So, does anybody know if Amplitube for iOS is accessible? It
definitely isn't on the PC. I'm hoping things are better on an
iPhone with VoiceOver.
Here's the magazine review.
Chris
IK Multimedia iRig HD & Amplitube 3
Making Music On The Move
Published in SOS August 2013
Guitar Interface & Software For iOS
Until now, connecting guitars to an iOS device has usually been a
compromise between sound quality and portability. You essentially
have a choice between
larger, USB-type interfaces that sound good, or smaller interfaces
such as the iRig, which connect via the headphone jack and sound,
well, less good. IK
Multimedia aim to change all that with the introduction of the iRig HD.
App Works
Studio is Amplitube 3's built-in mini-DAW, but you'll need to make
an in-app purchase if you want the full eight tracks.
Studio is Amplitube 3's built-in mini-DAW, but you'll need to make
an in-app purchase if you want the full eight tracks.The iRig HD
connects to your iOS
device via a 30-pin, Lightning or USB connector, which covers just
about every generation of Apple or Android device. Best of all is
that a separate cable
for each connection is supplied with the unit.
The iRig HD enjoys a clean-sounding, low-noise preamp with 24-bit
A-D conversion that should satisfy most users (anyone too picky for
this probably wouldn't
be using modelled guitar apps anyway). The interface has a
quarter-inch guitar input, a gain-control wheel and a
signal-dependent LED. The unit is particularly
light; so light, in fact, that there's a very real danger of your
guitar cable yanking it off whatever it's sitting on and dragging
your iOS device along
with it. Despite this tendency, the iRig HD is a classy device and
guitarists seeking a high-quality, highly portable interface need
look no further.
Also worthy of attention is IK's new iLine kit ($59.99), which
bundles six useful cables into a handy carrying case and enables
you to connect your iOS
device to almost anything via stereo or mono adaptors, extenders or
splitters. Now plugging your iPhone or iPad into a mixer or guitar
amp couldn't be
easier. This is a 'must have' addition to any iOS guitarist's kit!
Amplitube 3 is IK Multimedia's latest update to their guitar amp
and effects app. The core set of five modelled guitar amps hasn't
changed, and includes
Fender, Vox, Marshall and Mesa-Boogie models, supplemented with an
Ampeg bass. Eleven effects are provided, including the expected
delay, chorus, filter,
fuzz and overdrive. (Amplitube users purchasing the iRig HD will
get two new amps and two new pedals as a bonus.) Surprisingly,
there is no compressor
included (it's available only via an in-app purchase), and I also
missed not having a traditional noise gate (another in-app purchase
option). The Noise
Filter provided doesn't adequately gate amp noise and instead
applies a low-pass EQ to the guitar signal, darkening the sound
significantly. On the other
hand, this really helps to roll back the digital glassiness present
on most amp models. The amps are pretty noisy when cranked up, so
this filter will
need to be present in the first effect slot most of the time,
especially if you're using guitars with single-coil pickups.
New to version 3 (via another in-app purchase) is Amplitube Studio,
which is a DAW package allowing basic recording and editing. It
offers a reasonable
feature set that includes the ability to click and drag tracks
around, create fades, split and trim audio files, punch-in record
and loop sections for
playback. Each track has a VU meter, three-band EQ, fader, pan knob
and two master effects sends (only one on the iPhone). Solo and
mute buttons are also
available per track. Audiobus integration and support for Audio
Copy/Paste allows Amplitube Studio to communicate with other iOS
music apps.
A feature referred to as 'effects freeze' allows you to use a
separate rig for each track. You record your guitar signal dry and
apply the guitar rig settings
during playback. This allows you to go back and change the rig
after recording, which is especially handy if you're not happy with
the way something is
sitting in the mix.
This is all good stuff, but not everything is rosy in the garden. I
would have expected a few more amps and effects to be included with
a third-generation
app. Too much time is wasted cancelling out unwanted pop-up
dialogues asking if you'd like to make an in-app purchase, and some
presets that come loaded
with the core app can't be used until you buy the missing amp or
effects. I would have preferred banks of presets that worked just
with what the app came
with. In fact, I couldn't help feeling the whole app is a little
bit light on the features, and a bit heavy on in-app purchases, and
a fully decked-out
Amplitube is a fairly deep investment.
Guitar players can be finicky when it comes to amp and effects
tone, so be sure to download the free version and give it a try
before buying the full version.
I had to work a little harder than usual to get what I considered a
good tone. Overall, though, Amplitube 3 bundled with Studio is a
well-rounded solution
if you need an all-in-one portable rig. Bill Lacey
iRig HD $99.99, Amplittube 3 $19.99.
www.ikmultimedia.com
--------------------------------------------------
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