Blue Mikey Portable Speakers Review

So, What's The Mikey Speaker All About?

Blue Mic’s Mikey Digital is a stereo microphone designed for iPad and iPhone and has been available for nearly a decade now, which sounds a bit ‘naff’ maybe?

 

However, Blue recently updated Mikey for compatibility with ios7 via Lightning connection. Which is cool for us ‘Apple heads’ as it’s perfect for singer/songwriters looking to sketch out quick demos or live recordings and who want the recording quality to be a step above the iPad/iPhone built-in microphone.

 

Sure, those mics are great for capturing your quick vocal song ideas and sketches when inspiration strikes, but you’re getting a mono recording that often misses the clarity and bottom end. However, let’s face it. Blue Mikey speakers aren’t claiming to be the next big boom box speaker, so what do you expect? You get what you see at the end of the day.

The Mikey Soaker Features?

I personally really like the Blue Mikey speaker, as its small and compact, and features pair of condenser microphone capsules with 16 bit / 44.1kHz analog to digital conversion, housed in a shock mount and grille. It has a 1/8” connection for line inputs and a USB connection, which charges your iPad/iPhone when in use and maintains the battery level during long recordings.

 

That’s a pretty good feature for most people really. Right?

 

A cloth carrying bag, user guide manual and a ¼” to 1/8” guitar jack adaptor is also included. Mikey has a swivel hinge with seven positions and a 230-degree rotation- good for positioning to your sound source. Even standing it to mount onto a surface area perhaps. I mean, it’s no camera tripod in terms of sturdiness, but it’s flexible and adaptable by having 230-degree rotation. So work with it, and you’ll find it works with you!

 

Mikey connects to the iPhone or iPad via Lightning connector on the bottom of the device. A simple 3-position switch gives you three gain settings to choose from when setting up a recording.

 

This is very convenient, as Mikey’s automatic gain control means you don’t have to do much adjusting within the recording app you’ve chosen to use. The loud setting is low gain, for recording loud sources (100-130 db range), the middle setting is the default auto setting, and the third setting allows you to capture quiet and intimate sound sources (45-60 db range). Mikey lets you know when the recording level is too hot, with three flashing red lights indicating overload. Try not to ever overload any small speakers, as the bass/drivers are usually not able to handle a large amount of sound pushed out and can usually break easily from pushing the red limits. Just like a DJ pushing that red line on the mixer, it’s a no go.

 

Mikey Speaker Tests

From a test, recorded on an iPad (latest generation) at an open mic filled with performers as varied as male and female solo acts, acoustic duos and a rock band or two. Mikey is compatible with various recording apps. The varied recordings using either the Camera app or Garageband.

 

Overall, I found the middle Auto setting to be the most consistent for best sound level. The recordings had a nice depth to them, especially on the acoustic acts, while also eliminating some of the crowd noises behind me. There was also a warmth to the recording that the iPad’s internal mic didn’t add.

 

Which, you’d find surprising but its really a good bit of kit this Mikey Speaker!

I wouldn’t be surprised to see a few bands posting their recordings using Mikey on Soundcloud, YouTube and other music-related sites.

 

Even some artists partnering with them to showcase how good this little speaker ‘kicks it’.

Blue Mikey Portable Speaker Review - Technology Review By KW Creative - Kent Wynne Tech Reviews

Musicians You'll Love This...

The 1/8” adaptor (included) allows you to connect a line input source such as a guitar for direct recording, bypassing the microphone. You can use two guitars separately to run acoustic equipment with a B-Band pickup, and guitars too. Which, totally rocks! This allowed anyone to A/B whether any sound level inconsistencies on the recordings were due to each guitar’s pickups or Mikey’s levels.

The connection of the adaptor to Mikey seemed a little loose and precariously balanced with the weight of the ¼” guitar cable. This would give anyone some concern as you don’t want any creative flow to be hindered by a mechanical nuisance.

 

But I’m sure anyone can use some creative flair to make it work. I’ve heard your ‘able to properly balance the cable on top of the mic at an angle’. Since guitars themselves have a pickup volume control, you are introducing another gain structure into the recording path.

 

I’ve all so heard from sources online:

 

“I did do a quick test of recording my old cassette tapes into Garageband with the 1/8” adaptor and it sounded close to the cassette source, so the adaptor is a nice feature”

Blue Mikey Portable Speaker Review - Technology Review By KW Creative - Kent Wynne Tech Reviews
Blue Mikey Portable Speaker Review - Technology Review By KW Creative - Kent Wynne Tech Reviews

The Bottom Line

There is a minor downside to the design, though it is in part not related to the actual microphone itself. I was not able to attach via the Lightning connector without removing the iPad cover (an inexpensive but sturdy plastic £5 cover purchased at a discount store). The solution would be either to remove the cover every time you use it (an annoyance for sure which also leaves the iPad/iPhone vulnerable) or purchase either a different cover that leaves room at the connection area, or a Lightning dock extender. Another minor nuisance is there is no line out to monitor audio as you’re recording.

 

Mikey is aimed at those who are looking for an easy and quick setup time with minimal recording knowledge needed. Its portability and on-the-go mobility for getting a nice recording gives you the extra sizzle you need for your music compared to the iPhone/iPad’s internal mics.

 

Street Price: £82.99

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