IK Multimedia iRig HD 2 Guitar Interface for iPhone, iPad, Mac and PC Reviews

I bought the Irig because I create my demos with the iPhone's garage band. I also use amplitube which can be pared with garage band, and let me tell you the amps, effects are just amazing.
The Irig so far works perfectly, I play, record, seating in my sofa, bed and sometimes my desktop. Extremely versatile.

I've had one of these for years because I travel constantly and usually tote a compact guitar with me. It works with the iPhone and also makes a good single channel input to a PC laptop, interfaces fine with Presonus Studio One on the laptop and Amplitube on the iPhone. Nice and compact, durable, and great sound quality. Compatibility with other apps is hit and miss, though. I used it for years with AmpKit then AmpKit+ because I just like how those apps work, but something about a recent upgrade made it stop working, which is a bummer because I'd already paid for all of the add-ons. Will just have to learn how to use Amplitube better now.

It's what I was looking for and then some. The interface let's me plug any one of my bass guitars into my windows desktop as well as my iPhone, iPad and mac book. It allows me to play along with any audio file so I can practice quietly with headphones. The ampliTube 5 has a turner as well as controlling the gain. Much simpler than using a mixer.

Getting this to work with my iPad and GarageBand was quick and easy. Thankfully, this unit does come with a USB-C cable for connecting to the latest iPads, I was worried that it wouldn't. Great way to play around with virtual amplifiers or record your guitar.

I love it. perfect in combination with iPad, Amplitube iOS, iRig Recorder and audiobus.

here is a video I did with (all) the above. no cuts, no editing. just hit rec and have fun.

I am new to guitar and had no idea something like this existed until stumbling across it as a recommended item on Sweetwater. It turned out to be exactly what I needed as a beginner. I have an old crummy amp that I was practicing with, and this let me make it sound so much better. I mostly practice with headphones now, and have almost complete control over the sound through the companion app on my phone. The audio quality was surprisingly good, and it lets me try out all kinds of pedals for a fraction the cost I would have to pay for analog. I was worried it would quickly eat through the battery on my phone, but I am able to practice for hours without needing to recharge. All in all, it was perfect for where I am as a player, and lets me sound like all my favorite bands without needing to buy my own recording studio.

Holy schnikes Im selling all my gear ! Absolutely awesome sound quality paired with AmpliTube and tone bridge who needs all that gear to lug around .

Big improvement over the original iRig. Going through the lightning cable connection helps big time.

I wasn't aware of the iRig interface products until being introduced by the sales representative at Sweetwater. I briefly described my recording needs and he recommended the HD2. Turns out that it was great advice. I use it with my electric and acoustic guitars and have terrific results. Thanks go out to the great staff at Sweetwater.

Warning about throwing out the S/N from the box, shout-out to the support team , and a suggestion for PMs

Customers: the Serial number is on a piece of paper in the box. You'll need that.

I threw mine out, but support kept banging away at the issue without me nagging them. Big ups for them. Really big.

PMs, maybe a sticker on the box will last longer? A bit more cost, probably, but am I the only person to make this error?

While I'm at it, it's a shrewd business model and well done. The out-of-box effects are good enough to get started. I could see a person just using those with some success. But adding effects costs a few bucks, and that's probably where the product takes off. And where they make money.

I haven't really dug into everything that app does, because it looks like A LOT. So ... count me as a happy customer so far.

Adds a whole new dimension I use it in line with my analog pedals or without

Would I gig with it? No. Is it a really good solution the economically get a bunch of different amps, effects and tones? Yes.

I have a lot of fun with this thing, I paid for the Amplitude expansion pack and it was well worth it for all the different options it gives you. For under $200 total you won't get more for your guitar sound.

For a quick fix it's awesome. I have a project studio about forty five minutes from where I live so it's tough getting there on a whim and good ideas don't last long!!!

The plugins included satisfy the tones I seek. I play heavy rock/metal, always skeptical but pleasantly surprised.

