See the video review of the Belkin GoStudio

Is anyone not listening to music on an iPod these days? Convenient and compact, the iPod has made huge quantities of music portable on a scale beyond any previous technology. It was only a matter of time before the portability and archiving potential of the iPod enticed the portable recording community. In response, several products that turn the iPod into an all-in-one, recording-and-playback solution have hit the market, including Belkin's GoStudio. One of the most impressive and affordable combinations of functionality and small size, the GoStudio combines stereo 16-bit/44.1-kHz (CD quality) recording capability with features like a built-in speaker, low-cut filter, limiter, and XLR port in a package that's not much bigger than the iPod itself.

ROCKING THE CRADLE

The GoStudio looks like a desktop iPod speaker dock with a Star Trek twist. A pair of mics are arranged on the sides of the unit, and mic and line inputs, as well as various dials and switches to set volume, are arrayed around the GoStudio's dock. It's also designed so that the iPod and the GoStudio sit at a 45-degree angle to the user, making controls easy to view and manipulate. Several recent iPod models work with the GoStudio, including the iPod 5G, iPod Classic, and second- and third-generation iPod Nanos. At this point, more recent models such as Touch iPods and the iPhone are not compatible.

The GoStudio packs a lot of features into a fairly small package. A selector switch enables you to select from the built-in mics, a 3.5-mm mic input, or a Neutrix combo input that supports both ¹/₄-inch and XLR cables (but there is no phantom power for condenser mics). Each channel has a switchable, individual gain control, so you could, for example, plug a guitar pickup directly into one channel and a vocal mic into the other and adjust the gain for each individually. A large, centrally placed dial works as a master level control for both channels.

Recording levels can be monitored via a set of LEDs, and you can monitor the recording through headphones (a mini-jack is provided). A built-in limiter can be switched on to prevent overload in louder environments, and a low-cut filter helps reduce bass distortion. The built-in speaker, a very convenient feature that is uncommon on handheld digital recorders, enables you to listen to your recordings immediately.

IN SESSION

Recording is a fairly straightforward process, though the operation does involve using both the GoStudio and your iPod. On the GoStudio you select inputs, adjust and monitor recording levels, and use the filters and limiters, but several functions are handled via a Voice Memo program on the iPod, including starting and stopping the recording and monitoring elapsed time.

Once you finish recording, you save your file to the iPod, which names files automatically by the date and time of the recording. Once the recording is committed to memory, you can listen back immediately through the GoStudio's built-in speaker or headphones. And if you want to store your recording more securely or manipulate it with audio software, you can connect your iPod to a computer via USB and transfer the 16-bit WAV files to iTunes, where you can also properly name the track.

The GoStudio's combined XLR and ¹/₄-inch inputs.

The GoStudio's sound quality varies depending on which inputs you use. The built-in mics can be a little bit noisy and sound thin compared to good external microphones, but they are more than adequate for capturing an idea at home (but on some iPods, they pick up noise from the internal hard drive). The limitations of the onboard microphones become a bigger issue if you're hoping to capture live performances in louder environments, which can overwhelm the mics. In such situations, the inconvenience of an external mic is offset by an improvement in recording quality. The playback quality of the tiny built-in speaker is adequate for verifying a recording, but don't expect high fidelity or high volume. It's worth noting, too, that several recordings sounded much better after simple EQ tweaks in iTunes.

THE WRAP

It's intriguing to think about ways to leverage the widespread availability of iPods in conjunction with a GoStudio. For example, an instructor with a GoStudio could allow students to record lessons by simply inserting their own iPods, and a similar approach might be useful at song circles.

For sound quality, the GoStudio doesn't necessarily compete with more expensive stand-alone portable recorders. But for those who use their iPod extensively, the GoStudio is a very cost-effective and simple way to enhance your iPod's functionality, consolidate a music archive, and capture ideas and performances on the run.