I already own an audio interface, but I wanted something small and light that would facilitate connecting my guitar to my tablet, and this little black box does exactly that! I had previously tried a very similar device from IK Multimedia, which not only felt like a toy but also had something rattling inside it. Needless to say, I returned it immediately. In contrast, while this is made of plastic too, it feels significantly more robust, and its build quality in general could be likened to, say, a remote control of a high-end VCR: the monitoring switch gives off a reassuring click, and the recessed volume dial is not overly easy to turn, thus making it harder to change the setting by accident. As I have alluded to previously, I use this to connect my guitar to my tablet for practicing with headphones, as well as for occasional recording of ideas. I use it with GarageBand on a rather old iPad (7th generation), and the sound quality is excellent: no buzz, no hum (other than the single-coil hum of my Telecaster, of course). I tried switching between direct and indirect monitoring, and I did not notice any latency. I honestly cannot think of a better affordable gift for a guitarist or bassist. This would especially be great to someone who is just starting out. Simply pair this interface with GarageBand (which is free at the time of writing this review), and you can practice with professional-quality tones! No beginner amplifier that costs two, three, or even four times as much as this little black box will give you better tones (at least, in my experience so far)!
