Apple Lightning to USB 3 adaptor

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gamick
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Apple Lightning to USB 3 adaptor

Post by gamick » Fri Apr 01, 2016 8:51 am

I posted about this in a different thread but I've done some more experimenting since then and thought I'd post my finding here.

Earlier this week I tried out the new Apple Lightning to USB 3 powered adaptor with Auria Pro running on my iPad Air 2 and my PreSonus AudioBox 1818VSL. I’d previously been using the old non-powered Lightning to USB adaptor with great success. With the new adaptor, the AudioBox showed up fine in Auria, I could see all the inputs in the Input Matrix, and I could see the level meters moving for both instruments and microphones. And when I did some test recordings all the waveforms looked good.

However, I could not get any output back to the Audiobox either through the main outs or its headphone output, so it was impossible to monitor the audio. The results were the same when I tried recording through GarageBand on the iPad—I could see the audio going in, but I couldn’t hear anything through the Audiobox. I then discovered that the only way to hear any output was by plugging my headphones into the iPad’s headphone jack, which is not ideal.

I tried a couple other audio input devices I had around the house. The results were the same with a Behringer UMC202HD. I could input audio but couldn’t receive it back to the device. I could still hear through the iPad’s headphone jack. I also tried connecting the Behringer through a powered USB hub before connecting it to the Lightning Adaptor. At that point I could very faintly hear playback through it, but very very little and the headphone volume dial had no effect on the level.

The last device I tried was an M-Audio FastTrack and surprisingly it worked! I plugged it directly into the lightning adaptor and I could hear playback through its headphone jack. I don’t know if it had to do with the FastTrack being the one device that doesn’t supply phantom power, but it was the only device I could get to properly work.

Anyway, that’s been my experience with the new Lightning to USB 3 powered adaptor so far. If anyone has any thoughts or suggestions on how I could get the Audiobox working with it, I’d greatly appreciate it.

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mtingle
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Re: Apple Lightning to USB 3 adaptor

Post by mtingle » Fri Apr 01, 2016 7:04 pm

Does the PreSonus AudioBox 1818VSL have control panel that you setup on a desk top PC? Focusrite had this and you really have to configure it right to get any sound. Maybe it needs tweaking with the new adapter.

gamick
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Re: Apple Lightning to USB 3 adaptor

Post by gamick » Mon Apr 04, 2016 7:30 am

The PreSonus does have an app that's required to use it with the Mac, but the app doesn't change anything in the PreSonus itself (as far as I can tell)--it just configures the way things are routed to and from the Mac. I've never had to do that when using it with the iPad however. It's always just worked through the old Lightning to USB adaptor. Appreciate the suggestion through.

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