Up and running
Setting the iQ7 up is a breeze. It snaps into place on your iPad or iPhone via the Lightning connection and once seated properly engages and is ready to go. This is a very lightweight attachment, built in such a fashion that it doesn’t throw out the balance when attached to your iOS device. It isn’t the toughest piece of hardware and will require a little care when mounting and dismounting to the device, but you should get years of use from the iQ7. It will most likely outlast any iPhone you are using it with in any event.
Not your average pair
The iQ7 is somewhat of a different device in the sense that Zoom have decided to stray away from the commonly used XY microphone format, and instead have presented a MS microphone placement on this compact device. For those of you unaware of mid-side (MS) microphone techniques, it’s a simple idea that really expands the width of the audio spread. One microphone is directed straight at the sound source, while a second bidirectional microphone is used at 90 degrees to the sound source to capture both the left and right of the room. The combined signal can then be adjusted to place the listener in a different space simply by adjusting the balance of the two microphones. With a three way switch to adjust between 90 degrees, 120 degrees and mid-side capture, you get a range of sounds from the one microphone. The whole unit being able to be rotated for use as a front fire or centre fire capture too, making it ideal for use as a video recording accessory.
