iRig Voice from iK Multimedia Hands on Review – Fun for Sing-Alongs!

My family loves to sing along with songs – it doesn’t matter if we hit the notes, we have fun. Our boys both sing in the high school choir and drama department, so they also like to sing along with songs they need to learn. iRig Voice lets them sing along, record, and have fun with all kinds of songs!

iRig Voice Brings Solid Performance at a Bargain Price!

Features:

•Handheld vocal microphone delivers professional sound quality
•Compatible with iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, newer Mac models and Android devices
•Compact cardioid pattern minimizes feedback
•Constructed of durable, lightweight thermoplastic
•Available in 5 colors: Green, Blue, Yellow, Pink and White
•Comes with EZ Voice app
•Works with dozens of karaoke, sing-along and music making apps
•Headphone jack for real-time monitoring
•Convenient on/off switch located on the mic

iRig Voice1

The Microphone:

The Voice is a corded handheld microphone that comes in a variety of colors. It is a low-cost ($39.99) microphone that is aimed at beginner users who want a simple way to sing-along and record their voice without breaking the bank.

Here are the specs:
•Microphone Type: condenser electret
•Polar Pattern: unidirectional/cardioid
•Frequency Response: 100 Hz – 15 kHz, -3dB
•Maximum Sound Pressure (set for high sound pressure): 105 dB
•Distortion: 3% THD at 105 dB, 1 kHz
•Windscreen: built-in
•Power and Connection: works with iOS and most Android devices

iRig Voice2

Because the iRig Voice works off the 3.5mm microphone/headphone interface, it has a headphone pass-through that allows you to connect to an external speaker or just to headphones. iRig Voice comes in an array of colors, and is designed to work with any app that accepts audio input.

Compared to the earlier iRig Mic from a few years ago, the build-quality of the iRig Voice is solid and substantial. You are not going to replace your professional microphone with this, but it is a well-built and solid device where everything fits well, feels sturdy and functions properly.

The design is simple – you have a unidirectional cardioid design for the input, designed with the reality of always being near a speaker in mind. IK has worked to minimize feedback in the design, and using it with the iLoud speaker confirmed this for me. There is an on/off switch, and the headphone jack is at the end near the phone input.

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In my testing I found that the noise and frequency response (by my own and my kids’ ears, not formal testing) is better than the original iRig Mic, the iRig Mic-Cast, and even the cheapie mic (sells alone for $50 from Amazon) that my kids got along with a software and audio interface.

It isn’t going to replace their Shure or Behringer Mics or be used in the studio in our basement for formal recording … but I was very pleased and impressed with the quality and the sound.

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EZ-Voice App:

The EZ-Voice app for me tells a lot about where IK Multimedia is targeting the iRig Voice – it is designed for singing along with songs on your device, or recording your own songs.

ezvoice_iph5s_fx_list

You can easily load up songs and just switch on the iRig Voice and sing along! You also have an array of effects such as Morph, Chorus, Delay, Reverb (which is free), EQ, and so on. These are powerful and fun effects that had us laughing quite a bit as we played around singing.

The app is free, but to get the full set of effects you can pay $4.99 (or $0.99 for each). It is a solid app that is much better and more useful than the old iRig Recorder. IK Multimedia plans an Android version of EZ Voice as well, though they haven’t announced a release date yet.

Conclusions:

The iRig Voice is a low-end microphone designed to allow families to just have fun, or for a novice interested in exploring the ability to make music on their iOS device to get a solid first entry. It succeeds on both counts – sing-alongs are a blast, and the simple recording capabilities of EZ Voice and solid performance of iRig Voice work to make this a great first microphone for kids and adults alike!

Source: The iRig Voice was a manufacturer supplied review sample

MSRP: $39.99 from IK Multimedia, EZ Voice app here.

What I Like: Good value for the money; solid build quality; surprisingly good sound quality; good noise and feedback rejection; EZ Voice has loads of fun features.

What Needs Improvement: Nothing.

Here is the iRig Voice overview from IK Multimedia:

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About the Author

Michael Anderson
I have loved technology for as long as I can remember - and have been a computer gamer since the PDP-10! Mobile Technology has played a major role in my life - I have used an electronic companion since the HP95LX more than 20 years ago, and have been a 'Laptop First' person since my Compaq LTE Lite 3/20 and Powerbook 170 back in 1991! As an avid gamer and gadget-junkie I was constantly asked for my opinions on new technology, which led to writing small blurbs ... and eventually becoming a reviewer many years ago. My family is my biggest priority in life, and they alternate between loving and tolerating my gaming and gadget hobbies ... but ultimately benefits from the addition of technology to our lives!