Loopy Pro: Create music, your way.
What is Loopy Pro? — Loopy Pro is a powerful, flexible, and intuitive live looper, sampler, clip launcher and DAW for iPhone and iPad. At its core, it allows you to record and layer sounds in real-time to create complex musical arrangements. But it doesn’t stop there—Loopy Pro offers advanced tools to customize your workflow, build dynamic performance setups, and create a seamless connection between instruments, effects, and external gear.
Use it for live looping, sequencing, arranging, mixing, and much more. Whether you're a live performer, a producer, or just experimenting with sound, Loopy Pro helps you take control of your creative process.
Download on the App StoreLoopy Pro is your all-in-one musical toolkit. Try it for free today.
UA volt and motu m2 (EDIT: it works with better power) phantom power via usb bus power iPad Pro
The motu m2 and m4 aren’t iPad compliant, don’t work as advertised as functional audio interfaces with ios
Does anyone have experience with the ua volt 1, 2, or 276? I’m wondering if the phantom power works and lights up the indicator too on ipad just bus usb powered via cck?
With motu - they work via usb bus powered on an iPad Pro - people say they don’t on other iPads - but phantom power doesn’t work rendering them useless (not recording audio means they’re not audio interfaces/fit for purpose) . Mines getting sold. No interest in trying to Frankenstein it and motu complete lack of support for powered hubs. They had to change their manual. The iPad power supply … still doesn’t power the phantom power and the cable is terrible. No chance I’m buying a more powerful supply in case that works - shouldn’t have to and it’s messy,
I’m annoyed with myself for not researching in forums, and blacklisted them for making it necessary. It’s in any real world way a lie for these interfaces to claim they are bus powered for recording etc when in actuality they aren’t as you can’t record audio.
Motu were telling customers they don’t officially support usb powered hub use - this as people said there were a lot of problems with audio dropouts etc.
Comments
the Volt 276 should work with iPad bus power. It is advertised as such on their webpage.
I have the Volt 476, and this one needs a PSU when connected to an iPad Pro 2017. Connected to a laptop (USB C) it is bus powered.
Thanks, the motu m2 and m4 are advertised as working with ipad bus power but don’t (no phantom power, not working on some iPads)
My M4 works fine with an Anker powered hub, both on my current iPad Pro (iPadOS 17) and on my previous iPad 6th gen base model (2018, iPadOS 16). I don’t get audio dropouts.
When you say “phantom power”, do you mean for powering microphones? If so, I’ve never tried that, as I don’t have any mics that need it. It certainly has no trouble piping audio in from instruments and mics that don’t need phantom power.
Not arguing with your experience here, just trying to figure out the root of the problem. If it’s phantom powering mics, I have no experience of that, but otherwise my M4 works fine through powered hub on both a USB-C Pro and an old Lightning ipad. So maybe it’s the hub you’re using?
I’ve made those M series work with +48v before on my M1 Pro. Which ipad are you using?
Yeah for condenser mics which really are the standard for good detailed vocals/instruments.
I’m not using a hub, as it’s advertised as being usb bus powered but isn’t. That’s what irritates me. Phantom power and condenser mics are real basics for audio recording so it’s very deceptive making that claim imo. Thanks for the anker powered hub recommendation though, good to know. I have some anker stuff I like.
which one are you using if it’s ok to ask?
I almost deleted my post as I know it’s a bit irritable. But think it needs saying,
M1 Pro. Without a usb hub? Or with a usb hub or a power supply and cck? I just hate having to faff around and the extra connection - im certain there are ways that work but I’ve also just been reading so many people where different setups failed. None of it should be necessary, I bought a ua volt 276 out of anger lol
With a powered USB hub and an adapter that allows PD to iPad.
You’re right, none of it should be necessary. Hopefully the Volt phantom power works plugged directly to iPad. I know the Steinberg UR22 does.
What are you powering it from? If the power source isn’t capable of delivering enough current over USB, then features might not work. This is true of just about anything you plug into a USB port.
I’m using this hub:
I think when I bought the M4 MOTU said you needed a powered hub if you were using a Lightning iPad and Apple’s dongle, so I never tried it without, and when I upgraded to a Pro I just switched dongles to the Apple multiport USB-C with PD.
My mics are rarely used, but all are either self-powered (they probably count as “vintage”!) or don’t need power (piezo contact mics), hence I’ve never used phantom power.
I use a Motu M4 with a 2020 USB-C iPad Pro 12.9, bus powered using the iPad’s own white usbc cable. Never had a problem with phantom power. I’ll check again tonight.
No experience with lightning iPads and cck…
I would not call not being able to provide phantom power from bus power a lack of compliance. Some devices may simply not provide enough bus-power to both power the interface and the phantom power . Lightning devices (at least some of them) don’t have a lot of excess power to share.
My M2 has worked flawlessly since 2020
Volt 1 works w/ phantom power.
It’s my M1 Pro which powers other audio interfaces 48v no problem. I’ve calmed down now so I don’t feel the need to lay into them more but it’s poor imo, in terms of the device and the marketing.
