[George Jones]

Dave,

Thanks for your tips on a strain relief system for the 3.5mm male connector.

I agree with your concerns and have taken a couple precautionary steps.

1. I have a special iPhone 4 holder with 1/4 In threads I use in the field for audio / video applications. This small holder can easily be mounted to an in car suction cup, small desktop tripod, or a portable 11 oz unit like the ZipShot https://www.zipshottripod.com/product.cfm.

On the holder I have mounted a small male snap holder. Around the right angle 3.5mm male cable connector I have a female snap. I snap it together in a snap and this system takes most of the stain off the connector.

2. As a backup, I have the AppleCare protection Plan.

Others have done similar things with velcro … but I like mine better. https://www.sonicstudios.com/tips.htm

I have all the pieces of this audio system and am waiting for Tieline to come out with their Enterprise Report-IT System.

George

[George Jones]

Sam,

Thanks for the feedback.

One would think the Apple Store would carry an audio adapter cable to go from the 3.5mm iPhone 4 4 Conductor Female Mic/Earbuds Jack to an XLR connector so a better quality mic can be used … but they don’t!

So I had to scout a supplier (KV Connection) that could do this. It’s not only going from 3.5mm to XLR but it is also about proper impedance matching the iPhone 4 high impedance needs (> 800 ohms) to a low impedance balanced mic such as the 350 Ohm Sennheiser MD46 and other similar low impedance mics. I think KV Connection should update their web posting for this cable adapter and say: “Compatible with low impedance XLR Mics such as the 350 ohm Sennheiser MD46”

Locking Audio Connectors Like In XLR Connectors: Ty brought up an interesting point about the need to have a locking 3.5mm female connector (on iPhone 4) going to a locking screw-on 3.5mm male connector on the KV Connection adapter/cable. I agree with that need. However, Apple would have to have that locking 3.5mm female connector on their side … and they don’t and probably won’t.

Thanks for your patience with this this guy afflicted with chronic AAI … Amatuer Audio Ignorance.

George

[George Jones]

Sam,

https://www.sam-mallery.com/archives/415 I saw the link on your site titled “The Best Camera is the Phone You Have With You”.

In my 1st Post I am saying: “The Best Field Audio Recorder & Pro Live Audio Broadcast System Is the Phone You Have With You” … in this case the iPhone 4.

You said on 6/3/10:
** “But there’s an old saying that I’ve heard a lot over the years at B&H: The best camera is the one that you have with you.”
** “The D90 was awesome, and I recommend it as a good choice for a DSLR, but any camera like that with a real lens on it is large, and you can’t just throw it in you backpack every morning to have it at all times. So even though I had that nice camera last week, the best photo I took came from my trusty old iPhone 3Gs”

I hope your appreciate my perspective somewhat better with the above example. We all have to learn about this new technology and the sum of the pieces I outlined in my 1st Post makes this setup a under $1K Professional level one.

The average consumer is not going to go out and purchase a $300 Mic and nearly $300 in Pro Level Audio apps (Tieline Report-It) to be able to do Live Audio Field Broadcasting via 3G or WiFi with a frequency range of 150Hz to 15000 Hz. Instead they are going to do a cellphone call and use the low fidelity <3000 Hz audio via the internal iPhone 4 mic.

George

[George Jones]

Hi Sam,

The $299 5OZ Apple iPhone 4 Mobile Phone is a well designed – well manufactured – high quality small device that has Live and Recorded HD 720P Video & HD 150Hz-15000Hz Audio capabilities for users at various levels: consumers – prosumers – professionals.

As we know, there is only one iPhone 4 model versus 3 model levels for different users such as “iPhone 4 Consumer”, “iPhone 4 Prosumer”, “iPhone 4 Professional”

In this case the iPhone 4 is used by a one-man-band Professional Journalist who needs to travel lite and may not be accompanied at times by a professional videographer, professional soundman, professional director, professional audio/video editor and associated professional and heavier gear.

I hope you are not getting into a distinction where “consumer” equates to low quality or low performance equipment. There is low quality audio equipment and audio software at all levels out there including consumer – prosumer – professional levels.

The audio equipment and software I described in my post is for professional level use by a Working Professional Journalist.

Here’s a description of the High Quality $26.50 KV Connection Cable:
Custom iPhone 4 Y-Cable with a (A.) 3.5mm TRRS male right-angle plug to a (B.) 3.5mm TRS Male headphone jack with 3 inches of cable, to a second branch with 15ft of cable to (C.) XLR female microphone jack. This cable incorporates impedance matching circuitry specifically to match the Sennhiser MD46 low impedance microphone to the iPhone 4.
Connector A: 3.5mm TRRS Male
Connector B: 3.5mm TRS Female
connector C: XLR Female
Cable Type: Premium Mogami Shielded Audio Cable
Cable Color: Black
Cable Length: 3 inches to connector-B and 15ft to connector-C

So, yes the above eliminates the need for a traditional Matching Transforner made by Shure, Hosa and others as well as the associated cables. The cable I use is 15FT needed for 2 person standup interviews. KV Connection also has a 5FT Version.

The Tieline RePort-IT Audio Software is Professional Grade as is the $300 Sennheiser MD 46 Mic.

Thanks,
George