iPad Camera Connection Kit as a Digital Audio Interface
I have been experimenting with the new iPad Camera Connection Kit and today I hit the mother load as an audio geek. I wanted a way to be able to put clean high quality audio into my iPad with more than just a 1/8 inch jack headphone\mic combination. Today I experimented with this by using a Plantronics USB to 1/8 mic input that came with a PLANTRONICS .AUDIO 650 USB Multimedia Stereo Headset($33.98U.S.). This USB dongle that comes with the headset is in essence a sound card (like a Griffin iMic) . I plug this USB \audio converter into the iPad, and take stereo out of the Mackie ONYX 1220 mixers main outputs and turn on the Bias iProRecorder app for iPhone on the iPad.
Much to my surprise, I’m able to record out of the Mackie board with very high quality (please listen to the audio on this post). There fore able to use the iPad as a full on digital recorder. This is huge as if I use something like the Griffin iMic (or potentially another USB sound card, I can use the iPad as my recorder in the field etc. I did not alter the sound in any way (you will hear some hiss) and I did convert the 44.1Khz WAV recording to mp3. This alone makes the iPad Camera Connection Kit worth the price $29 U.S., and it keeps reminding me that when Apple says the iPad is Magic… well there maybe something to that.
Update: I also tried to plug in a Blue Snow Flake and a Samsom COU1 USB mic, using another iPad audio application. Both worked perfectly well. Sounds like this is baked in. I can’t tell you if it’s on purpose or not.
IPad being used as a digital interface with the iPad Camera connector Kit
