IPad Air 2 Does the Trick with MF 3.X. In My Perception

[Keyboard Magic]

Was able to borrow an iPad Air 2 and play around with MF 3.X. My perceived “lag” disappeared completely. Acted like it was running MF 2.X. I then compared it to MF 3.X on my iPad 2. What a difference in my perception.

Too bad that you theoretically have to use a faster iPad to make the “lag” disappear. And MF looks so much nicer and sharper on the Retina Display too. The real question is will iOS 9 and the next MF version change all this once again? Or not?

All of us older (the iPad, not us) iPad users now have to buy a new iPad to run MF 3.X lightning (pun intended) fast? Not! I can actually live with a perceived lag for the time being. But it was nice to play with the iPad Air 2 just the same. 

[Fluddman]

I use an ipad air and agree that the lag is usually acceptable but it's still there.

Where it annoys me the most is with buttons. For example I press the mute button, nothing happens, so I press it again thinking I missed it the first time. Doh it was lag, and so I've actually muted and unmuted - its a bugger when someone is disconnecting an acoustic guitar - crackle, thump, bang.

For me the lag seems worse the first time you touch a control after a period of inactivity. After the first touch i seem to have very little lag for additional changes but once I stop making requests and let it rest, the lag is back for the first touch. It's kind of like it has to reconnect for the first request.

Nothing to do with lag but the other night I got caught out. I unthinkingly closed the cover on my ipad (putting it to sleep) and went to put up some lights. Someone onstage moved a microphone and there was a burst of feedback - by the time I got to the ipad, woke it up and got to the mute button I'd lost a couple of HF drivers. Didn't make much money that night! I was so pissed with myself as as I am normally very careful to mute outputs when I don't have the ipad in my hands.

BTW ever noticed how hard it is to find a sleeping ipad on a dark stage? I've put a couple of glow strips on it.

Cheers
 

[Keyboard Magic]

I use an ipad air and agree that the lag is usually acceptable but it's still there.

Where it annoys me the most is with buttons. For example I press the mute button, nothing happens, so I press it again thinking I missed it the first time. Doh it was lag, and so I've actually muted and unmuted - its a bugger when someone is disconnecting an acoustic guitar - crackle, thump, bang.

For me the lag seems worse the first time you touch a control after a period of inactivity. After the first touch i seem to have very little lag for additional changes but once I stop making requests and let it rest, the lag is back for the first touch. It's kind of like it has to reconnect for the first request.

Nothing to do with lag but the other night I got caught out. I unthinkingly closed the cover on my ipad (putting it to sleep) and went to put up some lights. Someone onstage moved a microphone and there was a burst of feedback - by the time I got to the ipad, woke it up and got to the mute button I'd lost a couple of HF drivers. Didn't make much money that night! I was so pissed with myself as as I am normally very careful to mute outputs when I don't have the ipad in my hands.

BTW ever noticed how hard it is to find a sleeping ipad on a dark stage? I've put a couple of glow strips on it.

Cheers
 

Hey,

I noticed that with the controls. It sort of forgets that you just used that particular control and goes "Oh, sorry, I was just resting for a nanosecond, would you like to re use this one again? Are you sure?" Are you really sure? 

Oh, I feel your pain losing HF drivers. Ouch! Not fun and expensive too! It happens to the best of us, but even when it's not really our fault that something goes wrong, like feedback, it's always your, our fault as far as the management is concerned and every one in the venue too. 

I have had that experience locating my iPad! Glow strips is a very unique and smart idea.  Going to have to add that to my box of gear. 

I hope the replacement HF Drivers aren't too expensive?

Good Luck!

[Wynnd]

That sounds a bit like it's trying to save energy.  Almost sleeping?  I've run into that.  Is there a performance mode on an ipad?  If there were, it would be the one to reach for.

[Fluddman]

Hey,

I noticed that with the controls. It sort of forgets that you just used that particular control and goes "Oh, sorry, I was just resting for a nanosecond, would you like to re use this one again? Are you sure?" Are you really sure? 

Oh, I feel your pain losing HF drivers. Ouch! Not fun and expensive too! It happens to the best of us, but even when it's not really our fault that something goes wrong, like feedback, it's always your, our fault as far as the management is concerned and every one in the venue too. 

I have had that experience locating my iPad! Glow strips is a very unique and smart idea.  Going to have to add that to my box of gear. 

I hope the replacement HF Drivers aren't too expensive?

Good Luck!

The drivers weren't too expensive and I was able to change them myself (just the diaphrams). All up and running and ready for tonight's gig!.

