iKlip Review

Our Review by Rob LeFebvre on April 4th, 2011
Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar ::
Share This:

The iKlip is a solid piece of stage gear that holds an iPad safely and securely on a microphone stand.

Developer: IK Multimedia

Price: $39.99

iPad Integration Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar
Hardware Design Rating: starstarstarhalfstarblankstar
Long Term Reuse Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar

Overall Rating: starstarstarstarblankstar

As a musician, I sometimes need music and lyric sheets with me up on stage. Before the iPad, this meant sheets of paper and maybe a three ring binder, when I was feeling especially organized. Once I got my iPad, then, I was able to transfer the lyric sheets and setlists to a variety of apps, including GoodReader and GigBook, to stay organized on stage. Problem was holding the iPad on stage. The flimsy music stands I used for paper lyrics weren't quite up to snuff when it came to safely holding the weight of an iPad, especially as the band heated up and the stage bouncing started. The obvious solution would be to get a heavy duty music stand, but the expense never really seemed justified.

Enter the iKlip iPad stand, made expressly to hold an iPad on stage by IK Multimedia, makers of the iRig, the iRig Mic, VocaLive and Amplitube, among other sweet music apps.

The iKlip is designed to hold an iPad directly on a microphone stand. It connects to the stand at the upright, or on the boom, depending on the specific configuration or stand. The iKlip consists of a two piece neck, one piece slotting into the other for a secure fit, with heavy duty screw-threaded knobs to tighten and hold the iPad safely. The iPad itself slides into a larger, spider-esque platform, held in place by four side posts and two bottom posts. The iKlip can be configured to hold an iPad in either landscape or portrait mode.

Getting the iKlip onto the mic stand was initially tricky. I found that it did not fit on my preferred mic stand easily, as the stand itself has a much fatter vertical pole than a standard microphone stand. Once I switched to a stand with a thinner upright, the iKlip installed easily, but did take quite a bit of fiddling to find the perfect position. It feels safe and solid, and no amount of stage bouncing has launched the iPad. The heavy duty plastic and metal screw knobs all feel solidly made -- this isn't a cheap gadget that will fall apart after a bit of use. The price at forty dollars may seem initially high, but a heavy duty music stand can cost as much without the ease of use, smaller stage footprint (look ma, no stand!), or iPad-centric design.

I recommend the iKlip for all iPad using musicians, whether it be for recording, running guitar or bass effects, holding sheet music, or any other musical application that requires a mic stand and an iPad.

[gallery]

Posted in: Reviews, Hardware Reviews
Tagged With:
Share This: