Wireless microphone: how it works, how to use, review of the best

Why do you need a microphone for a smartphone?

There are special built-in gadgets. The user can actually buy one for himself and simply get rid of the constant settings, which later need to be edited due to a bad device. Modern smartphones rarely actually have a high-quality microphone. Most often, devices are equipped with a very good camera, you can even download a semi-professional one. But they are simply lost against the background of the fact that the sound recording sags greatly.

To record high-quality sound on video, save the moment and not constantly adjust the microphone and sound on your phone, you simply need a high-quality microphone, which can now be purchased as an additional one.

Such devices will be of great help to people such as:

• Journalists;
• Musicians;
• Students, because there is often a need to record a lecture;
• Bloggers.

All these people simply cannot live without devices that produce high-quality sound. For example, for journalists, it may be necessary to conduct some kind of interview at any time. It’s clear that he won’t always carry a high-quality camera or a large voice recorder, but a small, high-quality built-in microphone is what he really needs.

Musicians can record their creativity directly on their phone. You don't have to go to a recording studio for these purposes. You can always use your own microphone. It saves money.

In general, it is worth noting that the built-in microphone is a very useful invention that will help many users forget about bad sound on video. A high-quality device will help to completely suppress any noise, sounds and other interference that will not need to be adjusted later in the settings.

What types of external microphones are there?

External microphones are also divided into several large categories, namely 3:

• Lapel;
• Guns;
• Stereo (these are more suitable for creative individuals, including musicians).

It is worth considering each in more detail.

Lavalier

Lavalier devices attach perfectly to any clothing. They differ in small dimensions. Lavaliers serve to record a person's voice, so this type is great for bloggers and journalists who constantly need to regulate such an object as excellent voice quality.

As a rule, such microphones have one main drawback - non-directionality, that is, extraneous noise is clearly audible when recording from such a device. In addition, lavaliers are not suitable for recording musical compositions, since their frequency range is limited.

Guns

The second type is cannons. They were called that because they are directed in one direction, that is, they cover the minus of the loops and do not create noise in the background. Recording from such microphones takes place ahead of the user, that is, it is necessary to constantly monitor the process so that the voice clearly enters the microphone. If you hold the sound directly away from the source, then when recording music you can find that the voice is suppressed, that is, the device has removed extraneous noise.

Guns are not suitable for recording songs, that's why they are directed. It is impossible to create a full sound with such a device. But for those who want to achieve a clear voice when recording an interview or video, this is the best option.

Stereo

The last type is stereo. Stereo devices are ideal for musicians, because they not only capture sound throughout the entire room, but also play it out beautifully and make it voluminous. It is worth noting that many models may have a high price, but this is far from true. You can buy them in different price categories, but the sound quality may be poor.

Microphones can also be wired or wireless, but this classification does not stand out as the main one. The difference is the connection method. Wireless devices are synchronized with Android using simple Internet or Bluetooth, while wired ones must be connected through special wires.

How to connect a microphone to an Android phone - wired

The user must have a special mini-jack cable that will serve as an adapter.

The user also needs to purchase the microphone itself. For more information on how wired microphones work, watch this video.

Why do you need an adapter? This is due to the fact that the cord itself and the phone have different sockets. The microphone simply will not be able to connect. To make a high-quality connection, you just need to use this special miniJack conductor for two channels.

It will serve as some kind of connecting chain, that is, connect the headphones to the headset and vice versa. It is worth noting that this function allows you to completely solve the problem that contacts will not converge. Just connect this cable and all problems with the microphone will disappear. After connecting, a special window should appear on the phone, which will indicate that the device is connected.

If the user does not have a specialized cable for connection, then he can use the USB option, but not all microphones can really be connected in this way, so the user must evaluate the strength of the device, and also check that the connection is correct.

Wired method of connecting headphones

Therefore, in order to use the device, you will need to purchase an additional adapter. For example, there are iPhone models with a 3.5 mm jack installed, but recording still goes through the standard module of the smartphone. As mentioned above, to solve the problem, you will need to buy an adapter.

But it is worth noting that in most modern phones the 3.5 mm jack is already made combined from the very beginning. That is, by plugging the plug into the connector, the device will automatically detect the microphone, and you can immediately use the recording function.

On modern models, the connector may be located on the top or bottom of the device. Modern devices have tried to make sure that all devices have the same connectors. However, there are smartphones that only work with personal names.

Continuation

However, these are not all the problems that may arise when deciding how to connect a microphone to the phone.

