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AmpliTube iRig for iOS Review

A few months ago I came across IK Multimedia’s iRig. A small device that utilizes the three-channel headphone connection in Apple’s iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad to connect a guitar or bass. Being a guitar player and a fan of Apple’s iOS devices, I was instantly intrigued.

At the time the only place I could find to purchase the $39.99 USD device from was IK Multimedia’s web site. The idea of paying a foreign currency, plus the cost of shipping, plus the cost of the iOS app(s) did not seem immediately appealing. I put the prospect of owning one on hold. That is, of course, until I happened to be at a local Apple store and the package caught my eye (and for only $39.95 CAD).

The iRig setup consists of two components. First there’s the hardware. A small device that provides a 1/4″ connection for your guitar or bass, and two 1/8″ connections—one female for a set of stereo headphones, the other male to connect to the iOS device itself. The second part is the iOS software, AmpliTube [iTunes link].

While the hardware supplies the means for connecting your instrument, the software provides the amp simulation and effects. The entire package provides an incredibly portable guitar rig for light jamming and learning new music (more on that later).

The AmpliTube iRig Setup

Most of the power behind the iRig lies in the software. In total there are five different options when making your purchase from the iTunes App Store; these are (all links open in iTunes):

• AmpliTube FREE, Free;
• AmpliTube LE, $2.99;
• AmpliTube, $19.99;
• AmpliTube FREE for iPad, Free;
• AmpliTube for iPad, $19.99.

The first three represent iPhone/iPod Touch versions, the last two represent iPad versions. It would have been nice if IK Multimedia made the app universal, instead of forcing people with multiple devices to potentially pay twice for essentially the same product. Both iPhone and iPad versions have the same capabilities, the smaller screen of the iPhone obviously limits the number of settings available on the screen at any one point in time.

The free versions provide a single amp, entitled Lead, that comes with one 4×12″ cabinet. Also included are a small handful of effects—Delay, Noise Filter, and Distortion is available as a free add-on if you register the software. Having the option to download the software for free affords one the opportunity to try the iRig with little financial investment (i.e. only the price of the hardware). The zero-cost downloads provide in-app purchases for adding additional effects, amps and cabinets (the cabinets come with the amp purchases).

For those only wanting a few effects, the free software is a welcome option. You can save a substantial amount of money by buying effects or amps à la carte; however, the cost of in-app purchases add up quickly. Some effects, for example, can be bought for $2.99; amps for $4.99. A few purchases will put you very close to the all-inclusive, full-price version (if not beyond it).

I opted to download the free app for my iPhone and the $19.99 version for my iPad. I won’t really be using the device on my iPhone but it will be nice to have for the times when I need it. While the idea of having an entire rig in a device the size of my iPhone is appealing, the small screen makes it necessary to tap through different screens to change effects or make other adjustments. When you’re playing guitar, you want to play—making adjustments to your sound only as necessary. The iPhone version doesn’t allow for quick tweaks as much as the iPad version does. Both the iPhone and iPad software operate in the same manner, but the increased screen real estate provided by the iPad means four effects (the maximum allowed in the software) as well as the selected amp’s tone controls can be adjusted on a single screen.

Using the Hardware

There isn’t a whole lot to the hardware (see the gallery at the end of this post). One side has a small cord with a male connector to plug into your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. On the same side is a female port to connect your headphones. The opposite end houses the female connector for your guitar or bass patch cable.

The entire enclosure is compact yet feels quite solid. The cord to connect to the iOS device appears very sturdy and the connector itself is reinforced with a heavy plastic. In fact, the connector had so much plastic reinforcement that it wouldn’t plug into an iPhone 4 housed in Apple’s bumper case—a minor irritant.

Using the Software

Using the software is very straightforward. If you have any experience using a Line 6 or other multi-effects boards this software will seem like a walk in the park. There are 11 effects, 5 amps, and 5 cabinets.

• Effects: Delay, Fuzz, Distortion, Overdrive, Wah, Envelop Filter, Chorus, Flanger, Phazer, Octave, Noise Filter.
• Amps: Clean, Crunch, Lead, Metal, Bass.
• Cabinets: 1×12″, 2×12″, 4×12″A, 4×12″B, 1×15″.

