Mobile audio interface and mixer - iRig Pro Quattro I/O review

In this week’s episode, we take a look at the iRig Pro Quattro I/O from IK Multimedia. This compact audio interface and mixer has two XLR combo mic/instrument inputs and two XLR combo mic/line-in inputs equipped with phantom power, two 3.5mm RCA line-in inputs, two balanced XLR outputs, direct monitoring for the headphone output, and several recording modes and functions. This multifunctional device can be used for streaming, podcasting, and other applications of dialogue recording. In this video we walk through the Quattro’s feature set and compare it to similar sound recorders like the Zoom H8 and CEntrance Portcaster. Let’s take a closer look!
If you’d like to learn how to make great dialogue audio for your film and video projects, please have a look at my courses including processing dialogue audio in Adobe Audition and DaVinci Resolve/Fairlight, recording sound, how to use the Zoom F4, F6, F8, and F8n, and how to get the most from the Sound Devices MixPre series of recorders. Our latest courses cover Sound for Live Streaming with the ATEM Mini and an Intro to Izotope RX. Https://school.learnli...
Support my work creating videos by donating at Ko-Fi.com ko-fi.com/curti...
Gear used or mentioned in this episode. The links below are Amazon.com, B&H Photo, Sweetwater, DVEStore, Perfect Circuit, or other affiliate links. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases:
- iRig Pro Quattro I/O audio interface & mixer - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon geni.us/048en
- Shure SM7B - B&H, Sweetwater, Perfect Circuit, Amazon geni.us/GYU7dHy
- Aputure 600D PRO LED Light - Aputure, B&H, DVE Store geni.us/3fj3g0g
- Impact Luxbank softbox - B&H geni.us/pJEgP
- Aputure Amaran 100D - Aputure, B&H, DVE Store, Amazon geni.us/A3HByXB
- Aputure Spotlight Mount - Aputure, B&H, DVE Store. Amazon geni.us/kfAj
- Rosco Prismatic Glass Gobo Cool Lavender creates the color pattern on the back wall - B&H geni.us/GWKt
- Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 6K - B&H, DVE Store, Amazon geni.us/uK8UqB
- Neumann U87 Microphone Set - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon geni.us/phYZH
- Zoom H8 Digital Multitrack Recorder - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon geni.us/M5Bq1kh
- CEntrance Portcaster Podcast Mixer and Recorder Interface - B&H geni.us/VlJeb0
- Canon C70 camera - B&H geni.us/ABYB
- Canon RF 24-70 f/2.8L lens - B&H, Amazon geni.us/qwsEs
Take your films to the next level with music from Musicbed. Sign up for a free account to listen for yourself: geni.us/G7by
Copyright 2022, Curtis Judd
#IKMultimedia #iRigPro #Audio
Index
00:00 Start
00:11 Summary
00:21 Approaching the Quattro from the perspective of dialogue audio
00:37 This episode’s signal chain
01:03 What is the iRig Pro?
02:05 Who are IK Multimedia?
02:21 Why are we reviewing this product?
03:32 Compatibility, feature set, and signal chain possibilities
05:30 Pros
12:02 Cons
16:06 Overall impressions and comparisons
17:15 Wrap-up
17:35 Please buy my courses

[@curtisjudd]

This includes corrections to a couple of technical issues with the video.

[@jadefinchscene5644]

I thought i was seeing things for a minute there. didnt this video post several hours before....yes indeed it did. always good to know when a video is a re-upload. thanks for letting us know.

[@craighoward5486]

I've got an iRig HD pro that was finicky from the beginning, high self noise, and then it just failed and I had trouble getting any support; $100 for a unit that kinda never worked right. This unit... similar build quality, poor self noise, no recording capability, and $350. It's like they showed up at the party and missed the fact that there are so many adequate-to-good recording solutions out there (Zoom is just the tip of that iceberg). At this price point they seem to be trying to solve problems that don't exist. Thanks for another great review Curtis.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Craig.

[@BerlinGonzalez]

Curtis, how can you be on 100K you deserve more by far

[@curtisjudd]

Only if my videos are useful to enough people.

[@audiobuff]

This looks like a great problem solver. Great review!

[@curtisjudd]

Decent problem solver. I am a little bit skeptical re: its durability.

[@kodekorp2064]

The quattro IO deluxe edition also comes with software that would run you about additional $500.

[@curtisjudd]

Nice. 👍

[@kevinbatts2804]

Even better the second time.

[@curtisjudd]

LOL! Sorry about that. Had to fix a couple of minor issues. 🙏

[@helmanfrow]

Just to clarify, while MEMS microphones typically come packaged on a PCB which includes preamp and AD converter ICs, a MEMS microphone is fundamentally an analog transducer like any microphone.

[@LearnLightAndSoundSessions]

Yes, every microphone starts with an analogue transducer stage. Thanks for clarifying.

