I tested this as well and think its perfect for someone who wants small and simple recording setup (mobile device + mic + headphones). Thumbs up from me! By the way your tenor sound is so lush Nigel! Well done.
Nigel, thanks for the great review and demo. I tried three different USB microphones and returned them all. They were either too sensitive for a loud sax or just didn't sound good with the sax. I think most USB microphones are made for voice podcasting so may not be ideal for sax players. This one seems ideal, especially with the feature that allows you to stream your backing track directly into the recording.
Really good review and a great product thanks Nigel. Just one thing to note for the UK customers you may have to pay import duty which can be 20% +fees. So hopefully there will be a UK distributor soon.
Nice review. It sounds good and I was really surprised the Bluetooth recording didn’t suffer from latency. I also get the efficiency of a USB-C mic. However having the gain level meters on the bottom would not work so well for me. I want to see them - or at least a clip warning light - when I play. Plus it’s a mystery to me why anyone would set EQ, reverb and compression on the mic when it’s so easy to do that more powerfully and flexibly in, say, GarageBand or Audacity or some other DAW.
Nigel, well done video. You explained the set up for the mic perfect ! This is just what I have been looking for, my hobby sax playing at home. Again, well done. Oh yeah, where did you get your mic stand ?
Thank you Nigel for doing this video! This microphone is an almost perfect solution for recording everywhere, it has amazing features like compression, EQ, reverb and mic emulation. It would be great if it could record directly to a Micro SD Card and have some kind of multitrack features. BTW, I realized you're using a different neck on your Guardala, is it a P. Mauriat Kirk Whalum neck? It would be great to know your opinion about after market necks.
Cheers. Yes an SD card feature…that would be something else for sure. And well spotted - I’m using a P Mauriat “Kirk Whalum” neck on my tenor. I’m loving the sound - hopefully get around to doing a review soon!
Short story about Kirk......I went to see him in concert. He was wearing his bodypack on his right side and kept getting tangled in it. After the concert, there was a meet & greet. I informed him that I use the same setup and if he would wear it on his left side away from his keywork that he wouldn't get tangled. He tried it right then and there. He gave me a cd with "Thanks for the advice!" 😂 My most prized possession. LOL!! @@McGillMusicSaxSchool
I’m hearing a bit more sound processing than just the mic. Are you running garage band flat, or is there a bit of additional compression or reverb from the software? Also I think folks could learn from your custom reverb setting on the mic. You understand that reverb is a spice used sparingly (unlike the presets on the mic) and I think that folks recording themselves would appreciate their sound more if they weren’t either recording flat or conversely, with excess reverb. Thanks for the great mic reviews!
Hello Nigel. Great vidoe. I'm rather new to mic's and mixing software and computer/loudspeaker set ups etc, till now I just use my tenor sax. So mt question is: Do you only use this device for recording music? Or is it possible to input a backing track as you describe, and have a output via loudspeakers, like a simple setup for a performance for a small group? If so, how du you set up the speaker connection? Do you have to have an amplifier? Or can you just have it through your laptop and out via connected loud speaker? Best wishes Arne from Norway
Great review Nigel. Apologies if this is a daft question, but if I was using an iPad and the backing track I wanted to record playing along with was already in GarageBand, would I be able to hear it through the headphones if they were plugged in as you have them in the video? Thanks.
Wow! What a great product…putting it on my Santa list! Question: I’m assuming that if you have the backing track streamed into the mic and then it plays through to GB or whatever DAW you’re using, it merges your sax playing with the backing track into one track so you can’t modify them separately in the DAW. Is that correct? In other words, you need to stick with the adjustments on the mic for compression, reverb, etc….and can’t add that afterwards without it also affecting the backing track?
I just tried getting that to work, but I couldn't (via BT and via AUX IN), so I don't think it's possible, but I don't want to say I'm one hundred percent sure.
If you are recording in Garage Band or Logic (or any other DAW) with a backing track, which would be best, playing the backing track through the mic or importing the backing track directly into your DAW of choice? I'm just wandering if having the backing track play through the mic is really necessary if you're using a DAW. I guess if you are recording without a DAW, then that feature is valuable. What do you think? (that whole setup sounded awesome, btw)
I guess it depends on how savvy you are with your software. Personally I prefer to have the backing track in the DAW but lots of our Sax School Members are new to recording and being able to play the track through the mic makes things much easier.
Can I use the same ipad for garageband and for Bluetooth the backing track to the speaker? Does the backing track record on a separate track in garageband and do you know when speaker is coming to UK. Thanks
Would anyone care to explain why I would need to change from Ribbon to Dynamic. Whats the sound difference? or reason for each? Thanks (great vid thanks Nigel, it maybe worth a trial if its easy to post/return for a UK address)
Listen closely and I think you’ll hear that the ribbon setting mimics the sensitivity and warmth of a ribbon mic as compared to the more direct and “accurate” response of the condenser mic. The preference would pertain to your style. Classic 40s-50s jazz a ribbon is preferable. For modern/contemporary sound the dynamic is preferred. These are just general rules of thumb, you mileage may vary, as they say.
Hi , I believe you can use the built-in camera app in your iPad and hit record. Your audio source will come from the flashtrack end instead of the internal mic of your iPad.
