M-Audio FireWire 410 4-In / 10-Out FireWire Mobile Recording Interface Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this soundcard and have been wrestling with the drivers non-stop for two months... nothing seems to work. Crackles and a high level of whitenoise in the background.
Tech Support responds very courteously and quickly, however, their advice is to reinstall the drivers... Gee who would have thought of that. I've only done that about 100 times... Sometimes the meters on the driver interface are dancing wildly when no sound is going through it... Sometimes when I reinstall the meters behave normally. That's the only thing "fixed" by reinstalling - however the fix is always temporary...
I get the impression that the tech support knows that there are some problems with the driver and with the unit. Hot swapping has blown a lot of firewire boards - including mine (replaced it and now I never hotswap).
I have had nothing but problems - my ipod's system software is trashed if ever I plug it into the firewire port beside the 410. It took me three times to realize that the problem was the 410 not the iPod. This was just salt in the wound... Solution from Tech support - "don't plug an Ipod OR ANYTHING ELSE into the firewire port if the 410 is plugged in also. But, whatever you do, don't hot swap the 410 or it could blow your board!" Thanks a lot. So I have to shutdown. Unplug the 410, plug in the iPod and restart just to sync my iPod... so much for the convenience of firewire.
Tested the 410 in my powerbook in an attempt to isolate the problem... bad idea. Now my once rock solid powerbook doesn't recognize the firewire card and the wireless PC card would not talk to the airport base station. Solution: reset basestation, clean reinstall system software to reinstall drivers for the PC cards (native to OS 10.3). Thanks alot.
I have read reports of people having problems with this unit. It only seemed like a fraction. I hoped I wouldn't be one. I am.
If I had a G5 that was dedicated to music, I bet I could get this soundcard to work great. But, unfortunately, I have a G4 (maxed out with RAM and the hottest processor I can put in it). And I use it for writing, photos, video, games AND music.
For any mac user who is not making a dedicated music work station, I would highly recommend that you steer well clear of the 410 and of M-audio products just to be safe. There are other options out there that don't have the same problems.

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TCC TC-720 Stereo Microphone/RIAA Phono Pre-Amp, Preamp (Preamplifier) Review

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(More customer reviews)
I really did agree about the quality of this preamp, I connected pair of Audio-Technica ATR97 Omnidirectional Condenser and it did power them adequately even better quality than the noisy one on creative X-Fi sound card.
If you are looking for the easiest step to create high quality stereo home recording definitely go with this Preamp.

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Rode Podcaster USB Dynamic Microphone Review

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(More customer reviews)For recording my voice (baritone), it does a great job. For extra warmth that means close-miking, which in turn means not popping your p's, etc. If you hold it close to your mouth but don't directly face it end-on, that's easily done (or get a pop filter). [...].
The microphone electronics are extremely quiet - the audio is sampled at 18 bits.
It comes with a warranty which is easily extended to 10 years for free.
The real-time headphone monitoring is a great idea and works well.
It's a bit heavy (part of being built like a tank), and you need to think a little about how you're going to mount it, since some cheap desktop stands can barely manage it.
Some things to keep in mind are:
1) It likes close-miking (at least for male voices)
2) It is USB-only
3) It is a on the bit large and heavy side.
If those don't bother you, and the price is in your range, then you will probably like it a lot.

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MXL USB 009 24BIT/96KHZ USB Condenser Mic Review

