• For mobile devices. Choosing an external microphone for your phone Directional microphone for your Android smartphone

    Hello friends, today we will see how you can connect an external microphone to your tablet or phone.
    Finally, you will see the difference between internal and one external microphone.
    Something about voice recording...
    In order to capture sound quality, we need a good microphone placed close to the sound source. Even if we have the most powerful microphone in the world it is worth nothing if it is too far from the sound source.
    When you place the microphone close to the source, we get a very good SNR, SNR stands for signal noise ratio, that is, the ratio between signal and noise. Understand this well, if you are trying to talk to someone on the phone in a noisy environment, the other end will certainly complain about the sound quality.
    In addition, the SNR we are interested in and the effect of this is damaged when the microphone is close to the source. The effect of this depends on the microphone, but in general we emphasize a louder voice.
    Why not use the built-in microphone?
    The built-in microphone is exactly where it should be. As a general rule, a room should not have a microphone unless it is isolated using a shock absorption system (suspension).
    Startech.com 3.5mm 4x 2 3 Pin Pin to 3.5mm Splitter Headset Adapter - M/F
    If the microphone of the camera is turned on, then obviously it will record vibration, noise or any other font in the place in order to record what interests us, this voice.
    The built-in microphone can only be used for shooting quickly unimportant or capturing ambient sound. Deaemenea's internal microphone can be used to synchronize subsequent video and audio tracks if we were to use an external audio recorder.
    Thus, we can connect a microphone to a phone or tablet; we need a special adapter, which you will find in stores or on eBay or Amazon.

    In this video tutorial, the authors of PRO Hi-Tech studied the topic of professional video shooting with a mobile phone camera. The task is to consider ways to connect an external microphone to a smartphone for various tasks. The word professional indicates the difference that will allow the story to be broadcast, for example, on TV. Cheap microphones in this Chinese store.

    Since the presenter will record the sound immediately in the frame, you need a good microphone. There are options here. You can write directly into your phone using the buttonhole. Or you can do it separately, using a voice recorder. Or use a recorder. And then you need to mount it all.

    To make the lavalier work instead of the phone's built-in microphone, you will need an adapter. If you try to connect a lavalier to the jack on your phone without it, nothing will work. But don't rush to buy it. You can check whether the device works with an adapter without buying an adapter, using a standard headset.

    If the sound is recorded from a headset, the external one will work. You can buy an adapter. If not, then we will act differently.

    You got it working, what microphone should you buy? Even a penny one will do. Let's compare SVEN Mk-150, Ritmix RCM-101 and Dialog M-107B. We will connect them to one recorder. Next, the same phrase will be spoken and you will listen to the sound on different devices.

    Another option is a Bluetooth headset that can work as a microphone. At the same time, the distance from the smartphone camera to the person in the frame is greater than necessary.

    You have it working great. But, for example, the Lumia 950 XL does not want to function with an external one via an adapter. And with a Bluetooth headset it’s the same. But the Nokia Lumia 1520 on Windows 10 performed well.

    Therefore, we will record the sound separately. Dictaphones and recorders are suitable for this purpose. Zoom H6 is not the best choice for mobile photography, as it is expensive. You can connect up to 6 sources to it, and we only need one. If we want to record a voice at a distance so that the operator can control the recording level, it is better to use a directional gun. For zoom there is a standard microphone, but it is much cheaper to purchase a third-party one. The second way is to connect the lavalier to records or a voice recorder. Adjust the recording level in advance and hide it in the presenter’s clothes. In this case, you will not be able to monitor the sound. But the freedom of action of a person in the frame is limitless. The selection principle is the same here.


    discussion

    xenia
    tell me please. When you connect a microphone to an Android device, it sees the microphone as headphones, i.e., you can record sound on it, but the sounds of the device itself disappear. How can I make it possible to record sound from the application and from the microphone at the same time?

