LAS VEGAS, CES 2012 — Blue has announced three new microphones for Mac, iPhone, and iPad here at CES: The Mikey, Tiki, and Spark. I spent a bit of time at the Blue booth checking out their new mics, and I liked what I saw.
The Mikey
The Blue Mikey is a stereo microphone you can use with your iPod touch (4th generation), iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPad 2 or iPad. The previous version of the Mikey only worked with iPods or 3GS and older iPhones. I had an opportunity to use the previous version of the Mikey, and I liked it quite a bit. It was super easy to use, delivered pleasing audio, and was definitely a step up from the built-in 3GS microphone. I suspect I’ll be liking this new Mikey too; I just hope it supports Apple’s Camera app so I can use it when recording videos.
The Tiki
Blue wants the Tiki to be your go-to mic for Skype and FaceTime calls. Tiki is small, portable, and its advanced built-in sound-isolating DSP functionality is supposed to be a wonder at picking up only your voice and ignoring all other background noise (spinning computer fans, typing noise, etc). Once we get our review unit, we’ll be able to see just how well this noise-isolating tech actually works.
The Spark
The Spark is a cardioid, solid-state condenser microphone aimed at helping you get professional recordings on your Mac and iPad. This new Spark is actually an updated model, and its new iPad compatibility opens up a whole new world of use for the Spark. You could use it to podcast on your iPad, or use it to record instruments or vocals right into your Garage Band app. We’re expecting a review unit in the next couple of months; our iPad is ready and waiting.
