KVR Audio

mcnys · Post by **mcnys** » Wed Sep 11, 2013 7:56 am

hello, so i'm planning on buying ipad for music apps...

i can't buy 4th generation ipad, its too expensive for me, so i'm thinking either ipad mini or 3dr generation ipad...so as far as i understand ipad mini is ipad 2 but smaller, am i right?

also are there any apps that require ipad4? will be ipad mini be enough for my needs?

i will be using cubasis with audiobus with some other apps (synths and stuff).

mkdr · Post by **mkdr** » Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:32 am

Depends on what you want it for. If only for music apps you're looking at it all wrong. It's super expensive for just that. You can get way better midi controllers for the same price.

If though you are looking at it as a multimedia device, reading device and an internet communication tool you should get one with the high resolution screen. So either 3rd or 4th gen. If you are willing to settle for a low resolution screen(dont!) you could as well get a more mature Android tablet instead of the mini ipad.

Ios 7 is coming soon which should fix some of the many bugs on ipads, so maybe wait for that too before making a decision.

Spiritos · Post by **Spiritos** » Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:33 am

I think you need iOS5 for most music apps. if the iPad 2 supports that I think your're good to go. You might reconsider buying a used one or there are multiple auctions and free offers in combination with a phone contract or something.

mcnys · Post by **mcnys** » Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:52 am

well i already have some hardware (home studio, if we can call it that), i just want a portable device to make some music(sketches), that i will finish on a proper daw. also a reading and multimedia device would be also be of some use(maybe few games too). so probably 3rd generation would be mostly enough? also ios7 will be awailable for older devices too, like ipad2,3?

BMoore · Post by **BMoore** » Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:55 am

Yes. The iPad mini is just a smaller iPad 2, performance wise. And the mini uses the newer "lightning" connector/cable, same as on the 3 and 4.
The CPU is the same on mini, 2 and 3.
But the GPU (gfx processor) is twice as fast on 3. Not sure how much that will speed up music apps.
The "retina" resolution on the 3 is a vast improvement over the mini and 2.

But, the 3 has 1 GB RAM, vs 512MB in the mini and 2.
This is probably the most significant difference in performance relating to music apps. Audiobus etc. runs better.

And yes, 2 and 3 will get iOS 7.

Go for iPad 3.

BMoore · Post by **BMoore** » Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:58 am

mkdr wrote:Depends on what you want it for. If only for music apps you're looking at it all wrong. It's super expensive for just that. You can get way better midi controllers for the same price.

If though you are looking at it as a multimedia device, reading device and an internet communication tool you should get one with the high resolution screen. So either 3rd or 4th gen. If you are willing to settle for a low resolution screen(dont!) you could as well get a more mature Android tablet instead of the mini ipad.

Ios 7 is coming soon which should fix some of the many bugs on ipads, so maybe wait for that too before making a decision.

Why do you compare using an iPad for music apps, with a midi controller?

Armadillosound · Post by **Armadillosound** » Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:59 am

If you can't stretch to the ipad 4 then i'd go for the ipad 3.
The extra screen size is much better than the mini.

discoDSP · Post by **discoDSP** » Wed Sep 11, 2013 9:03 am

mcnys wrote: i can't buy 4th generation ipad, its too expensive for me

Check Apple's refurb store under Shop > Buy iPad > Certified Refurbished.

Armadillosound · Post by **Armadillosound** » Wed Sep 11, 2013 9:18 am

George wrote:
mcnys wrote: i can't buy 4th generation ipad, its too expensive for me
Check Apple's refurb store under Shop > Buy iPad > Certified Refurbished.

Good suggestion

mcnys · Post by **mcnys** » Wed Sep 11, 2013 9:21 am

well i can buy it only from my country...its a little bit cheaper that way

Armadillosound · Post by **Armadillosound** » Wed Sep 11, 2013 9:25 am

mcnys wrote:well i can buy it only from my country...its a little bit cheaper that way

I guess it depends on which country you're in.
Definitely worth looking into though.

IncarnateX · Post by **IncarnateX** » Wed Sep 11, 2013 9:38 am

If you cannot afford 4th, then you might as well get an iPad2 or a mini if you are long-sighted and can work with smaller screens.
iPad3 has a little faster processer than iPad2 and 1 GB ram instead of 500 MB but according to test as well as rumors, it uses all the extra power on the retina graphics and does not perform significantly better. Besides some claim it gets warm with extensive use and that the battery time is worse than the iPad2's.

BiancaNeve · Post by **BiancaNeve** » Wed Sep 11, 2013 11:56 am

Or wait a couple of months for the ipad 5 at which point the price of ipad 4 will drop so you may be able to get one of those

I would rather have a 32gb or better ipad 3 than 16gb ipad 4 though.

el-bo (formerly ebow) · Wed Sep 11, 2013 3:51 pm

mkdr wrote:Depends on what you want it for. If only for music apps you're looking at it all wrong. It's super expensive for just that. You can get way better midi controllers for the same price.

I would argue the complete opposite

First, not sure where the "midi controllers" idea came from. It seems to be missing from the op's intended use. Had it been mentioned it still is not so clear cut. Tablets make for great midi controllers. What they lack in tactile feedback and miniscule latency they make up for in flexibility and programability

As to you other statement, I would suggest that Music making is for many users what will justify the extra expense. I have owned an android tablet for ages and it ended up relegated to bedside table movie watching and 'fruit ninja' on the toilet. Now i have an ipad I am realising the benefits of music creation away from a fixed setup (and more convenient than lugging a laptop and bits around), and how certain apps really exploit the touch interface to create new forms of musical instrument

If you don't want to make music and aren't into apple's with-training-wheels, closed mobile OS (something I actually prefer in a device like this), then get a much better spec'd android tablet for less money

All tablets play video, play games and surf the web, but at this point in time there really is only one worthwhile option for making music

Would definitely recommend a full size over a mini for music-making. I also use mine for reading pdf's at a much better size and resolution. Really helps with RTFM'ing. Were it not for these two things I would definitely prefer the smaller form factor of the 'mini'

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Wed Sep 11, 2013 4:01 pm

+1 to everything el-bo wrote, especially this:

el-bo (formerly ebow) wrote: Would definitely recommend a full size over a mini for music-making.

We just upgraded my wife's iPad1 to a Mini and, while she loves it because it fits in her purse, there's no way I'd want one for mobile music production. Trying to make music on something that small would be unbearable AFAIC. I agree with some of the others above that the iPad3 is probably the best option, unless you can wait for the iPad5 to be released and look for a deal on an iPad4.

Buying ipad, what model?