    Boris Clinton
    Sven bought 2 days ago in the DNS store for 56 rubles. What's in your review, but the clip needs to be redone, it won't catch on the jacket.
    Today I bought another Sven MK-170 buttonhole with a noise reduction cap at a computer store for only 170 rubles.
    I checked the wind, now I’m processing the video, I’ll post it in the morning.
    But they also have tests in a store for professional musicians for 2 thousand rubles.
    Which is not worth a penny - https: //www. Youtube. Com/watch? V=0ayzhrk4qi8

    meaning of life
    1:13 thanks for the very important advice. I just bought boya by-m1, according to the seller, this buttonhole should work through an adapter in video shooting mode on a smartphone. But in reality this is not the case. I checked it through the standard headset according to your advice, my xiaomi mi4 does not record through the microphone of regular headphones. We saved you from unnecessary trips to the radio equipment store. I will buy a DSLR.

    Maxim zyatnin
    With one phone you can take pictures, with others you can write from your lapel - I found this recipe for myself.
    The Bluetooth headset croaks and distorts the sound due to the presence of noise reduction. Plus, there are few camera applications that can record sound from a Bluetooth source.

    Plush toys mirrabio
    Thanks a lot! This is exactly what I was looking for! It is shown what, where and how to do it! Good luck to you!

    Denchik64
    phone honor p9 lite, detects it as headphones, but continues to write to the phone's microphone, I use the same thing with an adapter, tell me what can I do to make it work, or did I waste my money?

    Nemola nemola
    What is the simplest and free program for Windows 7-10 for overlaying transcribed speech on video and then cutting out the sound recorded on the camera? With synchronization by hops (graphic peaks). I'm not an expert in this and I want to try to record sound on 2 gadgets at the same time.

    Uncle Misha
    The topic of sound recording does not lose relevance, and the two-year-old video is being discussed, and new videos are being released. When recording on a smartphone, not only the choice of microphone is important, but also which program to record the sound with. In continuation of the budget-microphone theme, I also made a video with my tests (including with a smartphone): https: //youtu. Be/j0dfrl9tgsk

    Evgeny Burakov
    What voltage can be supplied to the 3.5mm jack of a smartphone? If you feed a signal from a mixer to the microphone input. I heard there is a risk of burning the phone's sound card. On mixers, the RCA outputs from which the signal for recording is taken are 2-4 V. I wonder how risky everything is?

    Mariana n
    I have an adapter with a microphone, but it records automatically from the main microphone. Where in the settings can I change it to record from an external headset? What program to download (a number of programs). Mersipon.

    Andrei sozoland
    Today, many people need to make video content, and not everyone immediately has the opportunity to use the services of a professional cameraman, or a decent camera with a lapel

    Diana Suyunova
    I bought a lavalier microphone on Ali, but it doesn’t work on my laptop or phone! What should I do?
    What is another name for the adapter? Will it work with an adapter? Please answer!

    Igor igor
    Hello
    smartphone samsung s6 sm-g920f. I install it in the knee area. I’m going to shoot a video and at the same time I want to record the sound on the video directly during shooting so that later I don’t have to mess around or adjust one to the other. How to do this using an external microphone while leaving all the conversations around, i.e., superimposing my voice on the conversational and general background that makes the internal microphone of the Samsung. Or is the second option to immediately shoot a video and upload what I say into the microphone only using a remote microphone that records both my voice and external conversations without touching or by turning off the internal microphone of the Samsung?

    Millenniumlanguages
    guys, tell me, I have meizu. I bought an adapter, a sven microphone, as you showed here, and it doesn’t record anything. Are my hands crooked or what could be wrong?

    Rightysix
    Perhaps the meizu shell does not support recording sound in video from an external microphone. To be sure, you can try connecting a headset and try recording the sound into a video.

