MicroMemo adds 16-bit recording to iPod

There are plenty of microphone adapters for the iPod, but most can only record in the lower-fidelity frequencies available on pre-5G iPods. The XtremeMac MicroMemo takes iPod voice recording to a new level, taking advantage of the greater range available via new iPods. The unit consists of an adapter with a built-in (bur removable) flexible mic, and records 16-bit audio from 5G iPods at 22 KHz. It's powered by the iPod and will cost $79.95 when it ships later this year. Could be the perfect thing if you're ready to take your podcast on the road.

[Via TUAW]

[kevin @ Feb 9th 2006 12:28AM]

I just saw their website as well, and it does say 44kHz, but I do remember it saying 22kHz when this was initially posted.

In fact, i came back here to mention just that. It's still a bit steep, but the fact that it plugs into the dock portion instead of sitting on top of the hold button like the iTalk did is WAY better.

also, resolution is reference to bitrate. it would be incorrect to say sample resolution. sample rate is how many samples it uses for ever second of music (rate of samples / second in Hz is ok i guess..).. bit resolution is how many bits each sample takes up.

[Dean Estes @ Mar 7th 2006 2:40PM]

I don't mind the price at all, however, I'll buy whatever stereo mic comes out for the 5G iPod first. It's just crazy that so many months have gone by without a single mic for the 5G model.

[RD @ Mar 24th 2006 8:14AM]

How can it take this long to develop a recording device? Cost isn't a factor if the device never shows up...

[RD @ May 30th 2006 8:40AM]

So... The "Availability " is now later this year instead of mid-May? Vaporware.....

[Belthusiquand @ Jun 10th 2006 5:56PM]

The MicroMemo is currently out and reviewed on iLounge. As for iPod mic sampling discrepancy: The specs will be the same for all models by all third parties: 22k mono, 44.1 stereo WAV. Stereo is the only high-end option (which is still better than the compressed recording options of most DAPs).

As for the iRiver: The last DAP of theirs worth bragging about was the H140; I happen to own two and use them constantly with Rockbox firmware. The FM radio is lackluster and so is the internal mic, which picks up so much noise from the hard drive that its recording capabilities are useless. Using an external mic, however, the H140 sounds better without phantom power than a Sony M-1 DAT.

The features that make the H140 one-of-a-kind: optical ins and outs, 44.1-48k digital/analog mic/lin recording, complete drag-and-drop freedom (unlike Hi-MD or the iPod). These last features are the reason I picked up two (at a 60% discount) while I had the chance.

I've heard the Cowan X5 as well as the Zen Vision:M and various Archos players. Most are more convenient to use on a PC than an iPod (no software needed), but none sound better than the iPod 4/5G as pure playback devices. What's more, the iPod 4G twice as good as everything else after the RedWine Audio iMod -- no point in disagreeing and proving yourself an unempirical imbecile until you've acutally heard it. Yes, the mod is pricey, and that is a concern. Yes, the form factor of the iPod Photo is no longer sleek enough for non-retro gadget fetishist, But hey, I thought the lot of you were out to prove how superior you were to mindless consumers by not choosing the iPod video. Perhaps you should read Adorno in your spare time and learn that rebellion becomes mindless consumerism when it is marketed as a consumer option.

As for the 3G with iPod/Linux (i.e., Podzilla): To record, one needs to create a line-in dock from the standard dock accessories. At the moment, no DIY people on Head-fi, the iPod Linux forums or anywhere else are offering to build line-in docks (line-out builders are legion). Thus, the Linux recording option is vaporware for most, as the mic out on the 3G iPod is fatally noisy and thin. Besides: if most users were able to mod existing dock parts to create recording devices, Griffin, Belkin and MicroMemo wouldn't be in business.

Whether or not a 5G with Belkin/Griffin/XtremeMac audio solution is worth picking up remains to be seen and will have nothing to do with the unempirical false conclusions on display here.

I'm posting as a user who has been a professional musician for years and has owned and used several DAPs. It would be nice if people posted intelligent responses occasionally rather than bashing the most popular DAP as if it were a blonde in a club who'd blown them off. I'd wait to evaluate any of these latest 44.1 mic/line adapters until reports arrive as to (1) how each adapter sounds, (2) how well Apple's recording implementation works and (3) whether there are any glitches or shortcomings *in practice* that might make the iPod impractical for stereo field recording. A 30-60gb hard drive recorder is definitely preferable to a 1GB flash memory recording

[Belthusiquand @ Jun 10th 2006 5:59PM]

The MicroMemo is currently out and reviewed on iLounge. As for iPod mic sampling discrepancy: The specs will be the same for all models by all third parties: 22k mono, 44.1 stereo WAV. Stereo is the only high-end option (which is still better than the compressed recording options of most DAPs).

