iPad Pro - no 'phone jack - how are users coping with that?

[miden]

I am thinking of treating myself to a new iPad pro 12.9 but as we all know it has no headphone jack. I've sorta kinda (but not really) gotten used to it on the iPhone, but I was wondering if any iPad Pro owners here have got any thoughts on it in real time stage use.

 

Any issues, is it just a general pita, or simply not really noticeable?

[harmonizer]

You mentioned stage usage in real time. I don't use an iPad on stage, but I am one of those old-school oddballs who resists the use of wireless headphones preferred by recent iPhone and iPad models.

 

Despite this, I can't imagine using a wired set of headphones while I am on stage (whether those headphones were attached to an iPad or something else).

For me, I need to move around to speak up-close with other band members, to switch between keys and sax, to move from my keyboard to the mixing board and back, and sometimes walk out into the audience to check the sound.

 

If in your case you could sit or stand in one place for an entire set, maybe your case would be different.

Otherwise I would suggest you not try to use wired headphones on stage.

[AnotherScott]

Harmonizer, for stage use, the issue of not having a headphone jack on iPads anymore isn't because of needing to use headphones, but rather because it's been common to use the headphone out as an audio out into your mixer, keyboard amp, PA speaker, whatever, for the various MIDI apps or to run backing tracks. Now to get audio out, you need something connected to the one other connector the iPad has, which also has to serve as the MIDI and power connection, and means you must have at least one other device no matter what, since there's no longer a stock simple way to get analog audio out of the iPad when necessary without buying anything additional.

[ElmerJFudd]

For watching movies at the kitchen table. Internal speakers.

For listening to music closely - wireless headphones.

For playing instruments in real time at home - adapter with 3.5mm headphone jack.

For playing in real time with amplification, or recording - a pro audio io solution compatible with iOS that provides XLR/1/4 combo jack in, 1/4' stereo outs (if important to you, balanced outs), 5 pin midi io and a decent headphone amp with 1/4' jack.

 

The problem I think most of us have is when we use a Mac Book we still have a port to charge the laptop while using USB or Thunderbolt for the audio interface. On the iPad it"s tricky to find an audio interface that continues to charge the iPad during performance.

[16251]

I am old school and prefer wired stuff for audio. I'm planning on updating my iPad2 and I was either thinking iPad Pro from 2015, which has ear plug. Not afraid of the battery life buying used, but updating OS, would be limited (I assume,) since it is seven years old.

 

I'm going with a new iPad ($329,) which has slightly larger screen from iPad2, has ear plug. I go really old school and use paper more these days.

 

 

Here's a old whipper snapper comment to the young gen - They're into Blue Tooth and Tic Tok

[Stokely]

I'd prefer it if I could use either wired or wireless headphones for home listening. I'm not always good about locating my wireless ones, or the adapter (working on it though!), and sometimes they aren't charged.

 

It's annoying because it's not as if that connection adds a ton of weight or space. I consider it a definite "nice to have" though and not a "must have".

 

I'm moving away from relying on the ipad for gigs for other reasons, but not having the audio out would be a bit of a concern if I was relying on it. So far I've only used usb, and I have a backup camera connection adapter and usb cable, but another backup for audio problems would be the headphone jack. Again this wouldn't be my primary concern with ipads live...occasional glitches in connectivity are my main beef.

[Docbop]

I got a USB-C audio interface for my keys setup at home. One cable to connect my iPad and that gives me line and mic to record to my iPad and iPad audio out to my monitors and headphones. The audio interface has wall wart for power so no iPad power issues.

[ElmerJFudd]

Which one did you go with?

The UA Volt 1 has USB C and a wall wart. $139

Does it provide enough power to charge the iPad?

 

What solutions are there for iPad with previous lightening port?

[Jwave]

I have the 2017 2nd gen iPad Pro in both 10.5' and 12.9' models, the last ones with headphone jacks (and home button) which I find extremely convenient and useful both on-stage and off. They"re still powerful enough to run all the latest apps with no problems. When I need a replacement I"ll just get the regular iPad with headphone jack.

[Noah DC]

I use the Kington Nucleum USB-C Hub with a Komplete Audio 6 interface. No issues whatsoever - no latency, rock solid, couldn"t be easier. You should buy that hub - it"s one of the only ones that has a second usb-c that allows you to charge the iPad while playing.

