Blue Microphones Tiki USB mic now available at Best Buy, coming to Apple stores July 15th
Remember that miniature USB mic we saw back at CES from Blue? Well, the outfit just announced that the Tiki is hitting store shelves with the same $59.99 price tag we expected. The mobile recording peripheral is now available at Best Buy and is slated to hit Apple stores and other retailers at the month's half-way point. In case you're in need of a refresher, the diminutive unit features Intelligent Speech mode for recording interviews or meetings and Natural Recording mode for capturing your best Jack White guitar riffs. You can also expect proprietary noise cancelling technology, voice isolation and intelligent mute with the kit that is sized similar to a USB flash drive and connects via said ports. If you're itchin' for a closer look before adding one to your mobile recording setup, take a peek back at our hands-on for a few detail shots.
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Blue Microphones Tiki USB Microphone with Noise Cancelation Now Shipping
Ultra compact and built for portability, Tiki is the first USB microphone to dramatically improve the intelligibility of online conversations
(Westlake Village, CA – July 5, 2012) - Blue Microphones, a leading innovator in microphone technology and design, announces the availability of Tiki (www.bluemic.com/tiki), the first USB microphone to combine proprietary noise-canceling technology, voice isolation and intelligent mute. Tiki delivers exceptional clarity for online conversations by focusing on desired sounds and reducing background noise to dramatically improve the intelligibility of conversations in any situation. Tiki allows users to switch between two modes: Intelligent Speech Mode for communication and Natural Recording Mode for CD-quality recording of podcasts, vocals or instruments. Similar in size to a standard USB flash drive, Tiki's cable-free design allows it to plug directly into your laptop's USB port for instantaneous setup.
"As we increasingly rely on our computers for online calls, both for work and for fun, it becomes obvious how easily background noise and poor intelligibility can ruin your conversation. That's why we are excited to release Tiki, designed with noise-canceling technology never before used in a microphone. Tiki is the simplest way to ensure that your message-not your surroundings-is delivered loud and clear," said Brian Biggott, CTO of Blue Microphones. "As a microphone from Blue, Tiki is also specifically designed to deliver professional-quality audio for portable recording of vocal tracks or instruments."
"Two Modes, Two Experiences"
For conference calls and chats, Tiki's Intelligent Speech Mode uses voice isolation to bring your voice to the forefront while noise-canceling technology simultaneously reduces unwanted, competing background noise such as computer fans, keyboard typing and ambient sound. To capture the highest quality audio, Tiki uses front-and-back facing microphone capsules that actively locate your orientation to the mic for use with multiple speakers or as you move around the room. Tiki's Intelligent Speech Mode also includes intelligent mute which can automatically soft-mute the mic when you are not speaking or when conversation is not detected. By muting your mic, intelligent mute eliminates any contribution of background and computer noises. When you resume speaking, Tiki instantly detects your voice and automatically un-mutes, bringing you back into the conversation.
Not limited to online communication, Tiki's Natural Recording Mode captures a wide range of sources from vocals to acoustic guitar to podcasting. Using custom condenser capsules and professional-grade preamp circuitry, Tiki records high-quality audio with exceptional fidelity. Tiki's two modes give any musician, podcaster or Skype user the versatility to quickly choose the best option for the situation.
"Under the Hood"
Tiki packs a significant amount of proprietary audio intelligence within its compact design. Engineered to listen with the intelligence of human hearing, Tiki employs a suite of patent-pending algorithms custom-designed in collaboration with iZotope, foremost experts in audio processing. Specifically tailored for Tiki's functionality, iZotope's Adaptive Noise Reduction (ANR) analyzes the incoming audio stream to detect and suppress undesired background noise, while Key Click Reduction (KCR) is specially developed to reduce typing noises by "grabbing" rapid rise sounds such as keyboard clicks.
In addition, Tiki's dual facing capsules continuously monitor audio from both sides of the microphone, making a decision almost every second to differentiate between voice and unwanted noise. Powered by a Blackfin™ digital signal processor, Tiki runs approximately 400 million operations per second, detecting, counteracting and ultimately capturing and boosting your voice over background noise.
"Easy Setup"
Tiki's cable-free design allows for direct connection to a USB port, while the included docking cable provides extended connection where necessary. For portable protection, Tiki's packaging doubles as a durable compact carrying case. With all processing performed on-board, Tiki requires no drivers and is plug-and-play with both PC and Mac.
Tiki, MSRP $59.99, is available immediately at BestBuy.com and will be available at Apple and other consumer electronics retailers worldwide beginning July 15. For complete details, visit www.bluemic.com/tiki.
