not let users decide for themselves if they
want to spend a little more for an Apogee
Jam or a Sonoma Wire Works GuitarJack,
which at least boast converters and I/O
worthy of all the R&D that’s makes
Ampli Tube so good.
RATINGS
Pros: Smart, simple, functional app. Solid, appealing tones
with easy editing capabilities.
PocketLab Works iRiffPort ($99 street) and PocketAmp app ($4.99), pocketlabworks.com
PocketLab Works iRiffPort and
PocketAmp App
iRiffPort is compatible with:
• iPhone 4S and 4
• iPod Touch 4th gen.
• iPad and iPad2
PocketAmp works on iOS 4. 3 or later
cons: All-in-one, cable-based interface design. Plastic
housing for dock. Poor headphone response.
Tones
Value
The PocketLab Works iRiffPort is a 6' instru-
ment cable with a 30-pin dock connector
and 1/8" stereo line output on one end, and
a 1/4" guitar jack and 1/8" headphone jack
on the other. Given how prone guitar cables
are to shorting out, this all-in-one approach
is a convenience that has some potentially
significant drawbacks—if the cable goes,
your whole device goes. Happily, the 1/4"
jack end is of a slightly more rugged com-
posite plastic. [PocketLab Works replies:
“The curved shape of the dock housing
makes it very strong. It requires a significant
and strategically placed hit with a hammer
to break.”]
The cool part is that the stereo line-
level output enables you to send a hot
signal to external gear, such as your proj-
ect-studio audio I/O. That means you can
use your iPhone with PocketLab Works’
excellent PocketAmp app as a front-end
amp and effects simulator for proper
computer-based recordings. A cool pros-
pect indeed. Unfortunately, we were dis-
appointed with the rather thin and reedy
sound out of the headphone jack.
…the stereo line-level output enables
you to … use your iPhone with
PocketLabWorks’ excellent PocketAmp app
as a front-end amp and effects simulator
for proper computer-based recordings.
Any reservations about the iRiffPort are
offset by the super-solid PocketAmp, which
sounds great and takes a simple design
approach: If you hadn’t noticed, iPhones are
freakin’ small, but thankfully PocketAmp
compensates by making the onscreen knobs
and sliders meaty, and keeping the options
down to what you really need. Amp choices
include Clean, Blues, Rock, and Metal. The
“Echo” section (actually delay and reverb)
includes controls for delay time, feedback,
echo mix, room size and reverb mix. The
Effects page includes chorus, flanger, rotary
speaker, and tremolo, with parameter
controls for rate, depth, width, noise gate
(always welcome), and attack. The cabinet-selection page includes the Fender-style
Silverface and Tweed 1959, the Marshall-based Classic 1960 cab, and the Mesa-like
Metal Signature.
Bass players fond of Gallien-Krueger
amps and cabs will want to investigate
PocketGK, which boasts the same simple,
to-the-point interface and fine sound as its
namesake amps.
