Solved! Microphone recordings fade out towards end of playback.

[jazzyone334]

Good day to you. I'm a podcast maker and singer and I use my phone to create my work. But I noticed while recording long phrases with my voice that during playback the recording plays back fine for the first second or two, but then it suddenly fades out towards the end. I found a YouTube video that has an example and a solution for this exact problem, but it's not for the Android mic, but for computer. Here's the link to the video: https/youtu.be/RkFjoruplnc 

but do you know how to fix this issue on the Android mic?

It seems it's a noise reduction issue, and should be an easy fix just like the video. But this type of phone ( moto e4 with nougat) does not include that option.

After doing more research it seems the only and last resort to fixing this issue for phones like this is to change some fluence settings in the build.prop settings. But the problem is in order to do that we must be rooted. And that's not something most users want or need to be bothered with.

I bought this research to the attention of the Motorola staff on a forum thread on Motorola's website and they basically told me that since my phone is a budget phone they didn't include a noise reduction option, and that my only option was to go the root route.

I told them that that was bullshit! And that there has to be a more simple fix for this issue because decent voice and audio is a basic function that all phones should have. We shouldn't have to go through the frustration of having to find a way to root our phones just to get basic functions to work correctly.

I told them that people like me use our phones for work and that most of us can't afford the flagship phones/devices to do voice work when we're just starting out. We need those basic functions on a budget.

My old $30 gingerbread phone did not have issues like this and had great recording, so why can't a $60 nougat phone be the same or better? This has been a very depressing and frustrating time for me, because I've not been able to work on my podcasts and my music for the last couple of months. I can't afford a better phone so im trying to get this resolved on this phone.

 Please let me know if you have any type of fix for this besides root.

 If root is the only fix for this then the manufacturers screwed us over! And that's not right!

This is my second moto e4 phone in 2 months because of this issue. I asked them to replace the first one because I thought it was defective. But now it seems this is just a design flaw by the manufactures.

Please get back in touch soon as possible with any help or advice you can provide, thanks. Jay.

P.s. factory reset and all other steps have been done, this phone has this mic issue right out of the box before any third party apps are installed.

Also for some strange reason the camcorder mic works fine, and doesn't have this noise reduction issue. But the daw that I use to record my work doesn't have a camcorder option, so i need to get the issue fixed for my default mic.

Also just incase you wanted to check the thread in the Motorola forum I will leave a link, another user in that thread commented that he has the same problem with this phone.

https/forums.lenovo.com/t5/MOTO-E-4th-Gen-MOTO-E-4th-Gen/Microphone-fading-itself-out-while-recording/td-p/4020738

 

[webworkings]

You didn't mention what app on the phone you were recording with. I get that it is the standard one, but which standard one? I ask because I wondered if you considered trying a different app to record through. Since you already established that it doesn't happen when you are recording video. Just a thought.

 

[jazzyone334]

You didn't mention what app on the phone you were recording with. I get that it is the standard one, but which standard one? I ask because I wondered if you considered trying a different app to record through. Since you already established that it doesn't happen when you are recording video. Just a thought.

Thanks for your reply. It does it with every single voice recording app. From the voice mail app to device help app to all 3rd party apps.

 

[webworkings]

That is just odd. Especially if it works fine with video, since they are using the same microphone. Which then would mean, as you thought, they set up something odd in it. The manufacturer that is.

Have you considered trying an external mic? To see if it causes the same issue?

 

[jazzyone334]

That is just odd. Especially if it works fine with video, since they are using the same microphone. Which then would mean, as you thought, they set up something odd in it. The manufacturer that is.

Have you considered trying an external mic? To see if it causes the same issue?

Exactly! It's very weird. I tried using earbuds with a mic and strangely, when they're plugged in, the phone mic works without the glitch, but unfortunately the playback is very low and bad quality compared to recording without that earbuds mic.

And when I try to record directly into the earbud mic, it sounds louder and doesn't have the glitch, but unfortunately it makes too much noise and doesn't sound as good and clear as the normal phone mic.

Despite this glitch in the normal phone mic, the voice/sound still records clear and amazing, it's just that this glitch cuts the voice/sound down at the end and makes it unusable.

 

[jazzyone334]

That is just odd. Especially if it works fine with video, since they are using the same microphone. Which then would mean, as you thought, they set up something odd in it. The manufacturer that is.

