[MV] VXi TalkPro Xpress or VXi TalkPro?

[Martin Markoe]

Richard,

> I intend to buy a microphone for use with iListen on a G4 
> iBook.  I wish to buy the best microphone.  The MacSpeech 
> tech-note on supported microphones says that the VXI TalkPro 
> Xpress is the best microphone, so I was going to buy this, 
> along with a VXi USB soundcard.
> 
> However, for the same price I could buy the VXi TalkPro which 
> includes a 'translator box'.  Does this translator box make 
> the microphone better or worse?  If it makes it better, then 
> why do MacSpeech recommend the version without the translator box?
> 
> The MacSpeech tech-note says that the translator box is 
> recommended for laptops to regulate the power output, but I 
> always run my laptop plugged into AC power so this should not 
> be an issue, should it?
The TalkPro, TalkPro Xpress and the TalkPro USB use electret microphone
elements. These require a small bias voltage, approximately 3 volts, to
allow the elements to vibrate at the sound of your voice. The voltage can
come from the ring of the soundcard, from a USB sound pod (an external
soundcard) or from an auxiliary battery box. The Translator is a voltage
equalizer in that it will increase or decrease the voltage to the proper
amount. Almost all soundcards today provide the correct voltage and in our
opinion the Translator is really only necessary for PC SoundBlaster
soundcards.

Our advice for tried and true Mac use, the VXI TalkPro Xpress coupled to an
Andrea USB sound pod. The Andrea pod has a slightly stronger gain that the
Mac computers prefer. See these at:
http://www.emicrophones.com/microphones/prod_details.asp?prodID=047
http://www.emicrophones.com/microphones/prod_details.asp?prodID=003

--
Martin Markoe, eMicrophones, Inc.
The best microphones for Speech Recognition
See us at: http://www.eMicrophones.com/
Read, "Key Steps to High Speech Recognition Accuracy" at:
http://www.emicrophones.com/docDetails.asp?DocumentID=38 
> 
> --
> Richard
> 
> _______________________________________________
> MacVoice mailing list
> MacVoice at listserver.themacintoshguy.com
> http://listserver.themacintoshguy.com/mailman/listinfo/macvoice
>