    Ivan Skorov
    I definitely like it! That's how I knew - I liked it before watching! Particularly interesting is what concerns the shooting of the video itself. After all, while dslr cameras have the ability to shoot video in “without enhancements” mode and adjust colors and saturation during processing, smartphones do not always have this option “out of the box.” And it’s nice that you share your experience in terms of filming, because there is a risk of earning even more money from your competitors)

    evkov
    I don’t know, on iOS everything works for me through an adapter like this and a regular genius buttonhole. It works in video recording mode, or if you just write a voice through a voice recorder.

    Kami
    So. If in a frame 2 people sitting next to each other record sound through the heel, will the person sitting next to them interfere and not ruin the recording? Then it's probably better to record the gun through a microphone?

    Bestwedfilm, photo and video services in Balti, Moldova
    Is it possible to connect a mixing console to a smartphone using this adapter?

    Aerial photography Chelyabinsk flight video
    good review, tell me how to understand whether a lavalier or bluetooth headphones with a microphone will work on a smartphone, I have a Samsung A5 2016. I wanted to buy bluetooth headphones with a microphone so that they work when I shoot a video, but I couldn’t connect anything, tell me what to do? Is this buttonhole suitable for my phone audio-technica atr3350″

    Alexander Vladimirovich
    firstly, I can only say for the lg l65 (I haven’t tried it on other phones), secondly, I bought a different adapter at a radio parts store (on one side there are 3.5 to 4 pins, on the other there are 2 inputs (there is a picture above each) : for a microphone and for headphones), thirdly, I connect the microphone to the adapter (I put it in the camera position, since it doesn’t work in “smartphone” mode) and headphones, then I connect it to the phone. After this, an icon for the connected headset should appear on the phone.

    advanced marketing
    interesting topic! Lenovo a6010 smartphone. Your topic is relevant for me right now. I'm trying to figure out how to use an external microphone to record the sound of voice and speech, but it doesn't work.
    Maybe you can tell me something?

    Factorydemon
    Good afternoon! Awesome topic, I would be glad to see more videos on similar topics. But then questions arose about microphones: while watching a part of the story demonstrating voice recording on different microphones, you do not indicate where exactly the sound was recorded. It is clear that under the same conditions, but where exactly? Indoors? Yes, it was interesting to compare the sound in relatively ideal conditions, but using a mobile device means being prepared to record a report in less than ideal conditions. For example, go out with friends to the park for a concert or a picnic and unexpectedly meet someone and interview him, for example. And it’s not clear how external microphones will perform in such situations? It would be nice if, say, Ilya, standing in windy weather or next to a noise source, tried to speak some phrases into these microphones. Indeed, in the proposed tests (in my unprofessional opinion), cheap microphones under ideal conditions show basically identical results. Well, it cannot be that in “extreme” shooting conditions, audio equipment does not stand out in any way against the background of microphones below 500 rubles. And, you see, they don’t use smartphone photography to record something under ideal conditions—that’s what computers are for.

    Ilya Korneychuk
    +factorydemon the better the recorder, the more audible the difference will be, but a good announcer + an average microphone will win over a bad announcer and the best microphone in the world.

    Factorydemon
    +Ilya Korneychuk thank you! I just liked the idea of ​​quickly recording, say, a podcast in the field using a smartphone. I never suspected that this was possible before. Thanks to your story, I’m beginning to understand that in combination with a smartphone + microphone, it’s not worth spending money on the latter

    aver812
    What should I type in the search for an adapter from jack to microphone to stereo? I can’t find it anywhere in online stores, although I understand that it must be cheap.

    In terms of video recording, modern smartphones “give a head start” even to semi-professional cameras, but to produce high-quality sound recording gadgets, alas, never learned. Fortunately, the mobile electronics market allows users not to put up with poor sound - there are now a huge number of external microphones for smartphones on sale that guarantee clear and 100% “readable” audio.

