zoom U-44 came on Wednesday.

    Plugging everything in and I must say it sounds rather good.
    I was going to get the exh-6 for the extended inputs
    so before that I decided to connect up
    my Behringer Ultramatch SRC2469 instead.
    That worked so I now have my original rig coming in on inputs 3+4.

    I've connected my iPhone to my original rig
    which has now become a multi-timbral workstation.

    My original rig is a Behringer xenyx 802usb and is a good little mixer.

    I will say that both perform very similar in terms of buffer size.
    The quality of the preamps though is
    the thing that makes the difference.

    The Zoom has much less self noise and cleaner sounding inputs.
    Much more versatile in terms of the
    inputs and outputs obviously and is full duplex.

    The Behringer is going to come in handy when
    I decide to pull my physical sound modules back into action.

    I will say that when powering the Zoom from my powered usb hub
    it started to hum which is a ground lift problem so if you
    get one or in actual fact of you have a ground loop problem
    similar to that either power the interface from a separate power
    supply or as is the case with the Zoom power it from the adapter or
    use batteries.

    iPad Pro 9.7 1st generation

    Zoom U-44

    Quantiloop Pro, synced using Ableton Link
    BM3, synced using midi clock from AUM

    AUM, all audio is routed through AUM before going to Quantiloop.
    buffer set to 256, DSP consistently showing between 38-45%
    Altispace
    Tonestack
    Neo Soul Keys Studio v1,
    iGrand Piano

    iPhone SE

    Behringer Xenyx 802usb
    generic midi usb interface

    AUM buffer set to 128, DSP consistently showing 45%
    Amplitube
    Galileo,
    Kauldron,
    Magellan jr,
    iSymphonic in IAA mode

    I'll be doing some recordings very soon so I'll post them as soon as I can.

  • @Gravitas said:
    Okay, Zoom U-44 came on Wednesday.

    Plugging everything in and I must say it sounds rather good.
    I was going to get the exh-6 for the extended inputs
    so before that I decided to connect up
    my Behringer Ultramatch SRC2469 instead.
    That worked so I now have my original rig coming in on inputs 3+4.

    I've connected my iPhone to my original rig
    which has now become a multi-timbral workstation.

    My original rig is a Behringer xenyx 802usb and is a good little mixer.

    I will say that both perform very similar in terms of buffer size.
    The quality of the preamps though is
    the thing that makes the difference.

    The Zoom has much less self noise and cleaner sounding inputs.
    Much more versatile in terms of the
    inputs and outputs obviously and is full duplex.

    The Behringer is going to come in handy when
    I decide to pull my physical sound modules back into action.

    I will say that when powering the Zoom from my powered usb hub
    it started to hum which is a ground lift problem so if you
    get one or in actual fact of you have a ground loop problem
    similar to that either power the interface from a separate power
    supply or as is the case with the Zoom power it from the adapter or
    use batteries.

    iPad Pro 9.7 1st generation

    Zoom U-44

    Quantiloop Pro, synced using Ableton Link
    BM3, synced using midi clock from AUM

    AUM, all audio is routed through AUM before going to Quantiloop.
    buffer set to 256, DSP consistently showing between 38-45%
    Altispace
    Tonestack
    Neo Soul Keys Studio v1,
    iGrand Piano

    iPhone SE

    Behringer Xenyx 802usb
    generic midi usb interface

    AUM buffer set to 128, DSP consistently showing 45%
    Amplitube
    Galileo,
    Kauldron,
    Magellan jr,
    iSymphonic in IAA mode

    I'll be doing some recordings very soon so I'll post them as soon as I can.

    Nice one 👍 you cant go wrong with that price.

  • @[Deleted User]

    I seriously got lucky with the Zoom.
    I was like wow, no way and direct from the company? I'll have that now.

    The other choice in regards to a four input/output interface around
    the £100 mark was going to be the Behringer UMC404HD which
    does have all four inputs and outputs straight out of
    the box as well as balanced outputs on xlr.

    The downside is that it doesn't have a dedicated hi-Z input,
    the headphone outputs are low and I needed an interface
    that is as versatile as the music I write and perform.

    The Zoom on the other hand doesn't have balanced outputs
    on the line outs merely rca and you have to get the exh-6 module
    to get the full four inputs.
    It is worth it though.
    The difference in sound quality is remarkable.
    The inputs are much quieter and I'm looking forward
    to recording vocals with the mic preamp.
    I'm thinking to get something like the
    Klark Teknik DI 22P or similar to make sure I don't get
    ground loop problems when I'm gigging live.

    I was going to go for the Zoom U-24 but the U-44 at that price?

    Very true, I can't go wrong.

  • Quick update:

    The DAC's on the Zoom handle complex material quite nicely.

    Low self noise on the inputs and the outputs.

    Much, much clearer than the Behringer though
    the Behringer is quite impressive for the price.

    Thanks everyone for your advice.

  • I second your thoughts on the behringer audio devices, it worth noting they sound a little muddy, at least my old umc 1820 was very muddy. Of course great for the price.

  • @[Deleted User]

    Methinks that they are good for tracking but when it
    comes to mixing using a really good DAC to get the details
    would surely make an improved difference.

  • edited December 2019

    @[Deleted User]

    Discovered a limitation with the Zoom U-44
    concerning the headphone out.
    It's hardwired in so I cannot monitor and record from
    inputs 3+4 whilst listening to the main outputs as
    it sends the main outputs to 3+4 when using the headphones.
    Which isn't a problem when recording instruments
    but is a problem when I need to record vocals on to second machine.

    I discovered it when I had recorded a groove
    that I needed to add some vocal textures to.

    The work around is to record the instruments onto the
    second machine first and then record vocals onto the first machine.

    Edit:

    That workaround doesn't work.
    Apologies.

  • @Gravitas said:
    @[Deleted User]

    Discovered a limitation with the Zoom U-44
    concerning the headphone out.
    It's hardwired in so I cannot monitor and record from
    inputs 3+4 whilst listening to the main outputs as
    it sends the main outputs to 3+4 when using the headphones.
    Which isn't a problem when recording instruments
    but is a problem when I need to record vocals on to second machine.

    I discovered it when I had recorded a groove
    that I needed to add some vocal textures to.

    The work around is to record the instruments onto the
    second machine first and then record vocals onto the first machine.

    Thats a shame, is there no balance knob to mix headphone and 3/4?

  • @[Deleted User]
    There is a balance knob hardwired in.
    The problem is that the headphone out and the line 2 out is the same.
    It was designed for D.J's in mind I think.
    So what happens is that when you want to monitor and record
    from 3+4 as well as hearing what's coming out from line 1+2
    the inputs on 3+4 is also recording the outs of 1+2.
    It took me a moment to figure that out and currently
    trying to figure out a work around if there is one.
    It isn't a problem unless you're using two machines.

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