Favorite portable interface to use with a mac and amplitube

[gp81]

I want to use Amplitube 4 and my macbook pro as my 'practice amp' when I am traveling
What is your favorite small interface (irig, apogee etc) that fits in the laptop case, sounds good and has low latency?

 

[highfidelity66]

I just got the I rig HD2 for Christmas and so far it works really well with my iPhone… I expect it would work equally as good with your MacBook!

 

[RAFS]

Rocksmith Real Tone cable. Use it on my computer and laptop. Also with my iPhone and the USB camera adapter.

 

[FonzieDog]

I have the Apogee Jam 96 and it works great with GarageBand. Super portable.

 

[Elantric]

I use a Fender Fishman Tripleplay Strat with built in 24 bit USB AUDIO interface, similar to Fender Slide Interface

 

[tomaburque]

Any will do as long as it's a high impedance jack of at least 1.5 megaΩ or you will lose tone. Inexpensive interfaces often do not present the right impedance load to the pickups which will cause a loss of highs and generally flat tone. That's why a lot of people run some sort of stompbox - ideally a clean boost, but a compressor or a Tube Screamer will work too - ahead of the interface to buffer the impedance. Before I bought my Kemper I used a cheapo M-Audio interface and running a Tube Screamer in front of it greatly improved the tone. I would usually run the volume at unity and the gain all the way down so there was no grit or grind. It just sort of toughened up the tone and eliminated tone suck from the impedance mismatch.

 

[richpjr]

I have the Apogee Jam 96 and it works great with GarageBand. Super portable.

This would be about as small as you could travel with that sounds good and would work well.

 

[Jarick]

Apogee Jam was my choice of product for this. It had cables for the iPhone/iPad as well.

 

[Elric]

Apogee Jam has no output port (incompatible with new iPhone) and is a bit overpriced for what it is. People need to stop recommending it as a first choice just because they have one, IMHO.

The iRig HD 2 has an actual output, costs less, works really well with all the lightning iPhones and Mac (i have two MacBooks and can even confirm it works on the new 2016 with a USBC adapter ;-)) and comes with a full Amplitube 4 license (obviously works well with it). Extremely happy with it.

 

[mac jones]

Just a heads up.
On a Mac, separating the input and output devices, creates a bit of latency. On iOS I haven't tested it, as it's much easier to test on a Mac. There are various, cheap options for iPad that require you to use the headphone jack, which will separate the input and output device. iOS uses Core Audio like the Mac, BTW.

 

[tjontheroad]

The iRig HD 2 has an actual output, costs less, works really well with all the lightning iPhones and Mac (i have two MacBooks and can even confirm it works on the new 2016 with a USBC adapter ;-)) and comes with a full Amplitube 4 license (obviously works well with it). Extremely happy with it.

Very happy with the iRig HD2. I'm running with S-Gear and Blue Cat Audio Distructor. The line lets me use it as a back up rig.

 

[RolandKorg]

I have the Apogee Jam. Seems to work well, although i haven't compared it to anything other than the StealthPlug i had before it. I do NOT recommend the StealthPlug.

 

[DaveDaveDave]

Apogee One for me... also has a built in condenser if you want to track an amp, acoustic or vocals.

 

[gp81]

Thanks for all of the responses. Looks like the irig 2 HD is nice.
Do you know if you can listen through your laptop speakers with these, or do you have to use headphones?

 

[lspaulsp]

Anything you buy would sound better than a laptop speaker. Even my on sale $19 USB (JBL) speakers from Walmart.
Phones would probably be the way to go.

 

[Elantric]

The biggest fallacy newbies assume is that their Windows Laptop speakers will be an available Audio Output option for monitoring low latency real time guitar processing with a quality 24 bit ASIO Audio interface.

Owing to the ASIO spec, for lowest latency you will use the audio output on the ASIO Audio interface

 

[richpjr]

Apogee Jam has no output port (incompatible with new iPhone) and is a bit overpriced for what it is. People need to stop recommending it as a first choice just because they have one, IMHO.

The iRig HD 2 has an actual output, costs less, works really well with all the lightning iPhones and Mac (i have two MacBooks and can even confirm it works on the new 2016 with a USBC adapter ;-)) and comes with a full Amplitube 4 license (obviously works well with it). Extremely happy with it.

I don't own either, but have listened to both extensively and prefer the Jam over the iRig as I think it sounds noticeably better. If you need an output built in the interface, it does rule out the Jam. If you are listening to headphones via the laptop it's inexpensive, has a small footprint and works very well.

 

[richpjr]

The biggest fallacy newbies assume is that their Windows Laptop speakers will be an available Audio Output option for monitoring low latency real time guitar processing with a quality 24 bit ASIO Audio interface.

Owing to the ASIO spec, for lowest latency you will use the audio output on the ASIO Audio interface

The OP is using a Macbook.