I have a (weird) question: Is it possible to connect a 3.5mm cable to a microphone‘s headphone out and the other end to a iPad‘s audio in, and record with it? I know an iPad is far from ideal, but there is no other options for me right now.

  • @[email protected]
    3•2 days ago

    The iPads jack input/output can be used to record a signal but you’ll need to connect to the pad with a TRRS cable. This is how the mics that plug directly to your headphone socket work. You may also need a special cable to have a line level signal to work but I haven’t tried this myself. Check out this blog post.

    I assume you are using some kind of usb mic with a headphone output? In this case I would instead connect the mic directly to the iPad with a camera connector kit or usb c if it’s a newer iPad. If you must use the headphone output, you will need a trs- trrs cable such as a Rode SC7 but this may not work as intended with the signal levels from the headphone out jack of your mic.

      • @[email protected]
        1•2 days ago

        TRRS is what the iPad uses for mic input and stereo output like in the typical corded apple earplugs (with a mic). The other end of the cable that goes to your mic is most likely a regular TRS. If you use a regular 3.5mm TRS on both ends, the audio will not be routed to the input of the iPad.

        But yeah, a camera connector kit or a cheap audio interface will be a better and more robust solution.

  • @Vinny_93
    1•2 days ago

    An iPad doesn’t have audio in typically. The jack on it is audio out.

    If you have, say, a laptop with a dedicated microphone jack, you can use that in combination with headphones and use those as a microphone. A mic is just a speaker with inverted membranes.

    But like I said, it’s important for the audio host to have an input port.