Behringer JT-4000 Micro - Any Good For DAWLESS? Revisited

This video explores whether the ‪@behringer‬ JT-4000 Micro can cut it as a multi-voice DAWLESS synth in 2024. To help us answer this question we look to teaming it with an iPad Mini running MiRack. The beauty of this setup is totally battery powered and includes the ability to add effects to the JT-4000 output. Not only this, but it can all easily fit in a bag, for music making on the go!
Here's some useful links if you are looking to replicate this experiment:
Original JT-4000 - Any Good for DAWLESS? : • Behringer JT-4000 Micr...
MiRack: mirack.app
Tascam Audio Recorder: amzn.to/45jNiT9 (affiliate link)
USB-C Hub: amzn.to/4bXBcSb (affiliate link)
Behringer Store: amzn.to/3vVgFO9 (affiliate link)
At less than £50, this little beauty can do lush pads and 90's retro trance sounds 'til the cows come home. But can it work without a DAW? Is it a bargain synth destined for your DAWLESS setup, or just a toy???

[@alexwestconsulting]

I don't mean to defend the JT too much, especially since I have 3 JP-8080's and, as a miRack user myself, I know the ios apps are cheaper and more powerful (miRack has all the Mutable Instruments machines inside), but the JT does not need a daw per se, as there are plenty of external controller options to open it up. Also, while ipad mini 6 isn't an ipad pro, you are undervaluing its processing power, especially if you get a couple and bridge them with something like an iConnectivity device, which gets you just way more processing power than a multitude of hardware synths proper, only downside being that they aren't exactly immune to digital static when overburdened, it's just that it's up to the end user to not push it too far. Ipad mini 6 is a significant, generational improvement over ipad mini 5 in all respects where so many of the audio problems inherent in using ipad mini 5 are virtually gone in the 6. Thx for the video, good work. Subbed.

[@3dims]

Hey Alex, there are a lot of people on the offensive when it comes to the JT-4000 and I agree with what you are saying. The iPad Mini probably is more powerful than I give it credit for, but I do tend to err on the side of caution.

[@patrickm.4469]

I loved your previous video using alsamixer on a raspberry pi as I have several of those lying around. Thank you for sharing! Thankfully Behringer has announced they are releasing a new version of the JT4000 including 3.5mm MIDI trs port.

[@3dims]

Hey Patrick, thanks for stopping by and so happy you are into the RPi video. I tried to run MiRack on the Pi, but there’s no midi modules so I had to resort to iPad.