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(More customer reviews)For years I've been working with traditional XLR cardioid condenser mics (love my Neumann TLM) but I've had to travel a lot lately, and humping the XLR cables, pre-amp, and heavy mics through airports and hotels has gotten to be a real bother, so I started The Hunt for a Great USB Mic.
Now, there are good USB mics out there for under $100, and Blue's Snowball is adequate. At ~$70 you get what you pay for. It is ok for podcasting, if you aren't too picky about sound quality. I had one shipped to me, didn't like that background hum, sent it back thinking it was a problem with the mic, and got another one that sounded exactly the same. (And yes, I read all the instructions and advice and made all the adjustments. I even tried it on Mac, Laptop, and PC--so spare me the "oh did you try this, and you're an idiot because you didn't try that" Snowball fanboy snarkiness ;).
So, when I returned the Snowball, I considered getting Blue's Yeti, but it's sheer size disqualified it -- the mic is way too big and heavy to be considered remotely portable, and since I like to record standing-up instead of sitting down, I worried that it would be too heavy for my boom.
Having eliminated Blue's mics, I tried the Samson G Track at ~$120 and the AudioTechnica AT2020 at ~$110. I like that the Samson has the headphone output and the gain controls (which the AT does not) and better recording quality versus the AT2020 at 48kHz versus 44.1kHz. However, the Sampson weighs a half-pound more. For both mics the sound quality is great for podcasting, and while vastly superior to the Blue Snowball, and certainly adequate for most vocals that will be supported with background music, neither mic produces recordings clean enough and of high enough quality (limited to 16bit) for pure narration (IMHO).
So I upped my price-point again. And found THE perfect USB mic for voice-overs at ~$275. The MXL USB.009. It records at 24Bit/96kHz -- a huge improvement over the 16Bit/44.1kHz of all the other mics. It has the benefits of a mic jack and knobs for gain control like the Samson G Track, and is Plug and Play. I don't have to tweak anything on my Mac or my PC. It is lightweight, so I'm not worried about my boom tipping, and there is no background hum. I like the steel carrying case -- it weighs about 6 pounds with the mic and USB cable -- and makes it easy to carry through airport security.
Yes, the MXL USB.009 is 4x the cost of the Blue Snowball and 2.5x the cost of the Samson G Track and the AT2020, but for me, it is worth it. I not only do podcasting, but I do professional voice-over work, and I need something that will give me the convenience of direct USB recording with near-studio quality.

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Sony?ICDUX70?Digital?Voice?Recorder?MP3?Stereo?Recording?and?Playback Review

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(More customer reviews)I have had been using the Sony MZM200 Professional Portable Hi MD Recorder for the past year for digital recording of meetings and lectures. I have had good luck with it but I could never just hand it off to someone else to use. So I began to look at flash based recorders. The model I kept coming back to was the ICD-U70 but I was concerned by the proprietary file format and the difficulty that I had heard about converting it to a more standard format.
Well, with the ICD-UX70 & UX80 this major concern was addressed as the file format used is MP3. Now I can just load it directly to my computer and then to the website for podcasting with no transfer or conversion. I usually do some cleaning or normalizing using Nero but - oh how easy this has become. With the ease of this unit, I can imagine that I might not be using my MD recorder nearly as much.
I have used the unit connected to a sound board, an external microphone (Sony ECM-CS10 Tie-Clip-Style and Sony ECMMS907 Digital Recording Microphone) and by itself, and I have been very impressed with the quality of the recording.
The only thing with which you need to check and be comfortable is the internal mic sensitivity. Do some tests to see how the recording level and background noise comes out. Once you become familiar with the abilities of this unit, I think you will be happy with the recordings.
I think the size is great; if it was any smaller (thumb-drive sized) the buttons would either be too small or too close together for my fingers to operate. Sometimes small is too small - this unit is not too small.
Be careful about your expectations of the internal speaker - you can only get so much sound out of a teeny speaker. It is good to check playback but I would use headphones or play through another powered device if you really need to hear the recording. You can get battery powered speakers for cheap if you really need it.
The only thing that could improve this device is removable memory but for the price, you can buy 2 or 3 UX80s (2gb) for the price of a recorder that uses removable memory. So, this is a minor issue.
Thank you to all of you who complained about the U70 and got Sony to wake-up. I appreciate it.


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MP3 Stereo Recording and Playback --- Allows you to playback MP3 files and record using the MP3 file format. USB Direct Connection --- allows you to plug your voice recorder directly into a USB port on a computer or hub, eliminating the need for cables. 1GB Built-in Flash Memory --- uses a high capacity IC chip, which may be recorded over and used again and again with distortion free clarity. Up to 290 Hours Recording Time --- LP mode gives you plenty of time to record everything you need. Drag & Drop File Transfer --- allows you to easily drag files from your PC right to the voice recorder, no software is required. Supports Hi-Speed USB. Voice Operated Recording (VOR) --- stops the recording during silent pauses, saving valuable recording time, then begins recording again without missing a single syllable because of the digital buffer.

