iRig Pro, my thoughts

[polaris20]

I just picked up the IK Multimedia iRig Pro recently, after selling my (perfectly capable) Apogee Jam.

This device covers a lot of ground in a device not much bigger than two packs of Bubblicious, and even has room for a battery for the phantom power (more on that later).

The iRig Pro allows for three connections: direct guitar via 1/4″, microphone via XLR (with phantom power, if needed), and MIDI via weird 1/8″ to 5-pin MIDI cable (included).

This in turn connects to the iPhone or iPad via Lightning or 30-pin, both of which are included as well.

Thus far, I've ran a couple electrics of varying pickup strength through it, as well as a large diaphragm condenser mic, and all work very well. There's very little, if any noise to be detected, and, as long as you kill all other open apps, very little latency. The mic pre is powered by a single 9v battery, and it sounds impressive for a device of this size and cost. In fact, I don't think my Steinberg interface is any better. It's extremely easy getting proper levels for it, just by following the LED indicators, and watching the virtual VU meter in GB.

Because there's still no headphone out of the device itself, you'll need to utilize the iOS device's regular headphone out for connectivity. I don't really view that as too big of a setback, given that cables are readily available to adapt it to whatever you need.

MIDI works really well too, particularly with GarageBand and Sampletank's virtual instruments. In this case, I used my YRG funky guitar-shaped MIDI controller, which has the 5-pin output. The YRG performed here as it always does connected to anything else, which is to say quite nicely.

All in all, it may seem a bit odd to want to connect all of this stuff to a little phone, and in the case of the condenser mic, it probably is. But the strength of it is that I can jam on an electric with just my phone, I can do MIDI work and acoustic guitar on my iPad, and ANY of that is very simply imported into Logic X, and from there can be continued to be worked on. MIDI in particular is actually a blast to work on with the iPad, due to the touchscreen.

What I have found cool for awhile now is to work entirely in GarageBand, recording electrics with their (somewhat mediocre) amp models, instruments, etc. Then when imported into Logic, I simply swap the amp modeling for Amplitube or GuitarRig 5, the drums for EZ Drummer (since it's just MIDI), and the virtual instruments for Sampletank or a Logic instrument (since it's also MIDI). The overall flexibility is amazing, and a lot of fun.

Overall, I recommend the iRig Pro. It's more flexible than the iRig HD, Jam, or L6 Sonicport, and the sound quality is far superior to the original iRig stuff.

One other frustrating thing that's easily worked around, but frustrating anyway: the Lightning cable doesn't fit in the iPad Air with Apple's Smart Case on. I have to either take the iPad out when I want to use the iRig Pro, or use the iRig with the (included) USB cable, then from there to the Apple CCK. That's how I've been using it, since I've upgraded recently from an iPad 3 to the Air. Looking at IK's Lightning cable and comparing it to the official Apple CCK cable, as well as to a MonoPrice lightning cable, the IK cable is WAY thicker at the connector. Why, I do not know.

[martygras]

Great review man. Very thorough.

I guess the covers/cases will always have issues with allowing enough room for the camera connection kits and other adapters.

Any indications of how long the phantom will go on one 9V?

[polaris20]

Great review man. Very thorough.

I guess the covers/cases will always have issues with allowing enough room for the camera connection kits and other adapters.

Any indications of how long the phantom will go on one 9V?

The camera connection kit fits fine with the case on; it's just the IK cable that doesn't. Ah well.

As for battery power; honestly, I've been doing mostly electric stuff lately, but I've done a couple days of acoustic recording and it's still going, so about a few hours so far.

Funny note: this thing just came out, so it's not like the one I got was sitting on a shelf a long time at Sweetwater. 9V battery was included, which is a nice touch. However it was completely dead.

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

Funny note: this thing just came out, so it's not like the one I got was sitting on a shelf a long time at Sweetwater. 9V battery was included, which is a nice touch. However it was completely dead.

Sorry, that's me. They make me lick each 9V before it goes out and I enjoyed a few of them a bit longer than I should have

Seriously, though, I will note this - I know it seems like an odd little thing overall it still isn't what we'd like to have happen of course. We don't want someone stuck without phantom power if they don't happen to have another at home at the time.

[polaris20]

Funny note: this thing just came out, so it's not like the one I got was sitting on a shelf a long time at Sweetwater. 9V battery was included, which is a nice touch. However it was completely dead.

Sorry, that's me. They make me lick each 9V before it goes out and I enjoyed a few of them a bit longer than I should have

Seriously, though, I will note this - I know it seems like an odd little thing overall it still isn't what we'd like to have happen of course. We don't want someone stuck without phantom power if they don't happen to have another at home at the time.

It kinda freaked me out at first, because I just assumed the included battery would work, and when the phantom power didn't work, I thought I had a defective unit!

Obviously not a big deal to put a fresh one in. It's pretty astonishing the quality you can get out of just an iPhone 5, a mic, and this little device.