Seamlessly use it with GarageBand app.
Ik multimedia gives you some free add ons and jam points which you can use towards other products on the site.

Great for recording on Amplitude and GarageBand. Take it anywhere, like a mini mobile studio!

Budget friendly little interface ( I own 2 ) perfect for the guitarist looking to lighten the amount of gear you bring to rehearsal or a small venue. All I travel with now is my guitar, an iPad and the Irig all which fits in my guitar case. Pair this with your favorite software i.e. Amplitube or Bias FX and run direct to FOH.

Got this as an introduction to recording. Loving it so far! Using it with bias fx2 mobile and GarageBand.

If you need a way to practice into headphones, it works.

This is a great product if you want to play through a Fender 59 Bassman, Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier or Slash's Marshal stack. Works really well, very quiet with no lag time. This with amplitude is hours of play time for the guitarist. Amplitude 4 comes free with the purchase of IRig HD 2. ***Must down load and the update driver for best sound. Just buy it.

Very pleased with this little interface. Works great with guitars, and basses with passive, or active electronics... thank you Sweetwater!

I could not be happier! This is one awesome guitar interface.
The things I am able to do know makes me love playing music even more!

Don't hesitate buy NOW!

This is a great interface for getting guitar sound into your computer or device for live stream broadcasts or recording. You can also use it downstream of a mixer and actually run vocals through it too. Just use "Clean" amp setting.

My first impression of this was mediocre, but I wouldn’t give up tweaking it and adjusting it and I found that it can be made to sound really good.I guess i maybe should have learned to use it better before i made my review.For the money,it is a great product,i am very happy with it now that i know what to do with it.

The iRig HD 2 works exactly as intended, but the best thing was the customer service. They updated me every step of the way, sent a surprise baggie of candy, and made sure I was satisfied after it was delivered. Love this company already and will being using them over amazon from now on for my gear needs.

Thanks guys!

I love the iRig HD 2 - you connect it to your guitar via a standard cable and connect it to your iPhone via a lightning cable, then you have the option of connecting headphone / computer speakers / portable speaker and/or using the 4th port to connect an amp via a guitar cable.

Once you're all hooked up, you control the iRig from IK Multimedia's AmpliTube app. I have the iPhone 7 and it works great. I bought this specifically because I wanted the Dimebag Darrell tones. My Sweetwater rep was awesome and noted that the software for these tones on Sweetwater doesn't work with the iPhone. He saved me a lot of $$$ and headache. Turns out you buy the Dime tones through the app and they are significantly cheaper than for the PC.

I liked the computerized cabs, pedals, etc and features of the app so well that I bought the full bundle to unlock everything. The way I see it - I got the iRig... and all the features for... about the price of two pedals. Now I just need to figure out how to find more time to play.

I have bought many interfaces in the last year or so and I think this is one of the best. I have the iRig HD, Line 6 Sonic Port, Fender Slide, and PreSonus Audiobox iTwo but this one has proven to be the best. I have been using my iPad Air 2 live for over a year but keep searching for the best combination of sound and convenience. This is it. I got it on Saturday and used it, untested, for Sunday service and the sound was incredible. Using interfaces with the iPad's headphone output was not ideal and some of the other devices had sends but did not give me a sound quality that I was satisfied with. Using this with it's amp out to the sound system gave me a whole new level of sound quality which encouraged me to play with more enthusiasm than I have in a while. I used it with Amplitube and it was great. I have a few other apps to use it with but have not had a chance yet. One of the problems I experienced with other interfaces is a short cable from device to iPad, the cable that came with this one was longer than most and since it is a standard micro-B USB I probably can come up with something even longer if I need to. I'm anal about cable to component stress so I like the cable to be long enough for my iPad to set on a music stand and the interface to lay on the floor, this does it. I used Amplitube Fender clean and with distortion and the sound quality was amazing, the touch response was great, and the clean was beautiful.

