Speaker Management on your iPad
Posted on September 16, 2023
Having the mobility of an iPad to gain balance your multi-zone sound system is super handy. I know certain manufacturers, like Meyer, have iOS apps to control their speaker management systems. But other manufacturers like L’Acoustics and D&B only offer desktop software. If you are like me, and only have MacBooks, then your only other choice is to broadcast your control network via a WAP and awkwardly cradle a laptop with your lefthand while you use your right to track and type as you walk the venue. Perhaps a minor gripe, but wouldn’t it be so much easier if you could use your iPad that has a protective case and hand strap?
If you are unaware, Apple has built Sidecar into the OS. Sidecar turns your iPad into either an extended or mirrored desktop for your Mac over a common wi-fi network that both devices are on. While this is nothing new, and a lot of you may have been doing this for a while – you’ll know that the touch response of the iPad ceases when you are in this mode. The solution – Apple Pencil. Apple Pencil brings touch response back to the iPad when using Sidecar.
In my particular case I have 3x active NICs on my Mac – 1x wired for Dante, 1x wired for Control , and 1x wireless for internet on the venue wi-fi. I join the same venue wi-fi with my iPad, engage Sidecar via System Preferences -> Displays in extended desktop mode and drag LA Net onto my iPad. I can now walk the venue (on the venue’s internet wi-fi) and make edits to LA Net w/ Apple Pencil on my iPad. Pretty darn handy if you ask me!