equipment$25–45used in 1 side quest
External lavalier microphone (3.5mm)
A clip-on microphone that plugs into your phone's headphone jack (or USB-C adapter). Captures ambient sound cleanly without the handling noise and auto-compression of built-in phone mics.
What to look for
- 1TRRS 3.5mm plug compatible with smartphones (not TRS for cameras)
- 2Omnidirectional pattern for capturing environment, not just speech directly in front
- 3Foam windscreen included—critical for outdoor recording
- 4Cable at least 1.5m long so you can clip mic away from your body
Skip
- Wireless mics (they compress audio heavily and add hiss)
- Mics marketed only for vocals/podcasting (too narrow pickup pattern)
Used for: Recording ambient city sounds · Capturing environmental audio layers · Field recording walks · Documenting soundscapes
Side quests that use it
Pick the adventure first; the gear follows.