This inexpensive little interface does exactly what it is supposed to do in a nice small portable package. The latency is very good and the sound is better than expected. The only drawback, and the reason I give it 4.5 stars instead of 5, is the documentation. I know the whole world is going digital but how hard or expensive would it be to include a basic set-up manual with the device. Also, the online documentation is not for a USB-C interface nor is it very accurate. You would think the online docs would be updated and accurate as soon as a change is made. Other than that... I love it!

The iRig HD2 is a great addition for enhancing different tones and effects you are looking for that can't get with a few analog pedals.The quality of sound is incredible.I did have trouble with the registration part of the set up, but is because I'm not very savvy with all that password jumbo anyway.Someone that is somewhat good at that will have no trouble.the app l use is garage band and it's easy to use and sounds great.l think the iRigHD2 was money well spent.

I purchased this to lay down guitar ideas and tracks on Garage Band. So far so good! The only issue I have is that it doesn't come with a manual, so you have to scan a QR code and download it. Not a deal breaker, but just an FYI. Sound quality is decent, though you won't get studio quality sound like using a professional DAW. But I like it to quickly get those songs that are in my head down on a track.

It's fun to use. I really like the looper functions of the software. It's much easier than my looper pedal to control separate looped tracks. It's also nice to use it quietly through the headphones. The software documentation leaves a bit to be desired, which is the only thing keeping it from a full 5. For my purposes of having fun without buying a bunch of pedals, it is perfect.

I think this product is pretty nice for a cheaper audio interface. It works well with my iPhone, and the app on iOS is decent. However, IK multimedia is pretty subpar when it comes to other softwares. I couldn't initially register my product on their website, which is required to download AmpliTube (required so I checked their support foraims, and people have been having the same issue since 2016. They were very fast with their response however. AmpliTube on PC is pretty buggy. A lot of times just opening it causes the audio on my laptop to stop working, despite having compatible audio drivers

Due to Apple's decision to remove the headphone jack from its iPhones and other devices, I needed to upgrade my iRig to the HD2. It is nice that it has a headphone jack with its own volume control. I didn't notice any particular improvement in sound quality, but it is reported to be better than the iRig HD. One thing I noticed is that with the older iRig HD, I would get horrible feedback initially before Amplitube kicked in. Initially, the microphone on my earbuds was picking up the sound of my guitar instead of through the cable and the HD. With the iRig HD2, that doesn't seem to be a problem based on my initial use. I still need to play around with the iRig HD2 to get a better idea of how well it works. I know that I had the iRig HD for several years, and other than I have noted, it has been working well. By the way, the included Amplitube app is an awesome amplifier emulation. I've been using it for several years. I even have a version of my main amplifier, a Mesa/Boogie Transatlantic TA-30.

I've always found Sweetwater to be there for me when it comes to customer service and they did not disappoint on this purchase. About the product - I bought this version of IK's iRig because it seemed quite a bargain being bundled with Amplitude 4's latest version. And it is a good deal for sure. The functions and versatility are right on for my needs, but I really have not had a chance yet to put it through its paces as yet. The software is pretty amazing, but again have not had a chance to try all functions to see what it can do for me, but I'm optimistic.

The reason this is not a 5 star rating, has to do more with being a bit misled by info at the website. Before buying, I had viewed Mitch Gallagar's video review of Amplitude 4 which I was impressed with. When I saw that it was bundled with IK's iRig HD 2 I called to ask if the software was the same as had been reviewed by Mitch and got a call back saying that "yes" it is the same. It was not ... he reviewed the "Deluxe" version. The standard version does not have nearly the number of amps and stomp boxes etc. that the deluxe has. When I expressed my disappointment after receiving the product, my sales rep did some digging and confirmed what had happened. He apologized and was willing to take it back if necessary to make me happy. Instead I asked for a price break on an upgrade to the software that would bring me up to a satisfactory level and he agreed. So long story short (wait ... wast it really short?) - I'm still a happy customer despite the bump in the road. I just think it can be made more clear when the video is shown that it is specifically the deluxe version (the upper left title in video just says "IK Multimedias's Amplitude 4 Review by Sweetwater" but the title under the video does say "Deluxe").

