The very best cellular microphones for 2025

In the event you’ve ever tried recording audio in your telephone and located it sounding muffled or stuffed with background noise, you’re not alone. Constructed-in microphones are tremendous for fast calls, however in the case of creating content material, recording music or capturing crystal-clear audio for a podcast, you want a cellular microphone that’s as much as the duty. Fortunately, there are many choices on the market that may immediately improve your sound high quality with out breaking the financial institution.

The great thing about cellular microphones is their versatility. Whether or not you’re recording on the go, streaming stay or conducting interviews, these compact units are designed to work seamlessly together with your smartphone, pill and laptop computer.The very best half? Many are transportable, plug-and-play and full of options like noise discount, directional recording, and studio-grade readability.

In the event you’re feeling misplaced on the earth of cellular microphones, we’ve damaged down one of the best cellular microphones you should buy proper now, protecting every thing from tiny clip-ons to professional-grade gear for critical creators.

Pictured are the Sennheiser XS and Rode Lavalier II microphones.

James Trew / Engadget

The plain advantage of a lapel microphone is measurement. Their small profile makes them good for presenting to the digicam with the pliability to maneuver round whereas sustaining constant audio high quality. In the event you’re a budding TikTok or vlogger it’s undoubtedly price having one in every of these mini microphones in your bag. And in the event you don’t need to be tied all the way down to cables, there are many nice wi-fi lavalier microphone choices with handy adapters.

The principle trade-off, nevertheless, is that they’re solely good for recording the individual they’re hooked up to. In case you have two folks speaking and just one is sporting the mic, you’ll solely get good audio for one half of the dialog, so for multi-person recordings you’ll want a mic for every visitor and a technique to document them on the similar time, so prices can go up shortly.

Fortuitously, lapel mics have turn out to be a really aggressive market with good, viable choices costing as little as $14.95. For an absolute cut price with a protracted wire and a few connectivity equipment, the Boya BY M1 is tough to argue with. However, whereas these funds decisions are nice worth, in order for you one thing that ought to both last more, is extra versatile or simply sounds higher it’s price paying a bit of bit extra.

Rode

Rode’s Lavalier II iis a slick-looking low-profile lavalier that sounds nice. Whereas it’s not a wi-fi lavalier microphone, at $99, it’s someplace within the candy spot between funds and higher-end clip-on choices. It’s simple to advocate the Lavalier II simply on its sound alone, but it surely comes with a rugged case and a wide variety of equipment. For much more flexibility you’ll be able to pair this with Rode’s AI Micro interface ($79) which offers simple connection to an iPhone or Android telephone (and even PCs) and provides help for a second mic – good for recording podcasts or interviews.

$99 at Sweetwater

Sennheiser Professional Audio

At $60, Sennheiser’s XS (USB-C) lav condenser mic is pretty reasonably priced, sounds nice and plugs proper into your telephone (or laptop computer) while not having an adapter. This not solely makes it handy however reduces the general value as you don’t want a headphone adapter to your telephone, which is a good profit of those mini mics. What’s extra, the XS has a 2-meter lengthy cable which provides you loads of scope for motion or framing.

$60 at Amazon

Just lately there was an explosion in mobile phone microphone methods, however there’s one wi-fi mic we actually like. DJI’s Mic 2 system provides some essential upgrades from its predecessor. Notably, it could possibly join on to your smartphone by way of Bluetooth, and it sports activities improved AI noise discount and a much bigger touchscreen.

So we’ve already touched on this with the AI Micro, which is an adapter of types. One of many first stuff you may bump up towards when coping with cellular audio equipment is TRRS vs TRS connectors. Merely put, 3.5mm TRS is what you may know because the age-old basic headphone jack whereas TRRS grew to become widespread for its help for headsets and inline mics. You’ll be able to simply inform them aside as TRS connectors have two black bands on them whereas a TRRS has three.

