Topic by grimborg

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Topic: How do you plug piano + soundcard to iPhone?

Pianoteq for iOS is looking awesome, and I'm trying to use it with my iPhone 13 pro, my VPC-1 and an external soundcard. Both the VPC-1 and the soundcard have USB connection, and I'm not sure how to plug it all to the iPhone. (I'd like to avoid MIDI over Bluetooth to reduce latency if at all possible.) How do you guys do it?

I'm thinking maybe I need to use the Apple Lightning USB3 Camera Adapter and a USB hub, but before I start buying adapters I want to make sure it'll work. Or is there a better way?

Thanks!

Reply by sordess

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Re: How do you plug piano + soundcard to iPhone?

grimborg wrote:

Pianoteq for iOS is looking awesome, and I'm trying to use it with my iPhone 13 pro, my VPC-1 and an external soundcard. Both the VPC-1 and the soundcard have USB connection, and I'm not sure how to plug it all to the iPhone. (I'd like to avoid MIDI over Bluetooth to reduce latency if at all possible.) How do you guys do it?

I'm thinking maybe I need to use the Apple Lightning USB3 Camera Adapter and a USB hub, but before I start buying adapters I want to make sure it'll work. Or is there a better way?

Thanks!

Hi,

Yes you will need the camera adapter and plug-in a USB hub in its port.  Then connect your keyboard and audio interface to that USB hub.

Cheers

Sordess
Author of PTQ Client Webapp: (https://github.com/robert-rc2i/ptq-client-webapp)
Kawai CA79

Reply by sharpnine

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Re: How do you plug piano + soundcard to iPhone?

sordess wrote:
grimborg wrote:

Pianoteq for iOS is looking awesome, and I'm trying to use it with my iPhone 13 pro, my VPC-1 and an external soundcard. Both the VPC-1 and the soundcard have USB connection, and I'm not sure how to plug it all to the iPhone. (I'd like to avoid MIDI over Bluetooth to reduce latency if at all possible.) How do you guys do it?

I'm thinking maybe I need to use the Apple Lightning USB3 Camera Adapter and a USB hub, but before I start buying adapters I want to make sure it'll work. Or is there a better way?

Thanks!

Hi,

Yes you will need the camera adapter and plug-in a USB hub in its port.  Then connect your keyboard and audio interface to that USB hub.

Cheers

Yes, and I would clarify a powered USB hub, with its own power adapter (since not all hubs have that). The phone likely does not provide sufficient power for your sound cards and keyboards. If you get one of the camera adapters that also has a power connector you can even charge your phone while it’s connected to the hub.

Reply by grimborg

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Re: How do you plug piano + soundcard to iPhone?

Thanks!!

Reply by Groove On

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Re: How do you plug piano + soundcard to iPhone?

LOW POWER SETUP for LIGHTNING DEVICES

1. Audio Card + USB Hub + Apple USB Adapter
https://i.ibb.co/wBdBHcK/IMG-0319.jpg

2. USB Hub has 3 Ports (ORICO)
https://i.ibb.co/RYLSDkZ/IMG-0317.jpg

3. Portable Battery-Powered Rig (Korg microKey Air + Earbuds)
https://i.ibb.co/82z7JSg/IMG-0316.jpg

4. USB Hubs from ORICO, Audio Cards from Vention and UGreen
https://i.ibb.co/Y8rvXZw/IMG-0320.jpg

5. Pianoteq Settings
https://i.ibb.co/SRZ3sjs/IMG-0318.jpg

Last edited by Groove On (12-05-2023 00:48)

Reply by Groove On

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Re: How do you plug piano + soundcard to iPhone?

NOTES:
- USB-C iPads - there are USB-C Hubs that can replace the entire Lightning Setup above.
- Some digital pianos have a built-in USB audio card (P-125, FP30x etc.) which also simplifies the setup.