    Manufacturers of mobile devices who consider the sound recording function for a smartphone to be of secondary importance should pay attention to how large the number of people who, due to their occupation, have to constantly record audio, is. Potential users of remote microphones are:

    • Journalists/interviewers. For people who earn their living through interviews, an external microphone is a technique in the “ must-have" Interviewing can take place in a noisy place (on the street or in a cafe) - the built-in microphone of a gadget with the task of sound recording will definitely not work in such conditions.
    • Musicians. It is extremely important for musicians to be able to “catch the muse by the tail” - to capture on audio a melody that suddenly began to sound in their heads.
    • Students. Not all teachers make sure that students have time to record their words on paper or a sheet of Word. Thanks to the remote microphone, you can record a lecture on audio so that you can convert it into written form at home, in a comfortable environment.
    • Bloggers. It doesn’t matter whether the blogger makes reviews of technology or just funny videos - if the sound is “out of the box”, his videos will not become popular.

    What types of external microphones are there?

    Based on their design features and appearance, microphones are usually classified into 3 categories:

    "Labels". Lavalier microphones are characterized by their small dimensions, the presence of a clip-on mount, and a relatively low price. Lavaliers are used mainly to record interviews and the voice of the presenter or blogger. Here's an example - MXL MM160, an inexpensive microphone suitable for smartphones on both iOS and Android:

    Lavalier microphones also have disadvantages. "Labels", as a rule, are undirected, and therefore extraneous noise in the recording is heard as clearly as the useful signal (that is, the voice). In addition, lavaliers are not suitable for recording music due to the limited frequency range.

    "Guns". The shotgun microphone is directed microphone, and therefore is free from the disadvantages that “lavaliers” have. The “gun” records sound directly in front of itself, cutting off the overtones on the sides - it turns out that an exclusively useful signal appears on the audio track. An example of this type of microphone is Rode VideoMic Me, a fresh model presented at the exhibition Photokina 2016:

    VideoMic Me is considered a breakthrough model for two reasons: Firstly, this microphone is connected via 3.5-Jack, which means it fits all gadgets, secondly, it has a very liberal price - about 3 thousand rubles.

    “Guns” are also not suitable for recording songs – precisely because of the direction. Microphones of this type do not record reverberation and echo, but it is sound reflections that make music “live”.

    Stereo microphone. Musicians need such equipment. A stereo microphone captures sound throughout the room, which means it also captures useful reflections that are so important for the liveliness of a composition. Contrary to popular belief not all stereo microphones are expensive: on AliExpress, for example, you can purchase a “no-name” device capable of recording stereo, in total for 150 rubles.

    If a musician wants to buy high-quality stereo equipment from a well-known manufacturer, he should pay attention to microphones Zoom. At the peak of popularity is a model with two capsules :

    Microphones of similar design not cheap– for iQ6, for example, you will have to pay about 8 thousand rubles.

    How to choose an external microphone for a smartphone?

    When choosing an external microphone, you need to proceed primarily from the purpose of using the equipment. Obviously, a home blogger, a professional interviewer, and a musician will have different requirements for a recording device. If a user buys a microphone to record voices and conversations, he should pay attention to the following:

    • Wire length. This indicator is important for lavalier microphones. 1.5 meters will be quite enough for convenient operation of the equipment. There are microphones with cables of 6 meters or more included - in this case, you need to make sure that there is a special reel around which the cable can be wound so that its excessive length does not become a hindrance.
    • Microphone size. Here, as in the case of portable speakers for smartphones, there is a dependence: the larger the microphone, the higher the recording quality. For video bloggers who only care about readability, a small lavalier like the Rode SmartLav+ is suitable. Professional interviewers usually prefer directional guns.
    • Equipment. If we are talking about a buttonhole, then in addition to the cable, the kit should include a clip for attaching to clothing and a wind protector. Both elements seem very insignificant, but if they are absent, the user will understand how important they are.
    • Device compatibility. Unfortunately, some “guns” can only work with “Apple” gadgets. Therefore, if equipment is purchased for Android, you should immediately tell the store consultant about it. “Lavels” are compatible with all Android devices, but only with a special adapter (we’ll talk about it later).