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Plantronics DSP400 Foldable Multimedia Headset Review

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(More customer reviews)After more than a year, I'm surprised to see Amazon letting this confusion persist. The old Plantronics DSP-400 connected directly to the computer's USB port, and its volume control and mute buttons were true USB HID (human interface device) controls, so they communicated directly with the computer's OS, which a lot of people like. The newer and cheaper Plantronics DSP-470 is a conventional two-plug analog headset, packaged with a separate USB sound stick to connect it to the computer. If you buy the item on this page, even though it's described as a "Plantronics DSP-400", what you actually get is just the same as the DSP-470, except you're paying about ten dollars more for it. If you want the original DSP-400 with real USB HID controls, you'll need to look elsewhere.

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For passive music enjoyment and interactive voice applications alike, reach for your Plantronics DSP-400 digitally-enhanced USB foldable stereo headset. Listening to music, watching videos with sound, orally communicating through the Internet, responding to language programs, or using voice-based security are all functions commonly used with computers these days. The foldable design allows for easy storage and transport. Listen to your CDs, DVDs, or MP3 files. Its noise-canceling microphone enhances speech accuracy. The PerSono Audio Control Center Software allows users to adjust microphone and audio characteristics like volume, bass and treble, launch their favorite voice or audio applications, as well as select audio presets like rock, jazz or classical, all from a central software interface. The convenient folding mechanism is perfect for mobile use with notebook computers. The included software is for Windows, but headset is USB ported for PC/Mac compatibility.

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Griffin Technology iMic USB Audio Device Review

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(More customer reviews)Like many others before me, I bought this unit to digitize some old audio cassettes. (In my case, old radio shows from 1930-1950.) I initially tried this with a cassette player and the analog audio input on my Mac but the results were disappointing; there was a tremendous amount of humming in the finished audio. My friends at Tekserve recommended this device instead.
Installation is just a matter of plugging it into the USB port; the Mac required no drivers and saw the device as another audio device. QuickTime Player, GarageBand, iMovie, the Sound preference panel and Griffin's own "Final Vinyl" application immediately recognized the device.
I connected my tape player to the iMic, launched Griffin's "Final Vinyl" application, and got to work. The results were stunning, like night and day when compared to the analog recording I'd previously made. There was absolutely no hum to be heard. I experimented with other audio cassettes and detected no hum, static, or other problem that could be attributed to the iMic device.
The device has two standard mini stereo ports (audio in and out), and a switch on the side to change between line input and microphone input (this is important -- if the switch is in the wrong place you will be disappointed with the results). It also includes a mini-to-RCA adapter cable which I thought was a nice addition. The USB cable is rather short (about one foot long) and is hardwired to the unit so don't break it.
As was previously pointed out, the "Final Vinyl" software needs work and is inarguably the weakest part of this package. (Truthfully, if Griffin DIDN'T bundle "Final Vinyl" with the iMic I would have given this a five-star rating.) It is a COMPLETELY bare-bones application. I get the strong impression that "Final Vinyl" started life as a quick hack that a programmer wrote up in a couple of hours so that they could test the iMic device, but someone in Griffin's Marketing department saw it and decided to make it part of the package. It is not very intuitive (highlighting a segment of audio and hitting the DELETE key does nothing, forcing you to go into a menu to select DELETE which also has no keyboard shortcut), offers almost nothing in terms of audio editing capabilities, is surprisingly slow, and it crashes quite a bit. (Although I think Griffin knows this; when you relaunch the app after it crashed, it remembers the audio you had previously recorded and offers you the option of using that data or starting from scratch.) Fortunately the app doesn't crash (*knock on wood*) when importing audio; the crashing seems to happen when you're trying to open or save a file AND do something else with another application at the same time.
The only other thing about this unit that bugs me is its awkward design. It's about the size of a silver dollar and perhaps 3/8" thick. The short cable means you can't keep it plugged into the back of your machine and be able to easily access it, particularly if your machine is on the floor (like mine is). The rounded shape of the unit means you can't set it on edge and tuck it into an otherwise unused bit of space, and you can't easily attach it to your computer (i.e., with a zip-tie). I have mine plugged into the front USB port on my computer with the cable looped over the handle but it's an awkward placement at best, and I have to move the cable over whenever I want to open the CD drawer. It's not REALLY horrible since I'll likely rarely use the iMic once these tapes have been digitized, but I think Griffin could have done a little more to make this unit a little more elegant.

