Tascam iU2 mobile interface
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- KVRist
- 111 posts since 22 Mar, 2005
Hi jjmcjj
Thanks for sharing! Can you elaborate a bit more on the overall experience. Any noise in the recorded audio or drop outs?
Many thanks
Thanks for sharing! Can you elaborate a bit more on the overall experience. Any noise in the recorded audio or drop outs?
Many thanks
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- KVRist
- 111 posts since 22 Mar, 2005
as far as I know as long as you connect the tascam iu2 in the right order you will be able to charge the ipad/iphone whilst using the interface 
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- KVRian
- 1239 posts since 17 Jul, 2003
Sounds good, thanks, order on the way.Michaelogoe wrote:as far as I know as long as you connect the tascam iu2 in the right order you will be able to charge the ipad/iphone whilst using the interface
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- KVRer
- 2 posts since 25 Sep, 2012
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I bought my iU2 in May 2012. I use it with my iPad 3 & GarageBand & a guitar. There were some teething problems when I got it with connecting cables but once sorted it's never been an issue BUT every time you change amp sim or pedal or other settings there is a 90% chance the sound will go nuts and I'll need to restart GarageBand again, it's nothing to do with the cables.I got notification from Tascam that there is a problem with the iPad 3 and iU2 that specifically affects GarageBand. Tascam suggested using Music Studio (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/music-st ... 08539?mt=8 (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/music-studio/id328608539?mt=8)) as it works ok. Music Studio is of no interest to me as all I want is amp syms and pedals.
All other features of the iU2 are great and I love the unit. I plug my PRS guitar into my valve amp (speaker silenced via load unit) and the line out of the valve amp into the iU2 (line level, right channel), iU2 into iPad3 and then iU2 output to my mixing desk. It's great, gives me some lovely speaker colour and effects to the fab line out of the amp. I have to practice pretty quiet so this is the best recorded sound I can get without buying some seriously expensive Palmer speaker simulation. The headphone connection on the iU2 is useless for my 80ohm studio headphones but I've got a 12 way headphone amp connected downstream to my mixing desk so it's no bother.
I've tested the iU2 with high end XLR dynamic and condenser mics needing phantom power, I've tested guitar level input, I've used left and right line in's - all in all this little iU2 is exactly what I want. The sound is clean and lovely, I'm not a recording professional but there is no noise or crackle to my ears.
So for six months I've been waiting for a fix as the setup is really annoying the hell out of me at the moment .... and then it arrived: iOS 6 + GarageBand update. So I thought "What the hell, go for it" and did the update. The result? You've guessed it, the iU2 is not recognised by the iPad3/GarageBand at all, not even charging. Game over.
The shop are happy to take the unit back, lovely people. But there isn't anything else to buy! All of these units are flawed at the moment and that appears to be thanks to Apple rather than Alesis, Tascam etc.
What should I do now? The Alesis IO dock was the next candidate but I'm now reading of problems, problems, problems with dock connectors and other stuff. Is anyone out there actually successfully using an iPad 3 as a personal effects chain for guitar? Is it actually possible or is this just an illusion at the moment?
I know I could now go and get a camera kit and switch the iU2 to 'computer' and I'll probably get something going but to be honest I'm bored as hell of wasting valuable playing time.
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- KVRist
- 243 posts since 18 Jul, 2003 from NJ
Just a thought on that, I don't know much about the iu2. If all you want is amp sims and effects, have you tried any of the other amp programs? I have jam up that I use with the bass amps and it sounds good for the reason I need it (practice and learning songs). But I have heard some great guitar tones by people online. Also, if you need a camera connector and that would make your iu2 work, I bought a generic camera connector on ebay for $3.49 shipped, and it works perfectly with my jailbroken iphone. I tried it on my wife's ipad but my keyboard needed more power than it could provide and I didn't have batteries with me on vacation, but the connector did recognize the keyboard right away so I'm assuming it works on ipad as well, where it is supposed to work. Hope that was of some help.
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- KVRian
- 1107 posts since 31 Oct, 2002 from the high desert
MIDI I/O might be the point...polaris20 wrote:I don't see any point to the iU2 now that the Focusrite iSolo is coming out.
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- KVRist
- 91 posts since 13 Dec, 2011
And stereo balanced inputs. And digital output.Aural Chaos wrote:MIDI I/O might be the point...polaris20 wrote:I don't see any point to the iU2 now that the Focusrite iSolo is coming out.
Although, with this new issue reported with the IU2 and IOS6, i'm not too motivated to invest in one. I think the Focusrite could have included more features, but they must have been trying to keep the cost down as much as possible.
I'm still looking for the ideal, portable, iPad recording interface.
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- KVRer
- 22 posts since 26 May, 2008
IF the problem with the iU2 in iOS 6 only affects GarageBand, I would be blaming Apple, not Tascam. And perhaps a software update will fix the issue. AFAIK at the moment the only simple solution for iDevices if you want audio and midi in one unit that is powered off the iThing that gives you the option of charging at the same time is the iU2. I personally can't be bother messing about with powered USB hubs and whatnot as being tethered to an electrical outlet defeats the point of mobile computing. Why aren't there more manufacturers bringing out interfaces similar to the iU2? There is clearly a demand for them.
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- KVRist
- 91 posts since 13 Dec, 2011
Are you referring to the ART USB dual Pre or the Sound Devices usbpre2?bafonso wrote:USBPre2.sonicflux wrote:I'm still looking for the ideal, portable, iPad recording interface.
The sound devices unit looks great, but it's out of my price range. I don't know it it would require a battery pack, either.
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- KVRian
- 1122 posts since 12 Mar, 2005
Despite those advantages (which I would never need on a tablet anyway) the device's reliability is so shady it doesn't seem worthwhile. I don't even see it in Tascam's current product listings anymore.sonicflux wrote:And stereo balanced inputs. And digital output.Aural Chaos wrote:MIDI I/O might be the point...polaris20 wrote:I don't see any point to the iU2 now that the Focusrite iSolo is coming out.
Although, with this new issue reported with the IU2 and IOS6, i'm not too motivated to invest in one. I think the Focusrite could have included more features, but they must have been trying to keep the cost down as much as possible.
I'm still looking for the ideal, portable, iPad recording interface.
I see the iPad as a portable scratchpad, of which the Focusrite will serve admirably with it's IO. As for MIDI, I already use the CCK anyway.