An easy setup routine is way much better in
making the Spark Digital interesting to use. The fact that it is compatible with
iOS and that it takes up less space than the Yeti makes it more likely that you
will take it on the road for capturing a new instrumental or doing some
podcasting from a hotel room (a possible use for Engadget editors, for in
instance). Thanks to the built-in mute control, we never had to worry about
keystrokes, coughs or other noises coming right in mid-broadcast while we were
not speaking. The Spark Digital picked up a bit of room noise while we were
recording acoustic guitars, but in postproduction there is nothing that can't
be fixed.
An
easy setup routine is way much better in making the Spark Digital interesting
to use.
During the process of our comparison tests,
Blue's Spark Digital ultimately reached up to our expectations. The unit
provided a depth of sound (that is: range of tones) and overall clarity in the
tracks which places it a little bit above the Apogee MiC in this aspect. Captures
from the Spark were not too heavy on either end of the sound spectrum or the
other and highs, mids and lows were all consistently expressed. However,
low-end and mids get most of the attention with the MiC – a match with what we
had seen in previous recordings for other reviews. The new Spark handled both
instruments and vocals with the same feel for each time we did it.
The clarity and depth were especially obvious
when we recorded with a 1962 Gibson J-45 acoustic guitar. The sounds in high
pitch were much more profound in particular with the Spark Digital at the control,
contributing to the end result. Both of the audio samples were recorded with
the same Gibson acoustic and GarageBand on a MacBook Pro without any EQ or
production adjustments made after the recording. We just, however, adjusted the
volume of the tracks to make things nicer and level for playback and we were
careful to place both the microphones at the same distance from the J-45 for
each recording.
The competitors
The
Apogee MiC
The other dual-connection microphone that
we've already mentioned, the Apogee MiC, is one of the Spark Digital's more apparent
opponents: it also offers USB and 30-pin compatibility, and costs $199. What
you lose here is an extremely hard desktop stand in favor of a smaller and
lighter setup. There's also no built-in mute switch. To be positive, the unit
is much more compact and doesn't weigh as much as the Spark Digital does. As
you can hear in the audio samples above, the MiC doesn't exhibit the overall
range of sound that Blue's product does, but it is definitely worth
considering.
Ragarding other microphones that offer
double connectivity, Blue's Snowball proves to be a great opponent – as long as
one of Apple's camera connection kits for the iPad follows it. The Snowball has
long been a popular choice for podcasters and stays rather compact with three
color options. You would also be saving some more money, as the microphone has
a price at $99 and the necessary adapter takes you another $29, but you can
expect to enjoy great sound quality here as well. While the Snowball does a
surprisingly good job of handling both acoustic guitars and vocals, spending $70
more would bring a significant jump in audio quality.
Conclusion
The
Spark Digital is the best choice of the ones that we have tested.
While there are other mobile recording microphones
that play well with both computers and the iPad, the Spark Digital is the best
choice of the ones that we have tested. Sure, Blue Microphones' latest product
is a bit heavy compared to the Apogee MiC, but the added features and boost in
sound quality quickly made us forget the extra weight once we started watching.
And the price is also the same, even though you get all those nice extra things.
Yes, that’s right, we would like to see a little
bit more stable platform in the desktop stand that supports the unit's weight
better and a mute/volume control that's attached with… anything. A third cable
that allows us to connect to our shiny new iPad mini's Lightning port
immediately would be nice, too, but the truth is, at this point many of you may
have already bought Apple's Lightning adapter. For us, these are all minor faults:
the truth is that the unit works as it was advertised and provides great sound
quality with an accessory that's easy to setup on the way. You can't be asking
for much more than that.
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Info
·
Product name: Blue Microphones Spark Digital
·
Price: $199
Specifications
·
Microphone Type: condenser
·
Polar Pattern: cardioid
·
Frequency Response: 26Hz-20kHz
·
Max SPL: 128dB
·
Output Impedance: 50ohms
·
Signal to Noise Ratio: 84dB
·
Self Noise: 10dB (A Weighted)
·
Low Cut Filter: No Filter
·
Pads: No Pad
·
Length: 7.76”
·
Width: 1.77”
·
Depth: 1.77”
·
Weight: 1.25 lbs.
Advantages
·
USB and iOS connectivity
·
Sturdy all-metal chassis
·
Adequate built-in controls
·
Excellent sound quality
Disadvantages
·
Easily popped off mute/volume button
·
In need of Lightning adapter for newer devices
Verdict
·
Blue’s Spark Digital provides outstanding
sound quality on a solid design, despite the need of an extra adapter for
connecting to Apple’s Lightning port.
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