As for the iRiver: The last DAP of theirs worth bragging about was the H140; I happen to own two and use them constantly with Rockbox firmware. The FM radio is lackluster and so is the internal mic, which picks up so much noise from the hard drive that its recording capabilities are useless. Using an external mic, however, the H140 sounds better without phantom power than a Sony M-1 DAT.

The features that make the H140 one-of-a-kind: optical ins and outs, 44.1-48k digital/analog mic/lin recording, complete drag-and-drop freedom (unlike Hi-MD or the iPod). These last features are the reason I picked up two (at a 60% discount) while I had the chance.

I've heard the Cowan X5 as well as the Zen Vision:M and various Archos players. Most are more convenient to use on a PC than an iPod (no software needed), but none sound better than the iPod 4/5G as pure playback devices. What's more, the iPod 4G twice as good as everything else after the RedWine Audio iMod -- no point in disagreeing and proving yourself an unempirical imbecile until you've acutally heard it. Yes, the mod is pricey, and that is a concern. Yes, the form factor of the iPod Photo is no longer sleek enough for non-retro gadget fetishist, But hey, I thought the lot of you were out to prove how superior you were to mindless consumers by not choosing the iPod video. Perhaps you should read Adorno in your spare time and learn that rebellion becomes mindless consumerism when it is marketed as a consumer option.

As for the 3G with iPod/Linux (i.e., Podzilla): To record, one needs to create a line-in dock from the standard dock accessories. At the moment, no DIY people on Head-fi, the iPod Linux forums or anywhere else are offering to build line-in docks (line-out builders are legion). Thus, the Linux recording option is vaporware for most, as the mic out on the 3G iPod is fatally noisy and thin. Besides: if most users were able to mod existing dock parts to create recording devices, Griffin, Belkin and MicroMemo wouldn't be in business.

Whether or not a 5G with Belkin/Griffin/XtremeMac audio solution is worth picking up remains to be seen and will have nothing to do with the unempirical false conclusions on display here.

I'm posting as a user who has been a professional musician for years and has owned and used several DAPs. It would be nice if people posted intelligent responses occasionally rather than bashing the most popular DAP as if it were a blonde in a club who'd blown them off. I'd wait to evaluate any of these latest 44.1 mic/line adapters until reports arrive as to (1) how each adapter sounds, (2) how well Apple's recording implementation works and (3) whether there are any glitches or shortcomings *in practice* that might make the iPod impractical for stereo field recording. A 30-60gb hard drive recorder is definitely preferable to a 1GB flash memory recording.

[Rick Prince @ Aug 26th 2006 12:30PM]

Creative Zen Vision M and iRiver? These guys cannot for their life design a decent product. First, it has to work more than 35% of the time. Second, the user interface is the key to effective design and the reason Creative and iRiver just won't cut it in the maketplace is because the way to make it work is stupid. Microsoft was otally ready to partner with one of these companies to try and blow Apple out of the water but HA! They just dropped the ball and dropped the ball until they've become so marginal, you might as well buy a game module. And, you know something, it is not that hard to make a product that works well with functional simplicity. But Creative and iRiver don't GET IT. Unfortunaely, because I believe iPod would get better if it had serious competition but the competitors don't even come close.

[Joe Kimmel @ Aug 17th 2006 9:09AM]

Works like a charm. Watch the apple store for purchasing. I saw it for both $59 and $49 and got it for 49.

[George @ Jan 13th 2006 5:30PM]

Sorry but that price tag seems incredibly ridiculous for what you get. I hope Apple to come with a more competitive solution later on.

[JBaxt @ Jan 13th 2006 5:44PM]

isn't it but not bur.

[JonesH @ Jan 13th 2006 5:49PM]

Well, actually the pre-5g iPods also had 16 bit recording, only at 8Khz sampling frequency.However, I want a product that features a mic input at 16bit/44,1KHz now that the ipod firmware supports that. Come on...

[Chris @ Jan 13th 2006 5:57PM]

$79.95?!



Sorry, my iRiver has been doing this for years, for free. Oh yeah, it also had video years before the iPOS as well.

[Chris @ Jan 13th 2006 6:25PM]

That is a ridiculous price to pay for that. Even the Apple remote is $50. Why are people so infatuated with the iPod when an iRiver H20 had 20gigs,built in fm tuner, built in mic (records in a higher quality than this item), comes with a case, comes with a remote, battery lasts longer, and on and on. For the same price as an iPod. I've had mine for 2 years and not a problem. iPod is for noobs, iRiver H20 is for the real tech.

[rodents @ Jan 13th 2006 6:52PM]

i can hear a wav file playing casino noises, if i win i get 5 cents apple credit! .. or is that not a lever?

[aboriginal @ Jan 13th 2006 7:12PM]

JOKER JOKER JOKER!!!!!!!

[positiveK @ Jan 13th 2006 8:01PM]

The iPod has a wheel. The iRiver doesn't. If you don't understand human interface, then yes, the iRiver is for you.



