How does Mikey Digital compare to the built-in iPhone mic?

What’s the difference between Spark Digital and Yeti/Yeti Pro?

How does Tiki work?

In January, we announced three brand new and exciting mics: Spark Digital, Mikey Digital and Tiki!

We wanted to be sure to answer your questions about how these mics work, with what platforms they are compatible and how they compare.

Find out all of these answers and more!

Spark Digital

What’s the difference between Spark Digital and Yeti or Yeti Pro?

Spark Digital is the only mic that directly connects via a 30-pin dock connector or USB– an advantage if you want to switch between working on an iPad or a computer. Spark Digital also has a larger diaphragm capsule and only one pattern– less versatility than Yeti or Yeti Pro, but more fidelity and sensitivity. It is more focused on typical recording uses like vocals, podcasting, near-field instruments, etc.

Does Spark Digital work with iPhone or iPod?

Not currently due to the limitations on the amount of power that can be drawn from those devices.

Does Spark Digital sound the same as Spark?

Yes. The Spark Digital uses the same capsule and analog preamplifier stage design as the original analog Spark. Because the mic also performs the A-D conversion, it provides complete control over the sound quality before it goes into the iPad as digital data, making the sound quality consistent.

Why does Spark Digital have a headphone jack when iPad already has one?

The headphone jack provides zero-latency monitoring of the mic signal, which isn’t possible with the iPad. This makes it usable for serious studio work. Moreover, the headphone A-D and amplification is higher quality than what is already built in the iPad or any computer.

How long are the included cables?

Spark Digital includes y-cables for USB, 30-pin, and headphones. The headphone jack is three feet long, while the signal cables are nine feet long.

How adjustable is the gain and headphone volume?

Both are adjusted with the large knob on the front of Spark Digital. Headphone volume can be adjusted by 24 steps and can drive most professional headphones. There are ten gain control steps allowing the mic to handle ~60- ~120dB.

Does it work with other shockmounts? Does it take a pop filter?

Yes, Spark Digital retains the threaded mount common to most of Blue’s professional mics, so it can be mounted with most other Blue studio shockmounts. Spark Digital can directly mount the pop filter designed for Spark, which is available separately from Blue.

Mikey Digital

How is MIKEY Digital used by the iPad, iPhone or iPod?

The iOS device recognizes MIKEY Digital as a microphone and will use it for any application using a microphone EXCEPT the phone and Facetime functions. Video recording and outside apps will use MIKEY Digital.

How does MIKEY Digital compare to the other audio recording accessories on the market?

MIKEY Digital is the only accessory that has both a built-in microphone and 1/8 inch (3.5mm) line-in jack. It also has very high quality microphone capsules and Blue’s decades of microphone design experience, resulting in the best recording quality.

Is it possible to record with the microphone and line-in at the same time?

No.

How does MIKEY Digital compare to my built-in microphone?

There are numerous advantages–

• can record in stereo, whereas others can only record in mono
• higher fidelity, sound quality– the analog mics rely on the built-in A-D converter and circuitry, whereas MIKEY Digital uses Blue’s discrete preamplifier, processing, and A-D conversion
• higher SPL handling (built-ins and cheap mics can only go to ~100dB, MIKEY digital can go to ~130dB)
• automatic gain– MIKEY Digital can adjust to a wide range of recording situations, built-ins have no flexibility
• adjustability– built-ins and simple plug-in mics don’t have electronics or sophistication so there’s no control over the mic or input
• flexibility– MIKEY Digital can record directly or take a wide range of inputs

How does the automatic gain control/versatile input work? Those usually don’t sound good…

Blue utilized a powerful processor which constantly analyzes the sound and tracks the change in sound volume over a long periods of time, so it is able to make better decisions around when to change the sensitivity. Similarly, the processor tracks the versatile input to analyze the load and voltage level of what is plugged into it, and adjusts accordingly to the best sound quality.

Is the line-in on MIKEY Digital stereo?

Yes. Stereo, if mono signal is present it will dupe the mono signal to both stereo channels.

Tiki

How does Tiki work exactly?

It has two ears and a brain– actually, two capsules and one very powerful (400MHz) DSP chip which constantly listen and compare the signal from the two opposite-facing cardioid capsules. The DSP decides which signals to pass through and compares the signals to help remove background noise. In addition, it applies noise-reduction algorithms co-developed with iZotope and then applies intelligent muting, which soft mutes whenever you aren’t speaking.

Who is iZotope?

iZotope engineering is the leader in audio processing technologies– they’ve developed many of the most popular audio processing algorithms as used in professional studio software, live/broadcast, video games and played an integral role in developing the noise-reduction modes used in Tiki’s intelligent listening mode.

Is Tiki good for recording?

Yes. With the push of a button, Tiki’s natural recording mode behaves like a traditional microphone, and applies only minor processing to add presence and proximity to the signal from the mic– everything is done in real time, in hardware.

Does Tiki require any software?

No. All processing is done completely inside the Tiki hardware and requires no drivers or system resources to operate. Just plug it in and go!