Review: iRig PRE - the mic preamp for your smartphone or tablet

Have you ever been preparing for a trip and wanted to record a podcast, but didn't want to drag along your entire podcasting equipment arsenal? So have I. Well enter the iRig PRE, a great little device from IK Multimedia which allows you to record audio on the go. The iRig PRE is a microphone interface for your XLR mics which plugs directly into your smartphone or tablet. The device is compatible with iOS and Android and when used along with the iRig Recorder application for your smart device you can capture some really fantastic audio.

The iRig PRE comes equipped with a headphone jack for monitoring your audio. It also has a gain control so you can adjust the input levels. The PRE provides phantom power by one 9 volt battery so you can use it with condenser microphones as well as dynamic.

I tested the PRE with my Nexus 7 Android tablet and my Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone using the iRig Recorder application. I also ran tests with different mics, the Shure SM58 dynamic mic and the Audio-Technica AT2020 condenser mic. The following are some audio samples of my results. These files have not been processed in any way other than conversion from WAV to mp3.

1. Shure SM58 into the Nexus 7 tablet


2. Shure SM58 into the Galaxy Nexus smartphone


3. Audio-Technica AT2020 into the Galaxy Nexus smartphone


I also tested recording with the Catch Notes app and the Google Keep app to confirm that the iRig PRE does not require the iRig Recorder app. The audio quality resulting from those two apps was less than desirable, but it did work. It seems that for the best results you should use either the official iRig app or another dedicated audio recording application.

This is a great tool that is worth looking into if you'd like to be able to record a full podcast or even just interviews at an event using a professional XLR microphone. The iRig PRE runs between $35 and $40 on Amazon. The iRig Recorder app for iOS comes in two flavors; the free version which has only basic features and the $8 full version which has lots of editing features. The Android app is free but it only allows you to record; if you want editing features you can unlock those with in app purchases. For full specs on the iRig PRE you can visit IK Multimedia's website.

iRig PRE on Amazon

Screenshot of the iRig Recorder app on Nexus 7

iRig Recorder app for iOS

iRig Recorder app for Android

If you decide to try out the iRig PRE or the Recorder app, please leave your thoughts in the comments below. I'd love to hear your experience.






Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Two Thumbs Up Media - New Podcast Directory

Whether you are a podcast producer or a podcast consumer, you most likely know that iTunes is the most popular directory of podcasts in the world and therefore has a huge reach. As a consultant, I highly recommend producers to list their shows in iTunes for that very reason. But iTunes has its shortcomings too. It seems that since Apple does not make any monetary profit from their podcast directory it’s not a real high priority for them. Sometimes listings can take several days to be updated and support for podcasters is almost nonexistent.

Steve Lee, owner and producer at NetCast Studio, recognized these and other issues with the various podcast directories and decided to address them. His answer to this problem is Two Thumbs Up Media, a brand new podcast directory that launched this month. The great benefit of TTUM is the fact that the show listings are completely controlled by the podcast producer. If a listing needs updated, you simply log in to your account and make the necessary changes. There are various listing types offered, both free and paid. Some of the options you can include in your show listing are show promos, social media links, podcast cover art, and much more.

If you are a podcast producer, I highly recommend you take a look at Two Thumbs Up Media and get your show listed there. If you are a podcast listener, then you should also check out TTUM to find some great new shows to listen to. Steve and his team have done a great job of making it easy to sort through listings by category and keyword. So check out Two Thumbs Up Media and then share it with your friends.

Podcasting as an Apparatus of Communication

Photo credit: http://morguefile.com/creative/Grafixar

"...if it [radio] knew how to receive as well as to transmit, how to let the listener speak as well as hear, how to bring him into a relationship instead of isolating him." - Bertolt Brecht



I just came across this quotation and it is absolute gold! It is from a German poet and playwright, of whom I know nothing other than this article that I am citing, which was written in 1932. 

His feelings about the medium of radio are now realized in podcasting! This is exactly what podcasting should be. A conversation. Podcasters should be having a dialog with their listeners; both as a component of their podcast as well as in comments on their blog and/or on social media platforms.

This man's vision for the then relatively new and emerging technology of radio broadcasting is now being realized (albeit in a slightly different way than he imagined) in the 21st century. Now I realize that the talk radio format has existed since the 1940s and it brought about somewhat of a conversation, but podcasting can and does take this a step further.

How? Well with a podcast the level of interaction and relationship with an audience is much deeper. For instance, one need not be an expert in a given discipline to host a podcast on it. He must only have a passion and enthusiasm for the topic and can use the podcast as a catalyst for bringing together a community of like-minded individuals who can each contribute their own thoughts, expertise and ideas to the discussion. 

