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Can't record audio with external mic

(Topic created on: 08-06-2020 06:22 PM)
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JarvisJo
Apprentice
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Hi

 

I have been spending the past week ordering items and trying out combinations to no avail!
My phone is the s20
I am trying to use an AKG microphone, via a scarlett 2i2 interface as audio input, and nothing seems to work.
At first I naively thought that I all had to do was plug the USB audio interface into the phone via USB: as some of you may have already experienced, it produces a horrible screeching sound!
So I assumed that it would work instead with audio cables, that I would plug into my phone via a jack 3.5 to USB-C cable, so I bought both of those, plugged it in and... Nothing.
After hours of searching I found out that I had to buy a signal splitter, to plug the audio cable into the mic female jack and that would then connect to the jack to usb-c via a TRRS jack... So I buy that...
And still nothing!

I read that USB audio player pro has a driver that can bypass the phone's USB driver, so I purchase it... I still can't record audio when I record a video! 
I have exhausted every options, find nothing else on the internet, and can't understand WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT to just record USB audio with this device??
I must also tell you that

-all of this works perfectly with my previous phone the S10 with the audio plugged via the headphone Jack
-My headset microphone works fine when I plug it in via the 3.5 jack to USB-c cable, or when I plug it into the microphone jack of the signal splitter. So the problem doesn't come from the cable.
-When I try to record I can hear through my interface's direct monitoring the sound picked up by my AKG microphone through my headphones. So the mic works, the interface works and sends the right signal. But that is still not the audio signal recorded by the phone! 
-When I press record on the phone, I get the notification "recording audio through headset", so it DOES detect my microphone but then it still record audio through the built-in mic. WHYYY??
What do I need to do, to connect my audio interface to my phone and get it to record the audio that comes from it?
I feel like I've exhausted every possibility, and I can't believe that there wouldn't be a solution??

Thank you very much to anyone who could help.



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42 REPLIES 42
Mjdfufu
First Poster
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Hey mate. Is the Scarlett still part of the set-up once u solve it? Does it go mic - scarlett - adaptor- phone?

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Members_cjU0dfa
First Poster
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I purchased a Samsung Galaxy s20 ultra. 1400 euro 

 

Then 60 eur an external type c shotgun microphone 

 

Then a gimbal for 110 euro. 

 

Then 90 euro for an 512 gb SD card. 

 

I have a YouTube channel I used my old s8 plus before. 

 

 

 

Now I have an 1600 euro ***** what is good for nothing. 

 

 

 

So so so disappointed in Samsung. Regret to buy this phone. 

 

I should buy the OPPO X2 find pro. 

 

 

 

Just tested on my girlfriend OPPO and the microphone is working fine. 

 

 

 

So it's just about the phone. 

 

 

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cv2020
First Poster
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Same thing using an S20+. I'm trying to use a dual mic setup for video interviews and was told to get the Samsung USB-C 3.5mm adapter and that 'most' external mics should work. So far, all 3 I've tried (Yelloway, Popvoice, Maono) have failed. Went through a couple hours of troubleshooting with Samsung chat support and they of course pointed their fingers at the mic mfr. Next, I plugged my earbuds in to test as a mic and they work perfectly! Will look into JarvisJo's suggestion and look for an adapter specific to the S20.

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Members_W15L7la
First Poster
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ok guys i have the same issue i was sent a Joby external mic to use but it doesn't work if you plug it in direct first time, i only have a cheap 3.5mm to USB C lead this works fine normal 3.5M headphones and mic, what i found using the voice recorder  if i plug in the headphones and mic it pick up my voice then if i swap it out for the external Mic  (only unplug the 3.5mm jack not usb) it works ok but as soon as you unplug the usb lead you have to start this process over again 😞 wonder if this workaround works for others? 

