IK MULTIMEDIA gatecrashes the Apple App store with iRig

Not often that I get this excited of an iPhone plugin. Does it show? OK OK its also for you peeps with iPod Touch and iPad. But I think for those guitar geeks who's had enough carrying their pedals and also audio producers who wants something new, here's iRig from IK Multimedia.


I don't know what you guys use with your guitar rig. I have a couple of BOSS pedals, Boss GT8, Dunlop Cry Baby, Koch Twintone, Marshall 4x12 Greenback, a vintage Rane Bass cab, KORG Toneport... well you know how the list goes. But when I started working behind the glass as an audio engineer, I've been trying to travel light taking my laptop and digital mixer with me. Most times, the sound you capture of the mic or the guitar fx the gutarist use just don't cut the cake. Often us folks will be out seeking for better reverbs or compressors. But never would I thought we'd be presented with iRig™.

I'd assume you know how a guitar FX works; what each of the stomp box does, how the cab or various microphone selected will affect the overall sound. But to have it all fit in your pocket is just purely insane. BUT what I'm more excited for is its other use behind the desk as an external insert. In short I would love to try this thing. Its out of the future, its out of your pocket!

PRESET

Save and recall up to 36 presets for the entire AmpliTube rig, including all effects, amplifiers, cabinets and microphone settings. Tap on these large pads to immediately recall a preset or hold to store.

SONG

Tranfer via Wi-Fi any song you want to learn or play along from a computer to AmpliTube for iPhone. You'll play mixing your sound with the songs, allowing you to practice, learn or just have fun!

TOOLS

Tune your guitar, bass or any other instrument with the built-in precision chromatic tuner. Practice with the integrated metronome, you can enter a BPM tempo or just TAP it by following a song. When you need to play and experiment with AmpliTube sounds but can't connect a guitar just start the included audio demos and start tweaking the stomp effects and the amps.

SETUP

Setup how AmpliTube for iPhone performs here. You can control latency, enable Feedback control, and set if the Application can set the iPhone or iPod to sleep when playing for long time.

WHO WANTS THIS?
Without a doubt, I want to get my hands on this 21st century iRig. Curious really. I see that there is a FREE plugin coming to the iPhone app soon. But you won't be able to do much with it until you get the audio interface which would cost you $39.99 / EU29.99 which is on Pre-Order now. What this interface does is pretty clear. It provides the 1/4" instrument input, channelling the signal into the iRig (plugin / insert / app) and the 1/8" headphone out as your Mixed or FX Return. *Note that its not limited to just guitars, but works with any line level signals from synthesizers, keyboards, mixers... there's the HINT. Mixers.

I WOULD DEFINITELY WANT TO STICK IT INTO ONE OF MY AUX INSERTS. THAT DELAY ALONE WOULD PAY FOR ITSELF!!



BUT WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE WHOLE DEAL... has nothing to do with the program... despite the fact that the Full version being so irresistably priced.... is the shipping cost to Europe.. EU15???!! I've got traceable package from eBay US for EU5. Why EU15?? Which would make the complete package for us in Europe to be EU65..

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SO I'll leave this geeked out blog with the Intro video from iRig. Do write your comments about what you think about this crazy app. I'm having problem calling it an app.. I'll be dumb and call it a plugin as how I know Amplitubes to be in my ProTools or Logic Studio setup. Can't wait...



PROS:
Big choice of combinable guitar fx in your pocket
Import songs and jam along in app
36 savable presets
Handy tuner / metronome for practise
Same low-latency as Amplitude used on Mac / PC

CONS:
Nothing to say really except for that EU15 shipping to European countries. Which is a bit steep for such a small interface.