IK Multimedia iRig Pro I/O

IK Multimedia
iRig Pro I/O
1
IK Multimedia’s iOS,
Android and Mac/PC
compatible iRig Pro I/O is
not only the most expensive in our
group test, but also the best
equipped. Features include combo
XLR/jack input, input gain,
line/headphone mini jack output,
headphone level, 48V phantom
power, and up to 24bit/96kHz
conversion. There’s also an
impressive bundle of IK software.
For use with iOS it incorporates a
battery booster (2 x AA), but there’s
also an add-on PSU (49 Euros) that
rather handily also provides feed-
through charge to your iOS device.
iRig Pro I/O ships with a plethora
of cables, and with it firing on all
ports it can look a bit messy. Even
so, you’re getting excellent flexibility.
www.ikmultimedia.com
VerDICt 9.0
Shure Motiv MVi
2
Shure’s compact and metal-
cased MVi is designed for
both iOS and USB (Mac/PC)
use and provides audio I/O via a combo
XLR/jack and a minijack headphone
output. Primarily designed for mic,
line and DI recording, the MVi routes
the input to the headphones for
zero-latency monitoring. There’s also
phantom power, although at
+
/- 12V
when hooked up to an iOS device,
you’ll need to check your mic can
handle a lower than typical voltage.
Gain and headphone levels are
adjusted using the flat touch
sensitive controls, and there are also
five DSP modes that incorporate EQ,
compression and limiting. If you
install Motiv (the companion iOS
app) you have further control over
the processing settings.
www.shure.co.uk
VerDICt 8.6
Focusrite iTrack One Pre
3
As the name implies, the
One Pre is designed for
input duties and in fact
includes no output capabilities at all.
Nevertheless, this super stylish cube
looks and feels great, and rather
impressively can deliver 48V
phantom power just from your iOS
device. What’s more, to accommodate
more demanding condensers there’s
also a micro USB input so you can
plug in a USB sourced power boost
should you need it.
Despite its modern visuals One
Pre’s two controls (Gain and 48V
Phantom) are traditionally tactile,
with the Gain knob also providing
green or red illumination for basic
input level metering. Finally, as you
might expect from Focusrite, the mic
pre offers excellent fidelity. All told,
One Pre is a simple but decent device.
www.focusrite.com
VerDICt 9.0
Korg plugKey
4
Korg’s mobile MIDI/Audio
plugKey is the smallest of
our group test devices, and
designed for audio output and MIDI
input duties. Despite its diminutive
size, you still get a pair of 1/4 inch
jacks and a separate minijack
headphone output. Both follow the
master Volume knob on the side.
Device connection is via a short
captive lightning cable, and MIDI
input is via 5-pin DIN. There’s a micro
USB input on the side, providing
through-charge to your device.
Pair the plugKey with a regular
MIDI keyboard and you’ve got a super
compact programming setup. Or
hook it up to an unused iOS device
to create a nifty sound module.
All told, our only minor gripe here
is the lack of bundled cabling.
www.korg.com/uk
VerDICt 8.8
FM VerDICt
FOR RECORDING If you just want to record,
Focusrite’s iTrack One Pre sounds excellent,
is easy to use and also looks incredibly cool
FOR INSTRUMENTS The iRig Pro I/O handles anything
you throw at it, and with onboard MIDI in and out, it’s also
ideal for hardware integration
4
Korg plugKey
£90
iOS Studio Accessories | Grouptest
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FMU324.rev_grouptest.indd 99 04/10/2017 14:06