Can you help me clear up a lav confusion?

[Spanishben]

I'm interested in an omnidirectional lav mic for use with the iriver 799, and see that the biaurals are recommeded, e.g. from sound professioanls. However, I am happy with just one mono mic wired for 'dual mono' so it records on both channels, left and right. A mic like this:
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-LAV-1

My question is, will this mono be the same quality as the binaurals (if everything is going to be output in mono in the end anyway...) And also, are there any firm recommendations between Sound Professionals and Giant Squid Audio? (The giant squid is cheaper...)
http://www.giant-squid-audio-lab.com/gs/gs-mono1.htm

One thing is that with the sound professionals mic you can choose the high sensitivity option, which their sales rep. told me was better for ambient noise (e.g. picking up birds singing in a park whilst I'm walking and talking with the mic fixed on my lapel).... Any thoughts? Recommendations?
Thanks!!

[audiocollective]

Ya, the one from sound professionals is much better!! Although I don’t use it, I have a mono mic from radioshack and it is kind of a pain. When the mono mic records it will probably just record on the left channel so that may cause you problems.
I have heard a lot of great things about the sound professionals one and I am looking into getting it also. You will probably want to have the option of recording in stereo and the binaural effect is amazing when you listen to the recording with headphones! Good luck and I hope you find what you’re looking for.

[WyethDigital]

If you're going to output into a mono Podcast, then a stereo mic is not neccesary (it gets mixed to one channel anyway), but a high quality mic is essential.

If you're going to be walking in the park and doing a lot of talking, you might want to consider the mic that picks that stuff up (would be good for "sound scene" tours ala Adam Curry), but if you're more concerned about voice clarity and if you don't plan on walking in the park for every Podcast, then I would not recommend it, since all the "outside" noise will affect your voice tone, and will more than likely pick up more cord and clothes noise (and studio noise, like florescent lights, fans, etc.). So, if you can afford two mics -- one for your ParkCasts, and one for your studio 'casts, that would be optimal.


Eric