Microphones for tablets/iDevices

The Apogee MiC is a USB condenser microphone that has a cardioids pickup pattern. It comes with a desktop tripod stand and USB cable to plug it directly to your computer. The beautiful thing about USB microphones is you are cutting out the need for an audio interface. Now I don’t recommend using a USB microphone unless you are just doing basic demo recordings and do not plan on doing your final masters with it because USB microphones will never give you what a good microphone and interface can give you.
The Apogee MiC is a great microphone for running a live home radio show, or even using it for your microphone if you are talking to someone through video. I have used it to record with and to talk to someone with during a video chat. I prefer it as a computer microphone instead of using it to record songs with. I have noticed a slight delay between my vocals when I record. You can barely notice the lag but it is still there, which is normal considering it is only a USB microphone. The recordings do come out pretty clean though with a few minor EQ tweaks here and there.

You cannot use the Apogee MiC with a Windows system, it is compatible with Mac only. You can use it with your iPhone and iPads as well. This is the perfect microphone to use with your iPad for your mobile recording set up or mobile podcast set up.
Using the Apogee MiC could not be easier, just make sure you have the proper computer specs and plug it in. Your iPad or Mac will recognize it quickly and you can start recording right to your iPad or iPhone. I have used this with Garageband mainly, and once or twice with Cubase just messing around. All recordings come out pretty clean.

The Mikey is a stereo microphone that will work with your iPhone or iPad. It does give you decent quality for it to be less than 100 bucks. But I do not think it is worthy of giving you good enough quality to master with by any means. This microphone is very small and can fit into your pocket making it one of the most portable microphones that I have ever seen. The bad part about it is, that you will have to have it right up to your mouth in order for it to cleanly record everything you are saying. But when you do that it will also give you so much distortion and popping because you are so close without a pop filter.

I do not recommend this microphone at all for recording with, but with it being so cheap you will have a lot of fun with it. This microphone is made by Blue Microphones but it sounds nothing like any of the other microphones that they make. I think they dropped the ball with this one by trying to make it so small.
This microphone comes with a carrying pouch and you can slide it in your pocket and take it with you anywhere. It will work with almost any recording app that you have on your iPhone or you iPad. I have noticed many issues with getting it to work with some iPod touches though. I do not regret purchasing this microphone but I just don’t have a use for it, it is fun to have for apps but you really cannot do anything major with it at all so it is more like a toy.
Knowing what I know now if I could go back I would not have purchased this. I mine as well of just kept using the regular iPhone microphone to record with for certain apps because the quality is not that much different to me.

I was actually awarded this iRig Mic Cast after winning a remix competition locally. It is a portable electrets condenser microphone for iphones, ipads, and ipods. It connects right to the standard mini jack input on the devices and works with iRig recorder App (comes with this app).

Setting this microphone up is not hard at all, all you have to do is just plug it in and run the app. The app is free and this microphone only cost 40 bucks so there really isn’t anything to lose but the best part about it is that you will have a condenser microphone and the ability to record with you everywhere! We all take our phones with use ever where we go and it is just as easy to take this little microphone along for the ride to incase we get a song idea on the go. I love to use it to hum melodies into while I am driving so I do not forget them later. It has allowed me to get rid of my regular digital recorder that I was using for years.
When you get the iRig Mic Cast, it comes with a desktop stand for your phone or iPod/iPad. So that you can record hands free without even having to hold the phone. This will make the recording quality a lot better too without the mic moving around.
Getting out your recordings (out of the app) is kind of easy for me because I choose to just email them to myself. I think there is now a save to phone option right from the app but the app is not very good because it is very simple. There are not a lot of options to work with. However, there are some really good paid apps that are similar to the iRig Recorder app that will allow you to take it a lot further.