Recording - January 2015 - 42

New Toys For The New Year

Reviews by Mike Metlay

Last month we wrapped up 2014 with our annual Buyer's Guide, but we
ran out of room to talk about the many iOS-related products we've
received in recent months. There's too much to even feature here, but
we're going to make a heroic effort to show you a bunch of affordable
and fun hardware and apps with short reviews based on actual trials.

Audio quality is exceptional for a product at this price
point, with great-sounding mic preamps, plenty of output level and clear D/A conversion, and solid guitar
inputs. Although the impedance isn't listed anywhere,
we didn't hear the issues one gets from an guitar input's
impedance being too low. This is a fantastic product for
roadworthy, iOS-friendly audio interfacing with a traditional 2-in/2-out model, and well worth a look.

RØDE i-XY, RØDEGrip, and Deadkitten
$199, $39, and $24.99; www.rodemic.com

PreSonus AudioBox iOne and AudioBox iTwo
$129.95 and $159.95; www.presonus.com

Packed in sturdy wrap-around metal enclosures, these new interfaces boast
a feature set common to entry-level PC/Mac interfaces but rare in the iOS
world. The AudioBox iTwo we reviewed sports a pair of audio inputs on combination XLR/TRS jacks, with front panel buttons to select Hi-Z instrument level
rather than line level; we didn't test the AudioBox iOne, which has one miclevel XLR and one instrument level 1/4" Hi-Z input and no line inputs.
Both offer a global phantom power button, two Gain knobs with
green/red signal present/clip LEDs, a Mix knob for zero-latency monitoring, and separate knobs for the line outputs and the front-panel 1/4" TRS
headphone jack. All front-panel buttons are backlit with blue LEDs, and
there's a blue power LED as well. The knobs feature the finely-stepped pots
common to PreSonus gear; they feel great and work smoothly.
The rear panel offers two 1/4" TRS balanced line-level outputs, MIDI In and
Out (on the iTwo only), a USB-B port for wiring to a PC or Mac, and a USBA port for wiring to an iOS device. There's no power supply; the AudioBoxes
are bus-powered when connected to a Mac or PC and only need external
power when connected to an iOS device. When using an iPad, you power
the interface by plugging the USB-B port into your iPad's charger.
The AudioBox is recognized as a 2-in/2-out interface with up to 24bit/96 kHz audio quality by Windows, Mac OS X, and iOS 7 or better.
It comes with a download code for PreSonus's Studio One Artist DAW for
Mac and PC, and it works with the new Capture for iPad, a simple app
for recording audio at up to 24/96 quality in Apple Lossless format that
can then be transferred (even wirelessly!) to Studio One. There's a free 2track version called Capture Duo that works beautifully with the
AudioBoxes, and a full 32-track version of Capture for iPad costs $9.99.
It works with any compatible hardware, so you can keep using the same
app even when you attach a larger interface.
42

RECORDING January 2015

In our August 2013 issue we reviewed the iXY, an XY
stereo mic array for iOS devices. We remarked on its high
quality, low noise, and ease of use/connectivity, and gave
it a strong recommendation for users of 30-pin-compatible
iOS devices. But times change, and aside from the iPad
2, all iOS devices currently on sale use the new Lightning
connector... and so, RØDE has come out with a new i-XY
Lightning version to supplement the original model.
The i-XY is a beautiful design, optimized for use with
the iPhone 5, 5s, and 5c; because the Lightning connector locks positively but isn't designed to bear as
much weight as the 30-pin dock connector can, the
new mic has a clamp system that holds it steady and
takes strain off the Lightning plug when it's installed.
The i-XY comes with two clamps, one for the iPhone 5
and 5s and the other for the slightly thicker iPhone 5c.
RØDE tells me an iPhone 6/6 Plus clamp will be available by the start of 2015, as a purchasable
item for prior owners and included in the
box with newly purchased mics.
Plugging in the mic lights a
green LED, it's recognized as an
audio input device for up to
24/96 resolution, and you're
good to go, with the RØDE Rec
field recording app or any

http://www.rodemic.com http://www.presonus.com

Recording - January 2015

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