Hopefully Griffintechnology ( http://www.griffintechnology.com ) will make a recording device that doesn't cost $80... It's almost guaranteed that they will (they had a recorder for the previous iPods...)

[Chen Xing @ Jan 13th 2006 8:14PM]

$79.95 for a freakin voice recorder! I don't think so. I'm better off buying the Creative Zen Vision M. Even though it isn't as stylish or thin as the iPod, at least it has a FM receiver and voice recording. I hope other MP3 player companies will put some competitive heat on Apple to include more features on their iPod. An ideal MP3 player should have style, FM receiver, voice recording capabilites, replacable rechargeable batteries, and a bigger screen. I currently own a 5G iPod and think it is a great product, but for $300 to $400, these features should be included. This is why all my music files is in MP3 format instead of being in AAC format. I don't want to be trapped in the Apple world and be limited to their iPods and their iTunes music store. In the future, I will not think twice to jump ship to another company if I want to. So when it is time for me to upgrade MP3 player in a couple of years, I will choose the MP3 player with the most features and the most values for my hard-earned money.

[Chris Champion @ Jan 13th 2006 8:21PM]

Man, I thought it was the new iCB, a CB-Radio recorder for the 5G iPods. Everyone knows that CB Radio is going to replace cellular services. I'm surprised that there weren't more CB Radio-integrated products at CES.



I'm still waiting for the CBShark for my notebook computer.

[Sean @ Jan 13th 2006 9:53PM]

Ah yes, the clickwheel, such a great interface that you need special gloves to use it when it's cold outside.



The iRiver interface has the best UI I've seen on an mp3 player. And it works when you have gloves on.

[scott @ Jan 14th 2006 1:08AM]

Dump your iPoop and buy a Cowon A2. Its got a 4" 16:9 screen, plays any video from MPEG1 to Divx, not to mention FM Recorder, FM tuner, Text Reader, MP3 OGG Vorbis playback, Photo Viewing, a DVR function, and close to constant firmware updates.



P.S.

Its got anywhere from 7 to 10 hours of battery life on constant Video playback. 16-18 on Audio.

[mixtus @ Jan 14th 2006 1:32AM]

belkin showed theirs at macworld and it kills this one. TuneTalk Stereo and its $50. i don't know why engadget hasn't showed it yet. follow this link its in the middle.



http://ilounge.com/index.php/articles/comments/macworld-expo-2006-report-part-1/



very exciting that these type of products are showing up - i have been waiing forever.

[Ryan Gardner @ Jan 14th 2006 1:48AM]

If you load up iPod Linux - you can do stereo recording for FREE if you happen to have a dock - or for the cost of making a cable if you don't. Lame.

[Ryan Gardner @ Jan 14th 2006 1:48AM]

If you load up iPod Linux - you can do stereo recording for FREE if you happen to have a dock - or for the cost of making a cable if you don't. Lame.

[Steve Rhodes @ Jan 14th 2006 5:51AM]

At the Griffith booth, they said they hoped to have

a device for recording available in about a month.



Apple should have made sure you could record when

the 5G was launched. It has been frustrating not being able to record with it.

[Mrono @ Jan 14th 2006 8:09PM]

Iriver has had high quality voice recording for years

[John @ Jan 14th 2006 9:04PM]

iPod is thinner than iRiver! So na! :P



/fanboy

[scott @ Jan 14th 2006 9:38PM]

The iPod Video is just as castrated as the PSP. The iRiver, Cowon A2, Zen Vision, or Archos are the only proper ways to watch mobile video.

[fogd00d @ Jan 15th 2006 2:44AM]

Hey, lets be technical journalists here for a moment and get the jargon straight.



"Sampling rate" not "frequency". Even "resolution" would be more appropriate.



Although literally, "frequency" is "how frequent", thus "as frequent as 44100 times a second" -- "frequency" is the term for an electromagnetic oscillation that you tune into.

[JonesH @ Jan 15th 2006 9:08PM]

fogd00d, both terms are acceptable.



The sampling frequency or sampling rate defines the number of samples per second taken from a continuous signal to make a discrete signal. [Wikipedia: Sampling Frequency]



I'm sure I misunderstand you, but surely you are not arguing against the use of the word "frequency" when it comes to sampling theory??



Sure, frequency is a term for electromagnetic oscillations, but it's more general than that. I think I misunderstand you.

[Timbo McTelcik @ Jan 25th 2006 8:31AM]

The engadget blurb (at the top of this page) states ... "and records 16-bit audio from 5G iPods at 22 KHz.", while the MicroMemo blurb on their site at
"http://extrememac.com/audio/earphones_recorders/micromemo.php"
states ... "Uses iPod high-fidelity recording (44 KHz/16 Bit - high quality recording)".

So, which is it ? 22 KHz or 44KHz ?

Anyone ? Anyone ? Fry ? Bueller ?