FostexAR 4I Audio Interface for iPhone 4.

The AR-4i is a portable audio interface for the iPhone 4 and 4S which gives pristine audio through two supplied positionable condenser microphones, and can accept input from external condensers and electrets. It is additional equipped with a cold shoe mount for video accessories and a heavy hand grip which will improve video stability. It has a rudimentary (though highly useful) four dot LED level meter, and physical thumb wheel level and headphone output controls. The manufacturers claim 8 to 10 hours operation time with three AAA alkaline batteries, though we were only able to get three hours out on the supplied set. The device is well supported with a free App that also includes a limiter. The AR-4i works with all the audio apps I've tried it with, and the iPhone's own video recording.Why?The iPhone shoots great video (if you can hold it steady enough) but the audio quality is relatively poor. In a quiet room you can record a podcast with good results, but in any kind of challenging environment you quickly discover the limits. What's worse, the built in automatic volume control means you don't get any consistency of sound. The AR-4i overcomes this as a (slightly bulky) slide on casing for the iPhone with three powered microphone points, proper level controls, two supplied good quality small capsule condenser microphones, and some pro tools in terms of pan, low cut filter and limiter.In useWe tried this out recording a live gig from on stage, and whispered pod-cast style recording in a quiet room. Though the battery life isn't that great (though it doesn't drain the phone at all), giving us really only three hours on the supplied batteries, the audio quality was superb in both environments, even without engaging the software limiter. The hardware controls were very easy to use with no fiddling, and the four dot LED level indicator was good enough to set the levels, including altering it from the loud sound-check level to the much louder gig level (people always play quieter on the sound check) on the fly.PracticallyAlthough we bought this for audio work, the heavy handle, which can be screwed in vertically or horizontally was a significant improvement for video, giving much better stability. The thread is tripod standard, so you can also mount this, thus gaining potentially broadcast quality video, since it's the stability and the audio which really let the iPhone down for serious work.Frequency range and audio specsThe microphones and unit together are specced at 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The ear can't hear 20 Hz, but on our tests there was a good, lively response as low as 32 Hz, which is far better than the iPhone's own mic can deliver. The rated signal to noise ration is 73 dB or better from mic to phones with the input gain turned right up. In principle, this is less good than CD's 96 dB. In reality, it's extremely rare that you ever hear any kind of recorded audio with anything like this range. To our ears there was noticeable hiss when the input gain was turned up to the top with a quiet signal, but virtually no noise at any kind of ordinary recording volume, even for spoken word.Look and feelIt's all presented in a nice soft carry bag with a pocket for the handle, which would otherwise do some damage. The look is nice, though the bump of the big battery pack on the back rather destroys the phone's sleek lines.OverallThis is more or less the highest quality microphone interface available for the iPhone at the moment. My only real disappointment is that the supplied power for a microphone is 2.5V, not 48V phantom, which means you can't connect it to 'proper' condenser microphones.Highly recommended, nonetheless.

very pleased with the quality of the sound recording. Does what it claims at a very reasonable price. With an additional microphone it is even better.

il mio 4s ha toccato nuove vette, scaricato amplitube free e altri pacchetti e registrato chitarra e voce, latenza accettabile e suono molto più convincente di quello integrato, La versione free del sw scaricato non permetteve registrazioni stereo ma non escludo che possa registrare stereo, devo ritestare in cuffia,Le batterie non durano molto, ma per il resto molto soddisfatto.

Idee und Mechanik sind super. Auch die Software, die das Gerät vom iPhone aus steuert, kann überzeugen. Aber AR-4i rauscht unglaublich laut. Unfassbar! Schließlich ist Fostex ein bekannter Hersteller im semiprofessionellen Audiosegment.

La possibilité de brancher jusqu'à 3 microphones permet un confort d'enregistrement incomparable (dommage par contre qu'on ne puisse pas les régler individuellement... peut être qu'une mise à jour du micro logiciel le permettra dans le futur) pour les interviews. C'est compatible avec tous les logiciels enregistrant du son (à la différence d'autres micros qui imposent un logiciel bien propre au micros) ou de la vidéo (je n'utilise que la partie son).

驚く定価格で入手したのでさほど期待はしていませんでしたがとてもよくできています。付属のマイクでピアノの簡単な収録用にと購入しミニ三脚で使用しています。ずっしり重く安定感が出ますので手持ちでも一眼レフのようなグリップ感で持てますヘッドフォンで聞いた収録音質はPCMレコーダーのようなとてもクリアなステレオ音低域はマイクの性能かそれほど収録できないようですがピアノの中音域などは最高でまるでリバーブでもかけたかのような響板の響きまで収録していました欠点はi-phneがかなりぴったりに入るようになっていて抜き差しが堅い事、RECボリュームが回し具合にシビアで今一精密には調整できない点、そのままヘッドフォンで聞いたらマイクも再生音もミックスされて聞こえる点、その際はミキサーからのシーっというノイズが聞こえる点ぐらいですやっぱりFostexというブランドという事で製品はきちんと作られています！動画投稿用に使う方へも超お勧めです

それなりに使い込んでみての感想です。付属マイクを使用する場合、ライブ録音や楽器練習、パーティーなどの大音量環境下では結構よく録れます。が、録音レベルを真ん中から最大にして肉声や鳥の鳴き声等を録ろうとすると、とたんにノイズが大きくなってしまいます。これは何をやっても下がらず、マイクを変えても同じだったので仕様と思って諦めるしかないです（泣）会議録音等の用途を想定されている場合、通常のICレコーダ等をご利用になった方がいいと思います。念の為もう一回。楽器録音では定位もちゃんとしてていい仕事をします。