It isn’t quite available yet (thought I’d get that out of the way up front:)), but you can pre-order it! It’s the Rode iXY microphone for iPhone and iPad.It plugs into the 13-pin dock connector of your device as opposed to the headphone jack like so many other iOS mics. This is incredibly cool!
I use a Rode microphone as my primary vocal mic – The Rode NT2-A, and it’s awesome, just like all Rode mics. So I’m particularly excited to get my hands on a mic made by Rode that works with iPads and iPhones. To date, most of the really good mics that work with iPads and iPhones plug into the dock connector like the iXY, but have been rather large mono mics, like the Blue Spark Digital and the Apogee Electronics MiC – see our article about those two mics here: Two New Studio Quality iPad Microphones. This new Rode mic will be an high quality mic like those two, but will be very portable and of course, will be stereo (hence the two half-inch cardioid condenser capsules). By the way, these two capsules are in the “X-Y” stereo configuration, which is why they point out and away and 90 degree angles.
The iXY will turn an iPhone into an incredibly handy and high-quality field recording device. The video recording crowd are already very much looking forward it, since it will allow them to attach the iPhone to their cameras and plug it into the external mic input (not all camcorders have external mic inputs, though – fair warning, fet one that does).
As for some specs, the mic is capable of recording 24-bit 96-KHz (sampling frequency) audio, which is fabulous. And you can record audio using any iOS audio recording app, though I highly recommend using Rode’s new recording app, the Rode Rec Audio – see more about that in our post here: RØDE Rec Audio Recording App For iPhone And iPod Touch.
OK, so you’re convinced and want one now? I know, it isn’t out as of January 11th, 2013. HOwever, you CAN pre-order yours from B&H Pro Audio! Just Click Here to do that, and it will come to you when it arrives, which is projected to be in early March 2013. Good things come to those who wait;).
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