Plus, users will have to use a separate car charger to keep their batteries juiced-which means twice the number of cables-and there are now two volume settings to contend with: the volume on your handset and the volume of the car stereo.
Ultimate audio quality is highly dependent on a number of factors, ranging from your handset's digital to audio converter to quality of the patch cable. Though the analog audio is passable, it isn't the best. Audio patch cables are cheap and easy to find and nearly every new vehicle we've tested in the past few years has at least been equipped with some sort of auxiliary audio input.Ĭons: There are a few drawbacks to this method. With only one cable to connect and no software to contend with, this is the easiest way to use your Android phone in the car. Pros: The advantages of using the auxiliary input are its simplicity and its relative ubiquity. Now any audio that you'd normally hear through your headphones will be played through your car's speakers, including your Internet streaming audio services, such as Pandora Radio. Simply pick up a 3.5mm mini jack male-to-male audio patch cable (although for some Mitsubishi vehicles, you may need a 3.5mm mini jack-to-RCA patch cable), plug one end into your Android's headphone jack and the other into your car's stereo. Setup: The analog auxiliary input is the connection method with which most users are familiar. It's practically a matter of plug and play for a modern device!įor a different kind of recording, check out the best screen recorder apps for Android.Requirements: 3.5mm male-to-male audio patch cable, stereo with auxiliary input If your audio meters show extreme red, simply turn the gain down to fix this problem.Īs you've seen, connecting a USB microphone to an Android phone really is that simple. If you have your gain structure too high, you'll get clipping (where the audio input is too much for the interface to handle).
Learning how to use your mic properly, what scenarios it's best used for, and where to position it can make a world of difference to your audio quality.
Know your mic: Just because you're using an Android phone and USB mic doesn't mean you can ignore the manufacturer's advice.Once you're up and running, there are a few simple tricks you can use to significantly improve your audio quality: Many USB microphones will have this as a physical knob, but it's still useful to have in app.
With this, you can adjust your mic level if it's too loud or too quiet.
It also shows if that signal is too loud (which causes clipping or distortion) or too quiet (which may be problematic to artificially boost later on).Ī gain control, or volume knob, is another app essential. Audio level indicators clearly show the status of any audio that's recording.īy using a simple green, yellow, and red status, you can immediately see if you have a signal. Thus, you should immediately disregard any app that does not have one.
Our look at the best voice recording app for Android can help you choose, but here are some features to look out for:Īn audio level indicator is an essential requirement of any audio recording app. It's no good having an app that crashes all the time and loses your recordings. Possibly the most important part of your recording rig is your choice of app.