Audio recorded in-app on LG G6 is worse quality than audio recorded otherwise

Platform: Stock Android on LG G6

App version number: 1.30.8 (601)

Description of problem: When creating audio observations on the app on an LG G6, the audio quality is markedly worse than it is if I record audio outside of the app and then upload it. When I record through iNaturalist, it’s actually pulling up the exact same audio recorder as I use for standalone recording, that being the stock audio recorder included on the phone, hence why I think it might be some sort of issue with the iNaturalist app rather than some sort of issue with my actual phone.

Example of a clip recorded through the iNaturalist app: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/200729253
One recorded directly through the phone’s audio recorder app, of the same species and in somewhat similar conditions: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/202058712

the associated sound file was recorded at 8000Hz, which means you’ve lost everything above 4000Hz. that’s why the audio sounds muffled.

the file for the other observation is recorded at 44100Hz, which is a sample rate that will capture all frequencies within normal human hearing range.

i can’t even figure out how to record sound in the iNat app on my Android app to record audio (though i didn’t try very hard). so i can’t tell you if i get similar results on my phone.

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