by mark@cs1.net » Fri Jan 12, 2018 9:58 pm
Just to give you an update, after all of this time, I finally received a replacement controller from IK Multimedia. The replacement came with batteries, whereas the original did not, so I appreciated that. I was able to make the replacement unit work, after a fashion, with my iPad Pro, but it still doesn't work with my earlier iOS devices, which the specs indicate that it should work with.
And even though it "works", I still can't find any way to route the audio to the iPad's built-in speakers. I even tried it with Synthesia, which provides controls for where the audio should go, and while those controls work perfectly with every other MIDI device that I've ever tried it with, they don't work with the iRig Keys I/O.
It also doesn't work with certain iPad music learning apps, such as NoteWorks, that work fine with the all other MIDI keyboards, including the iRig Keys Pro 37. And again, even when it does work with a given app, I can't find any way to send the audio to the iPad's speakers, which makes it somewhat useless for impromptu practice, because now I have to either drag out some headphones, or worse yet, some powered speakers before I can hear anything. The Keys I/O is technically capable of allowing sound to come out of the iOS device speakers, because audio DOES come out of those speakers during the first few seconds after the keyboard is plugged in, but then, frustratingly, the speakers get cut off, with no apparent option to turn them back on again.
I would comment too that when the Keys I/O powers down for any reason, it sends a nasty (loud) transient spike to whatever sound system is plugged into it. For example, this happens if the iPad goes to sleep. And then if I wake the iPad, I get a message on the screen about the connected device not being valid. About half the time, it doesn't work at all, even with IK apps. I have to un-plug the cable from the keyboard, which then causes another loud pop in the connected speakers. If I'm lucky, it works on the second try, but that's not always true.
And the fact that it doesn't work with certain learning apps would make it useless to anyone who was depending upon those apps. I'm disappointed too that the knob marked "volume" doesn't function as a volume control, even within IK's own apps, such as Sample Tank and iGrand Piano. I eventually figured out how to make it work by using the "alt" function, but why doesn't it just work by default? And why is the "documentation" limited to a 4x4 booklet that contains only arcane sign language? There is literally more content in the booklet that shows all of the other products that IK Multimedia would like to sell. For what it's worth, the included stand is not adequate for a 12.9" iPad Pro. After it fell over the first time, I took the hint and did the rest of my testing with the iPad flat on my desk.
There may be simple solutions for some of these problems, but I certainly can't get it out of the included booklet, nor can I find it online. It's very frustrating because in terms of form factor, the Key I/O 49 seems just about perfect. I really like the feel of the key action, and from what I can tell, the MIDI velocities are good too. If anyone who reads this (before the inevitable "[mod edit]") knows how to fix any of this, I would be most grateful.