    Musicians also need to pay attention to compatibility - series devices IQ from Zoom, for example, are connected only through the connector Lightning, and, therefore, suitable only for iPhone. However, compatibility with gadgets is not the only important criterion; there are others:

    Frequency range. There are external microphones on the market whose specifications indicate that they record in the range from 20 to 20,000 Hz. 20–20000 Hz are all frequencies that the human ear can detect. If you are purchasing a microphone for interviewing or recording audio for a blog, such a wide frequency range will not be an advantage. The equipment will record not only the sound of the voice, but also the noise in the next room, behind the window glass - the output will be a track with a huge number of extra sounds. This is the case when more doesn't mean better: microphone with range 60-15000 Hz will allow you to record the conversation even better.

    For musicians, it is extremely important that the width of the range is maximum - otherwise it will not be possible to reflect the authentic sound of the instruments. For example, the frequency range of a grand piano starts at 27 Hz; The overtones of the same instrument are located around 13 kHz. If you write a piano on a microphone 60-15000 Hz, the sound will be too “mechanical”.

    Ability to adjust cardioid. Circular polar pattern of the microphone (in the diagram below it is indicated as Omni-Directional) will not allow you to get rid of excess noise that can be made, for example, by the musician himself, telling his colleagues with gestures how to play.

    If you change the polar pattern to cardioid, the microphone will not “hear” what is happening behind it. A device with a cardioid simply needs to be positioned with its back towards the noise source, and there will be no extra sounds in the recording.

    There are microphones that allow you to use other polar patterns: hypercardioid, supercardioid, figure-of-eight. The more modes the equipment supports, the better for the musician - he has room for experimentation.

    Maximum sound pressure level (SPL ). Characteristics " maximum SPL"shows at what sound pressure level the microphone will begin to distort. Threshold SPL 120 dB is a good indicator, 130 dB is almost outstanding. It is worth noting that 140 dB causes injury to the inner ear.

    Fans of rock concerts should pay attention to the maximum sound pressure level. If the threshold SPL installed high enough, you can record sound using a microphone while standing literally right next to the speaker.

    Preamp power. The signal coming through the microphone to the smartphone is usually very weak. Therefore, microphones are equipped with preamplifiers. Using the regulator Gain the user can adjust the amplification strength according to his taste. Sufficient preamp power for external microphone - +40 dB / +45 dB.

    Some microphones can not only amplify the signal, but also attenuate it. For example, on Zoom iQ6 you can turn the Gain control down to -11 dB.

    How to connect an external microphone?

    To record sound from a lavalier microphone to a smartphone, you will have to use a special adapter-splitter (aka - splitter). The purchase of such equipment is unlikely to burden the user: AliExpress splitters are sold at prices starting from 34 rubles.

    Without adapters, smartphones can only recognize condenser lavalier microphones!

    Recording from the buttonhole should be done as follows:

    • Plug the splitter plug into the headphone jack of your smartphone.
    • Insert the microphone plug into the appropriate hole on the splitter. How do you know which of the two holes is the right one? As a rule, there are pictures under both connectors - you should use the connector opposite which the microphone is shown.
    • Wait until the headset icon appears on the gadget screen.
    • Secure the microphone to your clothing. Important point: the distance from the buttonhole to the sound source (that is, the mouth) should not exceed 25 cm.
    • Set your smartphone to " Airplane mode"so that the SIM card is inaccessible. If they call the gadget, the recording will be interrupted, and the take (perhaps the most successful) will be spoiled.
    • Open the application " Dictaphone” and start recording. You can use not only built-in iOS and Android utilities for sound recording, but also third-party applications downloaded, for example, from Google Play.

