The advantage of having a good mic with you that attaches to your phone is that you have one device plus a dongle to get work done. They can also be less intimidating to the subject of the recording. I like that they are easily pocketable and just connect to my phone. That said, I don’t own one any more, but I miss being able to record, edit and send out short higher quality recordings.
Some of the the downsides of phone connecting dongle microphone are:
- One loses access to phone while one records. (put it in airplane mode you goof)
- Updating the OS or changing ecosystems can make dongle specific microphones obsolete.
*Yay, they changed the connector to my phone! - There is no guarantee that the manufacturer, the app developer, or the os creator will continue to support the device during subsequent updates or iterations of the phones OS.
- The mic may not work with all “phone” cases.
- Dropping one’s “phone” with the add on dongle mic may break both the mic and where it connects the phone.
Stand alone audio recorders have similar (if not superior) sound qualities and are standalone, last beyond one’s phones lifespan, and sometimes have replaceable batteries or multiple powering options. Many can be used as an external mic regardless of computing device with a little ingenuity. Most external standalone audio recorders have memory cards for easy transfer. Some even have Bluetooth connectivity for audio monitoring and/or control (Reduces cost of having a remote for the recorder and the recorder doesn’t become useless when the manufacturer stops updating the remote app.)
I really like like the phone based dongle mics. One can record, edit and post or send a recording quickly. They are great for short audio, and they can greatly improve on the microphones that your phone has built in. That said, if one has limited funds, think about what one wants to do with better recording and what your ideal work flow is. This mic or one like it may work for you, but another solution may be less efficient for work flow, but more cost effective in the long run.
Edit to add: Rather than bash on the offer or it’s pricing, or comment on this particular mic (I haven’t used it) these are my thoughts on mics that attach directly to “phones” in general after using several and owning a few.
