We keep running across all sorts of possibilities for people trying to make their iPhones, iPads, and smartphones function as legitimate quality recording devices.
I’ve been blogging about this for more than a year, and the march of technology is relentless. Not that long ago, I blogged about the Blue Mikey, then the iRig, Lexicon, Apogee Duet², Pocket SoundBooth, OMG the list goes on and on.
The iPad, it seems, has been especially the target for Voice Talent hoping to adopt the tablet as a mobile studio, but you’ve gotta translate through an Apple camera USB adapter, it doesn’t seem to want to accept the MicPortPro, yada yada yada.
Then, roaming the exhibit hall at NAB in Las Vegas today, I find the Vericorder XLR Adapter Cable. Perfect! $60 buys you the convenience of using any XLR mic with your iPhone or iPad. I like the design, but I have no idea if it works, or works well with the iPhone or iPad. I WANT it to…’cause that would justify the pricetag…but I’m not ready to pop for it yet, after my budget suffered from the same cost for the iRig, and it seemed a dubious solution.
Here’s what their website says: “…Connect a professional XLR microphone to the headset jack of the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or other compatible smart phones. Provides separate headphone output for monitoring the playback levels of the recording, use will recording on 1st Video or VC Audio Pro. Our XLR Adapter includes a pre-amp that provides a Flat, 6.1dB Gain, from 20Hz to 20,000Hz. It is powered completely by the iPhone headset jack circuitry…”
OK, who wants to be the guinea pig and spring for this? Or maybe you already have. If so…puh-leez, let us know how well it works!
CourVO
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Dave:
I haven’t tried this particular cable, but I have gotten successful audio-in results with a plain-ol’ XLR-to-minijack cable I picked up on a whim at Guitar Center a while back. (I got audio into an iPad from a Rode NTG-2 shotgun mic, which can use a AA battery to get the required phantom power.)
This, of course, tells you nothing about the particular cable you saw. But if the Vericorder cable is aimed specifically at iPhone/iPad users — which my cable wasn’t — your NAB find could be a very useful add-on for portable VO.
Best,
Billy
It seems to me that all these nifty devices are designed for voice-overs on the run: desperado’s, traveling salesmen and roaming reporters.
With all these technological innovations, we still have to find a reasonable space to record in.
Do we really need to invest a fortune in a mobile recording studio, just so we can be first in line for that $100 audition on a P2P?
And should a truly great opportunity come our way, wouldn’t we want to submit the best quality demo we can produce, instead of submitting a quick-on-the-go improvised recording?
I did quite a bit of research trying to find a connector and ended up with this one from KVConnectors http://www.kvconnection.com/product-p/km-iphone-micx.htm (@$25). It connects my mic to my iPhone where I’ve been using iAudition. Last week on vacation, I actually recorded a broadcast spot rather than just an audition on it, and the producer said it sounded fine. Keep in mind, it was a small, local market, but still something to consider.
It would be interesting to see how this adapter compared to a regular minijack-XLR connector. Don’t you still need an external pre-amp with something like this or an adapter?
Hi Joel, thanks for stopping by…
I don’t think you’ll need a pre-amp with this, although it may assist quite nicely… If I understand your question correctly, I think an adapter would OK, but probably unnecessary.
Come on back soon!
Dave Courvoisier
Hi Joel,
The VeriCorder XLR Adapter does contain a pre-amp that properly matches the dynamic mic to the iPhone or iPad input circuitry. Some of the other products only have passive components for their interface, which do not provide any gain.
We have had a lot of professional radio and media journalists try this with good results.
Kirk
Kirk,
Thanks for adding this to the thread. The VeriCorder devices are impressive for their quality design…glad to know the insides have been well-thought-out too!
I appreciate your stopping by to comment!
Dave C