KVR Audio

flbrad · Post by **flbrad** » Fri Nov 02, 2012 9:15 pm

Got the newest iPad with the A6 processor this morning. Not the mini, the full size new iPad with the lightning connector. I also bought the short cable version of the Lightning to USB connector from Apple.

I can confirm that connecting the MAudio UNO midi adapter via the lighting to USB cable works fine. All my synth apps like Alchemy, Magellan and Animoog are able to see my attached Roland A500 Pro keyboard through the midi ports to MAudio UNO to lightning connector on the iPad. It seems that core midi through the lightning port is working as I hoped.

Note, my keyboard also has a USB port on it that can connect directly to a PC, but since it draws power for the keyboard through the USB this method will not work with the iPad., it never did. I have to power the keyboard with an external power supply and use the midi adapter. I have been told that using a powered USB hub may be a work around for this, allowing me to not need the midi adapter, but I have not tried that yet.

My next task to start running some synths in the background. My first iPad could do it but was very sluggish. hoping for better speed now with new processor.

flbrad · Post by **flbrad** » Fri Nov 02, 2012 9:43 pm

Confirmed Nodebeat HD controlling Sunrizer synth in background works much smoother than on first gen iPad. No surprise really. Good to have the faster processor!

Now will attempt to attach an audio interface through the lightning to USB adapter and a powered USB hub.

flbrad · Post by **flbrad** » Fri Nov 02, 2012 10:33 pm

Confirmed lightning connector to USB adapter works with my external audio interface.

I am using a Tapco Link.usb 2x2 audio interface connected via USB to a powered USB hub then through Apple's lighting to USB cable to the newest iPad with lightning connector.

Both the audio out and audio in work. For example, I have a mic plugged into the back of the audio interface and can use the interface knobs to control mic level going into recording apps on the iPad, such as Loopy HD. Sound is coming out of the iPad and going back out through my audio interface to powered speakers, bypassing the headphone out of the iPad and allowing me to control volume with the interface's knobs.

The only downside so far of this setup is that my iPad is not recharging while connected to the powered hub. So my sessions will still rely on the iPad's battery life.

So it seems my questions about getting the iPad with lightning port and it working with my existing gear are answered. I hope this helps others out there with similar concerns.

If you have other equipment you are setting up via the Lightning connector, feel free to add your experiences below.

hogo · Post by **hogo** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 12:48 am

I wonder if alesis is even working on an io dock for the lightening iPads.

Jace-BeOS · Post by **Jace-BeOS** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 1:20 am

Thanks for posting this. If my current problems on eBay don't wrongly freeze my PayPal account, I'm soon to get an iPad and start looking at peripherals and such. No need to await lightning connector versions.

polaris20 · Post by **polaris20** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 8:26 pm

hogo wrote:I wonder if alesis is even working on an io dock for the lightening iPads.

The io Dock has been a flawed design since day one. Not only is the connector change a problem, but the iPads have changed shape slightly, and now there's a Mini. There's simply no reason to make interfaces like that, and now that there's the Focusite iSolo and the Roland EX device, there's really no reason to pay attention to Alesis anymore.

iPlogger · Post by **iPlogger** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:46 am

Just picked up the new iPad last night. Has anyone tried using the lightning to 30-pin adapter with a 30-pin MIDI device (iRig MIDI, iConnectMIDI, etc.)? I'm wondering about any latency as the adapter has to do some conversion.

Glad to hear things are working well with the USB adapter.

T-CM11 · Post by **T-CM11** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 12:09 pm

polaris20 wrote:
hogo wrote:I wonder if alesis is even working on an io dock for the lightening iPads.
The io Dock has been a flawed design since day one. Not only is the connector change a problem, but the iPads have changed shape slightly, and now there's a Mini. There's simply no reason to make interfaces like that, and now that there's the Focusite iSolo and the Roland EX device, there's really no reason to pay attention to Alesis anymore.

The IO Dock is fine for what it does (except sysex).
Not being absolutely futureproof doesn't make it "flawed since day one".

polaris20 · Post by **polaris20** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 2:14 pm

T-CM11 wrote:
polaris20 wrote:
hogo wrote:I wonder if alesis is even working on an io dock for the lightening iPads.
The io Dock has been a flawed design since day one. Not only is the connector change a problem, but the iPads have changed shape slightly, and now there's a Mini. There's simply no reason to make interfaces like that, and now that there's the Focusite iSolo and the Roland EX device, there's really no reason to pay attention to Alesis anymore.
The IO Dock is fine for what it does (except sysex).
Not being absolutely futureproof doesn't make it "flawed since day one".

That's a bit subjective, I suppose. I consider it a flawed design if it can't remain relevant for at least 3 years. Had they simply made it a regular audio interface, it would be fine for years to come.

As it stands now, anyone with an io dock and a new iPad w/ Lightning will have to use the adapter cable, which will be rather cumbersome, IMO.

T-CM11 · Post by **T-CM11** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 3:34 pm

polaris20 wrote: As it stands now, anyone with an io dock and a new iPad w/ Lightning will have to use the adapter cable, which will be rather cumbersome, IMO.

So what happened to their old iPad? Did the dog eat it?

polaris20 · Post by **polaris20** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:27 pm

T-CM11 wrote:
polaris20 wrote: As it stands now, anyone with an io dock and a new iPad w/ Lightning will have to use the adapter cable, which will be rather cumbersome, IMO.
So what happened to their old iPad? Did the dog eat it?

No, their new iPad ate it, because it's so much faster the old one is useless. The A6X is incomparably faster than the A5 and especially A4, and will definitely benefit those using it for audio. Had Alesis just done a simple, regular audio interface that had a dock connector cable, it wouldn't have been a problem. However, it wouldn't have looked as "neato" either.

Aural Chaos · Post by **Aural Chaos** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 3:33 am

polaris20 wrote:
No, their new iPad ate it, because it's so much faster the old one is useless..

Just have to laugh when people,say things like that. Like apps that used to work fine on the older model suddenly become completely non functional when something newer comes along....

Dogboy73 · Post by **Dogboy73** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 4:35 am

I thought the new Apple connection standard was called Thunderbolt?! ...... Or is that something else?

iPlogger · Post by **iPlogger** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 5:35 am

I believe Thunderbolt is a Mac computer port/connector. Lightning is the new connector for iPhone/iPad/iPod.

T-CM11 · Post by **T-CM11** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 8:04 am

Aural Chaos wrote:
polaris20 wrote:
No, their new iPad ate it, because it's so much faster the old one is useless..
Just have to laugh when people,say things like that. Like apps that used to work fine on the older model suddenly become completely non functional when something newer comes along....

Don't know if it's something to laugh about... maybe it's a medical condition?

Why would I do away with my very functional iPad+IO Dock just because something new & shiny appears?

Confirmed working with Lightning iPad