Hacking an inexpensive stereo microphone intended for Apple dock

I'm at Amazon price checking recorders and stumble upon this stereo microphone intended to plug into a iPhone etc:

I wish I had one on hand, but it appears there is a 16-bit A/D converter inside so I don't know if it's looking for a SPDIF-in on the iPhone, but if it's converted it's digital and that makes a lot of sense.

For all I know maybe there's adapters for Pis with usable pinouts for the usual suspects in a digital audio connection. That's not my expertise but everyone else's.

The microphone elements are same as Tascam's top of the line recorders.

All in all, I'm not sure what a practical use for this is, but it sure begs to be hacked! If it already had bluetooth broadcast out I'd have bought it already :-)

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-= Cloud 9 =-

I don't think, that it has a point to get SPDIF signals. Probably it has some kind of highly integrated chip, that carries USB signals to the according pins of the old fashioned 30 pin iPhone connector...

The old 30 pin connector has stereo line-in signals (analogue!), it is possible, that the mic is analogue therefore (only amplifier for line in level included) surplus material is often described in a rubbish way ...

EDIT: The Tascam Internet page provides informations about the microphone. They say the same according to 16 bit ADC...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/13/2020 10:45AM by Martin aus Dortmund.

Martin aus Dortmund Wrote:
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> I don't think, that it has a point to get SPDIF
> signals. Probably it has some kind of highly
> integrated chip, that carries USB signals to the
> according pins of the old fashioned 30 pin iPhone
> connector...
>
> The old 30 pin connector has stereo line-in
> signals (analogue!), it is possible, that the mic
> is analogue therefore (only amplifier for line in
> level included) surplus material is often
> described in a rubbish way ...
>
> EDIT: The Tascam Internet page provides
> informations about the microphone. They say the
> same according to 16 bit ADC...

16-bit integer resolution allows for a dynamic range of about 96 dB - Wikipedia

I have to fault them with one thing, saying "96 dB" without adding SPL or any of the various indications of what is being compared from one to another. That's pretty neat how you double your power to have to go up 3 db (hypocrite alert: I forgot which addon myself! lol doh).

Yeah I've had an Android phone for about 6 months and the plugin jack is almost so worn it won't stay n place. So I'm thinking of checking out iPhone or even iPad bundles. The mics that go on them I think are A/D converted in the head itself and send a digital signal to the iPhone. Here is one example and it looks pristine: http://www.rode.com/microphones/ixy

I'm tired so I'll check back soon; thanks for replying!

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-= Cloud 9 =-