Thank you
Can confirm my Motu M4 phantom power works bus powered with my 2020 iPad Pro 12.9.
@wingwizard on the motu are you sure you had the 48v button activated and not the monitor button by mistake? Was it illuminated red or blue? They’re so close to each other I thought phantom power didn’t work until I saw the correct button…
Hey thanks for testing. Yeah I pressed it but it wouldn’t light up just did for a moment. I saw the Mon button below and thought it was for mono or something.
Actually I used the iPad power cable to connect directly and it worked with m1. So this thread is a bit unfair of me I should maybe delete. It was just the cck it doesn’t work with I don’t know why
Is that a black beauty custom lp btw
Makes perfect sense about the cck not working, it could be an issue specifically with cck and class compliance or lack of power and slower speeds too.
My lightning devices can’t even bus power the motu let alone phantom power. USB-C interfaces and USB-C iPads have largely erased these issues.
And yes it’s a 1999 LP Custom/Art/Historic 1957 reissue, which is even a step up from their Custom Shop. It has the cream binding, rather than the white, one piece mahogany body. 10.5lbs. Got it brand new in 1999 and it’s still my number one. I think about $2900 back then. I had it set-up with a heavier jazz gauge and it’s always been amazing but a little stiff. So went down a gauge last week and the axe is back in rotation and total 🔥🔥🔥
It could well be that a strong enough power adapter wasn't used. The Apple charger is pretty weak. For example, I can use my Launchpad X with the CCK only if I use a more powerful charger than the Apple one. I suspect that is the case here.
The Shure SM58 clears its throat
Not a fan :P used them live, and 57s buttt what do I know
Nice. I’m obsessed with juniors, with just the single neck p90. I have all the guitars I need though…
Right on, everyone has their favorites. As for the "standard" however, thankfully that isn't set by one opinion
Depending on the situation, dynamic mics are just as standard as condenser.
Anyway, bummer your motu is working out. I've had good luck with them and my phantom power works as intended on my M2, but I've always been curious about Volts as well.
Yeah, I didn’t mean standard as in what I think is better or opinion just that if you go into a recording studio, you’d expect to see a good condensor mic for vocals etc and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say that it is the standard for recording. I’m sure there are people who prefer dynamics but if a studio had one as its only vocal mic most people would walk straight back out the door. It was just in the context of motu working
However… my point is kind of moot given that I’ve now thanks to the other poster got it working. lol
So I now, due to my impulsiveness, have volt and motu. I do love the volt, it’s just instantly fun and looks cool. Have to test monitoring and latency, I read the motu has really low and volt not great but that might be drivers on desktop I dunno
Honestly, I reached my saturation point for tech stuff and research I need to play instruments
I am also talking about the standards for studio recording, the truth is that the Shure SM57/58/7B, Sennheiser MD421/441, AKG D12/112, Electro Voice RE20, etc. are still some of the most commonly used mics in studios all over the world. These dynamic mics have been used on countless award-winning albums for decades (including MJ's vocals on the best-selling album of all time), and still are today. The same is true for condensers of course (and even moreso as you pointed out), but they both have their uses/strengths, and neither one can really be called the only standard as they are both still prominently used all the way to the highest level studios. But you are also right that it would be weird for a high-level studio to have only dynamic, but I would say the opposite is also true as well.
Sorry I didn't mean to derail the thread or argue. I'm just an audio geek and love talking about this stuff (probably too much lol...again my apologies).
i can’t really agree with you simply due to what is usually used (because of sensitivity, performance etc), so prob best if I leave it at that.
I also don’t think condensers are the standard for live performance but countless people have used them in that setting.
Anyway I didn’t mean to be making a big point about that, or denigrating dynamics, just that being unable to use condensors does stop something being a functional audio interface for any real studio home or otherwise. However, that isn’t the case, as people have shown me it was probably the power of the charger.
Motu loopback feature doesn’t work on iOS and Motu has no plans to fix that. Doesn’t matter to me since I don’t use that feature, could be a deal breaker to others. But if the Motu couldn’t phantom bus power on iOS I would return it, even if I rarely use condenser mics. Anyway, it does work.
The biggest factor to me with dynamic vs condenser … is your studio or recording space soundproofed and treated… since condensers pickup up everything around them including the room/space acoustic, it can be kind of pointless to use them unless you’re doing a field type recording. In a studio recording setting, a condenser will pick up every reflection, background noise, sound bleed, and will only sound as good or bad as your treated room. Directional dynamics won’t pick up any of that and work with what’s only in front of them, making them a better option for makeshift home studios. Anyway, I use a Shure SM57/58 and a Heil, and almost never pull out a condenser. If I do use a condenser it’s for overhead drums, and maybe vocals if the space is completely isolated.
The other factor is the price point. $100-$400 gets you a top of the line dynamic, and you can use them onstage without special mounts etc… that price point for condensers is entry level at best. Of course it’s common practice to say a condenser is the gold standard for pristine and detailed vocals recording. And that is true, but those condensers cost 2-5k.
