How overcome AGC on MIC input on domestic recorder?

[coltwo]

I record my phone calls at home using a line adapter. The adapter
output goes into the MIC input of a small recorder (it does not have a
line input).

The recorder has automatic gain control on the mic input and I get a
lot of hiss & noise when no one is talking. When someone does talk the
recording is a bit distorted.

How can I improve this without buying a different recorder. If I put
an attenuator between the adapter and the recorder then wouldn't the
mic AGC kick in more frequently?

 

[David Woolley]

How can I improve this without buying a different recorder. If I put
an attenuator between the adapter and the recorder then wouldn't the
mic AGC kick in more frequently?

AGC reduces gain, so an attenuator will reduce the number of times it
kicks in. Also, the attenuator will reduce the line noise (but not any
internal to the recorder) when the gain is full on.

This is not an electrical engineering problem.

 

[Graham.]

I record my phone calls at home using a line adapter. The adapter
output goes into the MIC input of a small recorder (it does not have a
line input).

The recorder has automatic gain control on the mic input and I get a
lot of hiss & noise when no one is talking. When someone does talk the
recording is a bit distorted.

How can I improve this without buying a different recorder. If I put
an attenuator between the adapter and the recorder then wouldn't the
mic AGC kick in more frequently?

Yes. The attenuator in this case would be a potentiometer.
Try a 10K ohm skeleton preset "pot".
Wire the source to the top (hot), and bottom (ground) terminals.
Wire the lead to the mic jack to the centre and bottom terminals.