It's been over 4 years since IK Multimedia first launched a nifty double act that allowed guitarists to plug into numerous digital stomp box and amp emulations on a smartphone. The company has since added a number of new versions to its iRig interface and AmpliTube app family, including the iRig HD and iRig PRO, but until now players will have had to use an Apple smart device to access IK's world of tone. Though the iRig HD was recently made compatible with a very few Android mobile devices, the iRig 2 is spreading the Android love to more users.2
- Where the original iRig featured an instrument jack at one end of its cylindrical housing and a headphone jack and iOS device connection port at the other, the iRig 2 adds another output in the shape of a 6.4 mm amplifier jack. This means that players can now output tones, effects and amp sims from a connected smartphone or tablet running an app, such as the company's AmpliTube guitar and bass effects processor, to a powered instrument amp.
IK has added a dual-mode switch the new interface that allows musicians to send a processed signal through to the amp or maintain an analog signal to the amp while using the mobile device as a tuner or recorder. A gain thumbwheel has also been included to allow for fine control of input levels.
The biggest news for non-iOS users is that IK's guitar and bass interface is now compatible with modern Android devices from manufacturers like Samsung, HTC and Motorola – any mobile device with a 3.5 mm input that supports the CTIA/AHJ wiring standard, in fact. A special Android version of AmpliTube has been developed for devices that support Samsung Professional Audio, such as the Galaxy Note 4.
The iRig 2 interface will be available in Q1 2015 for US$39.99.
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