Podcast Call Recording: Complete 2026 Guide

You booked a great guest for your podcast. They can’t make it to the studio, they don’t have a decent mic, and they don’t want to install Riverside. They say: “Can I just call you?” Now you need broadcast-quality audio from a phone call — and that’s where most setups fall apart.

This guide covers how to record and live-stream phone interviews using a hardware audio bridge, so your guest only needs their phone and you get clean, mixable audio on your end.

Why Phone Audio Is Hard to Record for Broadcast

If you’ve ever tried to record a remote interview over the phone, you already know the problems:

• Speakerphone into a studio mic picks up room echo, uneven volume, and sounds like a conference call from 2004
• Bluetooth audio compresses everything to 8-16kHz mono depending on the Bluetooth codec (CVSD runs at 8kHz, mSBC at 16kHz) — fine for conversation, terrible for broadcast
• Built-in call recording (iPhone’s built-in recording, Pixel’s recorder) plays an audible tone to notify the other party that the call is being recorded, saves in a compressed format you can’t route to your DAW, and gives you a single mixed-down file with no separation between your voice and theirs
• Screen-recording workarounds capture system audio at whatever quality the OS decides, with no gain control and no way to mix it separately

The core problem: phone calls are designed for communication, not production. The audio path from your guest’s phone to your recording software has too many lossy steps and too few controls.

Recording Method Comparison for Podcasters

Before diving into setup details, here’s how the main call recording methods compare for podcast and content creation workflows:

RECAP S2 wins when your guest’s only option is a phone call and you need broadcast-usable audio with full control over the signal path — especially for live streaming.

RECAP S2: An Audio Bridge Between Phone Calls and Your Production Gear

RECAP S2 is a $99 hardware adapter that connects between your phone and headset. It taps the audio signal carrying both sides of the conversation — your voice and your guest’s — and outputs it as a clean analog line-level signal to any recording device, audio interface, or streaming software.

Signal path:

Guest's phone → cell network → your phone → RECAP S2 → your PC/audio interface → OBS / Audacity / DAW

No apps to install. No batteries. No subscriptions. No software on your phone. Your guest doesn’t need anything — just their phone.

RECAP captures audio from any call type: cellular, WhatsApp, FaceTime Audio, Signal, Telegram, or any other app that routes audio through the headset. If you can hear it in your headset, RECAP outputs it.

What RECAP doesn’t do: It does not magically upgrade phone-quality audio to studio-quality. Your guest’s voice will still sound like a phone call — but it will be a clean phone call, properly routed into your DAW with full gain control, separate from your studio mic, and ready for post-production. It also requires a wired headset connection (3.5mm or via adapter) and a separate recording device (computer, audio interface, or voice recorder).

Podcast Recording Setup

This is the most common use case: you’re recording an interview episode where the guest calls in by phone.

Basic Setup (Single Track)

If you just need a clean recording of both sides:

1. Connect your phone to RECAP S2 (directly into the 3.5mm jack, or via a USB-C/Lightning adapter if your phone doesn’t have one)
2. Plug your headset into RECAP S2’s headset port — you talk and listen normally
3. Run RECAP S2’s output cable to your PC’s microphone input (or a USB audio interface)
4. Open your recording software and select that input as your source
5. Hit record. Both sides of the call are captured.

This gives you a single track with both voices — good enough for many shows, and a massive improvement over speakerphone.

If your phone doesn’t have a headphone jack, check our adapter compatibility guide — you’ll need an adapter that supports audio output (passive DAC adapters won’t work). For Android-specific setup steps, see our Android call recording guide. For iPhone, see our iPhone call recording guide.

Advanced Setup (Separate Tracks for Post-Production)

For proper mixing and editing, you want your voice and the guest audio on separate tracks:

1. Set up RECAP S2 as above — its output goes to Input 1 on your audio interface
2. Your studio mic (SM7B, Rode PodMic, whatever you use) goes to Input 2 on the same interface
3. In your DAW, create two tracks:
   • Track 1: RECAP S2 input (guest’s audio + your voice through the phone)
   • Track 2: Your studio mic (your voice only, studio quality)
4. Record both tracks simultaneously
5. In post-production, mute or duck your voice on Track 1 during your own speaking parts — use Track 2 for your audio and Track 1 for your guest’s audio

This is the same double-ender workflow podcasters use with Riverside or Descript’s remote recording feature, except your guest doesn’t need to install anything or have a good internet connection. They just call you.