For you, the budding creator, it may be a little bit of an annoyance as many 3.5mm lavaliers are going to be TRS and gained’t work when plugged into your telephone’s headphone adapter. Generally your lavalier may embody what you want within the field, however in any other case, you’ll need to decide up a TRS to TRRS adapter like this. After all, some smartphone-specific mics have TRRS connectors already – for these, you’ll need a cable that goes the other way must you need to use it with different units like a DSLR.

The Rode VideoMic Go 2, alongside the Shure MV88+ and Sennheiser MKE400 shotgun microphones.The Rode VideoMic Go 2, alongside the Shure MV88+ and Sennheiser MKE400 shotgun microphones.

James Trew / Engadget

It’s possible you’ll be extra conversant in shotgun microphones in the case of video recording. It’s the fashion of microphone most frequently discovered atop a DSLR or mirrorless digicam, however they make nice companions for different transportable units too, your mobile phone included.

The good thing about a shotgun is that they are usually extremely directional, which makes them good for podcasts, recording devices, foley sounds and far, way more. For us cellular recordists, one other profit is that they are usually gentle and transportable, good for slipping right into a backpack or perhaps a laptop computer bag. Even higher, there are some nice mobile-specific choices.

Rode

Once we examined the VideoMic GO II we had been stunned at simply how good it sounded proper out of the field. At $100 it rivals many desktop microphones that value thrice the value. You’ll want a companion app to vary settings, in any other case this performs effectively throughout the board.

$99 at Amazon

The HypeMic from Apogee is a versatile microphone that's just as at home with a PC as it is your phone.The HypeMic from Apogee is a versatile microphone that's just as at home with a PC as it is your phone.

James Trew / Engadget

Cellular-specific mics are nice, however there’s nothing stopping you from utilizing your mobile phone microphone or one other you may have already got (if it’s considerably transportable). You’ll undoubtedly have to perform a little dance with some adapters, however that’s half the enjoyable. Under are a few suggestions for “common” microphones that pair effectively with a telephone after which the cables and adapters that you simply’ll have to get setup. There are even some wi-fi methods that make it simple to document on the go.

IK Multimedia

If there was an audio “penknife” then the iRig Stream Mic Pro could be it. It’s a chunky condenser microphone, however you’ll be able to join devices and even different mics to it by way of a 3.5mm enter. In case you have background music in your telephone or PC, you may as well pipe that into the combo by way of a loopback mode. Briefly, whether or not you’re busking, podcasting, stay streaming or acting on the go, the Stream Mic Professional has all of the core options you might want to flip a primary recording into an expert one.

Cellular connectivity is a main characteristic with choices for Lightning and Sort-C/Android included within the field. The mic itself provides 4 polar patterns that ought to cowl most recording eventualities — be that recording a singer, two folks talking nose to nose or the final atmosphere round you in a TikTok or Instagram video. The Stream Mic Professional may not be probably the most pocketable on this listing, but it surely’s doubtless probably the most versatile.

$130 at Amazon

Samson

This dynamic mic is a favourite with podcasters, with many manufacturing corporations utilizing it as their customary mic to ship out to distant company because of its glorious high quality to worth efficiency. The Q2U options each USB (sadly not Sort-C) and XLR connectivity making it versatile for each desktop and cellular functions, but it surely’s the previous we’re curious about right here as that’s what means that you can join it to your telephone with nothing greater than a USB cable and an adapter (see beneath).

What’s extra, the Q2U is strong sufficient to endure a bit of little bit of tough and tumble, so will fortunately stay within the backside of your backpack prepared for while you want it. In the meantime, the hand held design is flexible sufficient it could possibly flip its hand to singing/devices, podcasts, interviews and extra.

$70 at Amazon

Tula Mics

You might not be conversant in the identify, however Tula snuck into our hearts with its versatile, classic impressed debut microphone. From a cellular perspective, the Tula connects to Androids instantly over USB Sort-C or iPhones with the proper USB-C to Lightning cable (extra on this beneath) or a USB “camera kit” adapter. What makes the Tula particular is that it’s additionally a desktop mic and transportable recorder with lavalier enter and 8GB of storage and even options noise cancellation – good for slicing down on exterior background sounds. With the Tula you could possibly theoretically have one mic for house, cellular and standalone recording. Due to its transportable design and as much as 12 hours of battery life, the Tula can act as a wi-fi microphone while you want it, too.