[ElmerJFudd]

I use the Kington Nucleum USB-C Hub with a Komplete Audio 6 interface. No issues whatsoever - no latency, rock solid, couldn"t be easier. You should buy that hub - it"s one of the only ones that has a second usb-c that allows you to charge the iPad while playing.

 

It"s really good to hear that the Komplete Audio 6 is working with your iPad even when connected via hub and solves the charging issue. (depending on how well one"s iPad battery holds charge working as the sound engine and possibly chart reader etc. when playing a few sets a night)

[miden]

Thanks everyone, some really good insights there.

 

I'm looking at the latest model as I'd really like to get the M1 chip...afaik the previous version (which is a lot cheaper I might add second hand haha) still has the A.xxIt might still be okay though. I've read so much about the M1 chip though, that I fee it might "future proof" me for many years to come!

 

I will check out some of those audio interfaces though, a couple sound interesting!

[FatFingers]

Apple seems to be responding to market demands for more ports -- their newest MacBook Pro includes three USB-C ports, an HDMI port, an SDXC card slot, a MagSafe 3 port for the power adapter, and a headphone jack. A nice upgrade from my 2 year-old MacBook Pro that has only 2 USB-C ports and a headphone jack. My thought is that their next 12.9 iPad Pro will include more ports, although that might be another year away.

[Dr Mike Metlay]

I thought not having a headphone jack would be a huge PITA, but honestly I have gotten away from using them for anything involving serious music. All of my iPads (I have four) have headphone jacks and I almost never use them any more except as an emergency audio hookup for whatever reason; each and every one of them has a dock or Camera Connection Kit adapter with Lightning power passthru and USB-A to an audio or audio/MIDI interface. I have a Lightning headphone adapter connected to my IEMs when I want to listen to my iPhone.

 

I too am considering a new iPad in the new year; one of the new Minis would probably end up most useful to me, but that M1 iPad Pro 11" is looking mighty tempting. Thanks for the recommendation of the Nucleum hub; it will actually be kind of bizarre to be able to connect one directly to an iPad without an extra $50 dongle. I am looking into self-powered interfaces that will keep the iPad charged, or at the very least not drain its battery too quickly.

[ImproKeys]

I went back from a recent iPad Pro 12.9 to a regular iPad. I have interfaces and dongles ⦠at hand, but I discovered that it blocked my spontaneous workflow to connect everything each time. I don"t miss the CPU power; sometimes I miss the screen size.

Feel free to ask anything about the differences in my use case (iPad for B3-X, some other instruments, Drums, Recording/Mixing). Cheers!

[obxa]

If you're planning on using an Ipad for any kind of live audio use, some sort of interface preferably with a large volume knob is mandatory. I've tried using the headphone jack with the IOS adaptive on screen volume control and it's frustrating.

 

Though they work in a pinch, I've also found 1/8 adaptors (or lightning to 1/8") often have ground issues unless you use a DI.

 

The KorgPlug key is small, has a charging and Midi port. Real volume knob and 1/4" outs. Also puts out some decent gain.

Not cheap, but not ridiculous. Often see them used on Reverb and Ebay. Most any OSX compliant USB audio interface will work with a powered hub- and that Nucleum looks like great idea.

 

I used to carry a hub and interface, but got to the point where the Korg was simpler to get up and running for my intended use. I was also using Bluetooth midi, and having actual hardware midi has also been more reliable to get set up, and near zero latency.

 

Current rig= Ipad mini as monitor controller & secondary sound module via Korg plug key and a midi cable. Large ipad for charts with bluetooth midi for sending program changes from the score. Both ipads powered from a dual USB power brick

Still too many little adaptors to bring (and lose) in addition to the main keyboards.

[stoken6]

Duplicate post - deleted

[stoken6]

I got a USB-C audio interface for my keys setup at home. One cable to connect my iPad and that gives me line and mic to record to my iPad and iPad audio out to my monitors and headphones. The audio interface has wall wart for power so no iPad power issues.

I'm also intrigued by what interface Docbop is using, and whether it can charge the iPad?

 

A single USB-C socket on an iPad is a constraint. It's less of an issue for laptops, because they almost invariably have a second socket for power (although Macbooks from a few years ago suffered from only one socket). imho there's a market for an audio interface which provides power delivery for tablets - power from a wall-wart to the interface, onward power (plus audio, and MIDI?) from the interface to the iPad.