[@lelandbobpalmer]

"NOW I AM TALKING REALLY REALLY LOUD AND WOW THAT IS A NAS..." hahaha, good one!! Thanks for another informative video :)

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@helmanfrow]

5:43 I think "warm sound" might be the charitable interpretation. That U87 sounds uncharacteristically dark and dull to my ears, although the foam might be contributing to that, as well. I'll have to unpause and keep watching. Maybe you compared it to other preamps in the next segment.

[@LearnLightAndSoundSessions]

No, that's a purely subjective assessment based on my experience. The U87 is not a great fit for my voice, but I often use it in reviews as a reference since it is known by so many.

[@gracaemusica]

Hi, Curtis! Thanks for the video. I’m having issues listening to my recordings in Logic Pro on my M1 iPad. Even though the output is set to the Quattro, I can’t hear anything coming through the Quattro’s headphone jack. Same thing with video recordings from my iPhone 15 Pro Max. In order to listen to my recordings I have to unplug the iRig from my devices and that’s a bit frustrating. Anything that I might be missing? Thank you!

[@curtisjudd]

Hmm, not sure. Probably best to contact IK Multimedia support. Best wishes!

[@NeilPho]

What were they thinking with the USB connection? It should just just be two USB-C.

[@curtisjudd]

Yes, I'm not sure.

[@njet212]

Actually Tascam have audio mixer for mirrorless, CA-XLR2d. They have 3 version. Canon & Fuji ( this one prorietary for those camera's with multi interface shoe ) and the other version is for General camera that have 3.5mm input

[@curtisjudd]

Ok

[@TheAshishDdaviddShow]

Love your videos always.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks.

[@rodolforoger]

Excellent video! Thank you so much! I’m looking to get one of these, but I have a question: you mentioned it works as an recording interface on PC and Apple devices , right? Do you know if the DAWs recognize the 4 inputs separately if connected through USB like a regular recording interface, or does the audio come into the DAW as one track only?

[@curtisjudd]

They come in as separate tracks.

[@rodolforoger]

@@curtisjudd, thank you so much!

[@TheBroadcastStudio365]

That was REALLY helpful! Thank you !

[@curtisjudd]

You are most welcome!

[@TheBroadcastStudio365]

@@curtisjudd Thanks

[@tonyrobertsguitar]

Thanks for this demo. Can you answer one question that bugs me a little before I decide to purchase this? Why does L+R illuminate in Mono mode, but only L illuminates in Multi/Stereo modes? Thanks!

[@curtisjudd]

After a year, I don't think I'd recommend this. Ours stopped working.

[@edgar.s.merino5324]

Hello, can be recorded a camera 📷, and iPad, at the same time

[@1BabaSalam]

I wonder how mobile is this if it doesn't do internal recording. Like you mentioned, the Zoom H8 represents more usserfriendliness in a mobile setup.

[@theoutsiderjess1869]

A normal audio interface with a usb adapter is more user friendly than this

[@1BabaSalam]

@@theoutsiderjess1869 That's right

[@curtisjudd]

The more I think about it, the more I think this will really mainly appeal to people who have used and love the smaller iRig devices. It has an interesting combination of features, but not a combination that is critical for my purposes.

[@harryniedecken5321]

Exactly. Without internal recording it would be not that interesting.

[@francescomazzinghi2949]

Hi, can i put in a xlr microphone input, send It to mobile device, modify the input with amplitube or similar app and then listen It to a speaker directly without recording?

[@curtisjudd]

Yes, with some latency.

[@skakdosmer]

Now, English is not my first language, so I hope i'm wrong. But the phrase "you're dismissed" doesn't sound very friendly to me. I've looked it up, and it seems to be a phrase used tell people to get out. For instance when firing someone from their job. Or maybe in the army when an officer tells someone that he can - and must - leave the room. (But then I've never been in the army).

[@POLARICED]

It is also used to formally, and without wasting anybody time, tell people that this video will be of no interest to them. I find it quite useful that Curtis introduces his videos this way so I know what I can expect from the beginning and if it's worth my time listening to the review of a product or not

[@1BabaSalam]

In a classroom setting, a class is dismissed when the lesson ends. In this case, if the rest of the lesson may not be of interest to a viewr, then the class is over for him. Therefore he's dismissed. Haha Anyway, English is not my first language either. =D

[@curtisjudd]

It is a way to let people know quickly whether this video will be useful for them. My primary interest is in NOT wasting peoples' time.

[@bertschirris8053]

Does the irig pro quattro works with n-track on a android phone?

[@curtisjudd]

I don’t know. Probably best to confirm with IK Multimedia.

[@venicelake]

I have a zoom F3, this looks like it would be a good adjunct to it, with all its inputs and midi, and xls line outputs to the Zoomer, and I wonder if the mics in the deluxe kit would fit Into the zoom?

[@curtisjudd]

This is not the same quality as the F3, unfortunately.

[@McCaineFerguson90]

How good is it with music instruments? Because I have a drum machine in this looks interesting to use for audio interface

[@curtisjudd]

I wouldn't recommend it at its price, simply too many cons.

[@_Thumbnail_]

Thanks for the review! At 3:45 you seem to say that multi channel recording is for Win/Mac only, not for iOS /Android. Why is that? At least there are iOS apps with multi channel input capabilities available as well as other USB interfaces which provide a class compliant multi channel audio stream.

