Microphone Comparison: Apogee MiC & Blue Microphone Spark

Luke Woodford
Feb 16, 2016
3 min read

Review/comparison (Apogee MiC Microphone & Blue Microphone Spark)

If you’re setting up a studio or just wanting to record in your bedroom, picking the right microphone is key. The Apogee MiC and the Blue Spark Microphone are both high quality condenser microphones that fall under the same price bracket, but what about appearance, accessibility and sound quality?

The Apogee MiC sits at around 38.1 x 114.3mm tall and around an inch and a half wide. With size on its side this compact condenser microphone is great for on the go use as well as having the quality to pass as a studio recording. The Apogee comes with a small stand and both iOS and USB cables; the only downside to this product is that the microphone is only compatible with a Mac or other iOS devices. This microphone falls in the price range of $199 - $250, with the cost being so cheap you will also need to pay out for an iOS device that you wish to record on, if you do not have one already.

My first impression of the MiC made me wonder how such a small microphone would be able to record even a slightly good recording, but this microphone seems to have it all. Packaged in a small enough box to fit into the front pouch of a guitar bag, you can set up and record anywhere. You will also receive an

instruction manual and tips on how to EQ the recording to get the best quality you can from the microphones frequency response and cardioid polar pattern.

A great feature on this microphone is the built-in gain control, controlling the input level allows you to get the best possible signal while avoiding distortion. When testing the MiC you will see a green light located next to the gain control showing you how strong the input signal is. The light has three colours, Green, Amber and Red. You will need to adjust the gain control depending on what you are recording and where, it is advised that you set the gain control to just before the light hits amber. The Apogee MiC is a cardioid condenser microphone that features 24-bit analog-to-digital conversion at 44.1 / 48kHz, a microphone that is so small, yet known to be of a ‘studio standard’ quality.

Blue microphones have been growing in popularity at a very fast pace, being one of the industry favourites with the vintage style look and the high quality sound capture. The Blue Spark has a diaphragm of 23mm and weighs 1.25 lbs. nearly twice the size of the Apogee MiC. The cost of the Blue Spark is around £200, similar to the price of the Apogee. However, there are a few other things you need to buy before you can start recording. As this microphone is connected via XLR you will need to buy an XLR cable, as cables are not included. You will need to by an audio interface and a microphone stand, increasing the price by another £60+.

The impressive shape and style of the Blue Spark can fool people into buying this microphone without knowing how good the sound quality is when recording, but with Blue introducing a ‘Focus’ button you will be able to quickly tell that this is a high quality studio microphone. The Focus button narrows the polar pattern and increasing the frequency response, this reduces the amount of background noise captured and will enhance the brightness and high-end when recording

Comparison

The Apogee and the Spark both have their advantages but they also have their similarities. They both have cardioid polar patterns and both cost around the same price and that’s why it is extremely hard to decide what microphone is better. The Apogee MiC is cheaper as an audio interface isn’t required, but that’s only if you already have an iOS device. On the other hand, the sound quality of the Blue Microphone is better, but you can only record with this microphone in a room that has the space for microphone stands and an audio interface that requires phantom powered. There is no doubt that Apogee has created a fantastic piece of equipment, one that has been used by international

producers/musicians and probably the best at mobile recording. Even though the Spark has had less of an impact on the industry, the overall sound quality is better than the MiC and that’s why I would buy the Spark over the Apogee.