This product is not only a great deal, but it has allowed me to start using AmpliTube whichnis an awesome app!

Let me start by saying that the iRig HD2 is a great interface and very handy. I personally use it as a headphone amp and with a basic valve amp to get a lot of interesting tones especially at lower volumes. Much better sound than my other headphone amps and vastly easier to program and use than an all in one pedal. Works well with iphone X, no latency, app is stable and easy to use.

But here's the thing: it's nearly worthless as it comes from the factory as it includes very few amp/pedal/cab modules. IK should just charge more and give it more out of the box functionality. The basic app comes with barely any options and most sound pretty bad so you either can buy individual components or you can get a kit. For what it does with a one of the kits it's still a great deal but it doesn't make for a great buying experience to have to figure out that it's pretty worthless as it comes from IK.

I'd give 5 star if it came with a kit even if it cost more.

This is really a terrific product and for the money you can't beat it. If you use Ultimate Guitar to play with and learn new songs then this was made for you. There aren't many guys past 50 that are looking to jam with and with this IK HD2 you can play with the original groups to your hearts content if you hook it up with Ultimate Guitar or a similar web based program. Even if you just want to jam on your own this HD2 rig has plenty of pedals and difficult amps that you can add to what comes with the rig. You'll love it.

After purchasing AMP-KIT software and link for my phone a few years ago, my Amp-kit interface finally died.
Looking for a replacement I settled on this one. I am pleased to say it works well with the AMP-KIT software on my phone.
I also like the fact that I can plug straight into my stage or practice amp from the interface with no adapters.
The only thing I think could have been better was at $... the unit itself is made from plastic. I expected a sturdier construction. I can't find the Amp-kit interface anywhere, but I'm please with the unit overall. I have always been impressed with Sweetwater as a on-line supplier. They are the best in my opinion from a customer service standpoint when compared to the other distributors.

This is an awesome way to play electric guitar or bass on your iPad, iPhone, or Mac. It also will hook up to an amp. The iRig 2 is made of plastic. I do hope it will hold up to plugging in and unplugging. The interface is a little confusing and takes a little getting use to. They have a lot of software you can add to it. That gives you a gob of amps, petals, etc. to add. The sound is great. The add ones are pretty expensive. However, if you had to buy each amp, petal, cabs, etc., it would cost you ssssooooo much more. Plus you would need the room. Yes, this is digital, not live tube amps. But, if you send it to a tube amp and tweak it, then you have a awesome sound. Where can you go wrong. The main thing is being able to have all these amps, petals, etc. at your disposal to get an tone you want and can take it with you anywhere without loads and loads of equipment. That makes this an excellent choice for any simple setup.

As others have noted this is not plug and play on a pc. That's why only 4 stars. Since I am not the most tech savvy person it took me a while to figure out what I needed to do to make this work. Once I did it worked great. Wanted something to work with Amplitube4. I can strap this to the support of my shelving unit and it's out of the way yet fully accessible. Very happy with my purchase.

Bought this to use Amplitube 4.0 w/ my PC. I really like it and the iPad demo software included was easy to use. The demo was a stripped down but makes it more portable.

The irig hd2 and AmpliTube for pc does not work with a windows pc. To get it to work you have to load a third party driver asio4all from asio4all.com. This is not mentioned in the paperwork that comes with the hd2 or the manual you download from ik multimedia

Overall I like this product and like most modeling solutions it saves you thousands of dollars on amps, cabs and pedals. The biggest challenge is that you have too many volume controls, if you include your real amp, the amp sim and the input and output on the the device- well you count them up...didn't well for me for passive or active bass guitar. On a positive notes when are able to gain staging under control it sounds good to great! I saw some other reviews prior to my purchase about the cost of getting enough amps to be useful, I spent the extra $... and for most part I'm really happy with those and it was worth the money... This is for what the marketing vids show you. Overall pretty happy with purchase with the caveats mentioned above.

