Topic: n00b advice - iPhone + Guitar Jack, possibilities?

[chap]

Hey All - Been lurking for a long time, seems like a pretty cool place. I've been into live recordings since I was a kid, realized that I've been to some amazing shows that I wish I had a recording of.

Just a little bit of knowledge about the types of shows I'd be taping. Although I listen to all types of music, about 50% of the shows I attended are in a basement, living room, VFW or other DIY venues where there isn't a soundboard. The other 50% occur in about 150 max capacity venues that do have a soundboard I'd have access to. The bands have two heavily distorted guitars, vocals, bass and drums - they are LOUD.

Here is the set up I'm thinking of using, I'm set on using my iPhone as the recording device for now as I recently stumbled upon a input device no one on here has discussed yet called guitar jack:

Recording Device: iPhone 4s
Input Device: Guitar Jack 2 http://www.sonomawireworks.com/guitarjack/
  1/8 inch stereo mic in -> 1/8 to XLR converter (any suggestions?) - > xlr cable (any suggestions? I see someone on this board makes really nice custom cables)) rode nt 4 mic (battery powered, but open to other mic suggestions)
  1/4 inch instrument in. This input is mono, but I was thinking of using it to get a feed from the board (when applicable) - Looking for suggestions on what feed to get from the board and what type of cables I should have on hand.

Thanks for any input, suggestions or ideas. I do have prior knowledge of sound recording as I can find my way around logic pretty well - but I know tapping is a whole new game.

[dvlane]

This looks interesting.  I bought a Tascam IM2 for my iPhone because I started seeing a lot of shows taped with it on archive.org.  Many of them are from venues that don't allow open taping such as Phil's terrapin station.  The only thing I have recorded with it so far is myself playing electric guitar in the garage, but they are the best recordings I have ever made of myself.  With the guitar jack it seems like you will still need a mike unless you get a direct feed off the board like you mention.  The IM2 cost about $60 brand new and it does record in stereo.  The mono recording seems like a real drawback.  Too bad they don't have a stereo input as I don't think there is any way to do a board feed directly into the IM2.

[rhinowing]

probably isn't worth it for a mono recording, honestly. You can probably get a DR-2D for under $100 at this point

[Todd R]

probably isn't worth it for a mono recording, honestly. You can probably get a DR-2D for under $100 at this point

The Guitar Jack referenced in the OP has a stereo 1/8" input and records in stereo, so you aren't limited to mono.

It seems pretty comparable on first glance to the Tascam IXJ2.  I'm not sure which one is better, though the GuitarJack can take a +18dbu input vs only +6dbV for the IXJ2, it has better S/N compared to the IXJ2 as well.

The dedicated DR2d might be a better all-round bet, though if you're stealthing, the GuitarJack is much smaller than the DR2d to smuggle in (and no reason to hide an iphone).

The GuitarJack says it doesn't provide "phantom power" on the 1/8" stereo mic input, by which I assume they mean no plug-in power.  So you'd need to couple it with a battery box or small preamp (from Church, Naiant, Sound Professionals, etc.).

Should work overall, but is limited to 16bits, needs to have an external battery box or preamp, etc.  Personally, I'd go with a Sony M10 or Tascam DR2d, but this GuitarJack thing might work.