A new wireless microphone on the market claims to provide better sound than anything else on the market. But it might not be for everyone. (Image via Mikme)
Simple ideas executed elegantly are a great inspiration. I think this could be made a bit cheaper... but first, let me explain what it is.
One industry that is always targeted by creators of new technology is the entertainment industry. The way artists record and present their arts has changed so much that it has opened the doors to many artists to be independent. However, with independence comes the pressure of providing a product as good as that offered by artists that are backed by various corporations. Luckily, there are companies like Mikme, who are always working to make life easier for independent artists.
Mikme is a European company that created a high-end wireless microphone of the same name, with the purpose of helping artists for whom audio is a pillar of their art, deliver the best sound possible. With their global team, Mikme designed and built the microphone in Europe, but made the product available for purchase in the United States as well. Although a new product, Mikme is the fruit of the combined brains of a team which has 15 years of experience. Why is this microphone considered high-end?
For one thing, the price of Mikme says it is not for the average American. Although $499, in U.S., customers have the option of acquiring the device at $495 from Europe through the website Thomannmusic.com. Another reason Mikme could be considered high-end is the quality of the sound that comes out of it. A few videos on Vimeo and on the company's website clearly demonstrate that a vlogger or journalist or musician had better use Mikme instead of the mic incorporated in an iPhone. It is easy to tell that the sound from Mikme is a lot louder and crispier than that coming from an iPhone, but one might wonder if it is because the iPhone is further from the mouth than the Mikme was.
Regardless of its price or the quality of its sound, Mikme seems to be the state of the art when it comes to the actual hardware. From inside out, Mikme shows a 1" gold plated condenser capsule which offers more than 90KHz of Analog to Digital conversion audio. The device also has a built-in audio recorder with a memory of 16GB. The Mikme is powered with a battery of 920mAh rechargeable with a micro USB cable that is also used for file transfer. The micro USB is compatible with iOS 9 and newer, MAC OS 10.8 and higher and even windows XP computers. Weighing 0.35 lbs. or 162 grams net, the Mikme measures 70mmX73mmX35mm. The company seems to have opted for a simple design when it comes to the interface of the device. The top side of the device carries only one button which serves to power Mikme, but also as an indicator when the app is performing other tasks such as transfer of files, playback of the last track. The bottom of the microphone presents a 3/8 inch and ¼ inch thread that permits that the device stands alone, either on a tripod or on a selfie stick.
Designed to work in synchronicity with an app on the user's smartphone, Mikme uses Bluetooth 2.1, an enhanced version of Bluetooth 2.0, which makes the pairing of the device with an iPhone a lot more secure. The app serves the artist during the recording and after the recording during the editing part of his work. However, the most exciting feature of Mikme is probably its lost and found protocol. According to the company's website, if lost, an audio transmission with patented packet loss and sync detection, through the app, will allow the microphone to be found quickly.
With all those features, Mikme seems to be the perfect solution for people who are always in the pursuit of better sound in their work. Whether Mikme actually delivers or not on its promises, there is no doubt that the tech world will continue to make progress. So, artists should believe that they are getting closer to the perfect sound one device at a time.
I wanted to create a microphone like the Mikme with a Raspberry Pi. I think it is completely possible… more on this soon.
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