AmpliTube iRig Review (iPhone Guitar Cable) Intial Impressions

About a week ago IK Multimedia announced their new Guitar to iPhone interface and iPhone/iPod/iPad software AmpliTube. This promises to be a huge break for guitarists (or any musicians) who want to record and play through their iPhone. There's been one other attempt at a interface and software combo like this by the PRS company with their "GuitarBud" product, but that has not been well received–mainly due to the fact that the cable is low quality, high cost, and the doesn't match the input impedance of the instrument with the iPhone causing sound problems. There are also other iPhone/iPod guitar cable options out there, but the iRig promises to be special

Here's what you need to know about the new AmpliTube iRig product.

The iRig iPhone Guitar Cable Hardware (Yes, it also works with iPad, and iPod Touch)

"The iRig is the ideal companion not only to the mobile AmpliTube app, but also works with any other recording, processing or tuning app. Plus, you can also use the iRig with line level signal sources such as synthesizers, keyboards or mixers."

This seems to indicate that the interface will be impedance matched. That will be very good. Ground Up Audio is also working on an interface which will be impedance matched.

The AmpliTube Software

From the IK Multimedia site:

• Real time guitar and bass mobile multiFX app
• Full rig made by 3 simultaneous stompboxes + amp + cabinet + mic
• 11 Stomps, 5 Amps, 5 Cabinets, 2 Mics available
• Import and play with songs or backing tracks with real time effects
• 36 presets can be saved/recalled on the fly
• Includes tuner/metronome
• Same low-latency as Mac/PC systems

What no recording ability!? Darn. Unfortunately until you can record this remains a very nice and highly glorified practice amp and nothing much more. You could use it in a signal chain and then record to your DAW, but I prefer to use the effects built into my DAW.

We'll see if it's truly low latency or not. Once you start adding a few effects on top of each other the iPhone isn't powerful enough to process without at least some latency. App developers are working hard to optimize their code to reduce latency and as hardware improves this issue will fall away.

The stomp boxes available are: delay, flanger, phaser, overdrive, distortion, filter, wah, fuzz, octaver, chorus

Pricing

The iRig hardware will cost $40.

The software works like this:

The free version will include 3 stompboxes, 1 amp+cabinet, 2 microphones. The LE version will include 5 stompboxes, 1 amp+cabinet, 2 microphones for $2.99 / €2.39. More gear can be added to FREE and LE through an in-app purchase of a-la-carte models with stompboxes costing $2.99 / €2.39 each and amplifiers+cabinets for $4.99 / €3.99 each. AmpliTube FULL will include the entire collection of available gear with 11 stompboxes, 5 amps+cabinets and 2 microphones for $19.99 / €15.99.

Demos Available

Click here for audio demos of the effects. (opens in new window)

Here's a video demonstration:

Update on Release

The iRig has been released and I've even seen it at a Target a large chain store.

Please leave me your feedback about this iPhone/iPod/iPad guitar cable. Are you looking forward to this release? Any reservations? Let me know below in the comments area! Thanks.

This post was written by

Michael Jae.

Michael is a guitarist of over 18 years and has taught lessons, played in front of live audiences, and wrote and recorded his own acoustic fingerstyle albums. He's especially fond of playing classic rock, heavy metal, classical guitar, and fingerstyle acoustic guitar in the style of Leo Kottke and John Fahey.

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