    To connect external stereo microphones to Android, you also have to use an adapter, but a different one - with Lightning- plug (which, by the way, is a difficult task to find). You can connect a stereo microphone to an iPhone without any additional equipment.

    Conclusion

    On the modern market of mobile accessories you can find recording equipment that can satisfy the requirements of even the most demanding audiophile. However, buying a microphone whose characteristics promise the highest sound quality, regardless of the purpose of using this equipment wrong. The user risks overpaying for benefits that are meaningless for the type of activity he intends to engage in.

    Modern smartphones are undoubtedly powerful pocket computers that can do a lot. The ability to check email on the go was once the most incredible feat for a mobile device, but today the possibilities of smartphones seem limitless. We use them to play games, edit photos and videos, view and edit spreadsheets, draw, create lists of tasks and reminders, save notes, and record and edit audio files.

    The function that is to be discussed in this article is very important for video bloggers who are at the peak of popularity today, as well as musicians, students, etc. We are talking about a microphone.

    Often the built-in microphone is not enough to get high quality sound. To create a sound recording, you need excellent sound, and therefore a good microphone. In addition, this function is very important for musicians to record a melody when it suddenly appears in their head.

    Let's be honest, most of the top smartphones are hardly capable of creating powerful sound recordings without distortion. Most often, the user is faced with the problem of muffled and harsh sound.

    Luckily, there are many external microphones available to the modern user. But the bad news is that most of them come with an Apple (Lightning) connector, so Android users will be disappointed. However, smartphones running Android 5 and above are compatible with any USB microphone that can be connected via a USB OTG cable.

    With all that said, we present for review the microphones that we think deserve your attention.

    These devices are well known among video bloggers. The Rode smartLav+ microphone can be attached to clothing, usually in the chest area, while hiding its cable. Obviously, there are limitations, for example, the speaker cannot be too far away from the smartphone.

    Either way, a lavalier microphone is an excellent choice that combines modest size, ease of use and sound quality.

    Mighty Mic

    A louder, more sensitive microphone that doesn't take up much space. Migthy Mic is a great option if you want to record video with sound that is noticeably better than the result obtained by the built-in microphone of any smartphone. There is a headphone jack for monitoring purposes. It's hard to find in our stores.

    A device with the ability to quickly connect. The microphone is framed in a metal case, which adds solidity to it. Everything is done to best satisfy the consumer. Speech, singing, and acoustic instruments will sound great. The microphone is intended for serious use, for example, it can capture the powerful sounds of a rock concert and try to turn them into clear recordings, but the price naturally affects this. It has a plug for iPhone; for Android smartphones you will need to use an adapter with Lightning. Cost about 150 USD.

    Zoom iQ6

    This module consists of two stereo X/Y microphones, with the ability to connect to the Lightning port. Suitable for recording concerts, interviews, personal files. Using the Zoom iQ6, you can host a podcast on the fly. The result is a beautiful, powerful sound. There is a removable divider that allows you to use it with different types of cases for various Apple products.

    This reliable and beautiful device is capable of handling both powerful and muffled sounds. The Mikey microphone can receive sound volumes up to 130 dB. To give you a clear understanding, the sound volume of a rock concert is 120 dB, so the user will feel very comfortable while recording with this unit. The microphone is equipped with a micro-USB port, which allows it to be used not only on the iPhone.

    Line 6 Sonic Port VX

    This multi-purpose six-way audio interface. A stereo line output allows you to record keyboards, drum machines, and more. Equipped with three built-in condenser microphones. This device can be called “all in one”, because it is suitable for recording music on a PC at home, it can be connected to a guitar and used with many guitar amplifiers for IOS. The microphone comes with its own stand in case you want to use it for podcasts or vlogging.

    Buying a good microphone is a serious investment. If you don't want to feel uncomfortable while recording, give preference to high-quality equipment.

