New Boss IR-2 pedal: guitar amp/cab/AD interface that works with iOS

dokwok2

See manual on p. 19: https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/IR-2_eng01_W.pdf.

I don't think anyone has this yet, but something to look out for...

JoyceRoadStudios

@dokwok2 said:
See manual on p. 19: https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/IR-2_eng01_W.pdf.

I don't think anyone has this yet, but something to look out for...

There are soooooo many amp/ir pedals out there. Are you implying that this is the only one that has an audio over usb option? If that’s the case, then this is awesome…

dokwok2

@JoyceRoadStudios said:
There are soooooo many amp/ir pedals out there. Are you implying that this is the only one that has an audio over usb option? If that’s the case, then this is awesome…

When I said, "I don't think anyone has this yet," I meant "the pedal is on pre-order," not available yet except to reviewers. There might be other devices that do the same thing.

(The Strymon Iridium, which I imagine is the most direct competitor, does not have an audio interface of any kind. The new Boss ME-90 has an interface, but it's not iOS-compatible.)

abf

This looks really great. I'll need to hear some sounds in isolation, though, especially edge of breakup, cleanish. I didn't know this existed, thanks for posting.

JoyceRoadStudios

Considering all of the features, this could be a game changer…

Montreal_Music

Price?

Schmotown

@JoyceRoadStudios said:
Considering all of the features, this could be a game changer…

This ^^^

Schmotown

https://www.boss.info/us/products/ir-2/

Montreal_Music

@Montreal_Music said:
Price?

289$ CAD

dokwok2

US$200

Schmotown

$199 on Sweetwater. This is friggin’ irresistible… https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/IR2--boss-ir-2-amp-and-ir-cabinet-pedal

fisherro

I’m pretty sure I’ll be getting one. I like Boss’ MDP amp models. Which may be the only example of asking how digital amp models can do more than just emulate analog amps. And while I have them in my SY-1000, the IR-2 will be a convenient way to bring them to my pedal board.

Compared to my Simplifier, I see two downsides. (1) No balanced outputs and (2) no ability to run output with cab sim to a PA and without cab sim to an amp (for monitoring) at the same time. But, honestly, I’m not going to be playing live again for quite a while, so those aren’t as big a downside as they would’ve been for me pre-pandemic.

BroCoast

I’ve never been into Boss amp modelling but this does look good feature wise.

royor

looped

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BroCoast

@looped said:
Can you turn off direct monitoring so you can just hear the processed iOS audio?

That’s a good question and would change how useful it is.

espiegel123

@looped said:
Can you turn off direct monitoring so you can just hear the processed iOS audio?

What gives you the impression that there is direct-monitoring other than using the bypass switch?

It is hard to imagine that BOSS would have undefeatable direct input monitoring

mojozart

I'd opt for the 200 series with MIDI, if I were to buy one:

https://www.boss.info/global/products/ir-200/

but I already have a few pedals that cover my needs, without even mentioning the iPad..

raabje

I get the idea this IR pedals are overdimensioned, too much functionality for such a simple purpose, play an IR file. Especially the Boss IR 200.

But I have to say I like to keep things seperated, a pedal board with a real amp, and everything in the box. No hybride setups. If you like to mix and match then it makes probably more sense.

mojozart

@raabje said:
I get the idea this IR pedals are overdimensioned, too much functionality for such a simple purpose, play an IR file. Especially the Boss IR 200.

But I have to say I like to keep things seperated, a pedal board with a real amp, and everything in the box. No hybride setups. If you like to mix and match then it makes probably more sense.

If you just want to play an IR file, then TC-Electronic Impulse is right-sized

dokwok2

@espiegel123 said:
What gives you the impression that there is direct-monitoring other than using the bypass switch?

It is hard to imagine that BOSS would have undefeatable direct input monitoring

It's unclear to me what the monitoring situation is, except that it's more limited with the generic driver that you have to use for iOS devices. The manuals for the IR-2 and IR-200 might clarify (though I find Boss's manuals a little on the laconic side myself).

As @mojozart says, the IR-200 is another option. I didn't realize it could also send digital audio to an iOS device until I looked at the manual last night.

Something I like about both of these pedals is that they can run on batteries. (It's interesting, though, that the new IR-2 takes 6 AAs, compared with 4 for the new ME-90, which also uses IRs. ADDED Dec. 31: the IR-200 does not run on batteries, unlike some other pedals in the 200 series.)

What really draws me, though, is the simplicity: an amp AND an audio interface in one compact pedal. Maybe I'm kidding myself, but I think I would record guitar more frequently if it were easier to plug in for a casual session. As it is, I have everything I need, but I don't like clutter, so I don't leave everything out on the floor and plugged in. Which means, when I do want to record, that I have to reassemble my recording "rig" instead of jumping in to play.

espiegel123

@JoyceRoadStudios said:
Considering all of the features, this could be a game changer…

It isn’t clear if it is class compliant. The BOSS website has driver downloads . So, it might require a special driver and not work on iOS/iPadOS — which is the case with a lot of BOSS gear… like my Katana amp.

looped

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JoyceRoadStudios

@espiegel123 said:

@JoyceRoadStudios said:
Considering all of the features, this could be a game changer…

It isn’t clear if it is class compliant. The BOSS website has driver downloads . So, it might require a special driver and not work on iOS/iPadOS — which is the case with a lot of BOSS gear… like my Katana amp.

