Introduction
The Focusrite iTrack Pocket is a small gadget made for musicians and creators who want to record good-quality audio using a small device.
Design and Portability
- The iTrack Pocket’s compact size makes it highly portable.
- Its sleek design allows for easy handling and operation.
Performance and Audio Quality
- Delivers commendable audio quality for its size.
- The built-in stereo microphone captures clear sound.
Compatibility and Connectivity
- Compatible with iOS devices, offering convenient connectivity.
- Easy integration with music-making apps enhances usability.
Ease of Use
- Simple interface makes it beginner-friendly.
- One-button recording simplifies the recording process.
Pros
- Portable and compact design
- Good audio quality
- Seamless integration with iOS devices
- User-friendly interface
Cons
- Limited compatibility with non-iOS devices
- Basic feature set might not suit advanced users
Conclusion
The Focusrite iTrack Pocket is a small audio gadget made for iPhones and iPads. It’s easy to carry around and gives good sound quality. It’s great for musicians and creators who want something small to record with. But it might not work with all devices and doesn’t have all the advanced features that experienced users might want.
Simone Nobili –
Ottimo prodotto , non molto pubblicizzato ma ottimo per registrare anche 2 canali contemporaneamente con iPad , ingresso jack e microfono interno. Un po’ rumoroso quando si alza il gain ma ovvio per questo prezzo…!!!
Chris –
There is a LOT of incorrect info being supplied in negative reviews.
1. The software for this runs fine on iOS 11(+) because Focusrite updated it, and all any of the people with issues had to do was download the corrected software.
2. These mics are definitely superior to the iPhone mic. The issues they are experiencing is a natural phenomena called “surface reflection”. To correct the acoustic issues a) place unit on a non-sound reflective surface, such as a cloth. b) Record somewhere that reduces the acoustic bounce of walls. A carpeted room with some furniture in it will suffice.
The reason the sound seems off, is because the mics *are* superior and respond better to acoustic resonance. You also get stereo.
3. Yes, it does save to the photo/video library.
4. All guitar inputs are mono. Guitars produce mono output.
5. The cord is twice as long as it needs to be to reach the back of the dock. Why would you need it longer? A longer chord would get in the way.
I am extremely pleased with the product.
It was supposed to take 7 days to deliver, and I received it in less than 24 hours. It was extremely well packaged against damage.
swmagicien –
I tried connecting to my PC using a USB cable that fit. It worked for a while even though it was giving me some kind of driver error. Eventually it stopped working with the PC altogether. Connecting it to the PC via USB seems to have damaged the built in microphones or the microphone circuits. The 1/4″ jack was still working last time I checked but only with my iphone. The mics however stopped working. I think you can still record voice via the iphone mic while also recording from the 1/4 input but the application worked better with the itrack pocket’s built in mics.
I liked the application for recording videos. It doesn’t have a lot of guitar tones to choose from but at least it was easy to use. I seem to recall the app had some basic editing features but no overdubbing or split screen or anything like that.
I wasn’t at all happy with the quality of the microphones. There are two and you can record in stereo but the quality was around the same or possibly even worse than my iphone SE’s built in microphone. Even so, I was disappointed when the mic’s died.
The itrack pocket has a groove along the top that is designed as a stand for you phone. For me this was a useful feature. For the most part it works better than leaning the phone on something like a coffee cup or a monitor.
I don’t use mine since the mics went out. I usually use my PC webcam instead and a USB mic or the computer’s stereo mix for audio. It was quite disappointing that it using it with a PC broke it.
The itrack pocket has been out of production for quite a while. Support on the manufacturer’s website is almost existent. I’m not sure why they discontinued it. I would guess that many users had the same experience I did and the demand for warranty replacements made it preferable to discontinue it rather than support it. Too bad, though, because the design has a lot going for it.
If you get one, avoid connecting it directly your PC and don’t expect much out of the mics. Otherwise, the product is fine and easily worth the price.
Mr. C Coulson –
Prior this purchase, I’d balance my iphone against something and record the ambient audio which also picked up passing traffic, breathing and pets! – hence this purchase.
It’s a pretty simple product to use but I think the price is a little steep for what you get – a mount for your iPhone and stereo microphone, a 1/4 inch mono jack input and the lead that connects the phone to the unit. All the backroom stuff is on the free downloadable app. The enclosed instructions are basic and I ended looking online for further insights.
The problem I have with the iTrack is that the direct musical input doesn’t allow you to monitor what you are playing. It’s fine for a guitar (at least you can hear it), but when I plugged a synth in I had no idea what I was playing so I ended up having to record the synth through an amp via the iTrack’s mic which of course picks outside sounds unless you are in a soundproof environment.
So for recording a vocal performance and simple musical accompaniment, it’s perfectly adequate, for something a little more sophisticated, it’s less so.