 

Anyone for Kickstarter?

 

EDIT - there are a few. iConnectivity Audio4 looks nice, but pricey. https://www.wavemachinelabs.com/Support/auria-audio-interfaces has a list, but now outdated, and many are discontinued/lightning only (Alesis, Griffin, Focusrite)

 

 

Cheers, Mike.

[yannis D]

If you're planning on using an Ipad for any kind of live audio use, some sort of interface preferably with a large volume knob is mandatory. I've tried using the headphone jack with the IOS adaptive on screen volume control and it's frustrating.

 

Though they work in a pinch, I've also found 1/8 adaptors (or lightning to 1/8") often have ground issues unless you use a DI.

 

The KorgPlug key is small, has a charging and Midi port. Real volume knob and 1/4" outs. Also puts out some decent gain.

Not cheap, but not ridiculous. Often see them used on Reverb and Ebay. Most any OSX compliant USB audio interface will work with a powered hub- and that Nucleum looks like great idea.

 

I used to carry a hub and interface, but got to the point where the Korg was simpler to get up and running for my intended use. I was also using Bluetooth midi, and having actual hardware midi has also been more reliable to get set up, and near zero latency.

 

Current rig= Ipad mini as monitor controller & secondary sound module via Korg plug key and a midi cable. Large ipad for charts with bluetooth midi for sending program changes from the score. Both ipads powered from a dual USB power brick

Still too many little adaptors to bring (and lose) in addition to the main keyboards.

 

I use the Korg PlugKey but it has a lightning port which is not compatible with the usb3 port of the newer ipads (unless there's some kind of adaptor ....

[D. Gauss]

i just bought an Ipad mini 6 and a butt load of different adapters/hubs to see which one actually works best, if at all. (ipad mini 6 only has a single connector: USB-C)

imo, if apple (in their stupid, greedy wisdom), wants to force us to use one port for everything, then they should be the one making the hub/dongle.

yes, apple makes a few crazy, overpriced adapters. do they make one that has charging, audio out and a usb? no, of course not. idiots.

[Stokely]

Well, that's kind of my philosophical (if you will) worry with it using these for audio--it's a very niche concern for Apple, in as much as it's on their radar at all. Of course one might say the same for computers and I've been using them for music since 1989, albeit with my share of struggles!

 

When I got to a recent gig, plugged the ipad into the MODX and got this message on the ipad: "Would you like to update your OS to use this peripheral" it spooked me. Neither the ipad nor MODX had changed anything since the day before when I hooked it up.

 

Speaking of the MODX, if you DO want to use an ipad it (or something like it) is the way to go IMO. It's built-in interface handles both midi and audio on one cable, has a separate volume control and also allows transmit zones that can include the ipad sounds in splits and layers if you want. The CCK and usb cable I keep in the MODX bag pocket so I can't lose it.

[D. Gauss]

yeah, right now i have the new mini 6 hooked up to my yammy p-125 via one single cable. no dongles, no hubs, no nothing. it controls the ipad and the sounds come out of the 125's speakers. local on/off gets me the 125 sounds.

it's a thing of uncluttered beauty...

UNTIL the battery dies.

f**kin apple.

[drawback]

Although it says explicitly 'audio only - does not support charging' it would work fine with a Korg PlugKey, if only for audio. Perhaps the reason it doesn"t support charging is that there isn"t a charging port on the female end. In any case, it"s good enough for 20 bucks, for now.

 

https://www.anker.com/ca/products/variant/usbc-to-lightning-audio-adapter/A8178021

[D. Gauss]

Although it says explicitly 'audio only - does not support charging' it would work fine with a Korg PlugKey, if only for audio. Perhaps the reason it doesn"t support charging is that there isn"t a charging port on the female end. In any case, it"s good enough for 20 bucks, for now.

 

https://www.anker.com/ca/products/variant/usbc-to-lightning-audio-adapter/A8178021

 

can't see how this works in any way shape or form with the new USB ipads...at least for my situation. in my experience, ipad PD charging is very specific/picky, so if that adapter you linked says it won't, i'd bet dollars to donuts it won't.

 

fwiw, i have three different brand new usb_C hubs here now but haven't opened and tested them yet. a 7 port anker, a similar satachi i think, and something else i forget. plus a gaggle of dongle thingies and adapters. gonna be a rats nest a-go-go.

