Recording - May 2014 - 42

...where we bring you follow-up articles
with application hints and upgrade news
about gear already reviewed in Recording

&
Apogee MiC 96k
A high-class USB/iOS mic goes hi-def as well
Review by Mike Metlay

We first reviewed Apogee's MiC in our July 2012
issue, and enjoyed its combination of great sound
quality and single-cable convenience for Mac or iOS
use. It was designed for the songwriter, solo musician, podcaster, voiceover artist, or anyone else
requiring high-quality miking with a minimum of fuss
and outboard gear.
Apogee recently decided to take the performance
of the MiC to the next level. The new MiC 96k
improves on the performance of the original MiC
(which remains in Apogee's product line) by providing 24-bit/96 kHz audio in apps that support it.
(Apogee has also upgraded the A/D in its JAM guitar input device; look for a review of the new JAM
96k in a future issue.)
The MiC 96k was first announced at the 2014
Winter NAMM Show; we received a review unit just
in time for this special issue on mics and miking, and
I was able to quickly put it through its paces over a
few days of informal recording sessions.
Out of the box
Measuring about 4.5" long and 1.4" wide, the
MiC 96k features a roughly 3/4" diaphragm behind
the grille. A medium-diaphragm microphone of this
type is actually a nice compromise for general-purpose recording applications; it doesn't have the character of a large-diaphragm mic, but on the other hand
it also doesn't have a large-diaphragm mic's weird offaxis response at treble frequencies.
The only control on the MiC 96k is a side-mounted
Gain thumbwheel for the internal preamp. A user-facing LED glows faint blue for Power On and turns faint
green when attached to software that recognizes it.
The LED also serves as a quick and dirty level meter: it
glows brighter green when it hears audio, and turns
yellow, then red, when levels climb toward clipping.
A threaded mounting hole on the back of the body
attaches to either of two mounting options included with
the MiC 96k: a small folding tripod for tabletop use, and an adapter
mount for use with a standard mic stand. The MiC 96k comes with
three cables, for use with Macs via USB or old and new iOS devices
via 30-pin or Lightning connectors. The cables are short (0.5 or 1
meter long), but Apogee offers 3-meter cables as an option (along
with a carrying case). Note that these aren't off-the-shelf cables; they
connect to the bottom of the MiC 96k via an unconventional locking
connector.
Giving it a try
Setup on the MiC 96k was a cinch on my test Mac (running OS
X 10.8.5) and my 30-pin and Lightning iPads (running iOS 7.0.6
and 6.1.3 respectively). It was instantly recognized, and in the case
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RECORDING May 2014

of recording apps that allow the user to select audio quality, like RØDE Rec, sample rates up to 96 kHz were automatically offered as a selectable option.
The Gain thumbwheel is easy to use, but the user will need
to get used to adjusting it pretty much every time he or she
sets up the MiC 96k. At higher settings, it overloads and clips
very easily. Once you dial in the right gain setting, the sound
is exceptionally clear; as this is a 24-bit device, you can safely leave yourself some headroom and not have to worry
about wasting resolution in your recordings.
An informal test of the MiC 96k's polar pattern and off-axis response was very revealing.
The published polar pattern for the MiC 96k is
a wide cardioid with fair but not perfect rejection at 180º and relatively little difference
between on-axis and 90º off axis. In tests with
voice and musical material, the MiC 96k had
a fairly wide "sweet spot" before tone began to
be adversely affected; while this would be less
than ideal for, say, a spot mic on a drum kit, it's
perfect for applications like solo singer/guitarist or voiceover talent in a relatively quiet
room. The performer doesn't have to worry
about being right on axis and can move
around a bit without compromising tone.
And speaking of tone, the MiC 96k was
a delight. In my recordings with male voice,
winds, and acoustic string instruments, I found
the MiC 96k to capture what it was being fed
with clear but not harsh highs, nice high-mid
clarity and very controlled bottom end.
As a relatively wide cardioid mic, the MiC 96k
has a very limited-really almost nonexistent-
proximity effect; I couldn't get any real extra boom
from my voice until I got so close to the capsule
that the internal preamp overloaded. At the other
end of the frequency response, the highest highs
(via the trusty key-jingle test) were clear and welldefined with very little of the undifferentiated hashiness that one gets from a cheap condenser mic.
Aside from getting used to the very sensitive
Gain adjustment, my only other issue with the
MiC is that it doesn't have D/A conversion or a
headphone jack built in. The user is forced to
monitor at 16-bit/44.1 kHz conversion via the
iOS device's headphone jack (although alternative outputs can be available on a Mac). This
would have increased its cost significantly, though;
Apogee's ONE mic/interface, reviewed December 2013, provides this extra feature if you need it, and other extras as well.
Over all, this is a USB/iOS mic that will do great service
in tight spaces, recording high-resolution audio to any Mac,
iPod, iPad, or iPhone. I see it as a better-than-the-usual way
to capture song ideas, demos, interviews, podcast vocals,
and more. Yes, there are more affordable USB microphones
out there, but it's a great feeling to have Apogee sound quality close at hand for your next recording project.
Price: $229
More from: Apogee Electronics, www.apogeedigital.com

http://www.apogeedigital.com

Recording - May 2014

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