Choice of iPad?

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#186

The one thing most people do not know when buying an ipad for audio is:
There are literally 0 apps that use multicore. Everything is on the main core/thread

i.e. an air with an a12 and a pro with an a12z will perform exactly the same
the current mini and air is a better audio device than the current pro

There are allowances in ios14 for it now, but its going to take a looong time before developers pick that up. There a huge thread about it over on the audiob.us forums

(2 x ipad mini5 user hereā€¦couldnā€™t be happier)

edit: take that ~1000$ you save and buy an interface or another piece of gear :stuck_out_tongue:

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#187

Interesting, I wasnā€™t actually aware of this but makes total sense! Yeah I think the reason to buy Pro are the screen size/pencil/design (only the former is still really valid I guess), not the performance, every iPad from the last few years is plenty fast

#188

You dont get any more information on the screen from a mini to an air either.
For example, both will only have 4 channels in AUM visible. the 12" will display a 5th.
Can resize AU windows better on the larger ones, but i never found a lot of AU windows open to be helpful.

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#189

Yeah, sorry I meant in general (I use my iPad for web browsing, drawing, photo editing etc. too where a big screen is much more useful). For music stuff itā€™s not such a huge win

#190

so if youā€™re buying which model would you go for?

#191

Any non pro with the fastest processor. Screen size is personal preference. I use minis but thats because I carry them everywhere and I also use a ipad mini as my cellphone.

Headphone jack is nice, but if you are going to be using an interface or an iconnectivity, but not needed if you donā€™t mind the dongle. I will say the button is extremely helpful rather than pure multitasking gestures, particularly in a live situation. Iā€™ll miss it when its gone completely, but I also use a dedicated controller, so you can map buttons to open and close plugins in AUM.

Anything with a lightning port, youā€™re pretty much gonna need a powered camera kit and a powered usb hub if connecting controllers and such. USB-C ipads can supply more power directly from the ipad. I really wish USB C was universal on all ipads, but apples gotta upsell you somehow :stuck_out_tongue:

#192

Reviving this older thread, as Iā€™m considering getting an iPad as an addition to my current setup (focusing more on software recently, with some hardware, for example: Octa, Digitakt and A4).

No surprise I suppose, Iā€™m looking for the most bang for the buck.

Iā€™d be looking to use the iPad for the unique music apps available for that platform: cool sequencers, drum machines, etc. - stuff not available via plugins on my Mac.

What I think I understand so far is that storage size may not be too much of an issue, as one can take care of that via external storage.

Also, going for the latest Pro may be overkill, as lower specā€™d iPads can still handle audio software pretty well, apparently?

Finally, on the screen-size front, I think I should be looking for a larger size, as the portability factor isnā€™t as important to me, given that the unit would spend most/all its time in the studio.

Iā€™d like to be able to route the iPad into my DAW (Ableton) so as to use it in the same way I do my current hardware. Iā€™ve got an RME interface (UFX), if that helpful to know.

So, what do you think? Which of models would be the ones to consider first?

Iā€™ve read through various threads, both here and at other sites and given this is still a bit new to me, feeling a little buried in info and just trying to figure my way around and determine what I should prioritize and focus on.

Hope the above makes sense.

Thanks in advance for any advice and tips!

#193

USB C is the priority, then go from there :slight_smile:

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#194

I absolutely love using an iPad in my setup, I enjoy all the synth and drum programs, but especially like the various FX apps for sound design, mastering, making samples, and also enjoy using loopers.

With my Digitakt being a class compliant audio interface, I wanted to get an iPad to hookup to it full time and was in the same boat as you - which one, what size, how much drive space.

I did not want the largest screen size. I have a standard iPad for portable, general use, and the second iPad lives n a VESA arm situated right next to my Digitakt also on a VESA arm. They stay connected 100% of the time and it stays in the bedroom studio.

So my choice was between the iPad Air 4 and the smaller iPad Pro. I chose the Air 4. Storage space was important to me, my many music apps and other content hover around 40-50gb. I chose a 256gb model so I wouldnā€™t have to worry about having external drives etc., I also do some video editing on it and like having plenty of space. The Air 4 comes close to the performance of the iPad Pro, and I run AUM with 6-8 channels of synths, drum programs, loopers, and plenty of FX without too many issues. Some apps are resource hogs, others barely make a dent.

The most important thing for me was getting a model with USB-C so I wouldnā€™t be dependent on Apple accessories. I run it into/out of my Digitakt via USB and use it as a sampling source, and FX unit for the DT, and anything I run into the DTā€™s inputs.

I have a DAW, but these days Iā€™ve been working outside of the DAW with an Akai Force as my main unit. I can easily route that into my DAW when I wish, export project into Live etc.

My main setup is Digitone Keys (midi keyboard for Force, Digitakt, and any of the IPad apps) >into> Digitakt (all sounds go into and back out of IPad usually using AUM) >into> Akai Force.