Have you considered trying an external mic? To see if it causes the same issue?

My friend has an Android running marshmallow. I checked his phone in the past for this issue, and his does it too, but the difference is his only does it when there's noise in the back ground, but mine does it even when there's no noise. What that tells me is that it is indeed a noise reduction setting causing this, but the difference is, his noise reduction is working correctly and mine is not. Mine has gone haywire some how? Hmm

Do you think it's best to just forget about this mic issue, and just purchase an affordable mic to use instead?

If so, which type do you suggest I purchase? The 3.5mm jack type? Or the USB types that are used for PCs? (I'm guessing you're less likely to prefer USB because I just read that Android does not support usb recording) is that still true?

depending on which type you suggest, do you have any good suggestions for good, but really affordable brands?

I will also like to know some good suggestions for otg cables if you by any chance miraculously suggest USB mics. Thanks.

 

[webworkings]

No, I wouldn't suggest USB ones for a phone. For a computer yes, but not for a phone.

It sounds like the noise reduction is not working correctly for certain. And short of a reset of the phone, which would remove your stuff from it plus may not resolve the issue. I am surprised the company doesn't have a resolution. They have to know about it.

Not big on external mics for phones myself. So I can't suggest one. However, I would suggest going for one that is a mic only. Not a combo. That should give you better recording, versus what you have been using. I know someone who uses a full sized mic with their phone, for a singing app. Works great but I don't know the brand. They do use a mic only though. No headphones/earbuds.

 

[jazzyone334]

No, I wouldn't suggest USB ones for a phone. For a computer yes, but not for a phone.

It sounds like the noise reduction is not working correctly for certain. And short of a reset of the phone, which would remove your stuff from it plus may not resolve the issue. I am surprised the company doesn't have a resolution. They have to know about it.

Not big on external mics for phones myself. So I can't suggest one. However, I would suggest going for one that is a mic only. Not a combo. That should give you better recording, versus what you have been using. I know someone who uses a full sized mic with their phone, for a singing app. Works great but I don't know the brand. They do use a mic only though. No headphones/earbuds.

(1.) https/www.amazon.com/Condenser-Microphone-Stereo-Quality-Uni-directional/dp/B07B8M16TJ/ref=mp_s_a_1_49?ie=UTF8&qid=1525211932&sr=8-49&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=unidirectional+microphone+for+android

(2.) https/www.amazon.com/Portable-Microphone-Condenser-Android-Smartphone/dp/B01J3FZKJI/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1525209050&sr=8-11&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=portable+mini+microphone+stereo+condenser

These are two temporary mics from amazon that I have my eyes on right now until I can afford something better later. So would these type of mics be included in the "headphones +mic category you were talking about?

I ask that because although they're not combined with headphones, they have a splitter built in for headphone insertion. Would that count as the combo you warned me about?

Also I just ranned into a potential problem regarding the description of the 2nd mic. My problem is that when I saw this same mic on eBay, the description said: "The microphone does not work with headphones/earphone, because the headphones/earphone and microhone would conflict with each other arising from noise"

Now I'm completely confused and unsure if I should buy it from Amazon.

So educate me here and tell me why would a mic that has a splitter on the end (specifically made for headphones) not work with the plugged in headphones? Amazon doesn't tell me that in their description, so does that mean the sellers on eBay are just selling some fake bullshit? Or did Amazon just forgot to include it in their description also? This is very confusing. Get back in touch soon, thanks.

 

[webworkings]

Any microphone that is a single 3.5mm jack should work. Just not a combo and not one that for whatever reason has more than one jack, should work fine. As I said, not being a mic in phone user myself, I can't say what one would be best. I would try checking the feedback for the ones you are looking at on amazon to see what people really think of them. Not big on ebay electronics secondhand not the best idea.

 

[jazzyone334]

Any microphone that is a single 3.5mm jack should work. Just not a combo and not one that for whatever reason has more than one jack, should work fine. As I said, not being a mic in phone user myself, I can't say what one would be best. I would try checking the feedback for the ones you are looking at on amazon to see what people really think of them. Not big on ebay electronics secondhand not the best idea.

Ok, I guess the main thing I wanna know is: will plugging my trrs headphones into the extra mic port (that's included with those mics) allow me to monitor my recordings? or is that extra port just for trs headphones?

 

[webworkings]

I can't answer that. I don't know that specific device. You would need to check with the company.