Recommended Recording Software

For detailed software setup instructions, see our guide to the best call recording software for PC.

File Format Recommendations

• Record in WAV (44.1kHz, 16-bit) for maximum editing flexibility. Phone audio is mono — don’t waste disk space on stereo.
• Export to MP3 (128kbps mono or 192kbps) for your final podcast distribution file.
• If your host (Buzzsprout, Libsyn, Spotify for Podcasters) accepts it, upload in WAV or FLAC and let them handle the compression.

Live Streaming Setup (YouTube Live, Twitch, Facebook Live)

If you’re streaming live and want to bring a phone caller into your broadcast — for a live interview, call-in show, or co-host who’s on the road — RECAP S2 feeds directly into OBS Studio.

OBS Studio Configuration

1. Connect RECAP S2’s output to your PC’s mic input or audio interface
2. In OBS, go to Sources and click + to add a new source
3. Select Audio Input Capture and name it “Phone Call” (or “Guest Audio”)
4. In the properties dropdown, select the input device where RECAP is connected
5. You’ll see an audio meter in the OBS mixer — adjust the fader until the caller’s voice peaks around -12dB to -6dB
6. Your own mic should already be set up as a separate Audio Input Capture source

Now your stream has two independent audio sources: your mic and the phone call. Your audience hears both. You can adjust levels independently in the OBS mixer.

Mixing Phone Audio with Other Sources

In the OBS Audio Mixer, you’ll see separate faders for:

• Your mic (Desktop/Host mic)
• Phone call (RECAP S2 input)
• Desktop audio (game sound, music, alerts)

Tips for a clean mix:

• Set the phone call fader so your guest’s voice is at roughly the same loudness as yours. Phone audio tends to be quieter — bring it up.
• Apply a noise gate to the phone input (right-click the source > Filters > Noise Gate). This cuts low-level line noise when your guest isn’t speaking.
• Add a compressor filter to even out volume spikes from the phone call. Set the ratio to 3:1, threshold at -18dB.
• If you hear a tinny quality from the phone audio, add an EQ filter: cut 2-4kHz slightly, boost 200-400Hz slightly. Phone audio is naturally thin — a small EQ adjustment warms it up for broadcast.

Latency Considerations

Phone calls have inherent latency — typically 100-300ms depending on the carrier and network. This means:

• Your audience will hear a slight delay between when you ask a question and when your guest responds. This is normal and expected for phone interviews.
• Do not try to sync phone audio with a video feed of your guest. The latency is variable and you’ll fight it the entire stream.
• For audio-only streams or podcast-style shows, the latency is invisible. For video streams, just treat it like a satellite interview — the audience understands the delay.

Video Call Alternatives: When You Don’t Need RECAP

Be honest about this: if your guest can use a computer with a decent mic, a video call platform is probably the simpler option.

When Zoom, Riverside, or Descript’s remote recording is the better choice:

• Guest has a laptop, decent internet, and a USB mic (or even decent laptop mic)
• You want video of your guest, not just audio
• Guest is comfortable installing an app or joining a browser link
• You’re recording, not streaming live (Riverside records locally on each end for best quality)

When RECAP S2 is the better choice:

• Guest is calling from their phone — they don’t have a computer handy, or they’re on the road, or they simply prefer to call
• You’re streaming live and need the phone audio in OBS in real time — Zoom-to-OBS routing is fragile and adds complexity
• You want a local, hardware-level recording with no dependency on internet quality or cloud services
• You need to capture calls from WhatsApp, FaceTime, Signal, or regular cellular — platforms that don’t have built-in recording or OBS integration
• Your guest is not tech-savvy and “just call this number” is the only realistic ask
• You’re recording interviews for a YouTube video or documentary and need clean audio you fully control

The two approaches aren’t mutually exclusive. Plenty of podcasters use Riverside for guests who can handle it and RECAP for guests who can’t (or won’t).

Audio Quality Tips for Phone Interviews

Phone audio will never sound like a studio mic, but you can get it surprisingly close with proper gain staging and post-processing.

