ALESIS IO DOCK REVIEW

Posted on Tue 07 February 2012 in entries

You can read more reviews like this, along with Tony’s productions at his personal site -> Tony Long Music.

ALESIS IO DOCK - INTRODUCTION

I am fairly new to the world of the iPad and as a musician I was very surprised to find out just how many useful Apps are available, with many of them being free! One of my first thoughts as I climbed the ladder from an iPad Muso newbie, was how do I best connect my new iOS portable music wonder to all my other MIDI equipment and the outside world?

After carrying out some research I was surprised to discover that there are not many devices available and a visit to my local Apple store confirmed this, leaving me with the thought that Apple have missed a golden opportunity here. I started off by looking at the IK Multimedia iRig MIDI and Line 6's MIDI Mobilizer, which they suggested in the store. These looked OK to me. They were not too expensive and were very small and portable, whilst allowing me to connect my iOS device to my MIDI equipment. The problem seemed to be that this is all they seemed to connect to...

The iPad itself has only two connections, so how could I incorporate it into a studio set-up with MIDI, Audio Ins and Outs, USB connections, mic and guitars inputs, etc? Yes, I could buy more IK Multimedia iRig products that connect microphones and guitars, but this would leave me with a mess of leads and connectors.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Alesis IO Dock with iPad"]](https://www.absolutemusic.co.uk/store/computer-music-46/hardware-4612/ipad-iphone-accessories-46128/alesis-io-dock-pro-audio-dock-for-ipad-studiodock-43509)[/caption]

I then found the iConnect MIDI box, which despite its bulky appearance, seemed to be more like what I wanted. It had great MIDI connectivity and plenty of USB but unfortunately no Audio connections. Then, finally my eye caught sight of the Alesis IO Dock...

ALESIS IO DOCK - WHAT IS IT?

I must admit that I did not take much notice of this product when I first saw it. The reason for this was because I believed it to be another type iOS device! I was completely fooled by its images when advertised, because it was so cleverly integrated with the iPad that I thought it was one unit. I think this is probably the best compliment that I could possibly give this product as Alesis designed this from both a musician's and an iPad user's perspective - brilliant.

I should have taken more notice of the name 'IO Dock', but you know what those clever advertisers are like - they make your eyes go straight to the imagery. The iPad slides into this docking station very neatly, which is exactly the same size (length and Width) as the iPad. The IO Dock is wedge-shaped, creating an angled view for you and it sits on four rubber feet displaying the iPad in Landscape mode. Ok, so let's get it out of the box, connected up and find out what it can do.

ALESIS IO DOCK - UNPACKING AND CONNECTING

As you take it out of the box you will find that it is built of hard plastic. The IO Dock feels solid and sturdy enough but at the same time it feels fairly lightweight. It is made of smart-looking black plastic, which is edged in silver. It was designed for the iPad 1 so an adapter for use with the iPad 2 is included and comes ready-installed. This is essentially just a cradle that locks into place to cater for the slimmer design of the iPad 2.

As you slide it in, it connects to the iPad connector inside the IO Dock and holds and protects the iPad. Despite the fact that the iPad is exposed on one side, it is held in quite firmly and will not fall out. Plus, if you are worrying about scratching your precious iPad, you needn't be! Everything is very smooth. The only thing you have to get used to is taking your iPad out of the IO Dock. It will slide out but it takes a bit of oomph to disconnect from its 30-pin connector.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Alesis IO Dock Back"]](https://www.absolutemusic.co.uk/store/computer-music-46/hardware-4612/ipad-iphone-accessories-46128/alesis-io-dock-pro-audio-dock-for-ipad-studiodock-43509)[/caption]

With the iPad inside, the Alesis IO Dock weighs 970 grams, so you have some good stability as you put it down for use. The IO Dock has a mains power connection and comes with a suitable adaptor. This is also good because it charges up the iPad as well. It is a shame that there is no indicator to say that it is connected to the dock though. I suppose once it is in, it either will or won't work though!

There is also a Quick Start guide in the box and I know the IO Dock is simply 'plug and play' but I would have liked it to include more information on usage and greater specification information.

I now come to the part of connecting it up. Connections are on three sides of the wedge-shaped dock, with obviously none at the front as this is the thin edge. You may have visions of cables spreading out all over your desktop from the three sides of the dock but you have to offset that a little bit by the sheer amount of connectivity that Alesis has put into this.

ALESIS IO DOCK - AUDIO CONNECTIONS

To me, the iPad sounds remarkably good considering how thin it is, but I did find that using it with the main Audio Outs on the IO Dock made it sound even better!] I tried Jordan Rudess' MorphWiz App, Yamaha's Tenori-On App the TNR-I and SynthTronica and they sounded awesome. So for Audio Outs you have two 1/4" Balanced TRS jacks located at the back, and on the right-hand side is a stereo 1/4" Balanced TRS Headphone socket (each with separate volume controls). For Audio Inputs, at the back you will find two combined XLR /1/4" Balanced TRS sockets with individual gain controls. There is also switchable Phantom Power for condenser mics and a Guitar (high-impedance) switch on Input 2. Lastly there is a 1/4" Footswitch and its function can be assigned using your apps (e.g. to Start/Stop, Record, etc.)

