Rode iXY Microphone ears on (video)
Earlier today, Rode announced its newest addition to its already plentiful lineup of microphones. This time, it's one specialized for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The microphone uses Apple's outgoing 30 pin adapter (Sorry early adopters), so the user can also use headphones simultaneously while recording at rates of up to 24-bit/96kH. The pair of immovable half inch cardioid condensers are positioned in a 90-degree alignment for proper stereo recording without picking up too much ambient noise. They should also dodge any bi-positional recording issues when recording both guitar and vocals at once.
Amongst the angst of CES, the sound quality seemed good, but what really makes the iXY a legitimate contender is Rode's app. There's two versions: a free lite one and a $5.99 pro version, the latter being extremely adjustable in every aspect of audio recording -- gain, input, boost levels, high/low-pass filter options, equalization effects and many more.
The iXY Microphone is available now for $199, and comes with a foam windshield and carrying case. Rode has mentioned that an iPhone case with a standard hotshoe attachment with pistol grip is in the works, and will arrive in the next few months.
Check out the video past the break, where we compare recordings from the Rode iXY attached to an iPhone and a Rode Videomic Pro on a DSLR. %Gallery-175407%
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RØDE MICROPHONES ANNOUNCES iXYTM MICROPHONE FOR iPHONE® AND iPAD®
Tuesday January 8th, Las Vegas, USA – Australian-based audio company RØDE Microphones has announced the iXY, a stereo microphone for iPhone and iPad with 30- pin connector that allows high quality recording at sampling rates up to 24-bit/96kHz, the only microphone on the market to do so. Appearing at the International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas for the first time, the company has unveiled the innovative device to an expected audience of over 150,000 visitors.
At the heart of the iXY is a matched pair of 1⁄2" cardioid condenser capsules, fixed in a perfect 90 degree 'near-coincident' alignment resulting in immersive and true-to-life stereo recordings, captured in incredibly high detail. The iXY uses its own high-fidelity analogue to digital conversion ensuring all recordings are rich, smooth and accurate.
The iXY's small form factor and incredibly detailed performance makes it the perfect microphone for recording live music, meetings, lectures, reporting, dictation and sound design, and also is ideal for use on-camera as a dual-system recorder for DSLR.
A foam windshield is provided for outdoor recordings, as well as a rugged zip pocket to ensure the mic is always around when you need it.
"I'm more excited about iXY than any other product in RØDE's twenty year history," commented Peter Freedman, RØDE's Founder and President. "The audio quality of the iXY is breathtaking and really affirms RØDE's commitment to providing the very best audio products available at a price that's accessible to the general public."
Released in conjunction with the iXY is RØDE Rec, an app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch designed to be the ultimate companion to RØDE's new microphone. When used together the iXY and RØDE Rec transform an iOS device into a fully featured field recorder.
RØDE Rec allows for complete control of the iXY's continuously adjustable input levels for recording in loud and quiet environments, as well as the high pass filter to cut out low frequency rumbling such as air conditioning or outdoor traffic noises.
The RØDE Rec App is available for purchase from the App Store on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/ appstore. The app provides a full suite of features including multiple sampling rates up to 96kHz, equalization effects (compressor/expander, high-pass filter, low pass filter, parametric EQ), non-linear editing, geo and photo tagging, and one touch publishing to SoundCloud, Dropbox, email, FTP and iTunes. RØDE has also announced a feature-limited free version of the app, simply titled RØDE Rec LE.