Sometimes we will have to use an adapter. This method is similar to the previous one, with the difference that the microphone is connected via an adapter. This is done in the following cases:

• A 6.35 mm or 2.5 mm plug is used;
• Use of professional microphones equipped with an XSR plug.
• TRRS to TRS connection.

And the last method of wired connection is a USB connector. I repeat that the development of technology does not stand still, so now the design is introducing the ability to connect various devices using USB plugs.

If on personal computers the connection is made directly, then adapters are used for smartphones. For example, USB Type A to micro USB. By analogy with the adapter, it would be better to purchase a music board and amplifier.

To make it work after connecting via USB, you need to do the following:

1. We connect the microphone to the USB connector of the smartphone (if necessary, use an adapter and amplifier).
2. In automatic mode, the phone will detect the connected device and, if necessary, begin additional driver installation.
3. Allow the phone to access phone audio.

How to connect a wireless microphone to your phone

This option is very convenient because there will be no problems with the wires, as in the option described above. Wires may break and become chipped.

Most often, wireless models are connected using Bluetooth, but there may also be an option via the general Internet. To create communication using a Bluetooth connection, you need to activate the microphone and also connect Bluetooth to your smartphone.

The Bluetooth system on the phone should automatically detect the connection, thereby synchronizing.

Now activation depends on the device model. When Bluetooth is turned off, the device stops working, but when activated, you can record.

Setup instructions

Each device has different settings depending on the model. In order to start using the device, you need to complete the following steps:

• turn on the device, then the indicator will appear and show that the bluetooth function is enabled;
• on the paired equipment, find the model identifier in the search bluetooth menu and connect to it;
• open any karaoke APP or select a music file on the device’s player;
• adjust volume, frequency and bass.

How to choose an external microphone for a smartphone

Choosing a microphone is one of the important steps that must be overcome by anyone who wants to record high-quality sound on their device. In fact, there are several criteria that are the basis for selection:

1. Wire length;
2. Goals;
3. Micro size;
4. Equipment;
5. Device compatibility;
6. Frequencies;
7. Cardioid regulation.

It is worth examining each point.

The length of the wire is how far the user can move away from the smartphone and the sound will still be good since the microphone is connected. A wire that is too long is just as inconvenient as one that is too small. It is worth finding a middle ground.

Purposes are what the device is used for. It is necessary to decide on the type based on the purposes for the device. Types were discussed in more detail earlier.

With the size of the microphone, everything is simple: the larger, the higher the quality. Video bloggers are advised to purchase fairly small devices, but musicians should pay attention to larger models.

It is important that the microphone comes with additional equipment in the form of an adapter or wind protection.

Not many appliances can be combined with devices. This is also worth paying attention to.

Frequencies are an important point. If a microphone has a range of more than 20,000 Hz, then this device is clearly of poor quality. The equipment must be of high quality. The ideal range is 60 – 15000 Hz. If it is higher, the ear simply will not catch it, the device will concentrate on extraneous noise. For example, for a blogger, a low indicator is an advantage, since basically the microphone will only pick up the person’s voice, and not extraneous noise. For musicians, it is important that all sounds in the room are heard in order to create a high-quality picture, which is why the maximum range is an excellent solution for them.

The last point is unclear - this is a cardioid. In fact, this is a circular diagram of the microphone, that is, its regulation. Setting this indicator means that the user has the ability to completely adjust what the device will hear. This can be just the voice itself, or you can also set it to capture the entire room. This is a great opportunity to regulate the recording process.

Weight, these characteristics must be indicated along with the device, in its settings.

Peculiarities

With all the advantages of modern mobile devices, the sound quality when recording, unfortunately, leaves much to be desired. However, the development of technology allows us to radically change the situation through the use of high-quality telephone microphones. In this case we mean external, additional devices. Today, in the corresponding segment of the electronics market, many manufacturers present entire model ranges of connected gadgets for smartphones. It is worth noting that most microphones are designed to pair with an iPhone.

The design features and operational properties of remote microphones allow them to be used in various fields

When analyzing the main parameters of devices, it is worth paying attention to this. You can select several custom categories

Representatives of the media. Staff and freelance reporters often record interviews. In this case, recording is often done outdoors in the presence of extraneous noise. In such a situation, you cannot do without a good microphone that can provide maximum sound quality.

Regardless of the specifics of their activity, the quality of the recorded sound is one of the key points when creating content.

TOP best external microphone models

To make it easier for the user to choose a high-quality microphone model, it is worth looking at the rating table, which is formed not only from reviews, but also from the experience of many users from different fields: musicians, journalists and many others.

This way you can easily and simply not only connect an external recording system, but also select it.

4.5/5 — (26 votes)