Question

Studio 26 USB to a powered USB Hub (with adequate power for unit)

Powered USB hub to Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter USB port.

Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter output cable to ipad Lightning connector.

Apple iPad power brick and Lightning cable hooked to Camera Adapter lightning socket (to provide iPad power).

I this advice from another manufacturer for a similar USB audio interface. Just wondered if any user or Presonus itself has tried this setup.

Answer 1

The specific reason is that the Studio 26 does not have the MFI port/chip in it that the iOne and iTwo have; which enable this capability and allow it to work with an iPad. Additionally, the Studio 26 has some more complex features that are only controllable via Universal Control; which is not available for IOS.

Answer 2

Only the iOne and iTwo are designed and supported to operate in this configuration.

Answer 3

@ghasenbeck

I guess I don’t understand why the Studio 26 wouldn’t work with an iPad Air2 when hooking the Studio 26 to a powered hub and hooking the Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter between the hub and the iPad.

A Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is verified to work in this way. What prevents the Studio 26 from working the same way?

Answer 4

@ghasenbeck

Thanks for the response. I’m guessing that using Apple’s Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter would get around the no-MFI port issue. Plugging the Studio 26 into a powered usb hub and going from there to the camera adapter would get you the data path, and using an Apple iPad power supply going to the Lightning socket on the camera adapter would get you iPad charging power. I was told by Focusrite support that that works on a 2i2, and I’ve read some forum postings that confirm that.

That would still leave the issue of the inability to access some of the more complex functions of the unit since there’s no Universal Control for iOS. What are the complex things that would be missing without that app?

Maybe I should just settle for the AudioBox iTwo. I couldn’t get Presonus support to tell me if I can hook the Device Port of the iTwo to an Apple Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter and charge the iPad via the Lightning port on the adapter. Seems like they’d have tried that solution since that ability would enhance the sellability of both the iTwo and the Studio 26.