Alesis IO Dock for Apple iPad Unboxing, Demonstration and Review

[NickDrake101]

Thanks for the info...I thought that was the case.

[NickDrake101]

Good review! btw...have you tried the mic phantom with an app running? I tried it with Thumb Jam and it doesn't work. I'm using iPad 2

[vrooomuk]

@NickDrake101 No - there are quite a few "issues" with the IO Dock unfortunately.

[rw4273]

Does not work with ipad2. Hasn't for months. JUNK

[vrooomuk]

@rw4273 Well guess what iPad I am using with mine? An iPad 2. So I reckon you got a dud one... Alesis knows there are issues with this unit and that's why they've released some new products at the recent NAMM show.

[rw4273]

@vrooomuk What ios are you using?

[vrooomuk]

@rw4273 IOS5

[dmazanec]

Why is he whispering? He must be hunting wabbits. 

[vrooomuk]

@dmazanec So you pay attention...

[hansendesigns]

Wow thx 4 the quick response ur the man. So i am guessing that i would need more gear to handle the line out? Or am i wrong? (i was hoping the usb connection would let me play right into the mac daw) if i did need more gear than this, what would it be? TIA

[vrooomuk]

@hansendesigns Honestly, I would wait until Alesis fix the various audio problems that plague the IO Dock. Check out their forum for further advice.

[hansendesigns]

Can you play an ipad instrument on the touch screen and send that signal into a daw on a mac? I want to play animoog onto my laptop's garageband.

[vrooomuk]

@hansendesigns Yup if you route the line signal into the computer.

[curthaynes]

do you podcast?

[vrooomuk]

@curthaynes Yes, I do. Just search for me on iTunes.

[maxellison55]

you should be a commentator for the golf channel....

[esjed]

the io dock record 2 chanels at the same time?

[TheSchranzzer]

nice compressor which one did u use?

[noliboyee]

will this work well on electronic drums?

[vrooomuk]

@noliboyee Sorry, I cannot answer that, I only tested with a keyboard - but one would assume that if the drums had MIDI out then you could connect them. Best to try the item at a music store, I think!

[leefuji]

@vrooomuk are the sounds coming from the iPad/Garage Band or is this something out of your Computer Software or Keyboards!

[vrooomuk]

@leefuji Watch the video properly. Where do YOU think the sounds are coming from? ;-)

[Ilovemyfender2]

@noliboyee I've heard that electronic drums with MIDI work with the iPad's drumset.

[evilsnakes1]

...thx for the review. i order mine today. i can't wait to play Animoog on it :)

[Dattdudebadd1]

@akissgr1 I would say the only reason I'm gonna get it n I already have the camera connector is for the mic inputs and the 1/4 outputs.

[NightfurMusic]

That's what I call ergo dynamic

[polishbroadcast]

Thanks for the awesome overview.

[Shedpix]

Very thorough exploration. A very thoughtful demo. Very grateful.

Cheers,

Alex

[giazaaa]

how much is it?

[vrooomuk]

@giazaaa Type in "Alesis IO Dock" into Google and press return. Then select the "Shopping" link and it should bring up a list of prices for your locality.

[giazaaa]

@vrooomuk thanks!

[Grofbd]

@giazaaa 200€ !

[akissgr1]

@giazaaa 175 euros at thomann.de

[vrooomuk]

@TheMarioPianist It uses the standard iPod and iPhone connector but whether it will work I cannot answer.

[jamiman95]

How light is it, can I just chuck it in my bag and take it to collage with out it weighing me down?

[vrooomuk]

@jamiman95 It is basically a plastic construction, so it doesn't weigh that much at all. You'll have to find somewhere to fit the power adaptor though. ;-)

[vrooomuk]

@TheMarioPianist You might want to consider the Akai Synthstation instead if you are using an iPod or iPhone...

[romainh1]

Finally, a proper good review for the iO Dock ! Thanks Vroomuk !

[bewaretheintertubes]

God is apparently a british guy with a nose whistle. Also he likes a good unboxing as much as the next guy.

[vrooomuk]

@bewaretheintertubes Where can I buy a nose whistle? Maybe I could do an unboxing of it?

[pimpleburger]

Does the headphones output merely mirror the main output or can you have things sent to headphones that don't make it to the main out? I'm thinking click track or DJ cue mixes foot auditioning tracks while other audio is being passed to the audience etc.

[orangefunk]

Nice one! I bought 2 on your recommendation ;-)

I am more interested in using the Ipad as a sound module for live gigs... I reckon we will see more and more apps come out to take advantage of that...

[Dogboy73]

Great review. Thanks for this. Shame about the hanging MIDI notes though. Definitely a problem with the IO dock as I've read about this a lot on the boards. The MIDI output is one of the main things I wanted this for as well as the audio IO of course. Might give it a miss unless it gets fixed in a firmwaer update ...... will the IO dock be getting firmware updates?!

