Shiny, retro-inspired microphones are all the rage these days, and Samson’s Meteor Mic ($99) might well be the flashiest of the pack. Built with a fancy integrated tripod for instant positioning on a flat surface, Meteor Mic features a chrome-plated body with metal mesh grilles wrapping around the chassis. Volume and mute controls are on the front, with headphone-out and USB connectors on the back. But what’s inside counts for a lot, too: a big 25mm condenser microphone, designed to capture sound with warmth that smaller mics might miss. It’s being pitched at podcasters, but the CD-quality 16-bit/44.1 or 48kHz recording capabilities will make it attractive for other recordings, as well.
Part of Meteor Mic’s draw for Mac users is the simplicity of its interface: all you need to do is plug in the included USB cable and you’re ready to record without any software, power cords, or other items to worry about. There’s a nice soft drawstring carrying bag in the package, too. While it’s not strictly designed to be iOS device-compatible, Samson notes that you can use the iPad Camera Connection Kit’s USB adapter to make it work nicely with GarageBand.