What’s the Best Android or iOS Microphone for Me? |
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A specially designed microphone for your smartphone or tablet can certainly improve the audio recording quality of your device, but how do you find the Android microphone or iOS microphone that will work best with your mobile device? In this Buyer’s Guide we offer answers to your frequently asked questions to help you find what you need. If you can’t see the answer to your question here, feel free to contact us! 1. What is an Android or iOS Microphone and Do I Need One?The name says it all: these are microphones that have been specially designed to work with an Android or iOS mobile device. This external ‘mobile’ microphone can take many forms, like a lavalier (small clip-on mic), a handheld microphone, or a microphone that simply clicks into the device. They exist because the standard built-in microphone of most mobile phones and tablets tend to be ‘budget’ microphones, and while most people don’t necessarily want to step into a recording studio, they might still want to make good quality recordings on their phone without having to invest in some expensive studio-quality gear. So, a good external microphone that doesn’t cost too much is a great solution. Even if you’re not looking for improved sound quality but just want to make sure that any recorded speech is clear, an extra external microphone (like a clip-on mic) can be a great idea.
2. What’s the Difference Between an Android or iOS Microphone and a Voice-Recorder or Field-Recorder?Actually, there’s not much difference! A voice or field recorder is actually just a small computer with one or more built-in microphones. And for most people, their mobile phone or tablet is pretty much the same thing. With an Android or iOS microphone in combination with a recording app, you can actually turn your mobile device into a fairly good voice or field recorder (also see Question 3). The advantage of using real, dedicated voice or field recorders is that they won’t get interrupted by incoming phone calls or glitching apps and won’t run your phone or tablet battery down.
3. Which Android or iOS Microphone Do I Need?There are various kinds of mobile microphones available, and the ways in which they can be used are actually no different from a ‘normal’ microphone. A lavalier (clip-on mic) can be used to record someone speaking without there being a visible microphone in the shot while filming. A handheld microphone can be used when you don’t mind the mic appearing in shot, and can be used for reporting, where the interviewer switches the mic between their own voice and that of the person being interviewed. You can also use a handheld microphone if you just want to sing with a microphone in your hand. A studio microphone can be used to make very detailed recordings of instruments or vocals, or for vlogging. There are also compact plug-in microphones that are directly connected to the input of a smartphone or tablet. Some of these can even record in stereo, can be used to make spacious sounding recordings, and can quite convincingly simulate a field-recorder (see Question 2). Android & iOS Microphones: Handheld
4. What Kind of Connection Should My Android or iOS Microphone Have? And What Else Should I Check?
5. Can I Just Connect a Normal Microphone to My iOS or Android Device?Unfortunately not. But, you could get a mobile audio interface instead. These interfaces connect to your mobile smartphone or tablet (if compatible) and allow you to connect up one or more normal microphones or even a different audio source, like a guitar. Make sure to check what’s possible since each interface will be different when it comes to the inputs and outputs that they offer. Also make sure that it will definitely be compatible with your device.
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