With the largest model in their iRig range, IK Multimedia aim to offer their most versatile portable recording interface. Greg Scarth tries it out.
In recent years, IK Multimedia’s extensive line-up of interfaces, studio gear and instruments seems to have grown continuously. With the IK Multimedia iRig Pro Quattro I/O, the Italian brand ventures into even bigger, more powerful territory – still portable, but now more fully-featured than ever before. If you’ve seen other interfaces in the iRig range, you can probably have a pretty good guess what the concept is: the iRig Pro is the basic one-input audio and MIDI interface, the Pro Duo is the two-input version, and so the Pro Quattro expands on the idea with a more professionally focussed four-input model.
It’s probably not the most stylish interface you’ve ever seen, but there’s a purposeful, no-nonsense appearance to the iRig Pro Quattro’s matte black case. It’s not as small as the iRig Pro, for obvious reasons, but at 166 x 92 x 43 mm it’s still definitely in the realm of portable interfaces. There are neat little tricks which make the Quattro more than ‘just’ an interface – notably the inclusion of a built-in microphone and standalone mixer mode – but fundamentally the core concept here is a high-quality 24-bit/96 kHz 4-in/2-out audio interface aimed at people who record sound outside traditional studio environments.
In terms of features, the Pro Quattro is impressive. To start with the basics, you’ve got an array of input sockets which allow you to connect absolutely any source to those four input channels. The main inputs are via top-quality Neutrik combi jacks for channels 12 (mic/instrument level) and 3/4 (mic/line level), allowing you to use XLRs or balanced ¼-inch plugs. 48-volt phantom power can be applied separately to each pair of channels, allowing you to connect condenser microphones. Channels 3/4 can also be hooked up via a separate unbalanced line input section for 3.5mm stereo (‘aux’) plugs or RCA plugs, effectively meaning you can connect just about any audio signal you can imagine.
On the left-hand side of the unit, the main line outputs are via balanced XLR or unbalanced stereo 3.5mm socket, plus here you’ll also find the headphone outputs and MIDI in/out over 2.5mm TRS (with an adapter included in the box). Power comes via USB-C, four AA batteries or an optional 9V DC PSU. Meanwhile, the connection to your device is over a mini DIN socket, with adaptors included for Lightning, USB-A and USB-C connections on your devices (Lightning devices can be charged via the Quattro’s 9V DC socket while in use). There’s also a built-in microphone, allowing you to capture field recordings quickly in reasonable quality when you’re not carrying a mic or don’t have time to plug one in.
We don’t usually focus so heavily on specifications here, preferring to highlight functionality instead, but in the case of the iRig Pro Quattro, the two are intrinsically linked; the list of inputs, outputs and other basic specs really does give you a sense of how IK intend the Quattro to be used, covering any base for audio recording outside of conventional studio settings. All of those impressive specs would be moot if the functionality of the unit didn’t back them up, but with interfaces it’s mainly a case of allowing you to use everything smoothly and efficiently. Thankfully, the Quattro works as smoothly as we’ve come to expect from the iRig series. Setup with your devices is simple, sound quality is excellent including the clean, powerful headphone output, and LED metering is simple but clear.
So who is the Pro Quattro aimed at? IK make a point that it’s an interface which helps you “always be ready in the field” and it’s clear that this is intended to be a portable device which you can take anywhere. The Pro Quattro can be used with desktop/laptop computers if you want, but that feels secondary to its mobile capabilities; the interface seems to be aimed mainly at those recording on tablets and phones (iOS or Android) who want a genuinely pro-level all-rounder capable of recording a range of instrument, mic and line level sources in high quality (the standalone mixer mode also adds handy functionality). You can see the Pro Quattro appealing to podcasters, vloggers, videographers and streamers just as much as it will to musicians and producers.
There’s a risk with an interface like the Pro Quattro that it could end up compromised and not quite meeting anyone’s needs: too big to be truly portable, too compact to feel user-friendly. The Pro Quattro manages to avoid that trap by treading the fine line between portability and ergonomics; slide switches are small but positive, while the four main channel level controls are large and precise, with slightly smaller controls for headphone and line output levels. The best part of the Pro Quattro is that IK have expanded the iRig concept and made it bigger without losing what made the smaller models such a hit. If you’re looking for a balanced mix of portability and flexibility, the Quattro is a great choice.
Greg Scarth
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