Another example of the enhanced interactivity of podcasting over terrestrial radio is the fact that it is "time shifted", or on-demand content. This may seem counter intuitive so let me elaborate. In radio, in order to participate in a given program, one must be tuned in at the precise time in which that program is airing. And assuming that it is a show which takes phone calls or listener feedback via some other method, there can then be a conversation. But if you are not present at the correct time, even though the opportunity for audience involvement was there, you missed it. But with a podcast, one need not be present at a specific moment in order to participate in a discussion on the topic at hand and can choose how he/she wishes to interact with the content; whether it is by phoning in to a feedback line, posting a blog comment, sending an email or connecting via Twitter. And the conversation can be indefinite, as long as those involved wish to keep it going.

There are many more things I could say on this topic, but I think you understand where I'm coming from. I understand that radio has been around for a very long time and I'm not necessarily suggesting that podcasting should replace it. I'm only saying that in a lot of situations podcasting can be a more satisfying experience for all involved.

Here is a paragraph from Brecht's article entitled The Radio as an Apparatus of Communication that really resonated with me:

"It is purely an apparatus for distribution, for mere sharing out. So here is a positive suggestion: change this apparatus over from distribution to communication. The radio would be the finest possible communication apparatus in public life, a vast network of pipes. That is to say, it would be if it knew how to receive as well as to transmit, how to let the listener speak as well as hear, how to bring him into a relationship instead of isolating him. On this principle the radio should step out of the supply business and organize its listeners as suppliers. Any attempt by the radio to give a truly public character to Public occasions is a step in the right direction."

So what do you think of these thoughts? What are your opinions on this topic? Please post them in the comments below.


You can read the full text of Brecht's article here.

My Top 10 Android Apps

I’m often asked for recommendations for Android applications by friends and family. Many times these inquiries are regarding apps for a specific use case and so I respond accordingly. But sometimes I’m asked what my “must-have” Android apps are; the ones that I use most often or just have to have installed on my device. I currently have nearly 100 applications installed on my phone and this list is constantly changing, but it was easy to see which apps are always there.

Many applications that I use on a daily basis are official Google apps that most every Android user is familiar with so I decided not to include them in my list. I also felt like I should exclude games and perhaps save them for a separate post in the future. So here are the top 10 applications that I always have installed on every Android phone. These are not listed in order of importance (or in any particular order at all for that matter).

Pocket Casts

I use this app every single day. I've tried many podcast applications and this one is my favorite by far. My only gripe is that it lacks the ability to sync with Google Reader. While you can pull subscriptions from your “Listen Subscriptions” folder in Reader, it is only a one-way data transfer and it must be done manually so it’s not a true sync.

Audiogalaxy Music

An absolutely awesome music app. If you are like me and have hundreds of hours of audio content on your computer at home and would like to have access to it all on your phone without having to load up the limited amount of space on the device, then Audiogalaxy is for you. Simply install the desktop software on your computer and it runs in the background and essentially turns your desktop into a server which allows you to then stream all of your music to your phone or tablet via the smartphone app.

iHeartRadio

When iHeartRadio added custom stations in addition to their lineup of Clear Channel radio stations I switched from Pandora and haven’t looked back. While it could be argued that Pandora has a better user experience because of more features, the fact that iHeart has no ads is enough for me to switch. The added benefit of the Clear Channel radio station streams is great too.

ASTRO File Manager

For a geek like me, this app is indispensable for locating files on the phone’s internal memory or SD card. It is a feature-rich application that looks really nice as well.

CadreBible

The best Bible reading and study application that I've found. Having tried as many as 8-10 different ones, I settled on this one due to the many study tools and Bible translations available.

Dropbox

I’m sure you already know what Dropbox is (if not, check it out via my affiliate link here) so I won’t go into a lot of detail. This is simply Dropbox for your smartphone which does exactly what you’d expect it to do. One feature worth mentioning is the instant photo upload functionality which I love; every photo I take is automatically backed up to my Dropbox folder.

Color Flashlight HD LED

This one is pretty self explanatory; it’s a flashlight. While it’s not an application that I use on a daily basis, it’s one that often comes in handy. In addition to being able to use your screen as a flashlight in various colors (and color combinations) it also has the option to use your camera’s LED flash as a light.

Lookout Security & Antivirus

Lookout is a fabulous security app that has many features and premium options. It scans applications for malware and viruses at installation and can also perform periodic scans of your device. Again, it can do much more so I highly recommend checking it out. It’s one of the first apps I install on every device I get.

Catch

This note taking app is simply awesome. You can create text notes, audio notes, and much more. I know many people love Evernote, and I've tried it, but I keep going back to Catch. I just really love this app and I really like the web interface which allows me to pull up notes in the browser on my desktop. (I go into a bit more detail on Catch in this post.)

The Weather Channel

There are many weather apps in the Google Play Store and I have tried several of them, but this one just works for me. My favorite feature is the small home screen widget that allows me to grab the temperature at a glance and it doesn't take up half of my screen.

So there you have it. If you’re interested in which official Google apps I use, post your question below and I’ll respond.

Which Android applications are the ones you cannot live without? Let me know in the comments.