[@curtisjudd]

Yes. Switch the mode switch to multichannel and apps that support it will work.

[@CSLFiero]

Is there USB input pass-through? Want to know if I can use this as a Dac for my desktop with nasty grounding issues on its io

[@curtisjudd]

No.

[@CSLFiero]

@@curtisjudd that seems like a miss, they can give you loopback but they can't just take signal off the usb? real shame.

[@Dolle_Man]

No internal SD card storage seems really like a missed opportunity, Zoom U44 seems like a much better option, money wise.

[@curtisjudd]

Yes.

[@rickraub5448]

Hi Curtis. This question is not related to this particular video. I just bought a saramonic ax 107 pre-amp audio mixer. I'm planning a first time two person interview and want to use two Rodelink wireless lavs. Both Rode receivers will mount on the cold shoe mounts of saramonic. Now my question...the rodelink receivers have a pre-amp and the saramonic ax107 has pre-amp. Is it ok to leave both the pre-amps ( ax107 and Rodelinks) on? Safe? Not safe? I haven't done it yet. Concerned about damaging something. Thanks again. I REALLY value you ideas and thoughts. 👍👍 Have you done a video on the saramonic ax107?

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Rick, You shouldn't damage anything, no. The output from the RODE receivers is made for cameras with microphone inputs, so the Saramonic should be fine. Best wishes and happy recording! (ps, I do not have a video on the Saramonic)

[@rickraub5448]

@@curtisjudd Ok thanks. I'm hearing about somehow damaging a microphone using phantom power but not understanding why.

[@curtisjudd]

@@rickraub5448 Phantom power is usually 48V. Some vintage microphones aren't designed to receive such voltage. With the RODELink system, you can just leave phantom power turned off as it isn't needed.

[@rickraub5448]

@@curtisjudd Much appreciated

[@Fornari48]

ONE problem I face Was the fragility of the Phone conection. Easy to break.

[@curtisjudd]

Yes. The overall device seems a bit fragile, I've found over time.

[@paulsarodh5460]

Rockin 👌👌👌👌👍

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@manoletonflamenco5831]

hello Curtis I bought an irig quattro that arrived 2 days ago and I have not been able to play a song from my iPad pro 2020 with USB-C port, this is my 4th irig I already had the hd 2 and the pro duo and this is the first that ago, I don't know what button to touch anymore

[@curtisjudd]

Switch on direct monitoring and loop back.

[@manoletonflamenco5831]

I have tried several combinations, Mr. Curtis, and nothing.

[@manoletonflamenco5831]

and the usb, battery and off how do you put it?

[@TerenceKearns]

If the limiter doesn't limit before the converter, then it's not a limiter. So it doesn't do what it says on the tin - which is pretty lame for the price. Would be interesting to compare to the zoom handheld recorders which can also act as audio interfaces and live mixers.

[@curtisjudd]

The Zoom H series recorders do the same thing - limiters are applied in the digital stage so are basically useless when it comes to preventing clipping.

[@TerenceKearns]

@@curtisjudd yeah wow. I didn't realise the H series did the same thing. I haven't had one for a few years. so they also running the same scam. Would be good to have a pocket sized analog limiter the size of a matchbox.

[@harryniedecken5321]

Needs an internal recording capability like the centrace

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@TerranceNock]

Where can I get that stand??

[@curtisjudd]

That’s an iFootage stand. I think I bought it at B&H.

[@DefeatMedia]

Would love a version of this that's like half the price for what it does...

[@curtisjudd]

Maybe that'll be possible one day.

[@brianwyse5810]

Why not just buy a tascam x8/zoom and have the recording option obviously

[@curtisjudd]

Agreed.

[@stevenneaves8079]

Reupload?

[@curtisjudd]

Yes, corrected a couple of issues with the exported video, no changes in terms of content or the bottom line.

[@skakdosmer]

@@curtisjudd how does this effect the KZbin algorithm "bonus points" or whatever they're called?

[@curtisjudd]

@@skakdosmer I care so little for the KZbin algorithm that I haven’t done any research to know the answer to that question. Useful information is my goal.

[@skakdosmer]

@@curtisjudd glad to hear that. So many KZbinrs seem to worry a lot about the algorithm. I, of course as a non-presenter, can take it lightly, and I do. I don't click 'like' or 'dislike' in order to help or punish, but simply to remind my future self of what is and what is not worth watching.

[@muhaiminabdullahdotcom]

Still with that usb cable connector.

[@curtisjudd]

Yes.

[@xxxxxx-wq2rd]

Would be nice to see a 32bit version that has a real limiter.

[@curtisjudd]

That'd be neat.

[@stanmanmedia]

Now I'm of Italian decent, so consider that with my comment. It's like a Fiat car of years ago, complete crap, and cost too much for crap. I stay away from this company at all costs. If you'd like driving a Fiat from the 70s, broken down on the highway, than you'll love IKmedia hardware.

[@curtisjudd]

LOL. Thanks for sharing!