mic

Leawo Music Recorder is an app for OS X that allows you to convert your computer into a recording machine, taking inputs from any connected devices, the built-in microphone, or even the system audio. While we liked the concept, we found some flaws in the execution.

The Leawo Music Recorder interface is clean, and it's easy to get started, with the prominent red Record button at the top. Beneath that, the left pane holds a list of your recordings, and the right pane is used for prompts and a graphic animation that shows when recording is under way. It'… Read more

LAS VEGAS--USB mics aren't known for being fashion plates. Looks aren't tops on your list when you're Skyping or jockeying a teleconference. Blue Microphones is changing that with the new Tiki mic.

The Tiki portable USB mic has some pleasant specs like CD quality audio, a multicolored LED status indicator, and an extended docking cable. Also, it's less than 3 inches. … Read more

Meet the EarSet 3i, the latest headphone design from luxury Danish hi-fi brand Bang & Olufsen. It's basically a dual-earbud version of the EarSet 1 Mobile, the company's ergonomic over-the-ear headset made from silver aluminum and a light rubber earpiece.… Read more

With ever-increasing numbers of people turning to VoIP services, online video chats, and even personal podcasts or Webcasts, top-shelf audio equipment like headsets and desktop microphones are becoming as common as the computers they complement.

The Yeti Pro is an attempt by veteran audio-peripheral maker Blue Mic to offer an elite-function microphone at a price accessible to consumers. An upgrade over the Yeti, the Yeti Pro proclaims itself to be the "world's first USB microphone combining 24 bit/192 kHz digital recording resolution with analog XLR output." It allows the warmer sound of that analog to emerge from the 1s and 0s of its Mac or PC hub.

The Yeti Pro promises to "capture digital audio with up to four times the clarity found on CDs." It also provides a built-in headphone amplifier and direct controls for headphone volume, mute, and microphone gain. This all means that the microphone records professional-quality audio through computers any average consumer can snag. With its suggested price of $230 to $300 (depending on outlet and extras), the microphone is not outside the reach of amateur audio enthusiasts looking for a professional home microphone. … Read more

Last night, my audio production class took a field trip to local studio Glenn Sound for a brief introduction to miking technique: which microhpones to use for a particular sound, where and how to place them, and so on. It wasn't completely foreign to me--I've recorded in probably a dozen studios, but always on the clock and paying by the hour, and audio engineers tend to shrug off poorly-phrased technical questions in favor of showing you the end result.

One of the demonstrations showed us how different distances between microphone and source can give you different sounds. Most … Read more

We're not naming names, but there are some people here at Crave who think they could karaoke their way to American Idol if given half the chance. (Luckily, we don't have a half to give.) Whenever possible, we try to appease these misguided souls with an item to help them keep their dreams alive--without encouraging them too much.

To that end, today we're highlighting the "Munia MH-6600" karaoke microphone, which seems to be the ultimate piece of equipment for those hell-bent on humiliating themselves. Ubergizmo says it supports MP3 downloads and video playback, among a … Read more

OK, so it may not be the "iKaraoke," but we like this iPod microphone anyway. Mostly, we admit, because of the way the "Micro Memo" looks--it reminds us of a beefeater guarding Buckingham Palace. The mic can record up to 51 hours (in low mode) on an 8GB Nano, but Newlaunches warns that the audio is saved in large WAV formats. Its movable arm can be positioned appropriately when needed, before returning to stand at attention.