Don –
This iTrack Pocket does what it’s supposed to do. I like the external recording volume control for setting the recording levels. The dock itself only holds/cradles your iphone properly if it is NOT in a case. I have an otter box case on my iphone, and if I want to use the iTrack Pocket, I have to remove the case from my phone before use. That’s an inconvenience.
The other thing about this unit is that the free “Impact” app that goes with this unit could be better. It’s functionality and interface could use improvements, and all the videos recorded in Impact, are self contained, and only accessible from within the Impact app itself. I would have liked to see all the videos recorded with Impact accessible through the native picture/video viewer on the iphone.
Research the IRIG Mic Cast, available through Chapters/Indigo. It’s a much smaller foot print, decent external microphone, and can be used with it’s associated audio app to record strictly high quality audio. I believe it can also be used when capturing video as well, but not confirmed.
I would have to say if you are looking for an audio/video solution for capturing your open air acoustic/vocal performances, the iTrack pocket does do a fairly good job. The Impact app allows for direct upload to Facebook, e-mail contacts, youtube ect., and is a fairly straight forward process. I have not used the built in guitar input on the device, so cannot comment on that at this time.
You can trim the start and end of your video which is a good feature, and there is a clipping light on the front of the unit to indicate your input signal is too hot/clipping. Just turn down the external recording volume until the red light stays off, and you are good to go.
Phil –
The Focusrite iTrack Pocket , when I read about this mic and checked out the spec’s I wasn’t sure it would be up to handling the high sound levels of recording an acoustic drum kit but to my surprise it does a great job. Positioning the mic/phone 3 to 4 metres in front of the kit at about chest height seems to work for me,my kits very loud and does cause “clipping” when recording. There’s a red LED light on the front of the mic that indicates “clipping” but on play back it sounds fine,no noticeable distortion. There’s easy settings for basic EQ adjustments and reverb, I found by using the Guitar + Mic option gives me a really nice punchy kit sound covering all frequencies admirably , cymbals,toms, bass drum and snare. If you’re a drummer searching for an inexpensive usable mic to record video for demos or YouTube I highly recommend The iTrack mic. You can view and hear an example of the mics performance I’ve recorded on YouTube. Search ,Phil Kimber ” Michael Jackson Human Nature … Brilliant product !!!
Mike Ford –
For under $20, it’s hard to go wrong with something like this. I have used the iTrack Pocket to make multiple videos at this point. It’s small, works well, and the impact app is helpful in fine tuning either in the app itself or sending the video over to iMovie.
The negatives are all small, but they are as follows:
1. The phone slot is just a bit too narrow for my iPhone X. I can get it in with some force, but that inevitably hits the power or volume buttons. If you had a case on it, you would have to remove it for sure. I even have to remove the case on my iPhone 8.
2. I can’t seem to figure out how to get stereo input on the 1/4″ input. That’s not the biggest deal, but newer phones will play audio in stereo and you can tell it’s only coming from one side. There is no easy way to duplicate the audio after the fact in the impact app or in iMovie on a phone. You can do it with a few extra steps in iMove on a Mac.
3. It really drains power. With full battery power today I recorded 3 takes on a song with a little noodling between. Average video lengths were 5 mins and the front facing camera was probably on for about 20 mins total. I was at 20% when I wrapped the 3rd take.
4. Maybe this is really 3a… there is no charger input. It would really be nice if you could either charge the phone or provide external power to the iTrack.
Still, I don’t regret this purchase and I would recommend it to anybody looking for a quick and easy way to get a video or track down.
Marty German –
I’m using this for recording my guitar performances with both my iPhone 6+ and my iPad Air2.
The software is free and you can also use it with any other iOS video/audio software, too.
The recorded sound via the stereo mics is noticeably superior to the iPhone’s microphone.
The recorded sound via the guitar input and mono mic is also really good and the video looks great!
Be sure you use the volume wheel on the side of the iTrack to adjust the signal level. You want a Green sound level indicator and not yellow or red but just into the green beneath the yellow volume to get the best quality of undistorted sound.
One challenge with this is that it is very light weight making it tippy when you put a large iPhone 6+ into it’s slot.
Also, the iPhone has to be removed from it’s case to fit into the slot.
And the iPad Air2 just falls over instantly. To solve this, I put the iPad Air2 and the iTrack next to each other on my music stand. This also works better with my iPhone (when it’s in it’s case), too. And my $12 conductor’s stand is large enough to hold both my music and my iPhone/iTrack at that same time. Even if you are not a musician, get yourself a cheap but sturdy music stand so that you will have this adjustable platform for your video recordings.
I’ve even drilled a hole in my music stand for the rear camera to shoot through and I have a short bungee cord I use to keep everything from falling off of it. This is now a great/cheap (under $100 not counting my iPhone) setup for my video recording from either the front facing or the rear cameras.
The simplicity of using the free Impact app with the iTrack to capture great video and sound and then instantly upload it to YouTube is amazing!