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Alesis IO Dock Right Side"]](https://www.absolutemusic.co.uk/store/computer-music-46/hardware-4612/ipad-iphone-accessories-46128/alesis-io-dock-pro-audio-dock-for-ipad-studiodock-43509)[/caption]

ALESIS IO DOCK - MIDI SECTION

On the left hand side of the Alesis IO Dock you have the MIDI section with MIDI In and MIDI Out DIN connectors and a MIDI USB connector. I connected my keyboard to this and really enjoyed the fact that I could play some awesome Synth Apps like Sunrizer, and I really must get around to trying Korg's iMS20 and of course the Animoog.

ALESIS IO DOCK - CONNECTING TO YOUR TV

The only connection that I have not mentioned on the IO Dock is the Video Output, which is an RCA Composite and requires compatible Apps. I must say, I like this idea, especially to watch some of the TV on demand programmes for things I have missed. I was watching the first series of 'Misfits' via my iPad but now I can put it on my larger TV screen. I did this and the picture quality was still very good. From a musicians point of view I also found that I could do this with YouTube clips, which is useful from an educational perspective as well as for entertainment. All I had to do was to connect the headphone out socket to the left and right inputs on my TV and connect the Video Out socket to the Video In on the TV. Another great use for this is to use it as a means to project images/video as a backdrop on stage with your band - awesome!

ALESIS IO DOCK - QUALITY OF CONNECTIONS

This is a difficult one but I certainly found that all of the connections worked very well. Alesis have been established since 1980 and they manufacture professional audio and musical instruments. They have provided a variety of innovative products to date and always manage to keep the cost extremely reasonable. With the IO Dock, I would say that this is exactly what you have here - a product that is great value for the money. Whilst there are better quality Inputs and Outputs out there, the ones featured on the Alesis certainly do a very good job. I did not find any excessive noise, pops or crackles and everything sounded clear and clean.

ALESIS IO DOCK - RECORDING

If you intend on recording, you will probably like the fact that on the IO Dock you have a direct-monitor switch, which will enable you to toggle between the incoming and playback signal on your headphones - very useful. The iPad DAW that most folk are using is the excellent GarageBand. At less than £3, this really is an amazing app, especially considering that a big name DAW for your computer will set you back around £300 or more these days! With the aid of the Alesis IO Dock you have a very portable recording studio at an outstanding price. You can get down your song ideas down on the road or connect to other MIDI devices and with the use of the Mic and Guitar inputs you can record everything quickly and easily.

If you play Guitar or Bass you will like the fact that with the IO Dock's DI input, you will be able to play and record right into apps that have Amp-Modelling effects. From a band point of view, you can easily record your rehearsals or use it for playing back loops, sound effects etc.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Alesis IO Dock Left Side"]](https://www.absolutemusic.co.uk/store/computer-music-46/hardware-4612/ipad-iphone-accessories-46128/alesis-io-dock-pro-audio-dock-for-ipad-studiodock-43509)[/caption]

ALESIS IO DOCK - THE FUTURE

Well, Winter NAMM has just brought us a few surprises, with a host of products relating to the iPad. Alesis have just announced two more docking stations but this time with particular roles in mind. Firstly, the new Alesis AmpDock is aimed solely at the guitarist, with control knobs on the dock and a pedalboard.

For drummers there is the Alesis DM Dock, which turns your iPad into a Drum Module with 13 x 1/4-inch TRS trigger inputs, all of which are dual zone. It also supports multiple choke-able cymbals including triple-zone ride, and dual-zone continuous hi-hats.

From Akai there is MPC Fly, which basically houses your iPad, turning it into a hardware and software MPC - great idea. Lastly for live mixing, another excellent idea, which integrates the iPad with specific hardware is Mackie's new mixer - The Mackie DL1608 16-Channel Digital Live Sound Mixer with iPad Control, so you mix on the fly, out front with just your iPad! How cool is that?

Ok, these are all great products and wonderful ideas but they are all job-specific. With the IO Dock you have an assortment of connections for many different jobs and that's what I really like about it.

ALESIS IO DOCK - CONCLUSION

There is no doubt in my mind that the Alesis IO Dock is a well-designed docking station for the iPad, built to meet today's needs on the road or in the studio. It has the connectivity that you need but also acts as a suitable case to protect your iPad and provides you with a solid workstation, which is angled for good visibility and ease of use.

There also doesn't seem to be much in the way of competition for the IO Dock at present. 2012 will no doubt see further growth in Music App development and whilst people can play on the tiny keyboards supplied in the App, musicians want to MIDI this up to their own keyboard and use the App like a hardware synth and have the sound blast through their own studio setup. This is all now possible and what I really like (compared to a PC) is that the iPad gives you fast access to many Synths. You can switch from one to another without waiting for long loading times.

The best news has got to be the cost of Apps and I could not believe how low they are compared to their hardware counterparts or PC Software equivalents. If you are a musician with an iPad then you need good MIDI and audio connections as an absolute minimum. The Alesis IO Dock has so much more and therefore has got to be a must-have if you regularly work with an iPad, although if you want to use your iPad for a job-specific purpose then you may want to check-out the new products just announced at NAMM.

For more information on any of these products, click the relevant link below: