Electronics

Griffin iMic / USB Audio Interface iMic was the original USB audio adapter that enabled Mac and PC users to add stereo input and output to their USB computers that, otherwise, lacked the necessary hardware support. iMic allows you to connect virtually any microphone or sound input device to your iBook, PowerBook, PowerMac or other Mac or PC systems with a USB port. iMic supports both mic and line level inputs via a selectable switch, as well as a variable level output for connecting speakers or headphones.iMic’s audio is superior to most computers’ built-in audio because it uses USB for the audio signal. USB isolates the audio signal from the noisy electronics in your computer, giving you higher quality sound when you record, and higher quality sound output for external speakers.iMic shines as the essential tool for converting your old LPs and tapes into MP3s and CDs. Griffin’s audio recording software Final Vinyl for Mac OS X (provided for free exclusively to iMic owners) makes recording old records and tapes super easy, with several advanced features such as waveform-based cue editing and built-in 10-band EQ. Final Vinyl can also equalize LPs without having to connect a turntable to a pre-amp. Just hook the turntable directly to the iMic, and Final Vinyl will record your LPs perfectly.iMic, now updated for modern hardware, provides the perfect solution for almost any audio need.
Customer Review: What’s that whooshing air sound?
I bought one of these and tested it out compared to the audio-in jack on my PowerMac.

The audio-in gets a lot cleaner results. With the iMic you hear a whooshing air sound coming through with the music, not so with the audio-in jack.

SO if you don’t have audio-in on your laptop like with my iBook then it’s ok but definitely inferior audio capture quality compared to a line input.
Customer Review: Good Insurance
The iMic works just as advertised. The plastic construction is a little on the chintzy side, but this is great insurance against a major problem.
The audio jacks on Mac laptops are easily damaged, especially with repeated use. To fix the jacks you have to replace a circuit board (the logic board in my MacBook.). That’s expensive.
I’d much rather replace a $35 iMic down the road instead of a logic board.

Tags: digital audio, digital audio system, audio components, electronics audio, audio