IK Multimedia’s new iRig PowerBridge ($70) is a new accessory that solves an issue we’ve had with IK’s Lightning-connected studio accessories for a while — the problem of powering your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch while using them. Devices such as the iRig PADS, iRig KEYS, and iRig Mic HD connect to the Lightning port, so you can’t normally connect your iOS device to power at the same time.
While this is fine for casual use, it can be a problem for anybody looking for a serious studio session.
iRig PowerBridge is an adapter that connects in between any of IK Multimedia’s digital iRig accessories and your iOS device; you connect iRig PowerBridge to the Lightning port on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch, connect the accessory to IK’s now standard 7-pin DIN connector on the side of PowerBridge, and then plug PowerBridge into a standard AC outlet. A card in the box notes that iRig devices will need to have a firmware upgrade applied from a Mac or PC before using PowerBridge to ensure that the connected iOS device charges properly, but once that’s done, everything just works pretty much as you’d expect it to.
iRig’s Lightning devices will work fine without iRig PowerBridge, but this will be a welcome solution if you’ve found yourself worrying about battery life while using any of them.
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