Mikme, a Bluetooth, Portable Studio Quality Mic and Audio Recorder for Artists, Podcasters, Vloggers and Creators

Ever since I was seven years old, I played guitar, wrote and recorded music and also gigged with bands. I still play and write, but not as much as I used to. I do miss it. Even though my inner rockstar is currently taking a nap, I am an aspiring audiophile. From headphones to speakers to amps and turntables, I surround myself with immersive sound. It's how I think and how I move.

One of my recent areas of exploration has been in digital audio recording. Back in the day, I invested in, and still own, many high-end studio mics, mostly tube, but also a full array of other designs. I've since started podcasting and now considering a mobile video series of shorter segments (although, I've never been comfortable in front of the camera.) With that said, I travel a lot. So, whatever I use, has to be not only portable, it has to not comprise on audio quality because of portability. I have a long list of mics that, while useful and still come along for the ride, are rich with compromises. Then a good friend of mine, out of the blue, asked if I wanted to meet with a new company at CES that has solved the portable recording challenges.

Yes please!

Meet Mikme.

Mikme is the brainchild of Philipp Sonnleitner and Thomas Wachauer, dedicated musicians and audio engineers who also stuggled with compromises associated with portable, digital audio. He may have solved those problems and opened up new possibilities for mobile recording in the process. I've included the video interview with Thomas below. Feel free to scroll down to jump to it. For eveyone else, allow me to set the stage.

Mikme is a palm-sized studio-quality bluetooth microphone and audio recorder that's equipped with a 1" gold-plated cardioid condenser capsule. It is phantom-powered (48V) and supported by a built-in spider suspension that blocks hangling noise. It features a 2 x 168 MHz Cortex M4 processor and has a rechargeable LiPo battery that can last up to 3.5 hours in standalone recording mode. MikMe has start-of-the art 24bit (up to 96kHz ADC) analog to digital conversion built-in.

In standalone mode, you can simple press the button and start recording. Even if you're walking around, outdoors in a noisy place or in a quiet room, the mic will focus on you and capture the sound array you choose.

In video mode, your Mikme becomes an extension of your smartphone, bluetooth camera or DSLR, and through the Mikme app, audio automatically syncs with the video. You can then instantly share the integrated output via your social channel of choice or save it for later reference or editing (there are editing and management features in the app too).

To be fair, Mikme isn't inexpensive. A quick search shows that you can get it for about $399.

Why would you spend that kind of money on a portable mic? Because you care about sound and you care about the experience a viewer/listener has with your content. And the total experience becomes your brand. No one really wants to watch shaky video if they have a choice. This is why stabilizers are now a common staple among creators. At the same time, no one enjoys audio that they have to work to hear.

As a creator, I care about this stuff. I care about the attention and time of people who are willing to read, watch or listen to my work. Audio is a critical and defining element of a total sensory experience. If you're going to create and you want people to give you the gift of their time and attention, then Mikme might just be for you.

Recorded Live at CES in Las Vegas Using Mikme to Capture Audio

While at CES in Las Vegas, Mikme CEO and founder Philipp Sonnleitner joined me for a short interview on the heels of winning the CES Innovation Award. To put the microphone to the test, we shot the video on an iPhone while connected to a Mikme live. As you'll notice, the camera is free to move around without being tethered to the mic, keeping the audio focused the entire time. Note, the audio has not been edited.

You can take a quick look at some of the demo videos here, but my favorite video, and one that pushed me over the edge, was this one.

Brian Solis, Author, Keynote Speaker, Thinker

Brian Solis is world-renowned digital analyst and futurist. He is also a sought-after keynote speaker and an 8x best-selling author. In his new book, Lifescale: How to live a more creative, productive and happy life, Brian tackles the struggles of living in a world rife with constant digital distractions. His previous books, X: The Experience When Business Meets Design and What’s the Future of Business explore the future of customer and user experience design and modernizing customer engagement in the four moments of truth.

Invite him to speak at your next event or bring him in to your organization to inspire colleagues, executives and boards of directors.

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