Last edited by Groove On (12-05-2023 00:41)

Reply by thiesdewaard

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Re: How do you plug piano + soundcard to iPhone?

sharpnine wrote:

Yes, and I would clarify a powered USB hub, with its own power adapter (since not all hubs have that). The phone likely does not provide sufficient power for your sound cards and keyboards. If you get one of the camera adapters that also has a power connector you can even charge your phone while it’s connected to the hub.

I am contemplating switching from macbook to iPhone (xs, with lightning port) to use Pianoteq with my midi piano. I've been reading up in the last few days, and I think I understand what is needed now. Apart from the camera adapter (which has only one usb-inlet) we need a usb hub to be able to plug in both the audio interface/dac and the midi-to-usb converter (coming from the piano). I also understand that the usb-hub needs some power (like you also state) to feed the audio interface/dac.

However, in a video I found (admittedly an older one) this guy says that connecting the lightning inlet on the camera adapter to a power source (which would then also charge the phone), would be sufficient to álso power the audio interface (in his case a usb-powered Scarlett).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDg6JzcTLvU

This suggests that the usb hub that comes between the camera adapter (with usb + lightning port) and the audio interface/dac does not have to be a powered hub, but can just be an unpowered one with two inlets (which is a lot cheaper, and likely also less prone to buzzing and things like that).

So I'm a little puzzled here - could you perhaps shed some light?
Cheers!

Last edited by thiesdewaard (Today 17:42)

Reply by sharpnine

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Re: How do you plug piano + soundcard to iPhone?

thiesdewaard wrote:
sharpnine wrote:

Yes, and I would clarify a powered USB hub, with its own power adapter (since not all hubs have that). The phone likely does not provide sufficient power for your sound cards and keyboards. If you get one of the camera adapters that also has a power connector you can even charge your phone while it’s connected to the hub.

I am contemplating switching from macbook to iPhone (xs, with lightning port) to use Pianoteq with my midi piano. I've been reading up in the last few days, and I think I understand what is needed now. Apart from the camera adapter (which has only one usb-inlet) we need a usb hub to be able to plug in both the audio interface/dac and the midi-to-usb converter (coming from the piano). I also understand that the usb-hub needs some power (like you also state) to feed the audio interface/dac.

However, in a video I found (admittedly an older one) this guy says that connecting the lightning inlet on the camera adapter to a power source (which would then also charge the phone), would be sufficient to álso power the audio interface (in his case a usb-powered Scarlett).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDg6JzcTLvU

This suggests that the usb hub that comes between the camera adapter (with usb + lightning port) and the audio interface/dac does not have to be a powered hub, but can just be an unpowered one with two inlets (which is a lot cheaper, and likely also less prone to buzzing and things like that).

So I'm a little puzzled here - could you perhaps shed some light?
Cheers!

Yes it's true that plugging the charging cable into the USB adapter will keep your phone's battery from running down (or from running down as quickly). My concern, though, is the total simultaneous power requirement for the two devices, the keyboard and the audio interface. If the audio interface is powered by USB only, then the audio interface probably draws a substantial amount of current due to the amplifier(s) in the interface. I found that my Scarlett interface, even with a full battery on the phone, would not function until I used the powered hub. This means I have two things plugged into power: the USB connector (to keep the phone charged) and the hub. I think with the powered hub the USB connector may not need to be connected to power, as the powered hub may keep the phone charged.

I also have an alternative, an older Scarlett that has the option to power it by an external power adapter. In that case I don't need the powered hub.

Easiest thing for you is buy a powered hub, which can work with or without the power adapter (they are cheap and common). See which works for you: plugged in or not.

Reply by thiesdewaard

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Re: How do you plug piano + soundcard to iPhone?

Thank you for the answer! In understand the reason now. I did come across some audio interfaces that are powered on there own (not bus powered), and wonder if that would be sufficient, so it's good to know that that would indeed be an option. I still have to buy an interface (there are many second hand offerings), but it's a completely new terrain for me, and the sheer number of options and variations is a little overwhelming ;-) This helps to narrow things down, so thanks again.