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The Griffin Technology 9066-IMIC2 iMic/USB Audio Interface, the original USB audio adapter, lets you connect virtually any microphone or sound input device to any Mac or PC system with a USB port. iMic supports both mic and line level inputs via a selectable switch, and has a variable level output for connecting speakers or headphones.The iMic really shines as the essential tool for converting your old LPs and tapes into MP3s and CDs. Griffin's audio recording software, Final Vinyl for Mac OS X (provided for free exclusively to iMic owners), makes recording old records and tapes very easy with its advanced features, including waveform-based cue editing and built-in 10-band EQ. You can use Final Vinyl to equalize LPs without having to connect a turntable to a pre-amp. iMic is also an ideal solution for your podcasting needs and for use with GarageBand, iMovie, and Final Cut Pro.

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Blue Microphones Snowflake USB Microphone Review

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(More customer reviews)If you are looking for an inexpensive but high quality, small & portable, USB microphone, the Blue Snowflake is a great choice. Blue Microphones Snowflake USB Microphone

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Whether you're recording your newest podcast, talking business on the web, or just narrating your latest great family movie, the Blue Snowflake Microphone can capture it with amazing clarity and depth that's head and shoulders above any comparable portable USB on the market!The Blue Snowflake Microphone works on both Mac and PC with no complicated drivers to install: just connect it to your computer's USB port, follow the prompts and you'll have high-fidelity sound in no time. It's perfect for podcasting, voice recognition software, iChat, and VoIP software such as Skype and Vonage. Or use it for dictation, field recording, lecture recording, and narration for slideshows and PowerPoint presentations. The sky's the limit. It's even great for recording music via GarageBand and other multitrack recording software.

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Samson C03U USB Condenser Microphone Review

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(More customer reviews)I don't have too much experience on this type of microphone to make extensive/professional review. I just started playing with Garageband/pod cast and use Skype and wanted to improve the sound input.
Compare to the other mini microphones I've used, this is HUGE and heavy, solidly built. Connection is easy, just plug in the USB and the Mac recognizes it. To my not so experienced ears, it sounds better than iSight, built-in mics, and the Sony mic that requires an AA battery and a pre-amp.
Well-made, good sound, easy to use. 5-star for the prize/package/performance.

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Following the success of the C01U, Samson is proud to introduce the C03U multi-pattern USB studio condenser microphone. Based on the extremely popular C03 studio condenser, the C03U delivers the same pristine audio quality and enhanced capabilities along with a high-quality A/D converter and USB output.
The C03U features dual 19mm internal shockmounted diaphragms with switchable omni, supercardioid, and figure-8 pickup patterns. It's perfect for recording vocals or any acoustic instrument. Plus, the selectable patterns make it ideal for a variety of specialized recording situations, like multiple vocalists, ambient room miking, and even a group of people around a conference table recording a Podcast.
The C03U works seamlessly on any computer running Mac OS X, Windows XP or Windows Vista. It also works with most DAW software programs without having to install any extra software or drivers. And with solid die-cast construction, the C03U is as durable as it is portable, so taking it on the road with your laptop is never an problem.
Samson SoftPre The Samson C03U is designed to be fully functional without installing additional drivers. But for those who would like a little something extra, Samson offers its downloadable SoftPre software applet, which gives you an Input Level Meter, Volume control, High-pass filter and Phase Switch, for Mac or Windows.
C03U Specs
Frequency Response: 20 - 18000 HZ
Polar pattern: Super Cardioid, Omni, Bi-directional
Element type: Back condenser type
Diaphragm thickness: 3 microns
SPL: 136 dB Max.
Dimensions (H x W x D): 7 x 2.125 x 2.125 inches (180 x 54 x 54 mm)
Weight: 1.06 lbs. (.48 kg)

What's in the Box C03U Microphone, Swivel Stand Mount, 10-Foot USB Cable

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