iRig Merits and De-merits?

[morningstar]

Anybody tried an iRig?

I am in a situation where I can't get loud, and really find my Pocket Pod kinda crappy and my old XT Live big and klunky. I have an unused iPod Touch I can dedicate.

Reports please? Anything difficult or weird about the device, software, installation, etc???

Thanks

morningstar

[mathman]

I have it and the amplitube software for my ipod touch. It works really well. Sounds good, not great but definitely fun to use. The full version has enough amps and effects to cover many styles. The recorder works but there are some quirks with the recorder.

After recording a track you may have to enable the input again or you won't hear anything while playing.

There are some problems for some people when they first get it, if they had carried the iphone in their pocket alot without headphones. The jacks of the iphone would be "dirty" and the irig wouldn't get a good connection.

I like mine, I don't use it as much as I thought I would but that's cause I have the software on my computer and it is always setup and ready to go.

[velorush]

I'd asked about this a couple of months ago. Seems great, but then I found this:

The Peavey adapter is powered which supposedly provides better fidelity. I think either would be great fun.

FWIW, AmpKit / Link is more expensive.

a comparison of the two. There are other comparisons, but this one makes some excellent points.

My iPhone is supposed to ship by Friday, so obviously I have no direct experience, just internerd research.

[morningstar]

Hey thanks guys. It does appear the Peavey is winning so far. I don't need deep fancy stuff, but some of the emulations pretty much convince me the Peavey has what I want.

Peavey dot come has them for $29 which is eliminates the cost factor.

rawk!\\

morningstar

[mathman]

Hey thanks guys. It does appear the Peavey is winning so far. I don't need deep fancy stuff, but some of the emulations pretty much convince me the Peavey has what I want.

Peavey dot come has them for $29 which is eliminates the cost factor.

rawk!\\

morningstar

Just remember that neither of these input devices comes with the software. You can get a free version but the extra stuff or the full version cost extra.

[zenmindbeginner]

I had massive problems with it working on the 3G but I'm probably the only person in the world that still has a iPhone 3G.

The biggest problem that I have with it has nothing to do with the iRig. The iPhone, iPod and iPod Touch are all prone to let in a SHITLOAD of EMI/RFI interference (I think that the iPad is immune from this achilles heal..

What I wanted to do with the iRig (and I suspect that many others will want to do the same) is use it as an ultra portable rig with a set of powered speakers.

BAD idea because the powered speakers give off LOTS of EMI/RFI and the iPhone picks it all up and sends it out the jack into the powered speakers to be amplified. The result is little to no guitar signal and lots of that sound of a bee trapped inside the iPhone (dat-dat-dat-dat-dat-dat-dat-dat). I get this when listening to streamed stuff through a set of powered speakers ALL of the time. The iPhone has to be several feet away from the powered speakers which is a bit silly for a portable tabletop rig... I just create a Faraday cage by enclosing the iPhone completely in aluminum foil which shuts out the electromagnetic interference allowing for a nice and clean sound.

I can't fiddle with the settings while it's enclosed in foil so there has to be a better solution, which there is none. Apple refuses to even acknowledge the interference problem... I suppose it's difficult to root out EMI/RFI leakage in a cellular transmitting device, but it can be done. Nothing will be done as long as Apple continues to ignore this ratty achilles heal while winking at IK multimedia to keep pushing their entire line because it drives iPhone sales.

[morningstar]

How about a foil-wrapped shoe box? You can get in if you need to and the lid would come off easily. ???

morningstar

[morningstar]

Report: AmpKit is an awesome little device! It is true it does not come with much, but if all you want is a practice amp you can use anywhere, this is the schmidt!

Enjoy yours.

morningstar

[hamersandstrats]

For practice, I just bought the Apogee Jam. This unit works very well with my MacBook Pro using GarageBand, and also into the iPhone.

No noise or latency issues.

[Jeff Nixon]

For practice, I just bought the Apogee Jam. This unit works very well with my MacBook Pro using GarageBand, and also into the iPhone.

No noise or latency issues.

Same here. I also have the iRig and prefer the Apogee Jam. I was getting a lot of feedback and noise with the iRig, but none of that with the Apogee Jam.

[gorch]

10 months later. What's working best these days, especially for the iPad?

[HAMERMAN]

_{This seems like a nice way to go. Battery powered, effects bypass switch, adjustable input gain and a long cord so that your guitar or headphone cord don't pull your phone onto the ground:}

_{http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irigstomp/}

[geoff_hartwell]

That iRig stomp is killer! I dream of the day when I can go to gigs with just a guitar and an iPad or laptop.

Is there a iPad/iPod/iPhone rig that has several switches for stompboxes?

It appears that the iRig stomp's switch is really just to turn the signal on and off.

I've seen the digitech iPad housing (ipb-10), but that costs 3 or 400, and you may as well just use a digitech RP, or line 6 podhd at that point...

[Mindseyes]

My experience has been that anything that uses the dock connection sound waaaaay better than the headphone jack.

YMMV

[mathman]

My experience has been that anything that uses the dock connection sound waaaaay better than the headphone jack.

YMMV

+ 1

[CraigP]

I also had the iRig and then switched to the more expensive Apogee Jam. I had tons of static interference with the iRig when hooked up to either my iPhone or my iPad. That is gone with the Apogee Jam. The better performance is suppose to be due to the fact that the Apogee Jam does not connect via the headphone jack, but directly into your Apple power connection (or whatever that is called). The Apogee Jam also has a nice dial to adjust the gain at the device. I find it works well with AmpKit on my iPhone or Garageband on my iPad.

[savethematches]

I bought the PV a couple of weeks ago and love it. The Ampkit app is free and sounds really good. Minimal amount of models included but you can buy more for cheap. I bought the delay and chorus pedals to complete a smokin practice rig.