[16251]

I don't own an iPhone, but wasn't some of Apple's reasoning to loose the earplug was to make it more water friendly. So, that begs the question, are ppl dropping their 12.9 iPad Pros in the water alot?

[AnotherScott]

If you're planning on using an Ipad for any kind of live audio use, some sort of interface preferably with a large volume knob is mandatory. I've tried using the headphone jack with the IOS adaptive on screen volume control and it's frustrating.

I agree that you really want an external volume control, though that doesn't necessarily mean you have to connect it to an interface. You can often go right out of the headphone jack into your mixer (so there's your volume control), or sometimes into your actual keyboard, which may have aux/line inputs with readily accessible volume controls.

 

Current rig= Ipad mini as monitor controller & secondary sound module via Korg plug key and a midi cable.

What do you mean by "monitor controller"?

 

Large ipad for charts with bluetooth midi for sending program changes from the score.

The limitation of the Korg PlugKey had always been no MIDI Out for sending Program Changes to your hardware. Using bluetooth to get around that is interesting. I was wondering, MUST you have two iPads to do this? That is, does the fact that your first iPad is getting MIDI in from the PlugKey interfere with that iPad's ability to send MIDI Out over bluetooth? I'm guessing you can at least have different apps using the different methods, but it might be trickier if you wanted one app to see the PlugKey for In but use BT for Out?

 

There's also a complication here that sending MIDI Program Changes over bluetooth requires that your keyboard be able to receive them over bluetooth, which is rare. Otherwise you'd need a bluetooth-to-MIDI adapter on your keyboard. The 5-pin MIDI Out is already being used for the PlugKey, so the CME adapter that requires connection to the MIDI Out in order to get power won't work. (Maybe with a Thru box? Messy, though.) There's another CME adapter that can get power from a wall wart, so that's another way to go, albeit with one more thing to run AC to. I think they're also now shipping one that connects to USB instead of MIDI? That should work, assuming you have a keyboard with simultaneously active 5-pin MIDI and USB MIDI. Anyway, it's an interesting approach, even if it might require some thought as to what would be required to make it work in a given scenario.

 

yes, apple makes a few crazy, overpriced adapters. do they make one that has charging, audio out and a usb? no, of course not. idiots.

Yeah, it would be nice to have a standard Apple piece for this, especially with the history of some iPad generic third party multi-function adapters not supporting all functions/devices, or failing after a system update.

[Joe Muscara]

I don't own an iPhone, but wasn't some of Apple's reasoning to loose the earplug was to make it more water friendly. So, that begs the question, are ppl dropping their 12.9 iPad Pros in the water alot?

I think the reasoning is waterproof, dustproof, and size. Remember, every jack port in a device takes up real physical space inside, plus the space to connect it. Look at any of the teardowns or x-rays sites like iFixIt do and see how much space it takes. Eliminating it gives them more choices for design. It can be thinner, have more space for battery, etc.

 

It's also a potential mechanical point of failure.

[Stokely]

I've said this also about laptops, but I don't see being thin as a plus when you reach a certain point. They are hard to pick up and easier to drop IMO. Of course I always have them in a case anyway which kind of negates the thin "benefit" in the first place.

[eric]

This is getting a little bit tangential, though I think still relevant when we think about Apple products needing to simultaneously transmit audio while also charging and for virtual instruments, also need to receive MIDI. My home use case is using older iPhones as streaming devices, connected to various stereo systems that need at least a 1/8" adaptor that can then jump to stereo RCA or similar. On my main one that I use in my home office/music room, I bought a dongle that provides the 1/8" along with the power adaptor., from which I run 1/8" to RCA into an older-school mixer for my turntable etc. and the Apple power adaptor to keep it charged. This works fine, although the fidelity of the connections is a little suspect. I can sometimes hear crackles in the sound and so I just leave it sitting in place and untouched most of the time. I don't quite know how all these dongles and adaptors work for a live gigging instrument?

[miden]

I too have adapters (for lightning) that supply power and audio (headphone socket) OR power and USB but never both, which would be the perfect solution. One dongle that has the audio and USB as well as the power charging port. I'd be sure it COULD be done, but perhaps Apple have not approved it for commercial reasons?? Maybe there are some 3rd party devices, but those are notorious for being glitchy at best!

 

Anyhoo, in this case it would need to be converted to a USB-C for the new iPad. I had a look at the Nucleum hub, it looks very interesting.