Got iPad Air - Have a few questions

[luxth]

Hello,

being a PC guy for years I recently decided to get an iPad Air to use as a synth sound generator running all the cool synths and apps out on the market.

My ideal iPad station would be a 25 keys keyboard and decent audio out for recording/performing.

I've done a few researches and found a few devices which look interesting. I've noticed though that most are Midi-only or Audio(in). Just a few devices like Alesis IO Dock or seem to offer unbalanced jack stereo out and midi in/out.

Does that mean that I can reasonably connect a midi/usb keyboard (perhaps with the camera connector) and have audio recorded just using a stereo minijack->double mono jack cable out of default iPad audio mini out? or having a dedicated audio interface is mandatory?

Problem with Alesis IO Dock is that it doesnt support lightning cable (not officially at least), and probably Air's dimensions arent fully compatible.


What do you suggest to get a nicely performing synth station our of my iPad? What can be considered a reasonable combination of external devices?

Thanks in advance
Cheers
Luca

[polaris20]

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DuoCaptureEX

Has both audio IO as well as MIDI, works with the iPad Air via the Apple CCK. Or, you could just run the 1/8" out to a split 1/4". I've done that too, and it sounds fine.

http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMP153-Cable ... B000068O3C

You'd want the longer version though, obviously.

[Bathrobe]

Hi Luca,
You might want to take a look at the iconnect2+ which offers midi in&out as well as audio passthrough to your computer and you can use the converts that you already have.
This works quite well and you won't degrade your sound with cheap converters, because the audiostream is digital.

http://www.iconnectivity.com/iConnectMIDI2plus

[iPlogger]

I recommend starting out simple. A USB keyboard with the lightning/USB CCK and use the 1/8" audio out to 1/4". See how you like it. See how often you use it. The CCK is also useful for downloading photos from your camera and even hooking up a USB typing keyboard (as opposed to a piano keyboard). If you find yourself using it a lot, then expand it from there. I just recommend beginning simple and getting comfortable with things before spending money on more things that may or may not fit what your needs are. That will allow you to have immediate fun while allowing you to spend time examining the various options for your next step.

One thing regarding the iConnectMIDI2+ is it does not allow you to hook up USB keyboards. MIDI keyboards will work, though.

When looking for Auido/MIDI devices, be sure it will work with USB keyboards if that is what you plan on getting. Or make sure they work with both. Do you plan on having a mixture of USB and MIDI keyboards? Just MIDI? Or just USB?

[luxth]

Thanks a lot polaris20, Bathrobe and iPlogger, lot of nice points and suggestions.

I find interesting both the Roland (although I wonder what latency I could experiment) for a more typical performing asset and the iConnect which I could consider for connecting my actual daw and recording iPad output in an almost lossless form.

I think, being new in the iApple world, I will at first try the simple approach iPlogger suggests and start from there. Actually I have a remote 25 LE which, according to Synthopia list of compatible devices, could be surprisingly usable for the scope. Of course I'll be able to verify that very soon, once I got my CCK.
Otherwise I could get a small usb controller like the launchkey or others known as compatible

Thanks again everyone
Luca

[hogo]

I would recommend the iconnectmidi 2+ or anything from Apogee. Great sound, tons of options. I own the io dock, and it's simply too problematic and the converters are absolute poo.