[vrooomuk]

@Dogboy73 Not sure how they'd upgrade the firmware of the IO Dock - it just a glorified hardware adaptor. I would imagine to cure the sticky notes, any changes would need to be made in the iPads OS itself.

[Dogboy73]

@vrooomuk As well as the MIDI issues that people are talking about many of my Apps are Universal with quite a few being portrait rather than lanscape. Not much good when used in the IO Dock.

[Su11yDud3]

Hi vrooomuk, Do you by chance know if this will work with the Fl studio mobile app for ipad?

[vrooomuk]

@Su11yDud3 Sorry, I don't know the answer to that. I would imagine it would work, but I would advise you to ask around for confirmation.

[vrooomuk]

@TheMarioPianist No.

You have now exceeded your question limit. :-)

[bondi5000]

Great info - thanks! Can't help thinking your commentary would be very nicely suited to the dynamic game of bowls. :-)

[vrooomuk]

@bondi5000 Unfortunately, I have two small children and when I record these videos I tend to do it at night, when they are in bed, and I do not want to disturb them. So hush.... You could always listen to my videos in order to cure insomnia.

[bondi5000]

@vrooomuk ha ha!! It's kind of whispering Bob Harris vibe!! Anyway, top job on the content - I've just ordered mine and am looking forward to playing around with it and hopefully getting a bit more use out of all those iPad music apps I keep buying and using only once. :-)

[vrooomuk]

@TheMarioPianist It's a composite cable.

[vrooomuk]

@TheMarioPianist You've answered your own question!

[vrooomuk]

@TheMarioPianist 1. Yes 2. It is a composite video out which can be connected to a monitor or TV or other video input device using a composite input signal.

[vrooomuk]

@TheMarioPianist It is a tight fit.

[vrooomuk]

@TheMarioPianist It might be a tight squeeze!

[periurban]

Thanks for a very thorough and honest review. I think the trouble with it is that it turns the iPad from a convenient mobile recording platform into one that is more likely to sit plugged in next to your existing DAW in your current workspace. Which makes it kinda pointless!

[TheDjgear]

not all units include the IPad 2 Adaptor , But you can request one from alesis at alesis website /iodockadaptor

[vrooomuk]

@TheDjgear Yes, I do mention this is in my review.

[matem8]

at 9:40 the problem with io dock really shows

[vrooomuk]

@matem8 Yes, the sticking is a real problem. When I did the review I thought it was something I was doing wrong - so as an addendum, please be aware that on some synths the MIDI data appears to get "stuck" for some reason.

[gamecubepim]

What kind of music apps do you have? I just bought the iO-dock and I'd love to know what you're using. It was kinda hard to figure out what apps you have. I already have Garageband and two Korg apps. Any more suggestions?

Thanks

[vrooomuk]

@gamecubepim There's the Yamaha Tenori-On app, Beatwave, Moog Filtatron (for FX), ReBirth, NodeBeat, Reactable - those are some that I've played around with. I also use something called AC-7 Core to act as a mixing transport for my DAW software. Hope this helps!

[gamecubepim]

@vrooomuk

Thanks a bunch! I'll be sure to check them out!

[gamecubepim]

@vrooomuk

By the way, while we're at it, do you by any chance know an app for a nice Mellotron sound? I already have M3000, but I'm not very satisfied with it ...

[vrooomuk]

@gamecubepim I have IK Multimedia's Sampletron for any Mellotron stuff I do - but that's a PC/Mac plugin and not iPad specific. However, I hear that IK Multimedia is to release Sampletankn (it's sampler software) for the iPad, so I suspect there might be a few mellotron patches in that.

[gamecubepim]

@vrooomuk

I'll check that one out as well. And hopefully for the iPad soon!

Again, thanks a lot. Your video really helped me choosing to buy or not. Since it was shipped yesterday, it will be delivered today, so I'm really looking forward to that!

Pim

[cemil64]

I'd it use only as a tuner thanks to its shiny shiny screen :)

[vrooomuk]

@cemil64 I think that's a bit unfair. There are some music apps on the iPad that are useful. Anyone out there want to suggest their favourite iPad music apps?

[Stevebowhunter]

I'm in the process of sending my IO Dock back because of the sticking note and audio problems. Alesis is being very tight lipped about this. So I don't know if they're trying to fix it or what. I'm not waiting any longer. They've had plenty of time to at least communicate with me. This isn't just going to go away.

[pacomacman]

Those sticking notes are going to have you returning the dock faster than I can say 'Not fit for prime time'. You may also get a horrible audio clicking too...

[vrooomuk]

@pacomacman Yes, I have noticed the sticky notes. I thought it was something I was doing wrong. I didn't realise it was a design fault!!!! Bad Alesis...

[wavid117]

haha @17:04