Gearank

The Apogee MiC 96k is a cardioid condenser mic with high sampling rates designed to offer professional quality both in the studio and for mobile recording.

This mic is used by Singer/Songwriter and Producer August Rigo whose recent work includes Justin Bieber, One Direction, Musiq Soulchild, and America’s Got Talent vocal coach.

Applications

With its high sampling rate and bit depth this is designed primarily for music - particularly for recording singing vocals and acoustic instruments like guitar.

Features

It comes with both iOS Lightning and Mac USB cables, a table top stand, and a stand adapter so you can use it with standard microphone stands. It also has a gain control dial on the side of the mic.

Compatibility

Works with iOS 8 on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch 5th generation. Also works with Mac OS 10.10 or later on Intel processors.

Specifications:

• Type: Condenser
• Polar Pattern: Cardioid
• Frequency Response: Not specified
• Sampling Rate: Up to 96 kHz
• Bit Depth: 24 bits
• Maximum SPL: Not specified
• Power Requirements: USB Powered

Pros

The most common positive feedback is that this is the best USB mic for the iPad and iPhone. Several people mentioned in their customer reviews that due to its sound quality and ease of use that they have begun using this in place of more traditional and more expensive studio condenser mics.

Cons

There weren't any consistent complaints other than a small number of people who wished it came with longer cables. There was at least one person who said they would have liked it to include a headphone jack on the mic - I suspect Apogee excluded that to avoid exceeding the low power limits of the iPad's USB bus.

Overall

Based upon all the customer and expert reviews I analyzed it seems clear this is a great USB mic to use with the iPad or iPhone.

The Apogee MiC 96k is not currently on our highest rated list - you can see that in our guide to The Best USB Microphones for Recording & Podcasting.