Wich smartphone audio recorder APP?

[Patrick Tresch]

Hello,

 

I'm looking for a smartphone app (for Iphone) and would like to know wich app is the best. It's mainly to record a lavalier mic (VT506Mobile).

I've found that iTalk can do up to 44.1 16bit, but I don't know if there are some differences in the capability of the apps? Or if the limiting factor is the smartphone?

 

What are you thoughts?

 

Thanks

 

Patrick

[James Bull]

I like the free Shure Motiv app, good metering and samplerate/bitrate options, not sure if it will work with your mic, but I think it would. 

 

J

[Jay Rose]

I use the Motiv app and mic together. But for all my other mics -- through a Focusrite iTrack -- I use TwistedWave. TW IOS records up to 96 kHz, can be set for 32 bit internal files if you're doing any processing, will record from a Bluetooth source, has decent editing and internal effects, lets you edit metadata...

 

(TW Mac became my go-to desktop editor when I'm not in the studio, after Bias Peak died. So when I needed an app for my phone, it was my first look. Worth investigating.)

 

 

[IronFilm]

Timecode Audio Recorder from Tentacle (you'll want their new Tentacle Sync E though):

https://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/timecode-audio-recorder/id1322011386?mt=8

 

[Patrick Tresch]

Thanks you all for your input.

 

 

1 hour ago, IronFilm said:

Timecode Audio Recorder from Tentacle (you'll want their new Tentacle Sync E though):

https://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/timecode-audio-recorder/id1322011386?mt=8

 

 

I was wondering if you could record L & R in different levels? It's a mono Lavalier but it would be handy to have a lower gain input.

 

Pat

[Jay Rose]

TwistedWave doesn't let you record a mono signal to two different channels at different levels. But in a phone environment, I don't think you want to do your "dynamic range extension" in software... because that's after the (usually 16-bit) ADC, which is where any noise or clipping would originate. If you're using a mono input (like on many phones), it wouldn't buy you anything at all: what comes out of the ADC is as good as it gets.

 

Why just not just make an adapter that sends the mono signal to both tip and ring of an external digitizer's stereo input, with a simple voltage divider on one channel? If your mic has an XLR, you could put the resistors into the XLR-F connector.

 

I even did that in a QKT adapter I had to throw together for recording phone interviews on a Tascam pocket recorder, so I wouldn't have to worry about sorting local and distant levels in post.

[borjam]

17 hours ago, Jay Rose said:

TwistedWave doesn't let you record a mono signal to two different channels at different levels. But in a phone environment, I don't think you want to do your "dynamic range extension" in software... because that's after the (usually 16-bit) ADC, which is where any noise or clipping would originate. If you're using a mono input (like on many phones), it wouldn't buy you anything at all: what comes out of the ADC is as good as it gets.

 

Why just not just make an adapter that sends the mono signal to both tip and ring of an external digitizer's stereo input, with a simple voltage divider on one channel? If your mic has an XLR, you could put the resistors into the XLR-F connector.

 

 

That's the only way to do it, feeding the mono signal to two different preamps/input stages with different gains/attenuations.

 

The Marantz PMD661mkii (which is often used as a journalist/interview recorder) has that feature, for example, called "dual mono". And 

I guess it does that, otherwise it would be pointless.

 

 

[Patrick Tresch]

Thanks all for your replies,

 

I've been using Tentacle recorder since a week (without using the TC feature) and am very happy with the results.

I hooked my Smartphone to a Voice Technologies VT506 Mobile lavalier and it does the job nicely.

Now I will see in post how it holds...

 

See you.

 

Pat

[daniel]

I wonder if the senny 'memory mic' works with tentacle sync recorder app?

[Rick Reineke]

"I've been using Tentacle recorder (without using the TC feature) and am very happy with the results."

 

-- Same here.. Of coarse a 3.5mm TRRS plug input cable or ext. interface was needed for my iPhone 6s... bizarre wiring config., the plug's sleeve is the + input, ring-2 is shield/ground.