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    With the capabilities of modern technology, there is no need to lose sound quality at all by recording it through the microphone built into the mobile device. It is quite possible to purchase an additional gadget for your phone - an external microphone and get rid of the forced hassle with the equalizer of your native device. A video shot with the latest model smartphone camera will withstand criticism even in comparison with semi-professional cameras, which cannot be said about the quality of sound recording. In the mobile electronics market, there is currently a huge selection of external microphones for mobile devices that can ensure clear recording and acceptable sound of audio files.

    Groups of potential users

    There are numerous user groups, which include owners of mobile devices who are forced to record audio formats due to the nature of their activities.

    Such user groups can be called:

    Staff and freelance journalists. Recording interviews is their livelihood, and an external microphone is a “must-have” technique. Sound recording can be done outdoors or in public places with high levels of background noise. Therefore, the microphone built into the phone may not cope with the task of recording a high-quality track.

    Creative people: singers, poets, composers. For people of a creative nature, it is important to have time to write down an idea, a line or any other aspect of their professional activity, which sometimes arise spontaneously when there is nothing at hand except a smartphone.

    Students, especially in higher education institutions. Not every teacher adapts to the speed of recording their lectures in writing, especially in institutions of the highest form of accreditation. Using an external microphone will make this task much easier. The recording will be clear enough to take shorthand in a quiet home environment.

    Bloggers, YouTubers, streamers. The occupation and area of ​​interest of people in this specialty is not so important. Technical reviews or dynamic reporting from the scene will lose a lot of popularity precisely because of poor quality sound.

    Types of external sound recording devices


    1. Lavalier microphones are small devices that are attached to a direct sound source. This is where the name “buttonhole” comes from. This is where the microphone clip is attached to the chest of the interviewee or presenter. The cost of such a microphone is low.

    An example can be given: MXL MM160 is a microphone adapted for connection to mobile devices with the iOS and Android operating systems.


    Lavalier microphones are omnidirectional sound recording devices, meaning they can pick up background noise as clearly as the target sound. They are suitable only for speech recording of voices, due to the limited perception of the required frequency range.

    2. A shotgun microphone can be called a directional microphone. The shape of this microphone allows you to record sound at a specific point in the direction of the microphone head. The sound recording is cleaner. Features of the “gun” device allow you to record only the useful signal without extraneous sounds. Such a microphone can be called the Rode VideoMic Me.


    This model is considered one of the most convenient among its kind, because it has a 3.5-Jack connection connector and is sold at a very reasonable price. The presence of such a connector eliminates the need for adapters for most mobile devices.

    3. Stereo microphone - an external small-sized sound recording device that can record the volume of sound. This is what singers and musicians need! It captures sound that captures the echoes and useful reflections needed to infuse music with the "live" effects. You should not assume that such a microphone will cost much more than its “speech” counterparts. Any budget “no-name” device is capable of recording stereo sound of acceptable quality.


    Principles for selecting an external microphone for your phone

    To choose the right external one, you need to decide on the goals that lead to the need to use such a microphone. Consumers of different categories of professional or amateur activity will have different requirements for the microphone, based on the quality of the audio track they need, recording conditions and professional ethics.

    When choosing a microphone, you should pay attention to the following:

    The length of the wire connecting the device to the microphone. When using loopholes, the distance between the interlocutors and the placement of the devices may require up to 1.5 meters of cable length. For a conversation while sitting in comfortable conditions, this is quite enough, but for special cases, the length of the microphone cable can reach 6 meters. For convenience, such long cables are used in combination with special coils. This will prevent the cable from being damaged prematurely as you move and use the microphone.

    Dimensions of an external microphone. There's no denying the fact that size matters. In our case, there is a relationship between the size of the microphone and the recording quality: the larger the device, the better the quality of the sound it records. For example, the small-sized Rode_SmartLav+ is suitable for recording sound in a quiet place. A professional journalist will prefer to use a “gun” according to the nature of his activity.

