I have a Yikes G4 with audio line-in and am seeking a Mic that I can use for professional uses as well as for iChat. It needs to have good sound quality and be able to pick up my voice from a foot or so away.

The iSight is too expensive and I can't use it for pro audio.

It needs to be cheap- I don't need a really high level one- just something I can connect to the line-in and get good sound quality.

Thanks!

you are not likely going to find a mic with "professional" sound quality and be able to use with ichat. Reason being... a good pro audio mic really needs to be used with a good mic pre-amp. Some mics can be used without mic pre-amps but they still need at least an xlr or 1/4" input and even if you get 1/8" adaptor... the line levels will probably not work if you try to plug into the mic jack on the back of the computer. To get the best audio signal from a mic... a good audio interface will be needed.

ideally, if you want a mic to use with ichat... buy one of those headphone mics or a desktop mic made for computers and such purposes. Then buy a nice mic for audio work. This is the best situation where you have two mics. Depending on the sound you desire from your mic... I do know that some have used the plain talk microphones that used to come with older macs (sat on top of monitor) to record vocals but the sound was kinda raw and compressed but sound ok for their music (hard rock) style.

Hmm... thanks for the informative reply.

I already have a radioshack computer microphone but the sound levels are really low and it requires putting one's mouth right up to the mic to be heard.

The microphone built into my brother's iMac is really great- it picks up on most sounds in the room. I wish I could get something like that- something comparable to a phone's mic that picks up on most sounds well. I suppose you're right about getting a separate mic for pro audio.

Does anyone have a recommendation? How are those old Apple plain talk mics?

I may be wrong but I seem to remember that Apple mic inputs used a diffrerent line level than most computers. That may be why the Radio Shack mic has low input. The plain talk mic is the only computer mic I have ever used and it had great sensitivity with levels being enough that I could record me jamming on my bass in living room a few feet away from mic and signal was strong. I did this before getting my Digi001.

Maybe you should look for one of those mics for sale cheap on ebay... heck, if you have problems finding one used for good price... let me know and I may have extra one laying around from past computer that I can sell you cheap depending on where shipped too.

Alright, thanks a bunch!
There's a bunch of those on ebay for $1 so I'll pick one up.


As a high school student it'll take me awhile to get the necessary equipment to do some real music on my mac:
a quattro,
a midi keyboard,
Reason,
Cubase or Logic

I'm in the process of building an iMac G4.

Don't forget me, I'll be back.
See ya then.