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By David Cox

First published in Examiner.com July 28, 2015 12:05 PM MST

New small condensor microphone offers quality and portability

Condenser microphone technologies advanced hugely in the last several years to the point now where microphones would only been found in studios 10 years ago are freely available in the open marketplace and can be used in the hands of people who otherwise would have needed to rent out recording facilities costing a fortune.

IK Multimedia

This now 15-year old laptop recording revolution has given rise to a whole new range of amazing peripherals of which this microphone from IK Multimedia, the iRig Mic Studio mic is a perfect example. Exquisitely crafted, finest quality metal parts make up the mic and it comes with a beautifully machined microphone stand with a small tripod. It also comes with a beautiful leather fabric pouch as well as all the parts you need to get started recording.

I’m working on an opera right now about the space program and I’m traveling to lots of people’s houses around San Francisco. I need a studio quality mike that fits in my backpack which can be pulled out and used at a moment’s notice fast. What I really like is the gain controls on the outside which let me adjust the levels for the singer’s volume level ‘on the fly. With rock(et) opera I’m depending on the range of the singer being quickly adjustable in a range of settings that I seldom have much control over in terms of dynamic range and acoustics. Soprano and baritone vocal levels can vary very widely so range from the from the mic and how loud he or she is in relation to the response of the mike is everything. This mic has not let me down yet. The nearest comparison for me is the Yeti, and this mic proves a better solution in terms of sound quality to that mic. And it is smaller.

Make professional studio-quality recordings on the go

iRig Mic Studio, IK Multimedia’s ultra-portable large-diaphragm digital condenser microphone has been released for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, PC and Android. It sports a 1” diameter condenser capsule into a compact space that can be used to make professional-quality recordings on the go.

Features

• Professional studio microphone with large-diaphragm capsule
• Ultra-compact size that’s easy to carry around
• High-quality 1” back electret condenser capsule
• 24-bit converter with 44.1/48Khz sampling rate
• Low-noise, high-definition preamp
• Integrated headphone output
• Multicolor LED status and level indicator
• Onboard gain control and headphone level control
• Comes with a full suite of IK apps
• Includes portable tripod tabletop stand
• Includes Lightning, Micro-USB OTG and USB cables
• 30-pin cable available separately
• Available in black or silver version

The size of the mic is a large 1” diameter back electret condenser capsule, a 24-bit audiophile-grade A/D converter (with 44.1/48 kHz sample rate) and a built-in low-noise high-definition preamp. These, combined with its 133dB SPL rating, allow for recording at any sound pressure level — it can capture the human voice up to an amplified electric guitar and louder.

I’ve received the best results just going straight into GarageBand using the supplied USB cable. Mic Room, is a new universal microphone-modeling app for iOS that works with iRig Mic Studio to give it the sonic characteristics of many classic mics.

The controls include a gain control knob and a multicolor LED level indicator. It also includes a headphone output with its own level control for onboard monitoring directly from iRig Mic Studio itself. And, for better positioning while recording, iRig Mic Studio comes with a sturdy and portable tabletop tripod stand.

iRig Mic Studio comes with a female micro-USB port and cables: Micro-USB to Lightning for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch; micro-USB to micro-USB OTG for Android (requires either an Android 5 or Samsung Professional Audio device); and micro-USB to USB for Mac and PC. A micro-USB to 30-pin cable is available separately for older iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models.

Using apps with the iRig Mic Studio.

For immediate recording, iRig Mic Studio comes equipped with a powerful suite of vocal apps that match its cross-platform compatibility. iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users will be able to enjoy VocaLive, a powerful effects processor and multi-track recording app that features a selection of 12 professional real-time vocal effects. EZ Voice for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch and EZ Voice for Android are streamlined and easy-to-use sing-along apps that make it easy for vocalists to practice with any song in their music library. iRig Recorder for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch and iRig Recorder for Android are straightforward apps for field recording, podcasting, note taking and more. Mic Room, the microphone modeling app for iPhone and iPad.

When you get this mic you really can open it up it work straight away as I did. A green light shows you when it’s on giving you a solid sense of available signal strength. You can hear the quality through the mic’s own headphones socket right away. This is a great mic (and I’ve heard a few in my years) and comes highly recommended.

iRig Mic Studio (silver or black) is available now from dealers worldwide or via the online store for only $/€179.99. Get Mic Room on the App Store for $/€7.99 for iPhone and iPad.

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