Gain Staging

Get the levels right before you hit record:

1. Phone volume: Set your phone’s in-call volume to about 75%. Going to 100% can introduce distortion on some phones.
2. RECAP output to PC input: In your system’s sound settings, adjust the microphone input level until the loudest speech peaks at -6dB in your recording software. If you’re clipping, lower the input gain — don’t just turn down the phone volume, as that reduces the signal-to-noise ratio.
3. Monitor with headphones plugged into your audio interface, not your computer speakers. You need to hear exactly what’s being recorded.

Post-Production Cleanup

These Audacity steps will clean up phone audio significantly:

1. Noise reduction: Select a few seconds of silence (where only line noise is present), go to Effect > Noise Reduction > Get Noise Profile. Then select the entire track and apply with default settings. One pass is usually enough.
2. EQ for warmth: Effect > Filter Curve EQ. Roll off everything below 80Hz (removes rumble). Gently boost 150-300Hz to add body. Cut 3-5kHz slightly to reduce the harsh, tinny quality phone audio is known for.
3. Compression: Effect > Compressor. Threshold -12dB, ratio 3:1, attack 10ms. This evens out volume differences between loud and quiet parts of the conversation.
4. Normalization: Effect > Normalize to -1dB. This brings the final level up to broadcast standard.

For a deeper dive on recording software options and settings, see our software guide.

What You Need (Shopping List)

Total for a basic phone interview recording setup: $99 (RECAP S2) + software you already have.

For the full hardware connection walkthrough, see our guide on recording phone calls to your computer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I record a phone interview for my podcast without the guest knowing?

RECAP S2 does not play any announcement or notification to the caller. Recording laws vary by jurisdiction — in the US, federal law allows one-party consent (you can record if you’re a participant), but some states like California require all-party consent. For podcast interviews, the ethical and legal standard is to inform your guest that you’re recording. Most guests expect it — they agreed to be on your show.

Does RECAP S2 work with WhatsApp, FaceTime, and Signal calls?

Yes. RECAP captures any audio that passes through your phone’s headset connection. This includes cellular calls, WhatsApp voice calls, FaceTime Audio, Signal, Telegram, Google Meet, and any other app. If you can hear it through your headset, RECAP outputs it to your recording device.

Can I use RECAP S2 to bring a phone caller into my Twitch or YouTube stream?

Yes. Connect RECAP S2’s output to your PC, add it as an Audio Input Capture source in OBS Studio, and the caller’s audio goes live on your stream. You control the volume independently in OBS’s audio mixer. This works for call-in shows, live interviews, or any format where you want a phone guest on your broadcast.

What about Skype? Can I record Skype calls with RECAP?

Skype was officially shut down by Microsoft in May 2025. If you were using Skype for remote interviews, the replacement is Microsoft Teams (for video calls) or RECAP S2 (for phone call interviews). RECAP works with any call, so if your workflow was previously “call the guest on Skype and record,” you can now have the guest call your phone and capture it through RECAP with better reliability and no dependency on a third-party service.

How does the audio quality compare to Riverside or Descript?

Riverside and Descript’s remote recording feature record locally on each participant’s device, so if your guest has a good mic and quiet room, those platforms will deliver better raw audio. But they require your guest to use a browser or app, have decent internet, and cooperate with the tech. RECAP gives you broadcast-usable audio from a simple phone call — the floor is higher (no “my internet cut out” or “I can’t hear you” moments), but the ceiling is lower than a proper local recording. For many shows, especially interview-heavy formats, the reliability trade-off is worth it.

Do I need a special adapter for my iPhone or Android?

If your phone has a 3.5mm headphone jack, you connect RECAP S2 directly — no adapter needed. Most modern phones don’t have one, so you’ll need a USB-C or Lightning to 3.5mm adapter. Not all adapters work — it must be one that supports audio output (active DAC). See our complete adapter compatibility guide for tested recommendations, or check our Android and iPhone guides for device-specific instructions.

Can I use RECAP while recording on both my phone and computer simultaneously?

Yes. RECAP S2 doesn’t interfere with any built-in call recording on your phone. You can have the iPhone’s built-in recording running as a backup while RECAP feeds the primary recording to your DAW. The phone doesn’t know RECAP is there — it just sees a standard headset connection.

Record phone interviews in broadcast quality. Stream live callers to your audience. No apps for your guest to install, no batteries, no subscriptions.

Get RECAP S2 — $99 | Works with any phone. Outputs to any recording or streaming software.

See also: How to record phone calls on your computer | Best recording software for PC | Compatible adapters | Android call recording | iPhone call recording