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JarvisJo
Apprentice
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Yup, like that. Except that I use the audio jack outputs of the scarlett as opposed to the old USB output
Madhav22
Student
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hello, i am having the same issue, getting screeching sound when trying to record via scarlett 2i2 studio gen 3 ( with mic included )

i did not understand why you would use a usb c to 3.5mm adapter..

the interface is usb ab type(printer cable in 2nd gen 2i2) and in my case it is usb c itself ( 3rd gen 2i2 ), so i am plugging it in directly, via usb c to usb c cable provided with the s20+.

i am not able to solve the issue of screeching sound in recording, and i am in tears because on my s10+ there existed no such issue. can you please please pleaseee guide how you solved it.. a little briefly. thanks alot.

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Duncan3
First Poster
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Thanks to all for posting on this - especially those who’ve been trying work arounds. 

 

Just to add I’ve had exactly the same with using a Rode Lavalier+ which previously worked beautifully plugged straight into my S8 via TRRS (headphone socket) as it was designed to do. Now, when using a (admittedly, generic USB-C - headphone connector), I get nothing... I too am going to have to try different cables I guess... What a serious pain.

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Darrell_H
First Poster
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I'm doing research on using the S20+ to record video with an external audio source, so I don't have any hardware to work with at this point. But from what I have read above and how phone stuff normally works, I have a few observations to toss out there.

The USB-C to headphone cable is likely just a simple headphone adaptor for TRRS type headphones, and the headphone with and built-in mic and control buttons works a lot like the old 3.5mm TRRS jack.

The USB-C to DAC cable has a Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) chip, so that adaptor is actively converting and analog microphone signal to a digital signal that is passed to the phone. If you try to send a much higher line-level audio signal into the DAC which is likely setup only for the lower microphone audio levels, the DAC will be overloaded and create stuff like screaming and unintelligible noise. You would likely need to reduce/pad the external line input to make it compatible with the expected DAC microphone input levels. Unless the DAC is supposed to be able to handle both audio types correctly?

Most phone compatible TRRS headphones with control buttons uses special configurations of things like resistors to signal to the phone how to deal with button presses in addition to audio input and output. Because different phone manufacturers use different signaling configurations, this is why you need to find select a TRRS headstone/mic product that is compatible with your specific phone model. With these new DAC adaptor cables, the lack of these switch signaling resistors, or the wrong kind of headphone/mic cable configuration, may be what is confusing the DAC cable. It may be reading a "constantly pressed button" which in fact is not really there, and then sending the phone an incorrect signal to do what that button wants such as starting to play music when not in a recording mode. If the adaptor manufacturer were to provide better information on their products, like how to properly wire an external cable to work with the DAC adaptor, this may be the answer to the constantly playing music issue. But I rarely see such technical data provided openly to the public, especially when the parts are new and rushed to market. Eventually someone may figure out what is needed on the cable end to fix this problem, but why the need for someone to figure it out instead of just providing the details up front?


Has anyone seen a Samsung compatible audio adaptor that also supports external cable phone charging as well as the audio interface AT THE SAME TIME? I have run into the problem in the past where adaptors work great for what they are supposed to be doing, but also block charging. So instead of keeps the phone fully charged while shooting video, the video shoot will only last for as long as the external battery can keep up, then you end up with a dead phone.


Just reading about issues like new audio adaptor cables that seem to crop up from a lack of basic testing when they make changes like removing the old 3.5mm TRRS jack doe an adaptor cable setup is what concerns me with using the latest, greatest, and most expensive equipment that fails some basic functionality.

SeanL
First Poster
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Leaving this as a work-around that worked for me in the hopes it will work for others.

I just received an audio-technica ATR2100x-USB microphone that has a USB-C connector, and comes with a USB-C cable that I use to plug into my Galaxy Note 9. Oddly, video recording is no problem, but audio-only recording generates a constant very loud buzz (the aforementioned "screeching" sound).

My work-around is to first plug a wired earbud/mic into the standard headphone jack, then plug the external mic into the USB-C port. Once I start recording, it first picks up the earbud mic, but then I disconnect the earbud leaving only the external mic, and it works great.

So far, that's a working, if not annoying work-around.

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wiggyHD
Student
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o nought one that specifically said compatible with s20 ultra, if I tried and record something I get a high pitch sound, but I can hear through the headset, I don't know what else to try
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