Griffin iTalk Pro - Microphone

I did a lot of research while considering a microphone for my 80GB ipod classic. The iTalk Pro seemed to have the best reviews (for a reasonably priced mic). I was not disappointed. I tested it in different environments and got good, clear, understandable speech recordings.With the iPod Classic and 3rd gen Nano, you can not use the button on the iTalk to start recording... instead, a new menu appears on the ipod and you start the recording from there. In my opinion, this did not affect the use at all. I don't know how it shows up on other ipod models, but on mine it allows you to choose low or high quality and the ipod determines the gain settings which seemed fine. I did not notice much of a difference between low and high quality versions of similar recordings. With low quality you can expect to fit about 6 hours per GB; with high quality, less than 2 hours/GB. For any audiophiles out there, the recordings will transfer to iTunes in WAV format with a bit rate of 352 kbps.I would recommend dimming your ipod screen to save power. I only got about 1 1/2 hours before the battery died (with 50% screen brightness). The screen stays on during recording showing the elapsed time. I wish there was an option to turn it off. I will try another long recording with the screen brightness set to 0% to see how much longer it lasts. In my experience the screens on electronic devices are the biggest drain on battery life. I like the compact size and the fact that it is all one piece. There is also a small plastic cover to protect the dock connector when not in use. Some of the other mics I looked at seemed ungainly to me with their multiple pieces and larger sizes.Some of the negative reviews I have read regarding this device, complain about the lack of quality recording... not enough bass, sounds tinny, music doesn't record well etc. What do you expect for 30 bucks!!?? It IS called the i"TALK" after all! It is designed for recording voice and does that exceptionally well.

Just started using this today. Setup and operation couldn't be much simpler. As other have reported, using the built-in mics captures a lot of background noise, but the recording quality is adequate for voice memos, lectures, etc. Haven't tried recording live music. I only have a few gripes with the product. I found the "Automatic" recording level setting unusable, because when it auto-switches back and forth between High/Low recording levels, there is a really loud pop. My first voice recordings were unlistenable due to the number of these pops. But setting the recording level to either "High" or "Low" instead of "Automatic" solves this problem. It's also a bummer that it doesn't remember this setting, and defaults back to "Automatic" every time you plug it in to the iPod, which means going through several extra button clicks before starting a recording. Lastly, there is no shock-absorption with the built-in mics whatsoever, so any handling of the device causes major noise in the recording. Suggest placing it on a stable surface and not touching it when it's recording. Using an external mic would resolve this problem, but since it only has one mic input, you can't record in stereo that way. Bottom line is that this device is so cheap, it's certainly worth the price as a basic voice recorder, and is more convenient than having to carry around a completely separate device for this purpose.

REVISED REVIEW (on September 1st 2010):I've finally figured out how to MANUALLY adjust the recording volume using Griffin's iTalk Pro microphone on a last-generation iPod Classic (meaning: purchased at the end of 2008)!Even if it's not perfect, there are two settings to manually chose from: 'low' and 'high' - and one of the two will almost always suit the circumstance you're in quite well considering the price of the iTalk - and the extreme portability of the iPod!I mainly use the iTalk-iPod combo to record rehearsals with my band; I use the 'low' setting because any electrically amplified sound will distort with the setting on 'high'. With the setting on 'low', one has to deal with some background noise if the volume of the recorded source gets too low, but the sound still will be more than acceptable.I gather the automated recording is intended for human voice (interview) recording - I myself haven't found a use for it.I wish ROCKBOX <[...]>, the fabulous alternative firmware-maker (available for brands like ARCHOS, CREATIVE and former iPod models), would achieve to unlock the iPod Classic "mystery" (it has resisted their efforts until today)I have been using their firmware for the (now archaic, then fabulous) Archos Jukebox 15Gb during over 6 years, and have blessed them for giving so much more control over sound and more on my device!Final word: I warmly recommend the iTalk to anyone who needs better-than-decent recording capability for his iPod classic (I have no idea if it works with iPod touch or iPhone!?)

The quality of the audio from this unit is just ok.. plug in a high quality shotgun or stereo mic for better sound. The built in mics would be fine if you could adjust the gain, but since you can't you will get very peaky and poppy audio when speaking directly to the device.You will also hear the ipod HD spin up and cycle while using the built in mics. This is not the recorder for serious podcasting unless you are using something to control the volume before it goes in to the italk. Something like a portable 4 track or just a mini-mixer should do the trick. But if you are going to the trouble to set all of that up you probably want something to record to that isn't going to run out of battery so quickly.I'm sure it had something to do with the way I carried it around in my pocket but the built in mics are now shot.. I didn't smash it or drop it.. just put it in my pocket with my keys for about 5 mins.. now the mics are all messed up. A little durability would be nice.[...]

The Pros:Sound quality is clear.small size.very easy to use.The Cons:extremely directional, will only pick up extremely small radius of sound.will only pick up loud sounds, and they have to be pretty close as well.recordings are incredibly quiet.The other reviews talk of using it for interviews or lectures. I may not be a professinal interviewer but I think you'd have to get your subject to speak extremely loudly at point blank range to pick them up.I wanted to record very rough tunes I compose so I don't have to scrabble around with manuscript paper. It's of no use to me. I wish my old Belkin would fit the new Ipod, that one was really excellent.HOWEVER if you want something to hold right up to your face and mumble self indulgent thoughts into this could be the one for you.