@espiegel123 said:

@JoyceRoadStudios said:
Considering all of the features, this could be a game changer…

It isn’t clear if it is class compliant. The BOSS website has driver downloads . So, it might require a special driver and not work on iOS/iPadOS — which is the case with a lot of BOSS gear… like my Katana amp.

I think the manual implies that there are two usb modes to choose from, “generic” and “vendor”. Looks like generic mode could be class compliant for our purposes.

Functionality aside, for me it will come down to how it sounds, and I’m in no rush to buy.

espiegel123

@looped said:

@espiegel123 said:

@JoyceRoadStudios said:
Considering all of the features, this could be a game changer…

It isn’t clear if it is class compliant. The BOSS website has driver downloads . So, it might require a special driver and not work on iOS/iPadOS — which is the case with a lot of BOSS gear… like my Katana amp.

It has a vendor mode and a generic driver mode (class compliant). But all indications are you can not turn direct monitoring off.

Thanks.

Where are you seeing anything about direct monitoring?

looped

deleted

espiegel123

@looped said:

@espiegel123 said:

@looped said:

@espiegel123 said:

@JoyceRoadStudios said:
Considering all of the features, this could be a game changer…

It isn’t clear if it is class compliant. The BOSS website has driver downloads . So, it might require a special driver and not work on iOS/iPadOS — which is the case with a lot of BOSS gear… like my Katana amp.

It has a vendor mode and a generic driver mode (class compliant). But all indications are you can not turn direct monitoring off.

Thanks.

Where are you seeing anything about direct monitoring?

What I saw was in a troubleshooting page that said to turn off DAW monitoring or you will hear the sound doubled. Boss and Roland gear typically has a "direct monitor off" feature but some recent products do not (GM-800). It would have been the perfect iOS device if not for this.

"To prevent an audio feedback loop or double monitoring, make settings on your application to turn monitoring off."

From the readme file in the driver download for IR-2.

Yeah, that is definitely an issue.

dokwok2

Report:

I ended up buying the IR-200. Here's what I can say about the audio interface, which I'm running into my iPad Pro M1:

• In "generic" mode, it definitely works with iOS. It sends two channels into your device, and outputs two channels from the device.
• It's stuck at 96kHz. This is good for latency, but might create other problems; haven't tested enough to say.
• It's fast. In AUM, I tested round trip latency at 96kHz/24 bits and got 6.7 milliseconds (ms) with a buffer of 64, 6.1 ms with a buffer of 32. For comparison, I tested my MOTU M2 interface and got round trip latency at 48kHz/24 bits of 8.8 ms with a buffer of 64 and 7.5 ms with a buffer of 32.
• There is no way (that I have found) to turn off the IR-200's own direct monitoring. So even if you mute the input channel in your iPad DAW, you're still going to hear your guitar signal. In my tests I couldn't perceive any doubling, but this is frustrating. A workaround is to monitor through a second device. I tried this: plug the IR-200 and a headphone interface into a hub. Set your input to the IR-200 and your output to the headphone interface. It works, but more than doubles the latency. (I tested 14.5 ms with a buffer of 64, 14 ms with a buffer of 32.)

I expect all of this will be true of the IR-2, but can only speak definitively about the IR-200 that I've actually tested.

Will I keep it? I don't know: the built-in audio interface was what tipped me in favor of the Boss product instead of a used Strymon Iridium. Now that I can't use it the way I'm used to/expecting, I don't know.

tubespace

@dokwok2 said:

• There is no way (that I have found) to turn off the IR-200's own direct monitoring. So even if you mute the input channel in your iPad DAW, you're still going to hear your guitar signal. In my tests I couldn't perceive any doubling, but this is frustrating. A workaround is to monitor through a second device. I tried this: plug the IR-200 and a headphone interface into a hub. Set your input to the IR-200 and your output to the headphone interface. It works, but more than doubles the latency. (I tested 14.5 ms with a buffer of 64, 14 ms with a buffer of 32.)

Thank you for trying this. I ordered the IR-200 and should receive it sometime next week. I was hoping to use this with my iPad. The only possible difference with my case scenario is my iPad is version 9 with headphone connection at the top. I'm assuming because you are using the iPad pro you rely on the interface for headphone/powered speaker monitoring? If so, are you hearing all of your AUM mix through the IR-200? And if that's the case, does all of that mix go back through the IR-200 cab simulation?

michael_m

I had been considering the NUX Amp Academy, which has some good reviews:

https://www.nuxaudio.com/ampacademy.html

I probably need to review a few before deciding on one.

tubespace

@michael_m said:
I had been considering the NUX Amp Academy, which has some good reviews:

https://www.nuxaudio.com/ampacademy.html

I probably need to review a few before deciding on one.

Does the NUX have an interface that works well with iOS?