I bought this so I could play silently late at night, listening as I play using my wireless earbuds, however, I find that Bluetooth is blocked from use due to latency issues thus rendering the wireless earbuds useless. The only way to monitor my playing in real time is to use wired earbuds or wired headphones plugged directly into the iRig which is exactly what I was trying to avoid. Just because it plays on your iPhone, don't think you can monitor your playing in real time using Bluetooth earbuds. Now that I know this, I'll just continue to plug my wired headphones into my Boss Katana.

I much preferred the connection they had on the original . This USB variant sucks and the cable falls out regularly.

I have had two bad experiences with the Lightning to Micro-USB cable that IK supplies for this product. The cable that came with the iRig broke -- the Lightning connector pin broke off from the cable. I bought a replacement cable from IK and the exact same thing happened. Clearly these cables are not being manufactured to good quality standards. Their customer service said it was out of warranty and offered nothing to try to make it right. It's not a ton of money relative to what we as players spend on gear and accessories, but it left me with a negative feeling about IK's quality in general and certainly about their customer service.

The iRig 2 comes with a crappy sounding Marshall look alike.
For the Fender amp mod you have to pay more money. For effects you have to pay more money.

I bought an I Rig 2 Hd thinking it would enhance the already great sound of my Bugera V22 Infinium but i have tried about every Adjustment to the knobs on my amp and gain control on the I RIG and no matter what i did,it does not sound that great at all,i thought at first maybe i wasnt using it right but honestly my amp sounds better without it.it has a tinny,squeaky,cheap sound.i even tried putting all my knobs on my..
amp at 12 o'Clock.I even bought the Fender Amp Collection and the OCD Pedalso i could use the tone through Amplitude 4.I spent more time trying to make it sound good than actually playing my guitar.Sweetwater is still a great company after all they dont actually make this product and i will still buy from them, but i will no longer believe every demo done by Professional Musicians...

When used with iOS devices like an iPad it works wonderfully. Great sound quality, latency is not an issue at all. My main problem is the incredibly flimsy build quality. Yes, I know it is a plastic box, but the quality of the jacks used are extremely cheap and attach directly to the internal printed circuit board with only it's solder joints as physical support for the jack itself. MEANING, any time you plug in or remove a cable from the jacks on this thing you are physically putting strain on the solder points... The jacks are just fragile plastic blocks with no structural support besides their solder points. I take VERY good care of my gear and am very conscientious of things like cable strain, excessive usage, etc. I would describe my use of it as extremely lighthanded and it failed after 6 months, with the headphone jack breaking free from the pcb board and now rattling round inside the unit itself. Won't be replacing it with the same product.

Great sound quality, horrible build quality.

I spent a couple of hours trying to get this to work and e-mailing IK. After several e-mails I realized that IK's customer service was inept. The IRig just would not output a signal to my new iPad or amp.

I called Sweetwater and the tech support person was unable to solve the problem so he is sending me a new HD 2.

The device was really spotty trying to get it to work on my PC. The first time I plugged it in and turned on Amplitube, it sounded great! I ended up having to unplug it a few times trying to get it to work with another app, and every time I plugged it back in I was greeted with extremely variable sound quality (plug in and it would sound terrible. plug in again and it sound ok, etc)

After spending 2 1/2 hours trying to get it working with Jamkazam, it finally worked! My friend and I played together for about 15 minutes when suddenly the iRig just stopped outputting sound completely! Nothing I did would bring the sound back. I tested my instrument cable on an amp and it worked fine.

In my experience, this device was really shoddy, felt extremely cheap and poorly made (felt like it'd break if you dropped it on carpet), and completely stopped working after 20 minutes.

0 Stars for the item, but 5 stars for Sweetwater customer service who gave me a credit on this towards a new item!

As another reviewer stated, you must download and configure a 3rd party driver... This is unacceptable and IK Multimedia keeps this information hidden away on their website FAQ page. You won't even know you need it until you can't hear your guitar in Amplitude. There is no mention of needing this driver in any of the included instructions. On that note, the driver is extremely flaky, do your research before purchasing.