Hopefully there will be no repeat of the last performance. It's amazing how long a few seconds seems to lasts when you are trying to stop the dreaded feedback!

Cheers

[Wynnd]

Dreaded FEEDBACK?  Only an issue in loud bands without any type of feedback killer.  I'm using DriveRack PX for that and I really prefer much lower volumes.  Most of the time, I don't bother even setting up the anti-feedback.

[WK154]

Dreaded FEEDBACK?  Only an issue in loud bands without any type of feedback killer.  I'm using DriveRack PX for that and I really prefer much lower volumes.  Most of the time, I don't bother even setting up the anti-feedback.

Where's the Wynnd I used to know??? Feedback is from bad mic placement and poor room acoustics not from loud bands!!!!

[Wynnd]

I'm betting loud bands is the primary source of feedback.  Yes the vocal should be above the guitars, drums, bass, horns......   But in a loud band it becomes impossible indoors.  Easiest and best way to cure that problem is for the musicians to back way down.  I know that really pisses some musicians off, but not mature intelligent ones.  (The ones who recognize that drowning out the vocal can be their fault.)    OK, I get the joke.  Got to admit that bad speaker placement can cause their own problems.  (And I can easily think of many examples where that is what happened with great equipment and screwed up the coverage.)

[Keyboard Magic]

I'm betting loud bands is the primary source of feedback.  Yes the vocal should be above the guitars, drums, bass, horns......   But in a loud band it becomes impossible indoors.  Easiest and best way to cure that problem is for the musicians to back way down.  I know that really pisses some musicians off, but not mature intelligent ones.  (The ones who recognize that drowning out the vocal can be their fault.)    OK, I get the joke.  Got to admit that bad speaker placement can cause their own problems.  (And I can easily think of many examples where that is what happened with great equipment and screwed up the coverage.)

My primary gig location is in a school gym, all concrete block walls. Ugghh! I don't get feedback too often, but sometimes it's just on the edge. Of course the acoustics change when the room fills up with noisy parents that talk through performances AND you have to push the levels so their kids can be heard from the stage.  Just a real treat. That SM58 wireless mic has pretty good feedback rejection until someone walks in front of a speaker with it. 

[Keyboard Magic]

That sounds a bit like it's trying to save energy.  Almost sleeping?  I've run into that.  Is there a performance mode on an ipad?  If there were, it would be the one to reach for.

Oh I miss Turbo Mode Too bad there's not one on the iPad. 

[Michael Welter]

So, I'm fairly new to this iPad mixing thing. I bought the iPad Air 2 (64Gb) just for this, and I've had great success with it so far. No lag at all. Of course, I always make sure I close any unneeded apps running in the background. It's been wonderful so far.

[pytchley]

You don't need a loud band to have feedback issues. I do lots of acoustic instruments, miced with condensers,  who don't play loud and want monitors, put that in a noisy bar and feedback is never too far away....

[Wynnd]

Acoustic instruments in their own monitors?  Generally stupid.  I've heard of drummers needing themselves in the monitors.  Gotta ask yourself why?   I like the thought of sending the drums back to the drum monitor with some delay to discourage that stupidity.

[Fluddman]

Acoustic instruments in their own monitors?  Generally stupid.  I've heard of drummers needing themselves in the monitors.  Gotta ask yourself why?   I like the thought of sending the drums back to the drum monitor with some delay to discourage that stupidity.

Poor drummers 

I don't mind giving them some kick as this seems to get lost in a loud stage (after all it projects forward and away from the drummer) - but snare is just crazy!

I am with Wynn on trying to keep the stage volume down but few bands seem to be able to do so. Does't seem to have much to do with intelligence or maturity - some guys just never get that it can sound great without being loud. And there are even some that do get it, but just can't make it happen.

It such an interesting topic.

Cheers

Cheers

[James91104]

Acoustic instruments in their own monitors?  Generally stupid.  I've heard of drummers needing themselves in the monitors.  Gotta ask yourself why?   I like the thought of sending the drums back to the drum monitor with some delay to discourage that stupidity.

Week to week, for 20 years, dual mixes of FOH & foldback stage monitors of live horns, sax, trumpet, t-bone, flute, along with percussion, congas, bongos, timbale, and yes those `stupid' drummers. Last I checked, those count as acoustic instruments.
Why? Because that is what the job requires. Period. And to much satisfaction for the musos. It would seem we come from different experiences.
I generally have great respect and admiration for the musos, artists, and performers I have worked with and for over the years. Some I can & have referred to as touched, characters, divas and a PITA at times, but to call them stupid for wanting to hear themselves in a foldback because they play an `acoustic', never.
Boy, did this go off the rails to the OP topic.