    Equipment. Included with the buttonhole, a clip, extension and wind protection are required. Moreover, the wind protection can be a foam ball or special fur (removable and in several versions).

    Compatible with mobile devices. There is a limitation for some types of “guns” that can only work with Apple brands. Be careful when purchasing equipment for Android, pay attention to the technical characteristics of the compatibility of the selected microphone. “Lapels” do not suffer from such selectivity and are suitable for all Android devices (the existence of an adapter for these devices is a little lower).


    Frequency range. Pay attention to the technical characteristics of the microphone you like. If it records sound in the range from 20 to 20,000 Hz, then this is the frequency range that is easily perceived by humans. That is, the microphone has a wide recording range. We are talking not only about the voice, but also about all possible captured sounds, creaks, noises, rustles. This is not always an advantage for the microphone. A microphone with a narrower range will record voices better than a wide-range one.

    The width of the range is not the last factor for musical recording, where it is important to capture the fullness of the sound of voices and instruments. After all, the frequency range of a piano starts at 27 Hz, and the overtones are in the region of 13 kHz! When recording a piano playing on a microphone with a range of 60-15000 Hz, the sound will roughly “cut”, depriving the instrument of its richness.

    Cardioid adjustment. The direction of sound recording at the microphone is depicted in the form of diagrams. The picture below shows a schematic example of a pie chart labeled Omni-Directional. The pie chart of a non-adjustable microphone shows that the recording is equal in all directions. For musicians sitting close to each other, a microphone with a non-adjustable recording direction is very inconvenient. The same diagram shows examples of adjusting the directivity of sound recording, where the pie diagram was changed to an adjustable cardioid (hypercardioid, supercardioid, figure-eight). A larger number of adjustment modes provides great opportunity for experimentation with sound recording.


    The possibility of cardioid adjustment allows the microphone to “hear” selectively in the desired direction. A device with a cardioid can be installed with its back facing towards extraneous noise, and it will not appear on the recording.

    Microphone sensitivity. The maximum sound pressure threshold (SPL) is the sensitivity level at which a microphone begins to distort sound. A sensitivity of 120 dB is the most acceptable indicator. The pressure threshold of 130 dB is professional. For comparison, sound (with a force of 140 dB injures the hearing). Microphone sensitivity matters for loud music lovers. The high sensitivity threshold of the microphone allows you to record louder sound.

    Preamp power. To increase the strength of the signal received by the phone, there is a preamplifier in the sound recording device - a preamp. Using Gain you can adjust the signal strength. The adjustment range depends on the power of the preamp. The base power varies in the range of 40-45 dB. In some cases, it is necessary not to strengthen, but to weaken the signal.

    When connecting lavalier microphones to mobile devices, a splitter is used - a special adapter. It is inexpensive, and the benefits from it are significant.


    Only condenser lavalier microphones do not require adapters when connecting to smartphones.

    1.Connect the adapter to the headset jack, and the microphone to the adapter. Refer to the small pictures marked on the edges near the connectors.

    2.Wait until the phone recognizes the device and the icon of the connected headset appears.

    3.Attach the microphone to your clothing. Be sure to fix the distance from the buttonhole to the sound source no more than 25 cm.

    4.Enable Airplane Mode on your phone to prevent an incoming call from interrupting your recording.

    5.In the Voice Recorder application, click the “start recording” button.

    To do this, you can use applications from the play store. When connecting external stereo microphones to Android devices, an adapter with a Lightning plug is also used. For iPhone, the adapter does not need to be used.

    The existing selection of various accessories allows you to purchase high-quality gadgets that satisfy the needs of the most sophisticated user. You need to choose a specific model when you are definitely sure that the quality characteristics of the microphone correspond to the intended use. This will save you from erroneous overspending and give you the satisfaction of a good recording.

    You can purchase these gadgets and much more on the website of the supplier of components and accessories for mobile devices, GSM Forsage.

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