[SpencerElliott]

tilmanb, on 27 June 2012 - 10:24 AM, said:

What's wrong with using a 4-pin (male) to 2x 3-pin (female) connector?
Like this one:

http://www.amazon.co...Q/ref=pd_cp_e_2

This. I actually just purchased this same adapter and received it in the mail yesterday. It seems to work well most of the time, but sometimes I'll need to unplug and re-plug the thing back in for my MacBook Air to recognize my external mic. The audio in the right side of my headset also sometimes gets cut-off and I'll have to twist the 3-pin headphone end a little for that side to be audible again. But it's not bad for $11, and I do recommend it. Perhaps a similar adapter from a different brand will be more reliable though.

[Paul]

There is a fre software Audio processor that I use called Audacity. It is very good and simple to use. After you bring your converted files in from the Korg, run them through this software. You can sweeten them with EQ-something that you may want to do since the source was a cassette.

[sutclijs]

MrAnnex, on 27 June 2012 - 11:49 AM, said:

Blue Microphones has a few great USB options. Yes they're not headset mics but they're amazing. I use the Blue Yeti Pro and it is plug & play on my new MBpro Retina. I do a radio show weekly and the audio quality is amazing. I suppose it depends on your needs but I'd suggest looking into them. www.bluemic.com

Cheers

I concur that the Yeti Blue is an impressive product. Omnidirectional. It's portable in the sense that a round brick is portable, but as MrAnnex states, it depends on your needs. I've been using it with my 2012 Air, thus far for only puny applications like dictation, although I have more ambitious plans for the future. There are many positive reviews of this product.

[JocaLevy]

Can you recommend headphones with integrated mic with the best sound quality for both phones and mic, for video conferencing and recording with the MacBook Air, either via headphone port or USB?

[PeterCarr]

SpencerElliott, on 29 June 2012 - 07:45 PM, said:

tilmanb, on 27 June 2012 - 10:24 AM, said:

What's wrong with using a 4-pin (male) to 2x 3-pin (female) connector?
Like this one:

http://www.amazon.co...Q/ref=pd_cp_e_2

This. I actually just purchased this same adapter and received it in the mail yesterday. It seems to work well most of the time, but sometimes I'll need to unplug and re-plug the thing back in for my MacBook Air to recognize my external mic. The audio in the right side of my headset also sometimes gets cut-off and I'll have to twist the 3-pin headphone end a little for that side to be audible again. But it's not bad for $11, and I do recommend it. Perhaps a similar adapter from a different brand will be more reliable though.

this one - https://www.kvconnec...e=KM-IPHONE-MIC

[David Bennett]

Why not just a dual two to single three adapter?

[MacWorldSC]

Excellent info about the iMic. Now another real-life question: "Can the audio from the microphone be mixed in real-time output with audio which is playing from an application, such as iTunes or a Karaoke program?

[Chris Breen]

David Bennett, on 02 July 2012 - 07:24 AM, said:

Why not just a dual two to single three adapter?

I've had reports of inconsistent results. Sometimes it works, others not.

[radellaf]

Cheaper solution, especially for voice recording:
http://www.theheadsetbuddy.com/
Has adapters for 2x1/8" as well as for mono 3/32" plugs that "normal" phones use.

[clintbradford]

Almost any XLR mic can be made into a USB mic - there arre several models of inline, USB mic preamps out there (Shure, MXL, CEntrance). What the new Heil USBQ offers, though, that NONE of the others is EQ at 80 Hz and at 10K Hz. My mini-review at http://tinyrul.com/HEIL-USBQ

[clintbradford]

>> ... an impressive product. Omnidirectional ...

I cannot think of a worse pattern for recording, well, just about ANYTHING ...

-voice in a home studio: do you really want an omnidirectional mic? One that will pick up computer fan noise and the noises from an adjacent room?
-drums/instruments: another situation where you do NOT want omnidirectional mics ...
-voice in the field: I want MY voice and my interviewees' voices to be heard - and NOT unrelated things that an omnidirfectional mic will pick up.

I cannot seem to beat my combination of Heil PR40 (or even the sub-$100 HM12 for that matter) with my PreSonus TUBEPre preamp for voice in the home office studio. And when in the field,
the new Heil USBQ inline USB mic preamp with EQ does the job for me with either a Heil or my Sennheiser MD 46 mic. Not an "omni" in the bunch ... nor a condenser, either ... (grin)

Clint Bradford

This post has been edited by clintbradford: 03 July 2012 - 03:35 PM

[rhmcae]

how hard would it have been for apple to leave the mic in - thus obviating all this "only $40" solutions? WTF?

[Chris Breen]

rhmcae, on 05 July 2012 - 07:46 PM, said:

how hard would it have been for apple to leave the mic in - thus obviating all this "only $40" solutions? WTF?

The built in mic was nothing to get excited about.

[HughMorrison]