iRig HD en

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Overview

　This is an iOS audio interface connection device for guitars and basses sold by the cool Italian manufacturer IK Multimedia.

For example, by installing the included software AmpliTube for iOS on a device such as an iPhone or iPad and connecting your guitar to the iPhone or iPad using this product, you can easily hear your guitar sound processed with Amplitube effects.

By plugging earphones into the headphone jack of the iPhone or iPod, you can play guitar even at night. If you live in an apartment building, you can also play inside your car if you have one. Even without a car, you could go to a nearby park and practice there.

However, outdoor environments are not suitable for long practice sessions because you cannot control the temperature.

I think it is a very convenient tool for modern guitarists.

At the moment I don’t actually own an iRig HD yet, so I’m just interested in it.

• Update:

Around September 2020

Rather than buying the iRig HD, it is better to buy the iRig HD2.

It includes an audio interface on the mini-plug output side, and when monitoring it supports ASIO, which reduces latency (time delay in the sound output). Built-in PC audio outputs often have significant latency.

If you do not already have an ASIO-compatible output interface, I recommend the HD2.

The iRig Pre is designed for microphones, so it would probably be inconvenient for guitar use.

The Pro can handle both microphones and guitars, and its monitoring-oriented ASIO-compatible mini-plug output is convenient.

The Pro Duo has two input/output channels, so you can input two sources simultaneously. It seems suitable for use cases like playing guitar and singing at the same time.

• Update:

Around March 2016

I purchased this product. I haven't used it yet, but apparently it can also be used on a PC.

The requirement is a PC with a USB port and software such as ASIO4ALL installed.

Since I only use AmpliTube on Windows, I plan to try it on my PC.

Recently I switched to a laptop, so I carry it around fairly often. I’m handling a PC that’s about as heavy as an iPad (literally heavy in weight). But it runs smoothly, so I’m satisfied. If it works well, I might record something and upload it.

• Update:

Also around March

I tried PC Windows 10 + AmpliTube 3 (my license is for Ver2, but AmpliTube 3 allows you to use the effects and amps provided in version 2).

At first it worked very poorly and produced no sound even when connected.

I tried setting it as the default recording device in the Control Panel audio settings, updating device drivers through a web search, restarting the PC, unplugging and reconnecting the USB cable, and restarting AmpliTube.

Eventually “iRigHD” started appearing as a sub-input device under ASIO4ALL Ver2.

Even then there was still no sound, but after repeating restarts and reconnecting things, sound finally came out.

It also worked with AmpliTube 2. Actually, AmpliTube 2 is more efficient because the selectable effects, amps, and mics are limited. The UI in AmpliTube 3 is easier to use though.

Version 2 is more than enough. Even in version 2 you can experience an enormous number of combinations. In fact, there are so many options that it can become exhausting.

Some presets have extremely strong noise even when not playing, which can be tough. Maybe it requires musical sense. Some presets are unusable unless you mute constantly.

As a mediocre guitarist, I prefer setups where I don’t have to worry too much about muting. However, those setups sometimes lack thickness in the sound.

In the end, I still can’t really play music well enough to record. Pretty lame… me!

So in short:

It seems to work on PC as well. You can enjoy about 5 hours of mobile use, which is plenty.

The sound quality is quite good.

The cable I used to connect the guitar and iRigHD was a 2-meter shield cable for 1600 yen recommended by a sales clerk at Shimamura Music, and it works great. Thank you!

Actually, she was younger than me, so maybe I should say “thank you, young lady.”

Since it had been a while since I last played guitar, my fingers started hurting again. I’ll keep practicing daily.

I wonder if I’ll ever reach the point where I can record something.

Anyway, it finally feels like I’m experiencing the real power of AmpliTube. It’s fun. I should have bought this much earlier.

By connecting the iPad headphone output to a studio amplifier, it is also possible to perform at high volume while staying portable.

　

類似製品

• iRig HD2

The original HD (not HD2) has a simple configuration: 1/4-inch XLR combo input (TS/TRS phone plug), USB output, gain adjustment wheel, and input level LED indicator. It is also very compact.

※ A TS phone plug becomes a TRS phone plug when stereo. The female connector on the device itself is called a TS phone jack or TRS phone jack. Here the term “plug” simply refers to the presence of a jack that accepts a TRS phone plug.

A phone plug is also sometimes called a standard balanced connector.

The XLR connector has three pins arranged 120° apart along the circumference and is commonly used for wired microphone connections. Because it supports both XLR and phone plugs, it is also called a standard combo connector.

When a TRS plug is connected, it becomes a mono balanced connection. When a TS plug is connected, it becomes a mono unbalanced connection.

Balanced connections reduce noise by sending inverted voltage through two signal lines. Noise that occurs along the cable affects both lines equally. At the input stage, one of the signals is inverted again and combined, canceling the noise.

Therefore, using TRS or XLR cables for mono connections can reduce noise even more than unbalanced connections. Even with TS unbalanced connections, the cable shielding helps reduce noise.

Cables are somewhat expensive, but it is better not to cut corners if you want to maximize performance.

Plugging a TRS plug into a TS-only connector usually does not cause problems. The reverse can sometimes cause issues, but with standard equipment it typically works safely.

• T stands for Tip (non-inverted signal line),
• R stands for Ring (inverted signal line),
• S stands for Sleeve (ground line).

Passive guitar pickups output high impedance (Hi-Z) signals, so they should be connected to high-impedance inputs.

Active pickups have lower impedance but still generally work best with Hi-Z inputs. If an amplifier has a Hi-Z button, it should be enabled.

After passing through effects or volume pedals that convert signals to low impedance, the signal can be sent to standard low-impedance amplifier inputs.

Impedance essentially refers to resistance. Higher resistance results in higher voltage but also potentially more noise.

If a high-voltage signal intended for a Hi-Z input is connected to a low-impedance input, some signal is lost and the sound can become muffled.

If you must connect to a low-impedance input directly, you can use a DI (Direct Injection) box to convert the impedance. However, DI equipment can be expensive.

Input impedance values are often listed in specifications: Low impedance is typically 0.6Ω to a few kΩ, while high impedance is around 250kΩ to 1MΩ.

Ideally, the output impedance should be lower than the input impedance when connecting devices, though this is not always easy to match perfectly.

HD2 includes:

1/4-inch XLR (TS input), headphone output (monitor return or direct monitoring), 1/4-inch output, USB output, gain adjustment wheel, and input level LED. Price: about €99

• iRig Pro

Includes 1/4-inch XLR combo input, headphone output, volume control wheel, USB output, 48V phantom power adapter jack, phantom power switch, MIDI IN/OUT mini-jack, gain knob, and input level LED. Price: about €149

• iRig Pro Duo

Essentially the same as the Pro but with two input channels. USB output, headphone output, MIDI, and phantom power are shared. Price: about €199

Related Info

• iRigHD product page
• IK Multimedia guitar product page
• Yonerog blog: iRig HD purchase information

　

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