Each effect, amp, and cabinet can be mixed and matched to produce a plethora of tones. As mentioned earlier, you can only layer up to four effects at once, but you can double up the same effect. So, for example, you could have two delays one after another to create some interesting sounds. One minor grievance is that the effects cannot be re-ordered on the fly. You can swap one effect for another in any of the four banks but you then have to adjust the settings for the newly placed effect if you had previously adjusted its default settings.

Like effects, amps have default settings and cabinets. When you select an amp these defaults are used but it’s easy enough to adjust the bass, mid, treble, etc. (the actual knobs presented for each amp depend on the specific amp selected). The cabinet can be changed by tapping the cabinet button at the bottom of the screen; similarly, tapping the microphone toggles between two types of microphones.

Every time a new effect or amp is selected, it reverts to its default settings. Thankfully, AmpliTube comes with a presets panel that allows storage of up to 36 presets displayed 12 at a time across three screens. I haven’t played around with the presets much, but transition from one preset to another seems quick enough. They are labeled 1–36 with no option to add a text label to indicate the saved configuration. Saving a preset is as simple as tap and holding the desired button.

AmpliTube comes with a few really nice extras:

1. A metronome;
2. A tuner, and;
3. A song player.

The first two require no description. The song player, however, is a great addition to an already great bundle. I mentioned earlier that the iRig setup makes it easy to learn new music and the song player is what does the deed. It lets you add up to 20 songs that can be played alongside your own playing. The volume can be adjusted independent of your instrument. The player has an option to mark in and out points and continuously loop the selected section of a song; great for nailing down a solo or lifting a complicated part.

One very noticeable caveat to using the song player, however, is that the track appears to be placed inline with the amp selection. This means songs will sound fine when using the clean amp, but the midrange is very much absent when playing with the metal amp. Given the primary purpose of the player is to learn new parts or jam along with your favourite band, it’s a minor annoyance, but it’s definitely something IK Multimedia should address in a future update.

Adding songs to AmpliTube is a bit cumbersome. It doesn’t allow selection from your existing song library on your iOS device. Instead, you have to enable a sharing mode on the device (by clicking the Add Song button) and visit a web page it creates over your local network. Songs must be uploaded one at a time. Apparently this process of manually adding songs is necessary so the application can properly buffer the song while you play. Cumbersome? Yes. A deal breaker? No.

The Sound

Let’s be honest, between the iRig hardware and the AmpliTube software you’ll be spending about $60.00 (plus regional taxes). You’re not going to get the Fender clean or saturated tone of a Mesa Boogie. However, you will definitely get more than what $60.00 would get you elsewhere.

My biggest observation was that the overall volume level was very low. I normally keep my headphone volume quite low and can hear just fine. With the iRig I had to crank the volume of my iPad to nearly 100% (and, on occasion, I did hit the 100% mark).

My initial tests were done using stock Apple headphones. The sound quality was quite acceptable. Using my Shure E4c’s helped a bit with the low volume issue and also provided a much richer and fuller sound. To be completely candid, I was really impressed with the quality of sound when using the Shure’s.

The amps in the software have an on/off switch that acts very much like a bypass. My Godin LGX-SA is equipped with piezo pickups to provide a unique acoustic sound (if you have ever heard one of these, you’ll know it sounds very much like an acoustic guitar, albeit a different acoustic guitar). I was able to switch the amp off, turn my electric pickup volume down and my piezo pickup volume up. The acoustic sound was pleasing and clear.

The Final Verdict

The AmpliTube iRig isn’t going to replace your rig. It’s not going to produce the same quality sound or provide the same versatility as more expensive amps and multi-effects boards. It will give you the versatility and tone you need (and can enjoy) for individual practice sessions. The hardware is lightweight and easily fits in a guitar case—meaning your guitar and iPad are all you need to start playing.

I would have really liked the opportunity to try playing the output through a professional sound system. Nevertheless, with headphones the sound quality is quite remarkable for such a simple and affordable product. The iRig is going to be a regular part of my home practice routine.