Mikme Pocket – Compact Wireless Audio Recorder – Now on Kickstarter

News

by Jakub HanJune 24^th, 2019

The Mikme Pocket is a compact wireless audio recorder for clip-on microphones – now on Kickstarter. This new wireless audio recorder can act as a stand-alone product (Recorder) or automatically sync wirelessly with an iPhone (there is a failsafe copy recording on the Mikme recorder itself and, simultaneously, the audio is being recorded on the iPhone, too.) The Mikme App allows for 44.1kHz, 24bit high-quality audio to accompany the phone clips. Multiple Mikme Pockets can be connected to one phone. Thanks to the 16GB internal memory, it can provide a good audio source for any camera.

Mikme Pocket Audio Recorder. Source: Mikme

I dare to say that the majority of our regular readers already know how important it is to have good audio in video content. Audio tells the story and it is important to really focus on getting it right. When filming without a sound recordist and under time pressure, it is not always easy. This device could surely help.

Mikme is an Austrian company, specialised on designing audio recorders. It was founded in 2014 in Vienna, Austria, by Philipp Sonnleitner (former product manager at AKG). Back in 2015, they launched their first audio recorder – Mikme. The first Mikme got successfully funded on Indiegogo. For more details about it, please check Nino’s article here.

Now it seems like the Mikme team is back to crowdfunding with their new product – the Mikme Pocket. They are launching the Kickstarter campaign for this new audio recorder today. But what is the Mikme Pocket all about?

Mikme Pocket for Smartphones

The Mikme Pocket is tailored to cater especially mobile content creators – filmmakers using their smartphone to record videos. When recording, the audio from the Mikme Pocket will automatically sync with the image. There is no need for post-production. When you lose the connection to the phone, it will auto sync afterwards when the connection is back. Even when live-streaming with a phone, the audio will be sent from the Mikme Pocket in real-time.

For best resulting audio, it is necessary to use the Mikme App. The app is currently available for iOS only, but an Android version is planned to be released later this year. It supports 44.1kHz, 24bit high-quality audio wireless recording. There are no dropouts, thanks to the 16GB internal failsafe copy. Multiple Mikme Pockets can be connected to one smartphone, so recording interviews with more people should not be a problem. The Mikme Pocket also works with third party camera apps – but only in standard bluetooth audio quality, which is 16kHz in 16bit.

Mikme Pocket Audio Recorder with the Mikme App. Source: Mikme

The Mikme App supports live-streaming and has custom video settings, like frame rate, resolution, focus or exposure (manual and lock). Within the app, it is also possible to mix, edit or add effects to your audio files. The final video with its high-quality audio can be instantly published with your own branding.

Mikme Pocket as Audio Recorder with any Camera

The Mikme Pocket can also be used as a traditional audio recorder to provide high quality sound for footage from any camera. It has a 16GB internal memory, which is enough for up to 36 hours of uncompressed WAV audio (up to 96kHz in 24Bit) or up to up to 370 hours in compressed M4A format.

When using an iPhone, it is possible to wirelessly start and stop audio recording and monitor the audio during recording on multiple Mikme Pockets (and vice versa, when pressing the Mikme record button, the iPhone, if connected, will start to record simultaneously).  The audio files are stored on the internal memory and can then be offloaded to the editing computer via USB port on the Mikme Pocket or via the phone directly.

Mikme Pocket Audio Recorder. Source: Mikme

The Mikme pocket uses a mini XLR connector as a professional and secure way to connect the supplied microphone to the pocket body.

Mikme Pocket Audio Recorder uses mini XLR to connect microphone.

Mikme Pocket Key Specs

• Mini XLR connector for external audio sources
• Shipped with professional clip-on/lavalier microphone
• Audio frequency bandwidth: 25 to 22000 Hz
• Adjustable Microphone Gain: 0 to -30 dB
• Internal memory: 16 GB
• Recording in m4a or wav filetype, up to 370 hours m4a, 34 hours wav
• Sampling frequencies: 44.1, 48, 96kHz
• 24 Bit depth for sampling
• Processor: 2×168 MHz Cortex M4
• 920 mAh Rechargeable Li-Po battery, Battery-powered: up to 3 hours of recording, standby time: 6+ months
• Bluetooth 2.1 Mikme WirelessLink: immediate secure audio transmission with patented packet loss and sync detection = quality of service audio streaming with Mikme App (no receiver needed at smartphone), 44.1kHz audio bandwidth, no dropouts, automatic latency compensation, works with iOS and Android.
• Bluetooth HFP (Handsfree profile): works with any 3rd party audio/video app (no receiver at smartphone needed), 16kHz audio bandwidth, dropouts may occur, no latency compensation.
• Connectors: Micro USB, 3.5mm mini jack
• No latency monitoring of microphone capsule audio signal
• Used for Monitoring of headphones and Stereo audio out to DSLR or mixer
• 3/8″ thread for microphone stands and 1/4″ thread for DSLR tripods and mic stands
• Dimensions: 68 mm (2.68 in) x 75 mm (2.795 in) x 24 mm (0.94 in)
• Weight: 108 g (0.24 lbs)
• Apple MFi Certified
• Designed in Austria and made in Germany

Mikme Pocket Audio Recorder. Source: Mikme

The Mikme Pocket is available via its Kickstarter campaign and the price is starting at $279 US (249€). The development of the Mikme Pocket is done and production should start soon. The delivery of the Mikme Pocket to Kickstarter backers is planned for December 2019.

There are, of course, other compact audio recorders on the market already, from Tascam, Zoom, or Sennheiser. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. After testing a pre-production model of the Mikme Pocket on various shoots over the past two months, we can say that it works very well and the audio quality is good.

We say this at the end of every crowdfunding-related article: Please be aware of the risks when backing a project on a crowdfunding platform. Please read Kickstarter’s terms of use – especially Section 5 “How funding works”. Keep in mind that there can be significant delays when delivering the product. Some projects even don’t get delivered at all.

What do you think of the new Mikme Pocket audio recorder? Do you have any experience with the first generation Mikme? How do you record sound when shooting with a phone? Let us know in the comments section below.