The Tascam iM2 is a pair of cardioid mics set at +/- 45 degrees and separat=
ed by 1.5 inches that snaps on to the dock connector of an iPhone 4, iPad, =
or a newer model iPod Touch. These devices have a mono mic input in the hea=
dphone jack, and a stereo digital input on the dock connector. Thus the mic=
assembly must include a preamp and A/D conversion.
http://tascam.com/product/im2/
The mics appear to be pointing +/- 90 degrees, but the capsules are angled =
inside the housings.
The mics can be turned (together, though the box says separately) to any an=
gle of a 180 degree swing from facing the person holding the phone to facin=
g away. There is an analog volume control on one side with upside-down sens=
e (down is higher gain).
Tascam provides a free app PCMRecorder that is pretty dumb--meters have no =
calibrations, gain slider has no calibrations, recorder cannot be used with=
iPhone headset plugged in, recorder comes up in mono mode and has to be sw=
itched to stereo. 16-bit PCM only. The mics are still powered when the iPho=
ne is locked.
The app can share files to a SoundCloud account, but that's the only option=
. Users report files can be exchanged through iTunes.
One must remove a bumper case in order to seat the connector properly, and =
even then it has to be handled very carefully.
I did a level-matched A-B "ticking clock" comparison with my Olympus LS-10.=
I set the volume wheel at maximum, and the gain slider in the app to the o=
ne mark on the scale, around 80%. The iM2 was significantly quieter than th=
e LS-10 in broad-band noise, but that advantage was ruined by low-level ton=
al noise at 1K and harmonics.
Even at Max/80% the gain was lower than the LS-10 at LOW/Max. If I do anoth=
er comparison I will run both the soft and hard controls at maximum.
I can carry this device in a little belt pouch where I keep my phone headse=
t and stereo phone headset, though there's no room for a windscreen. I had =
hoped this arrangement might replace my LS-10, but the tonal noise and unre=
liable physical mounting make it decidedly inferior. Maybe there will be an=
iM3=85
-Dan
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