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-   -   Advice please (#1): Simple way to use mic with iPad Pro 10.5 (2017) (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=581677)

Long Road Home 05-19-2020 11:47 AM

Advice please (#1): Simple way to use mic with iPad Pro 10.5 (2017)
 
I’m looking for advice on a relatively simple, inexpensive (under $200 total) way to use my iPad Pro 10.5 inch (2017) to collaborate. This would be practicing with 1-3 other people remotely and possibly streaming as well (Zoom, FB Live). I am the rhythm guitarist and do the majority of the singing in this group.

I have spent hours reading threads on AGF (very helpful as a starting point) and doing research on the web. For the sake of simplicity, I think my best option is to buy a USB mic and Apple USB 3.0 to lightning camera cable ($39).

Here are the 3 USB mics that I am considering (I’d love to get an Apogee HypeMic, but at $349, that’s not in my budget).

- Rode NT-USB @ $169 (which puts me $8 over budget… I can handle that).

- Audio-Technica AT2020+ @ $149

- Samson G-Track Pro USB @130 (which has a built-in audio interface and allows you to plug a guitar in… that’s what makes it attractive to me)

Both the Rode and the Audio-Technica seem to be well-liked. There’s less out there on the Samson, but what is there is also very positive. All of them will allow me to plug in headphones and control the mix of what’s coming out of my mic and the music coming from the iPad (from others).

I also looked at buying an audio interface (Audient EVO 4 or Focusrite Scarlett 2i2) and using my Sennheiser e935, but I would prefer not to go through that learning curve (I watched too many videos showing how to work with DAWs that make my eyes glaze over). It appears that it may be possible to bypass the computer/DAW and use a powered USB hub between the audio interface and the USB to lightning cable into the iPad, so I’m still considering that solution too, since it would allow more flexibility down the road.

Listening… please speak very slowly and in non-technical language ;).

Long Road Home 05-21-2020 10:18 AM

Bueller? ...Bueller?

rob2966 05-21-2020 10:43 AM

The iRig PRE is probably the easiest/cheapest way to connect a mic to your iPad.

I would expect it to work reasonably well for streaming since I think it just takes over the built in microphone input.

Now, collaborating live is a whole other challenge. I have an acoustic duo (I play and sing backup, other lead singer) and we have used JamKazam with some success for online practicing. There is a wee bit of latency but is ok. Now, you need to be reasonably geo located and you have to be hard-wired, no WiFi, so not a solution for iPad.

There may be other options out there that are iPad supported.

The main problem with Zoom, etc is they usually filter the audio (to reduce bandwidth) around voice frequencies. Hence, you would hear the singing, but the top/bottom of the instruments may not come through very well. Also, apps like Zoom don't really care about latency so it could be too lengthy to be usable.

Later
Rob

Long Road Home 05-21-2020 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rob2966 (Post 6387475)
The iRig PRE is probably the easiest/cheapest way to connect a mic to your iPad.

I would expect it to work reasonably well for streaming since I think it just takes over the built in microphone input.

Now, collaborating live is a whole other challenge. I have an acoustic duo (I play and sing backup, other lead singer) and we have used JamKazam with some success for online practicing. There is a wee bit of latency but is ok. Now, you need to be reasonably geo located and you have to be hard-wired, no WiFi, so not a solution for iPad.

There may be other options out there that are iPad supported.

The main problem with Zoom, etc is they usually filter the audio (to reduce bandwidth) around voice frequencies. Hence, you would hear the singing, but the top/bottom of the instruments may not come through very well. Also, apps like Zoom don't really care about latency so it could be too lengthy to be usable.

Later
Rob

Thanks Rob. BTW, I see that there's both an analog and digital version of the iRig Pre. Which one are you referring to (or which would you recommend)?

Stringmaster 05-21-2020 03:20 PM

Can the iRig be used with a Windows computer in addition to an iPad or iPhone?

tadol 05-23-2020 08:42 PM

I use an older Apogee MiC , think its the 96k, with a Monoprice USB C to A adapter ($5.00) and it works fine - in fact, the adapter might work with any USB mic, but I haven’t tried -


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