Dynamics are great for some things and not for others. Want to get a highly detailed accurate recording of acoustic guitar or violin or string quartet, etc etc. a high-quality large diaphragm condenser is going to yield better results than dynamic mics.
This is my experience as well as what I’ve heard. But… having read Joyce’s post I’m a bit curious.
I do think as a general caveat that sometimes random mics can just coincidentally work ith the character of someone’s vocal or the song sound, The quality they produce still won’t be great technically but there have been loads of times I’ve preferred an iPad mic vocal to a Properly miced one, or even a clip on mic or something
This is n interesting point. I remember one occasion years ago I recorded a quick vocal single take in my room. I had recorded another vocal the day before same mic same everything. (This is just sound quality wise as vocal take main factor is how genuine the performance is by a mile imo, the right notes coming at the right times a distant second, then the equipment - modern music has that backwards, conspicuous absence of imo
). This was when I didn’t know anything about treating room where to record a vocal etc. Anyway the vocal fro, the day before sounded like it was in a toilet, I had no idea why as vocals had never sounded that bad before. Then the vocal I recorded that day was the was really really nice. Years later when I learned about acoustic treating etc I realised what I had done was…. Turn around. The poor vocal came from recording too near a hard wall. But for the other vocal, I wasn’t in a room in any way treated. I was just standing in the middle of it or facing away from the wall at least. I think I may have been in the general direction of a thin curtain.
So I’m just wondering how important treating the room is in a lot of average bedrooms as opposed to simple mic placement. Dunno if you have any thoughts? I can’t agree at all they’re only useful for a field type recording, I’ve done recording better than I’ve found possible with a dynamic just in my room, but i have also made recordings that were horrible and full of reflection just like you say. I think there’s an in between in that if you don’t get the placement right it will sound like a toilet whatever mic you’re using. I’ve come up with cheap better alternative to a sound booth too. (I mean a proper one not people getting in the cupboard which is the worst idea possible for reflections lol).
Do you have any clips recorded with an sm58 or alternative that don’t have too much in the way of effects? Sorry I’m just curious. I can see what you’re saying and it’s always interesting to hear an opposing experience (I’d love to pick up a dynamic if they are useful and change my mind).
I don’t agree with the point about money though. A rode nt1 is sub 200 and just in my experience/opinion better than n sm58 for vocals when the environment is ok. Tbh my old Yamaha mx whatever it was sounded really good too when recorded properly.
But I don’t know perhaps I’m carrying some bias from the days of having to gig and hearing them forever booming horribly at the low end end over pas on endless soundchecks.
Also I had an aluminium clitoris installed in my forehead with and a tuning tree with graphite locks in my neck and I find it really adds sparkle to the high end.
Yes, an excellent condenser mic is more expensive than a great dynamic. It doesn't change that for some tasks, a great dynamic won't be as good. For stage use, dynamics are generally the way to go. But for recording, I would use the mic that gets the best results. For years, I struggled to get a recorded acoustic guitar sound that I liked ... for fingerstyle guitar. I was living in a mecca at the time of acoustic guitar recording and knew a couple of people that had recorded solo guitar albums that sounded great and they set me straight. I invested in a pair if AKG414s and the quality of my recordings increased dramatically... same guitar, room etc. That's also when I learned to not close mic for the sound I like. i wouldn't take the AKG's out of the studio as they can't take the abuse my shure and audix dynamics can.
My comment was merely a generalization. The first mic I ever bought for myself was a Rode NT1 in 1999. Good mic. My point was that when recording with condensers you really have to take the acoustic properties of your space into consideration. Not nearly as much with dynamics. If your recording space is quiet and its reflections are tuned or tamed, then by all means use only condensers. My recording space currently is next to a furnace, always-on dehumidifier, 18 year old water heater, and a creaky floor above. So condensers are of little use to me in that scenario.
Your experience with two drastically different recordings is exactly my point, it was all about the difference in wall reflections and positioning in your space.
And your bias has to do with boomy PA systems rather than mics.
Dynamics like a SM57/58 are indestructible and suitable for stage, and more than good enough for studio recording. Singers like Bono and Bruce Springsteen have used them in the studio to record vocals (they’ve used Neumann condensers too). That does not in any way mean that dynamics are better than a good quality condenser. They’re not. And in many situations a condenser is the only suitable option for the job because of the coverage and level of detail they provide. But dynamics are fuss free, forgiving of your space’s acoustic, and certainly get the job done. Look at most of the podcasters out there for example, it’s almost a cliche they’re all using a Shure SM7B dynamic and a Cloudlifter…
?????
What?
You misinterpreted something I said. I recorded in the same studio space for years with shure and audix mics before getting the AKG 414. I was speaking of the difference when I switched to the 414.
Obviously, if you want to make detailed recordings of an instrument with a non-trivial dynamic range that includes quiet passages, you need a quiet room with decent acoustics.
They got the job done well for many uses but not all. For some uses, dynamics don't compare favorably.