iRig 2 Guitar Interface Now Available for iPhone, iPad and Mac

[MacRumors]

IK Multimedia on Wednesday announced that its iRig 2 mobile guitar interface is now shipping for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac and Android devices. iRig 2 has several new features over its predecessor, including gain control, a 1/4" amplifier output, FX/THRU switch, compatibility with the complete line of new Samsung Professional Audio devices and support for devices running Android Lollipop.

"5 years after, and with over one million units sold, IK is now introducing iRig 2. A significant upgrade, it improves on its predecessor by providing better sound quality and more universal compatibility than ever before - and it does this while maintaining the convenience and ease-of-use that have made it such a staple piece of equipment in the arsenal of millions of musicians around the world."

iRig 2 is available at select music and consumer electronics retailers worldwide, and on the IK Multimedia online store, for the same $39.99 price as the original version. The guitar interface is ready to be used right out of the box and comes with a cross-platform suite of apps and software including free versions of AmpliTube for iOS, Mac and Android Samsung Pro Audio. A clip and velcro strap are also in the box.

Article Link: iRig 2 Guitar Interface Now Available for iPhone, iPad and Mac

 

[extricated]

I've thought about picking one of these up to play around with.
The new model looks like to have some good tweaks.

Anyone have experience using this? Pros/Cons?

 

[b166er]

I've thought about picking one of these up to play around with.
The new model looks like to have some good tweaks.

Anyone have experience using this? Pros/Cons?

I use mine often. The easiest way to demo a track for my purposes. Works with garage band very well. No amp required so I can jam away late at night without bothering the cats.

 

[jwhazel]

I have the original one and it's pretty junky. I'm not some sort of tone guru expecting ultimate quality, but it wasn't even good enough just to noodle around with. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but the microphone input on the iPhone has a band pass filter on it for voice. Makes your guitar sound... different. Anything past medium gain just sounds like garbage. This thing is still running off the microphone and it's not powered which means to me the "gain control" is actually just a resistive attenuater. If you really want to run your guitar into an iProduct, spring for the extra $$ to buy one that plugs into the Lightning port which he an actual adc converter in it (real gain control, full range audio capture).

 

[silvetti]

Get yourself an Apogee JAM.

Much better value than this.

 

[atrevers]

Get yourself an Apogee JAM.

Much better value than this.

Or the iRig HD - uses the lightning (or USB, or 30 pin) connector instead of the headphone Jack, sound quality is much better and it's not too much more expensive than the standard iRig.

 

[Megaman]

Or the iRig HD - uses the lightning (or USB, or 30 pin) connector instead of the headphone Jack, sound quality is much better and it's not too much more expensive than the standard iRig.

This.

I sold my apogee jam. I bought the iRig HD for a lot less. Good enough for jamming. Not too much of a difference.

 

[dec.]

I have the original one and it's pretty junky. I'm not some sort of tone guru expecting ultimate quality, but it wasn't even good enough just to noodle around with. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but the microphone input on the iPhone has a band pass filter on it for voice. Makes your guitar sound... different. Anything past medium gain just sounds like garbage. This thing is still running off the microphone and it's not powered which means to me the "gain control" is actually just a resistive attenuater. If you really want to run your guitar into an iProduct, spring for the extra $$ to buy one that plugs into the Lightning port which he an actual adc converter in it (real gain control, full range audio capture).

I agree, I never could get any decent tone out of it, although I prefer kind of high distortion anyway - it sounded awfully mushy and thin. Amplitube itself is pretty cool.

 

[v3rlon]

If you are using your phone as your amp and effects bay, it is 'good enough' to noodle around with. You will not win awards with it, but it is better than just jamming with an unplugged electric.

 

[IKMultimedia]

I agree, I never could get any decent tone out of it, although I prefer kind of high distortion anyway - it sounded awfully mushy and thin. Amplitube itself is pretty cool.

I hope you consulted support, as this is not the normal behavior. While iRig (and now iRig 2) is an analog input which will by nature have more noise and crosstalk than digital interfaces (for example, our iRig HD and iRig PRO), it will still provide a solid guitar signal into your device. You can see others here and in other iRig 2 announcement threads like on Synthtopia stating that iRig works very well for them and is the budget-conscious yet well-performing version of the higher-end digital interfaces that are more expensive and hi-fi (by design).

 

[WalshJames78]

iRig

I gave one of these iRig for Guitar and Bass to my spouse for Xmas and it was inexpensive. For what it does it is remarkable. She hooked it up to her iPad and was pleased with it. If you want superior tone go buy a new practice amp by Blackstar or a small Fender Champ or Marshall amp with tubes. The warmth from tubes is what most tone chasing guitar players want 9 times out of 10.

 

[Iamthinking]

I hope you consulted support, as this is not the normal behavior. While iRig (and now iRig 2) is an analog input which will by nature have more noise and crosstalk than digital interfaces (for example, our iRig HD and iRig PRO), it will still provide a solid guitar signal into your device. You can see others here and in other iRig 2 announcement threads like on Synthtopia stating that iRig works very well for them and is the budget-conscious yet well-performing version of the higher-end digital interfaces that are more expensive and hi-fi (by design).

Did you actually read what the previous posters were saying? No one was disputing the fact that the irig converts the guitar signal ok (for the money), they were simply speculating that apple does something in the analog-in circuitry to optimize for voice (ie band pass filtering , etc.) which results in a thin-sounding guitar signal.
-iamthinking

 

[IKMultimedia]

Did you actually read what the previous posters were saying? No one was disputing the fact that the irig converts the guitar signal ok (for the money), they were simply speculating that apple does something in the analog-in circuitry to optimize for voice (ie band pass filtering , etc.) which results in a thin-sounding guitar signal.
-iamthinking

Of course I did, I'm sorry that you don't like or agree with my reply but I was politely disagreeing by saying that the sound should not be thin or mushy or affected by any of that and they could get help to get better results. If you watch this video, all of the guitars are recorded using iRig 2 and AmpliTube and sound great, so the headphone jack isn't as much of a barrier sonically as one might think, nor is any internal potential processing done on the device or OS level a huge barrier (though of course noise and crosstalk are very real and difficult challenges which are really only truly beaten when using a digital interface like iRig HD or iRig PRO): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60A8bvbIYsg

 

[txa1265]

I really like the iRig 2 - it handles all of the limiting sound issues I had with the original. Does it sound as good as my iRig HD? No - but there is also a significant price difference. For noodling around - using it with an iLoud and my phone, for example - it is quite decent.

 

[AppDiggity]

This thing is pretty sweet. So does this mean that there is no need for pedals anymore, now that things are being digitally reproduced? Very interesting