Hi there,
I can't find minimum / recommended specs for using Pianoteq 9 on an iPad device.
Can you tell me what's the best device for the lowest latency possible ?
Does it have to be an iPad Pro (M5) or is an iPad Air (M3) already enough ?
many thanks in advance
kind regards
Hi there,
I can't find minimum / recommended specs for using Pianoteq 9 on an iPad device.
Can you tell me what's the best device for the lowest latency possible ?
Does it have to be an iPad Pro (M5) or is an iPad Air (M3) already enough ?many thanks in advance
kind regards
I have been using a 5th generation iPad Air from 2022 (M1) for a year now. It is dedicated to Pianoteq (connected 24/24 to roland keyboard and focusrite solo ) and it works perfectly. I used to be quite allergic to Apple. But the instant start-up and absolute silence of the iPad combined with Pianoteq have changed my mind.
I have been using a 5th generation iPad Air from 2022 (M1) for a year now. It is dedicated to Pianoteq (connected 24/24 to roland keyboard and focusrite solo ) and it works perfectly. I used to be quite allergic to Apple. But the instant start-up and absolute silence of the iPad combined with Pianoteq have changed my mind.
Hey Yves,
thanks for sharing your setup. I'm in the same boat with apple (currently only have 2 Android tablets). So I may also get the Air version as a dedicated music tab
I have also an ipad air M1, only used for pianoteq 9. It's perfect, fast.
1,3ms latency and 48 polyphony with no problem. Easy.
I can push the polyphony if i want, the ipad don't lag or crack.
I buy it on purpose because the M1 chip is the deal for it's performance and cheap price used.
I have also an ipad air M1, only used for pianoteq 9. It's perfect, fast.
1,3ms latency and 48 polyphony with no problem. Easy.
I can push the polyphony if i want, the ipad don't lag or crack.
I buy it on purpose because the M1 chip is the deal for it's performance and cheap price used.
What audio interface do you use ? I want a very small setup, so I may aim for the iRig Pro (https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irigproio/).
Unfortunately my current piano (Casio PX-S5000) does not have a built in audio interface.
I have 2, an irig pro duo and a scarlett focurite. Both are good for me, no big difference in sound, both at 1,3ms latency.
YvesTh wrote:I used to be quite allergic to Apple. But the instant start-up and absolute silence of the iPad combined with Pianoteq have changed my mind.
thanks for sharing your setup. I'm in the same boat with apple (currently only have 2 Android tablets). So I may also get the Air version as a dedicated music tab
Probably Modartt should ask royalities to Apple, if they aren't already
Many people changed their mind wrt iPads because ot Pianoteq, as you can see in the other thread which I started: https://forum.modartt.com/viewtopic.php?pid=1000462
Besides the joke, I post it because there people suggested even older models as more than sufficient. I did not go that route though, so I can't vouch for it, but I speculate that anything that is not super-old, even if it's one of the last intel-based ones would be just fine.
Probably Modartt should ask royalities to Apple, if they aren't already
Many people changed their mind wrt iPads because ot Pianoteq, as you can see in the other thread which I started: https://forum.modartt.com/viewtopic.php?pid=1000462
Besides the joke, I post it because there people suggested even older models as more than sufficient. I did not go that route though, so I can't vouch for it, but I speculate that anything that is not super-old, even if it's one of the last intel-based ones would be just fine.
haha, yeah thats funny ^^
sad that Android apparently doesn't offer a high-performance audio layer.
I just ordered an IPad Air 11" (2025 Model with M3) and the iRig Pro I/O. I hope it will last a couple of years performance-wise.
The M3 is 28 to 35% more performant than the M1 chip, so it will be more than enough for many years!
A good investisment!
You need a hub to connect everything.
You should choose an alimented hub to charge and play at the same time.
How do you connect the midi signal from the keyboard to the ipad? Your keyboard is USB Midi, if no you'll need a sound card with old din 5 pin.
The M3 is 28 to 35% more performant than the M1 chip, so it will be more than enough for many years!
A good investisment!You need a hub to connect everything.
You should choose an alimented hub to charge and play at the same time.How do you connect the midi signal from the keyboard to the ipad? Your keyboard is USB Midi, if no you'll need a sound card with old din 5 pin.
I hope the display size is also ok for sight reading. Currently I'm using a OnePlus Pad 3 which has a 13" display.
The price difference between the iPad in 11" or 13" was over 200 Eur. But a little smaller is surely acceptable and also more portable.
Which size are you'll using ?
I already ordered a USB hub to connect everything. This one : https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0DY1BD3T2?ref...asin_title
I'm going to plug my keyboard and the iRig Pro I/O (https://www.amazon.de/dp/B06W5H9FFJ?ref...asin_title)
into that hub via USB-C and USB-A. I hope that will work as expected ^^
I have a iPad Pro (12.9-inch) 4th generation (A12 Vortex/Tempest x8 cores), and Pianoteq 9, (the demo) running at 48000 Hz, buffer size of 64 samples, and Multicore rendering on, and it runs perfectly.
I can hold down the sustain pedal and play fast glissandos up and down the keyboard with no dropouts or other issues, (and I have YouTube, ChatGPT, and Safari with many tabs open and running too).
Hope that helps to answer your question!
I have a iPad Pro (12.9-inch) 4th generation (A12 Vortex/Tempest x8 cores), and Pianoteq 9, (the demo) running at 48000 Hz, buffer size of 64 samples, and Multicore rendering on, and it runs perfectly.
I can hold down the sustain pedal and play fast glissandos up and down the keyboard with no dropouts or other issues, (and I have YouTube, ChatGPT, and Safari with many tabs open and running too).
Hope that helps to answer your question!
thanks Steven! Good to hear
Hey all,
I just wanted to say that the iPad Air arrived and everything worked fine. But I don't liked the low display refresh rate
of it (60 Hz) because I'm used to 120 Hz and more. So I decided to go with the iPad Pro (M5). I know it's totally oversized,
but I use it for other stuff too and I think its quite futureproof with it's specs. So, I hope Pianoteq 20 will still run on this thing
wish you all the best
Hey all,
But I don't liked the low display refresh rate of it (60 Hz) because I'm used to 120 Hz and more.
I’m curious to know how you can tell. Isn’t refresh rate only something that matters when playing video games?
EDIT: Nevermind, I asked Copilot and now I understand.
Copilot answer:
Why Refresh Rate Matters
1. Smoothness
A 120Hz display refreshes twice as often as a 60Hz one.
That means:
- Scrolling feels more fluid
- Animations look cleaner
- Motion blur is reduced
- Fast interactions feel more responsive
On an iPad Pro, this is especially noticeable with Apple Pencil — strokes feel like they “stick” to your hand.
2. Responsiveness
A higher refresh rate reduces the delay between your touch and the screen’s reaction.
This is why:
- Drawing feels more natural
- Gaming feels more precise
- UI interactions feel snappier
Even if you don’t consciously think “this is 120Hz,” your brain registers the responsiveness.
3. Eye Comfort
This one surprises people.
Higher refresh rates reduce:
- Micro‑stutter
- Flicker
- Eye fatigue during long sessions
It’s subtle, but over hours of use, it adds up.
paddy3k wrote:Hey all,
But I don't liked the low display refresh rate of it (60 Hz) because I'm used to 120 Hz and more.
I’m curious to know how you can tell. Isn’t refresh rate only something that matters when playing video games?
yes thats all true. It's like night and day. Anyway, its only a "problem" when you are used to those higher refresh
rates. Don't know if it's a curse or a blessing