If you are an amateur or professional DJ, you will surely be interested in having a mixer to control and equalize the different audio channels you handle – like different sound inputs, microphones or multiple sessions.
We’ve seen the best audio interfaces for streaming, but what are you going to do if you want to stream from somewhere other than your home? Carrying the entire DJ setup is not exactly the most convenient thing to do. A simple solution is mobile streaming.
While much less dynamic and simpler, it is an option that requires minimal additional equipment and setup:
- You smartphone with a good Internet connection and a tripod for streaming.
- A DJ controller or mixer.
- A mobile sound card: a particularly small compact mixer that allows you to connect instruments and microphones to mobile devices at the same time.
And that last bullet point is what we want to talk about in this article: choosing the best mobile sound card that suits your needs.
Top Mobile Audio Cards | Portable audio interfaces – 2022
You will find a huge variety of mobile sound cards compatible with smartphones on the market. Many of them are well-known brands in the audiovisual world, but there are others that are gradually making a niche for themselves in the DJ portable booths.
Here is our take.
Roland Go: Mixer Pro | Best Mobile Interface for professional DJs
Roland is trying to make professional-quality recording a little more accessible, thanks to the Roland Go: Mixer Pro, which aims to bring high-quality audio recording to your smartphone in an affordable, portable package.
Two TRS keyboard jacks (6.35 mm, L / Mono and R) and one high-impedance TRS jack (6.35 mm, guitar / bass) are available as instrument inputs. Line signals (such as those from external mixers, media players or smartphones) can be captured via two inputs in the TRS mini jack (3.5 mm) format. That makes an impressive nine channels for such a small device.
On the output side of the Roland Go Mixer Pro is a headphone output with a stereo mini jack for monitoring. The mixed and converted audio sum (A/D) goes to a recording device via a USB port in Micro-B format.
Subscribe to our newsletter 🎧
The Go Mixer Pro is powered by USB bus power or, alternatively, by four AAA batteries if the smartphone audio interface cannot receive the required operating voltage.
Besides that, the Roland Go: Mixer Pro can be operated on different Android and iOS devices and even on PCs it can be used as a simple audio interface. Thanks to its plug-and-play functionality, it can be used immediately on all these devices without the hassle of installing additional drivers.
Saramonic SmartRig+ UC 2-Track | Best Interface for Android
Saramonic SmartRig+UC is a portable two-channel audio interface for microphones and DJ controllers for USB Type-C devices. It is designed to allow you to record and stream professional quality audio by connecting your controller to your smartphone.
Two independent channels allow you to connect and control the gain of multiple devices at the same time. The interface also features 3 types of inputs to suit any configuration; two XLR mic inputs that combine with 2 1/4″ (6.35mm) controller inputs, and two 1/8″ (3.5mm) inputs for connecting any instrument or microphone.
The SmartRig+UC’s three inputs offer unlimited creative potential. You can even connect the stereo outputs of a synthesizer to greatly improve the sound quality of your streaming with your mobile device.
IK Multimedia iRig PRO I/O | Best All Around Interface
The iRig Pro I/O is a complete interface that includes the use in portable devices and also works in our computers. Its manufacturer, IK Multimedia, is a brand specialized mainly in sound cards for mobile devices.
Its design is different from the standard design of the usual sound cards, and it is also suggestive and attractive. Also its small size, which fits in one hand, and the ease of transport are its best virtues at first glance.
In the input section, thanks to its adapter cables, you have the possibility of connecting a controller or a microphone with phantom power.
The IRig Pro I/O also has a MIDI input and output, thanks to included adapters. This gives you the ability to connect MIDI instruments such as keyboards and controllers, both for use as data input and for routing a MIDI output signal to your smartphone.
On the other hand, at the top, a central control wheel allows you to control the output level and there is another small wheel to control the volume of the signal that reaches our headphone output.
Apogee Duet 2 | Designed for travel
The Apogee Duet 2 is a USB 2.0 sound card that significantly surpasses the most popular portable audio interface of all time, the Apogee Duet, with new advanced features, improved performance, and better sound quality.
Apogee Duet 2 is made of silver aluminum, with a black glass front panel. The knob rotates smoothly in both directions; pressing it switches between controlling the input levels for the two inputs, speaker volume and headphone volume.
A headphone jack is located at the top. The rear panel features a DC power adapter input, the connection cable port and a USB 2.0 port. Fortunately, the Duet 2 is USB powered; so you shouldn’t need the included AC adapter unless your system displays a warning about USB power consumption, in which case you could use the AC adapter to fix it.
Apogee Duet 2 is a fantastic portable solution to turn your smartphone into a fully-fledged professional streaming platform. With the Duet 2 you can connect your controller / microphones and make professional quality DJ streamings (up to 192 kHz sample rates) wherever you are.
