IK Multimedia has announced that it’s now shipping the iRig Mic Field, a “pocketable” and adjustable stereo digital microphone for audio and video field recording with Lightning-compatible iOS devices.
iRig Mic Field Features:
- Digital stereo field-recording mic which connects to iOS devices via the Lightning port
- Lightweight and “pocketable” design
- Rotates 90° for optimal audio/video positioning; locks in place with comfortable-to-use controls
- Ideal for music recording, video shoots or any field recording application
- Integrated headphone output for immediate real-time audio monitoring
- Gain control and multicolor LED indicator for easy and accurate level adjustment
- 2 high-quality cardioid electret condenser capsules
- 24-bit, 44.1 – 48 kHz A/D conversion
Here’s their official intro video:
iRig Mic Field comes with IK’s iRig Recorder app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The latest version of IK’s field recording app lets you record, annotate, edit and process stereo audio. iRig Mic Field also works with iOS Core Audio and Core Video apps like GarageBand, Voice Memo, Camera and iMovie.
Pricing and Availability
iRig Mic Field is now available for $99.99/€79.99 (excluding taxes). See the IK Multimedia site for more info.
As I stated to their product support today (as I have been troubleshooting one of their plug-ins), “IK has some intriguing products…” And this new microphone device bears that out.
Coming in at roughly 1/2 of a dedicated TASCAM portable recorder (provided you already have an iPhone, ideally running iOS 8), I could see where this would be a nifty tool for videographers and low-budget filmmakers.
However, the devil will be in the details. This will have to be somewhat rugged or they will be flooded by returns. And the accompanying software will have to relieve end-users from the “pat-your-head-rub-your-tummy-while-tap-dancing” efforts IK currently requires to make their software work properly.
You realize that there must already be like 10 hundred dollar iPhone mics from various manufacturers, already on the market…?
I think their target audience is people that want a step up from built in audio. I use a wired mic when I do video, but this would be easy and more portable.
The offset of the mic from the phone would drive me bonkers. Little thing, but a big thing.
That allows the mic head to be rotated for proper stereo orientation, for both horizontal and vertical orientation. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have left and right when you turned your device, you’d have top and bottom.