Basic iPad audio interfaces
We have previously looked at a few iPad audio interfaces that cater to the musician on the go who wants to sketch out ideas in a small recording “environment” – these include:
- Amplitude iRig – click here.
- Apogee Jam – click here. (and Apogee Gio a hands Free guitar recording interface)
- Apogee Gio – click here.
- Line 6 Mobile In – click here.
- Peavey AmpKit Link and AmpKit App – click here
These interfaces are great for basic recording, practice and all round ’on the move’ portability, but what if you need just a little more flexibility?
Recording a band with an iPad?
What if you want to use the all the new magic of iPad music apps or a DAW like AURIA or CUBASIS to record more detailed and complex compositions, perhaps with your band or for your current project? The portability of the iPad certainly means that Yeah!, you can go anywhere with it, but the iPad camera connection kit doesn’t exactly lend itself to multitrack recording does it?
No.
And, you can’t upload your bands latest hot track in all its glorious spatial detail, separation, tube amp & Neumann goodness to Whole World Band with an iRig? Probably not.
Alesis iO dock, Alesis iO Mix
The Alesis iO dock ups the ante a little with a robust sloping enclosure for your iPad and a two channel capability that is both convenient and highly versatile for music creation using the multitude of audio Apps flying about in the Apposphere. Very good. Very tasty.
Not to be confused with the legendary 1970′s Catfood Meowmix, Alesis have stepped up to the plate to smash a few over the fence for four track fanatics everywhere. Rather intuitively the iO Mix makes the addition of a rather smooth 4 channel mixer in the iO dock equation. At least you can throw four microphones over the drum kit!
Alesis iO Mix iPad audio interface
The iO Mix blends the robust iO Dock audio interface with a 4-channel analog mixer to bring the additional benefits of channel strips to your iPad sessions - trim, gain, pan, and EQ controls, four combo XLR-1/4 inch inputs, phantom power, balanced stereo 1/4-inch outputs and a 1/4-inch headphones socket. Because you slide your iPad directly into the case there is no need for tangled cables and your iPad is safely housed within a practical slanted case. The retail price is at around $299, but if you don’t need the onboard mixer then the 2 channel iO Dock (below) might be just what you need.
Click here to visit the Alesis website and check out their iPad interfaces
