Steinmetzify, my amps live a comfortable, if boring existence, seldom leaving home. As a rule I run direct to the mixer from my iPads, without even using a specialized monitor (though I have one if needed). For monitoring, I just send the house mix back to myself through a miniature monitor on a mic stand.

Jim, you are quite correct... every peripheral for the iPad is expensive; many are outrageously so. The iRig Pros I use are an example. They're small, which is nice, but also have very limited features. For the same price as 1 iRig Pro I had also bought a Tascam US-200, which has 2 inputs, 4 outputs + headphones, proper MIDI in & out, dry/wet monitor knob and a separate headphone level knob. That was a real bargain compared to the IK gear.

You can thank Apple for that. Wallets for devices, for instance, were a couple, maybe a few dollars before smartphones & tablets became popular. Now most iPad wallets are $30-$50. Come on... for a folded piece of leather (or plastic)? Really? That's the nature of business... charge what the market will bear. And with all the Apple fans out there... it seems that that is a lot.

All that said - and while still not an Apple fan - I love my little valise of sonic goodness. It's pretty much as small as a guitar setup could be but sounds fantastic.