$259 at Amazon

The best microphones to use with iPhone or Android.The best microphones to use with iPhone or Android.

James Trew / Engadget

Connecting USB microphones on to telephones isn’t so simple as only one cable, though that’s beginning to turn out to be extra widespread. Basically, Android makes this less complicated, but additionally, because of the wide selection of producers and software program variations you’ll be able to’t all the time assure issues will work easily.

The iPhone is a complete different state of affairs. USB microphones have a superb probability of working by way of the USB digicam package we talked about earlier, however that’s nonetheless inelegant typically. Frustratingly, some USB-C to Lightning cables will play good with microphones, however sadly most won’t – together with Apple’s personal. One confirmed possibility is this cable from Fiio or this generic alternative. These are cheap sufficient that it’s price having a pair round in the event you work with audio loads (they after all will also be used to cost your telephone as a bonus).

Audigo

A lot of the microphones on this information will do an honest job of recording musical performances, however some are particularly constructed for it. Based in 2019, Audigo places artists and performers entrance and middle. At time of writing, it solely provides one mannequin and all its focus goes into that. In the event you’re a musician on the go, or need one thing you’ll be able to preserve in your pocket for each time inspiration strikes, the Audigo may be for you.

The sq., puck-like Audigo mic is mainly a pocketable rival to iZotope’s (now discontinued) Spire transportable studio, proper all the way down to the companion app. The Audigo is much extra transportable than the Spire ever was and you may mix a number of units for multitrack recording. When you’ve recorded your monitor, you’ll be able to add reverb, delay, equalize and extra to present it some polish earlier than exporting it out to your most popular platform. There’s a video mode, too, so it’s good for sharing edits to TikTok and Instagram.

This compact wi-fi microphone requires the app (iOS just for now) to work, which isn’t superb and we’d love to have the ability to use it over USB to increase its performance, however for performers on the transfer Audigo provides options which can be exhausting to search out with out having to buy round for numerous totally different apps.

$250 at Audigo

CEntrance

With the iPhone 15 becoming a member of the USB-C household, there are tons of gaming and podcasting microphones that may merely plug straight into your telephone. However if you wish to use nearly any professional microphone system for recording discipline interviews, foley sounds, podcasting on the go and something for broadcast, then an interface just like the Centrance MicPort Pro is a should.

With its XLR-combo connection, the MicPort Professional works with all the published customary microphones like Shure’s SM7B or the Electro Voice RE20 — together with mics that want phantom energy. Not like different, cheaper XLR interfaces, there’s virtually no self noise (hiss) and there’s a built-in battery that ought to final for round 5 hours of discipline use. You’ll be able to cost it whereas in use by way of a USB-C ought to you might want to.

Centrance has saved issues easy, however you’ll nonetheless discover essential instruments like real-time monitoring, a high-pass filter to fight wind or dealing with noise and there’s even a limiter that ought to cease any sudden loud noises from ruining your recording. For shotgun mics, the MicPort Professional may even double as a deal with. As cellular as this factor is, it’ll fortunately function a easy audio interface when you’re again within the house workplace too.

$350 at B&H Photo

Shure

This information is about cellular recording, and formally, Shure’s MVX2U XLR to USB interface doesn’t help telephones. However you understand what? It undoubtedly does work with the telephones we’ve tried, together with a number of Androids and the iPhone 15. The excellent news is that it’s half the value of the Centrance. The dangerous information is that the settings can solely be modified by way of Shure’s desktop app, so if you might want to modify one thing out within the discipline, you’re out of luck. Nonetheless, it’s an ideal worth possibility in the event you can stay with its limitations.

$116 at Adorama

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