HACKINTOSH.ORG | Macintosh discussion forums

iQ5 microphone review: iOS accessory delivers solid sound from a small package

<article>
   <section class="page">
<p>
Today’s iOS devices include mono microphones that are good enough for general-purpose recording—making voice and video calls, capturing audio notes, and identifying tunes with Soundhound. But they’re not ideal for situations where you need higher-quality audio, such as when recording podcasts, lectures, or musical performances. In such situations, an external microphone is the way to go, and Zoom's $125 <strong>iQ5 Professional Stereo Microphone (http://www.zoom.co.jp/products/iq5)</strong> captures good sounding stereo audio.</p><h2>The design</h2>
<p>
The iQ5 is a Lightning-connector microphone, which means that it’s compatible with the iPhone 5 and later, the 5th-generation iPod touch, the 4th-generation and later iPad, and all iPad mini models. It comes from the same company that makes the well regarded H5 Four-Track Portable Recorder (https://www.zoom-na.com/products/field-video-recording/field-recording/zoom-h5-handy-recorder), and you can see the similarities in the design of the iQ5 as well as the free HandyRecorder app (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/handyrecorder/id566291779?mt=8#) that works with it. However, unlike with the H5, which has two crossed microphones, the iQ5 bears a single perforated ball that contains the two microphone capsules. The ball sits atop the main unit, which hosts controls for adjusting mic gain and the width of the stereo field.</p><p class="jumpTag"><a href="/article/2456473/iq5-microphone-review-ios-accessory-delivers-solid-sound-from-a-small-package.html#jump">To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here[/url]</p></section></article>

Source: iQ5 microphone review: iOS accessory delivers solid sound from a small package (http://www.macworld.com/article/2456473/iq5-microphone-review-ios-accessory-delivers-solid-sound-from-a-small-package.html#tk.rss_all)