This allows me to use the 8 Digitakt midi tracks/controls to control IPad synths, I can sample and affect the Digitone into IPad, the DT, or the Force - or all three. I can use the Keys to play the Force, the Digitakt, or any IPad apps. Itā€™s very flexible and useful.

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#195

I had an iPad Pro 9,7ā€ for a long time and loved it. Then I bought my book shop and needed an iPad for my cash register. The Pro was the right size and colour so I sacrificed that and bought myself a brand new 8th gen consumer model. I hated everything about it even though it had more memory than my previous Pro. The screen was a lot worse and typing on it felt somehow ā€œhollowā€ making a lot of noise etc.

Recently I decided that I canā€™t handle it anymore, sold it and bought myself another Pro, this time the 12,9" model. Phew, it feels like being back home. Iā€™ll never buy another non-Pro iPad ever again. They feel very cheap and flimsy once youā€™re accustomed to the Pro -models.

#196

Iā€™m really appreciating the input so far. Itā€™s giving me some good stuff to think about. Iā€™m leaning towards the latest gen (4?) Air possiblyā€¦ Anyone think of downsides to that or that it could be overkill?

Might I be just as well, or possibly better, off going for an older gen pro for example? Pros/cons there, if any of you have insights, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again!

#197

For me, I didnā€™t want the time or hassle of buying used. With no Apple store near me, I just wanted a new, untouched unit to arrive on my doorstep and set it up fresh from the start. I also didnā€™t need ā€˜pro-motionā€™ from the IPad Pro, and wanted 256gb over the Pro 11.9 inchā€™s 128gb which was only $50 more.

The Air 4ā€™s performance was roughly in the same area as an older Pro, and it had the Proā€™s squared off form factor, thin bezel, laminated screen, and USB-C. For me the Air 4 was the best choice in that price range, sacrificing a little (unnoticeable to me) performance to have much more storage. And again, I didnā€™t want to save a little to buy used, I wanted a virgin unit.

Thatā€™s what she said.

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#198

reckon the mini 6 is much better for music production than the mini 5?

#199

The main thing with the new Mini is the same USB-C/laminated screen form factor. It wonā€™t blow the mini 5 out of the water as far as music apps go. I still do tons of music making on my old ass regular iPad 6. I canā€™t have as many channels running in AUM, but I make lots of samples, melody lines, etc sitting on the couch then transfer them to my other one when necessary.

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#200

It comes down to use case as much as anything, and that might be a bit different in practice to what you think it might be.

I have an older ipad, 2017 I think with only 32Gb storage which basically fills up with apps. I have a korg plugkey that I use with it for midi in and audio out which works with lightning port without extra dongles. I also have a korg nanokey studio for bluetooth midi, and between these two the older ipad is great to use as a sound source for synths and whatever. I find it a bit clunky doing anything more involved than that, although itā€™s certainly capable if not a powerhouse.

I also have a 2020 Pro 11inch with a magic keyboard and the convenience is night and day. I find having the trackpad for switching between apps (rather than swiping on screen), the extra charging port, and stand all built in is worth the ridiculous asking price. I didnā€™t before I got it, but I definitely find an ipad harder to use without it. Unfortunately if you want to have a couple of devices plugged in at once you still need a hub of some sort. If you just want to play with headphones I recommend a bluetooth midi controller of some kind.

It sounds like whatever you get that you will want a dedicated interface to go with it to send both audio and midi in and out of the ipad to abletonā€¦ it really depends what you envisage for how you will use it.

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#203

Thatā€™s why I use my Digitakt. Two way Audio and midi through USB.

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#204

Greetings. I have an 11ā€ iPad but am finding some AUv3 apps quite crowded between my aging eyesight and fat fingers. Will the 12.9 render everything as bigger, or just cram more pixels into the screen?

#205

I want to use an iPad Pro with the Octatrack. Now Iā€™m looking for a small interface with stereo 6.3 mm outputs. Or is it also possible with a dongle with 3.5 mm jack?

#206

Assuming itā€™s an iPad Pro M1/2, it should be able to connect to any USB interface, as the new iPads USB ports are class compliant. If itā€™s an older lightning port model then youā€™ll need one of the Apple camera kit dongles first, before you connect the audio interface + the interface will need to be compatible with iPad OS specifically due to the lightning standard not being class compliant (i think, from memory).

If you only need 1 stereo in and 1 stereo out (both 6.mm), Iā€™d recommend something like a Steinberg UR22, as this also has midi DIN in and out, which may be useful as the Octatrack itself is not USB class compliant. You can get these for c.Ā£50 on eBay second hand. Presonus also work well - I use a bigger interface, Studio 1824c, with my M1 iPad Pro.

Hope that helps

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#207

Thanks a lot! I bought a M1 model because of the USB port and I want to keep it as portable as possible. That is why I asked.

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