Ultimately, I went back to using an amp and pedals for live use because it was easier for me to set up than the iPad with interface, long cables, etc. In terms of my interest in it, I tried playing live and jamming with my iPad as my amp and pedal setup for over a year, it sounded good, and no one could tell I wasn’t using an amp. Looks like a solid device, and I would think they’d be able to sell a few more of their mic stand iOS device clips with this thing. I can’t imagine them not including a cable long enough to connect your device from a mic stand. I think it's a niche product that could be immensely useful for a narrow subset of guitar players that rely on a particular amp modeling app that fully supports said:

And if I'm doing something other than guitar, then I definitely don't want it on the floor. I probably want it between waist and shoulder level so I can change settings and tweak around with effects and amps. If I'm going to stepping and stomping all over a floor unit, I don't want my glass screen iPad right next to what I'm doing. The latter two items, plus the size of this thing send it to the floor, which is precisely where I don't want my $1,000 iPad Pro 12.9' to be. It's basically the combination of a $100 interface, the BT4 footswitcher (though, I assume, controlling through Lightning jack, not BT), and an expression pedal. I think best case scenario is that it turns your guitar setup into an equivalent of the ($1,000) HeadRush pedalboard, using other software/hardware you already have.īut it's a strange marriage of different products that I'm not sure needs to be all in a floorboard device. Interesting certainly got my attention as a guitar player, since that's a form factor we're used to. Who knows where the music would have taken me if I’d had one of these back in my youth? Maybe there’s time yet for that Glastonbury performance.Hmm. My now-aged digital multi-effects pedal, the Boss GT-6, was my prized possession back in the days of my band. The IK Multimedia iRig Stomp I/O costs $299, which translates roughly to £235 or AU$410 – an absolute steal given its versatility, durability and the wealth of software it comes with. What does frustrate a little though is the extension cable – it’s great to be able to place your iPad wired up on a stand (if plugged into a mains connection, the pedalboard can charge your tablet, too), but making the extension cable a sold-separately extra feels a little bit unfair. But with the benefits of leaving the touchscreen being accessible part of the appeal, I’m not sure how IK Multimedia could effectively protect the screen without leaving it covered up. I’m not convinced I’d want to take my iPad to a beer-raining gig however, as it’d be exposed to all manner of potential injury in a live setting. Built with a metal chassis, I could happily stamp on it without fear of doing it damage, with its weight keeping it from shifting underfoot. Together, they give you hundreds of effects modelling options for guitars and vocals, letting you fine tune your sound to a professional standard. When bought it is also packaged with software that’d cost you several hundred dollars or pounds if bought separately, including the excellent AmpliTube 4 Deluxe, AmpliTube for iPhone and iPad, AmpliTube Acoustic for iOS, VocaLive, MicRoom and more. Within minutes I was strumming away in Garageband, laying down tracks and vocals, with the unit acting as a MIDI foot controller. While it’s not unique among modern Apple-compatible audio interfaces, compared to the audio interfaces of old being able to simply plug in the Stomp I/O and have it instantly recognised as an 96kHz/24-bit input device for my Mac was a dream (with some light configuration it’ll work with Windows devices, too). Input and master output also have master gain dials for you to fiddle with. If you’re hooking it up to a Mac, it’ll work over USB power, but there’s also a power pack if you want to take the board on the go with you.Īround the rear there’s one XLR/quarter inch input for guitars with a 48v phantom power switch, MIDI in and out, ports to connect up to external pedals or switches, USB and lightning ports, a headphone output and a balanced stereo line output. An evolution of IK’s iRig line, the first manufacturer to really take iOS audio interfaces seriously, it’s as happy pairing up with your iPad or iPhone as it is with a MacBook, comprising of four stomp switches (with red-to-green gain LEDS), an expression pedal and a slot for popping in your iPad for use on the go.

Irig stomp