Rode AI-Micro and/or other tiny audio interfaces

Stone262 · January 27, 2023, 4:50am

Does anyone here have one of these?

I was looking for basically the smallest thing that would let me record a stereo feed into an iphone or usb-c ipad and it looks the ticket.

It’s designed tots for lav mics obvs, but apparently the way the jacks are setup to record a stereo source you just use input 1. It has input pad options in its app as well, but I’ve not been able to find any comments from anyone using this with line level sources.

It’s cheap enough I might take a punt, but thought I’d ask here first.

The other sort of thing I thought of was a cable like this…

… but I’m sceptical about compatibility, and I don’t think I’ve seen many alternatives. They’re more common for mic/guitar cables.

Any other options out there?

I already have a Zoom H5 and a 1010 Blackbox, so I’m definitely covered for portable and battery powered options. I love them both it’s just sometimes they physically feel a bit clunky to get setup and quickly recording to the point where I won’t.

Unfortunately sometimes my brain capacity / willpower to go from a random synth noodle to recording something is pretty much measured in one cable. If I have to find more than one I just won’t bother.

Analogic · January 28, 2023, 2:16am

ESI makes some interesting small interfaces.

Stone262 · January 28, 2023, 4:29am

They do, but yeah I’d call them small or compact rather than tiny per se, and I already have small/compact options. I want tiny haha.

Anyway, I already ordered the Rode thingy, so will see how that goes.

mattleaf · January 28, 2023, 4:35am

There’s the iRig Duo Pro from IK

Stone262 · January 28, 2023, 4:57am

Nah, the Rode micro thing is the size of a couple of compact flash cards stacked, I’m wanting tiiiiny.

theobserver · January 28, 2023, 5:02am

I cant point you to any specific device but i know there exists some products that will stream the audio to bluetooth, could be a route to go down

Flipsos · January 28, 2023, 5:41am

Please let us know if it works with line levels and how easy it is to use as stereo interface in apps

Stone262 · February 2, 2023, 3:37am

It arrived today and only had time for a super quick test so far.

I plugged it into my iphone, it prompted that it needed the Rode app, I downloaded and then it immediately updated device firmware.

In the Rode app I set it to see a stereo source from input 1, turned the input gain all the way down, and ran a cable from the headphone out from my nearest synth. Yep it works.

AUM picked it straight up as an audio interface and it worked fine.

I’ll try it with line outputs later on, but happy so far. And it is tiny.

micabeza · February 2, 2023, 4:05am

I use the line2usb with AUM all the time. It’s a benefit and a hastle cause it’s only one 1/2 of the ‘one audio interface at a time’ rule, so you can use another output. The ESI stuff is great for small as well.

Stone262 · February 2, 2023, 4:48am

Oh that’s good to know. Does it work with a lightning to usb adapter or do you use it with a usb-c iPad?

The only thing that kind of put me off trying it was doubt about compatibility, but more that it’s just an input- you’re basically limited to then monitoring via iPad speakers (or directly via headphones from the synth).

Oh, and that with iPhone I would have to use the cameras connection kit, which in itself is actually slightly larger than the Rode micro.

micabeza · February 2, 2023, 5:48am

It’s class compliant. UsbC adapter, hub, lighting cck……it all works.
It’s bus powered off my usb c ipads. Usually an MD sits on the other end of it bringing it into AUM.

Basically the line2usb and a Roland UM-One (now replaced w/ Justin megaCMD) made up for the lack of usb audio/midi on it.

Stone262 · February 2, 2023, 6:41am

Nice.

For those interested, this is the size of the Rode AI-Micro compared to the cck and a usb A plug:

Stone262 · February 3, 2023, 7:22am

It’s actually reasonably ok as a headphone DAC as well. I’m no audiophile but it does to me sound nicer than just the Apple lightning to 3.5mm adapter.

Had another quick play with it again this afternoon, it does direct monitoring so was a cinch to play some keys along to some spotify.

Flipsos · February 3, 2023, 7:24am

Great. How about line level input?

Stone262 · February 3, 2023, 8:07am

Just tried it with the waldorf stvc line outs - dunno if these run hot or are about average.

Yep, works fine. Gain setting in the Rode app set to zero. Most patches I could have the synth volume maxed, some I had to back it off 10% because it was close to clipping or did clip. So not tons of headroom but definitely enough.

micabeza · February 4, 2023, 4:48am

Is this showing up on your iOS devices as 2 mono or 1 stereo, or is it always dual mono?

Stone262 · February 4, 2023, 6:14am

It can be either dual mono or stereo, and another called merge, which tbh I’m not sure what it is.

But each of the inputs are trs/trrs, specifically for mics, so for a stereo input you just use input 1.

In Aum you get hardware input options of l+r, l, and r.

Stone262 · March 23, 2023, 10:48am

I haven’t really touched any music gear for a couple of months. My studio/office is a bit of a disaster currently and I’m deliberately not sorting it out until I finish building a desk which hold a heap of the gear that is currently strewn across the room.

Anyway, seemed a good time to run the nearest synths (Circuit and STVC) off some batteries through the Rode Micro into AUM on my phone.

This has no musical merit and was not intended to, just a quick test, 6 separately recorded stereo tracks through the Micro. Honestly works fine. Definitely lacks head room and it’s easy to have a filter quickly put it in the red, but tbh I probably should have been monitoring with more volume and sending less volume to the input.

Stone262 · March 26, 2023, 7:38am

Today I tried this out with Digitone and usb c iPad, recording into AUM. Again, have to be fairly careful with gain, and I probably had the DN’s master volume mostly between 50-75% depending on the patch. I wasn’t recording a pattern, just playing individual sounds to separate tracks in AUM. But yes, works well, even if what I came out with today was bloody awful and was promptly deleted.

I wasn’t exactly taking advantage of the compactness of the Micro this time, as my iPad was plugged into my monitor, and the Micro was plugged into a usb hub that was plugged into the monitor’s usb hub.

Stone262 · September 4, 2023, 2:15am

I ran into my first issue with this yesterday trying to record from the 1010 Blackbox into my iPhone and iPad via the AI-Micro.

I got a heap of usb noise on the input, which persisted regardless of the BB being powered from the wall or battery. I had the Toraiz AS1 in the same powerboard and it definitely contributed to the noise (even when switched off at the unit but power going into its external psu). Removing only helped a bit and that was an audio cable proximity to power cable thing.

I did a test with Novation Circuit into the Micro and it was dead quiet, and likewise headphones direct to BB were dead quiet (I need to double check if the BB hp out remains quiet while output 1 goes to the micro). I’ll also need to double check the BB via another interface/recorder.