How do I connect a microphone to my phone?

A mobile phone is a device that almost everyone has today. Without it, we can no longer imagine our life, because thanks to it we can communicate with our family, friends and acquaintances. It allows us to receive information of a different nature, from news to the weather for the next week. Sound processing is one of the large list of functions of this gadget.

But what if you want to make a really high-quality sound recording. You can connect a so-called external microphone to your smartphone. Let's try to figure out how to do this.

It should be said that connecting a microphone to a phone or smartphone is not as easy as it seems at first glance. There are a number of things to keep in mind that must be taken into account if you want to ensure good microphone performance. Let's try to understand the features of connecting wired and wireless models.

If we talk about the features of connecting wired microphones, then you should name a number of criteria that you should definitely pay attention to before connecting.

• The length of the wire will be very important for lavalier microphones. A length of one and a half meters is enough. If this indicator is higher, then it may interfere with the normal operation of the device.
• Dimensions of the device. It should be said that the larger it is, the better the recording quality will be.
• Equipment... In addition to the microphone itself, a windscreen and a clip for attaching to clothing must be present.
• Compatible with various smartphones. Some models can only connect to iPhone. If you need to connect a microphone to a device that runs on Android OS, you need to tell the seller about it right away.
• Frequency range... There are a lot of models on the market, in the characteristics of which it is written that they can write in the range of 20 thousand hertz. But the problem is that if you buy a device for conducting an interview or recording a blog, then this option will not be an advantage, since extraneous noise will also be recorded. It would be better to use a model with an operation in the range of up to 15 thousand hertz.
• Adjustable cardioid will give you the opportunity to get rid of unnecessary noise that can be created behind the microphone, which will allow you to make the recording as clean as possible, without unnecessary noise.
• Maximum sound pressure level... This indicator characterizes the threshold at which the device begins to distort. The most common value is 120 decibels. And 130 decibels is just a wonderful indicator.
• Preamp power. The trick is that the signal that goes to the microphone through the smartphone is usually extremely weak. For this reason, almost every microphone is equipped with a dedicated preamp or preamp. It is thanks to him that you can adjust the strength of the amplification. The sufficient power of this element is somewhere around 40–45 decibels.

The vast majority of microphone models on the market today are wired models. And the question here is not even that wireless analogs are more expensive, but that the microphone must receive energy to work. And the easiest way to do this is through a wire. There are the following types of such devices:

• buttonholes;
• guns;
• stereo models.

The simplest are buttonholes, and the other two categories will be more powerful and more expensive.

The first feature of connecting a microphone will be that you can't just plug it into a smartphone. To connect it, you must use a special branching adapter. This adapter is also called a splitter. The whole trick in this case is that the smartphone, no matter what company it was produced by, has a 4-pin connector that can receive up to 2 audio channels per input. At the same time, the contacts on the microphone are arranged differently. For this reason, when connected directly, the device does not work.

If we talk about specific devices, then we can call GORA Lavalier or Rhode Smartlav +.

To connect a lavalier microphone to the phone, you will need to use an adapter cable, as mentioned above. It allows you to branch the miniJack input into several channels, one of which connects a headset, and the other - headphones. This type of technology makes it possible to eliminate the problem of different contacts in ports of a similar format. When a microphone is connected to the smartphone, a corresponding sign should appear on the display, which will make it possible to understand that the device has been detected and is working. After the icon appears, the microphone can be used in work.

It is possible that somewhere the integrity of the contacts has been violated, some device has become faulty. To pinpoint the problem, you can replace one of the devices and change the adapter, and then check their operation separately.

If you need to connect a condenser type microphone, the algorithm will not change. Here, too, you need to use an adapter so that the phone can detect the connected microphone. By the way, the quality of the recording on it will be significantly higher due to the presence of its own filtering circuit, which can suppress noise in the bandwidth.

Another feature of connecting wired microphones will be the ability to connect via a USB port... Here, too, you will need to use a special adapter, which makes it possible to provide switching of equipment and a phone via USB. If the connection is successful, the same device icon will appear on the screen. To test the performance of the microphone, open the Dictaphone application on the smartphone and try to record music or voice. If, when playing back a recording, its quality suits the user, then everything is working as it should.

If we talk about the features of connecting another type of microphones to a smartphone - wireless, then it is made using Bluetooth technology. In this case, in order to establish a connection between two devices, it is necessary to activate this technology on them. To activate the connection on the microphone, you need to press the corresponding key, after which the LED will make sure that the device is ready for connection.

To activate on the phone, go to the settings, where you need to find the "Bluetooth" item and activate it. After the device searches for devices for a few seconds, the microphone of interest should appear in the list of available ones. Now pairing is required.

It often happens that pairing is not completed until the user enters the pin code on the display of the device. Usually we are talking about four zeros. Although this code may be different for different manufacturers. Here it will be better to familiarize yourself with the instructions for each specific device. After the above steps have been carried out, the devices will be ready for use. This will be confirmed by the corresponding indication on the microphone and a special icon that can be seen on the smartphone display.

It should be said that there will be slight differences in connection if you are dealing with an Android smartphone and if you want to connect a microphone to an iPhone that runs on the iOS operating system. So, if you are dealing with a smartphone on Android OS, then it would be better to use either an adapter or a Bluetooth connection.

The adapter must be inserted into the minijack or USB connector and the adapter must be inserted into the microphone itself. But there are microphone models that can work without additional equipment. To make a Bluetooth connection, turn on this function and perform pairing.

If you need to connect a microphone to the same iPhone, then the algorithm of actions will not differ much. The only thing to be aware of when it comes to a wired connection is that the microphone must be equipped with a connector called Lightning. The latest iPhones are equipped with just such a slot. But in terms of its functions, it will not differ much from the 3.5 mm minijack, which, by the way, is not present in the iPhone at all.

In addition, if desired and necessary, you can connect a wireless microphone to such a phone. But most often, iPhone users resort to the latter option.

If we talk about recommendations for connecting a microphone to a phone, then it is worth noting a few.

• Choose a microphone that suits your needs as much as possible.... If it is used for interviews, then some requirements will be imposed on it, and if for sound recording, then completely different requirements. And the clearer you understand why you need a microphone, the better you can pick up the option.

• Another recommendation concerns the selection of the correct microphone adapter. And it is imperative to check its performance when purchasing, so as not to buy a low-quality item and find it at the most inopportune moment.

• You should use special software for the highest quality microphone control... Its use will make it possible to significantly simplify its use and save a lot of time. In addition, this software often makes it possible to adjust the microphone in accordance with one or another user's wishes. Here it is necessary to add that it very rarely happens that the phone automatically adjusts the microphone so that its operation suits the user.

• It is better to give preference to products of proven brands. Their devices are made of high-quality materials, thanks to which they work smoothly and make it possible at the hardware level to ensure good and clear sound recording in almost any conditions.

For details on how to connect a microphone to your phone, see the following video.