Manual

Everything you need to know about your Howler. How to set it up, starting a recording or livestream, and transferring files.

1. Connecting audio

Connect the REC output of your mixer/device directly to the RCA IN connectors (A) of your Howler.
(Optional) Don’t have a dedicated REC out on your mixer available? Just connect any sound output of your mixer/device (i.e. the Master or Booth output) to your Howler’s RCA IN connectors (A). Then connect Howler’s RCA OUT connectors (B) to the speakers / PA system.

2. Recording with Howler

Insert your microSD card (A)*. It can take up to 10 seconds before your microSD card is initialised after inserting/turning on Howler.
Choose recording format, .MP3 or .WAV using the mode switch (B).
- WAV is higher quality, but bigger file size of max ~3.5 hour recording (=~4GB file size). Will create a new recording automatically if SD-card is formatted at FAT32.
- MP3 allows max ~40 hour recordings per file size (FAT32), and no recording duration limits on exFAT.
You are ready to record your musical masterpiece! Press RECORD (C), this is the big push button on top, and start your performance. To stop and save the recording press RECORD (C) again.

* MicroSD card formatting requirements

If you are using your own microSD card, which wasn’t supplied by us, please make sure it meets the following requirements:
– FAT32 formatted
– Class 10, UHS-I (U1)
– A2 class cards do not work
– SanDisk’s ‘Ultra’ & ‘Pro’ line cards do not work
– We have best experience with 16GB and 32GB cards of low/mid range brands (i.e. Samsung, Kingston) with specs: class 10, UHS-1 (U1), V10, A1
– If you buy/bought a SD-card through our Kickstarter/webshop it’s properly formatted by us.

We strongly recommend to get a 16GB or 32GB card as the work out of the box and don’t involve reformatting that may go wrong.

If you still go for a 64GB+ SD-card, please re-format to FAT32. To re-format 64GB+ cards to FAT32 you may need to install 3rd party software on Windows. Use 32kb cluster size/allocation unit size if asked. We have good experience with this Windows program. For macOS users: use the already installed Disk Utility app on your mac and use “MS-DOS (FAT)” as format type. This will result in FAT32 format.

If you are still encountering problems after formatting the SD-card to above specs, please fill in the contact form at the end of this page describing your problem and SD-card your are using.

2.1 Startup sequence

When starting Howler, the BATTERY indicator turns on and after a few seconds the RECORD button may quickly flash a few times indicating it is initialising the microSD card. After this, Howler is ready to use for recording.

2.2 Proper recording behaviour

Howler is correctly recording when the RECORD button is blinking constantly, and the LEVEL indicator is blinking green. See the BATTERY and LEVEL indicators section below for more information.

If the RECORD button stops blinking soon after you've pushed it, there is something wrong with the microSD card, or the microSD card is full.

3. Livestreaming/filming with Howler

Want to use your Howler for a livestream, for a video recording, or as an audio interface?

Simply connect a smartphone or computer to your Howler’s USB-C port (A) with a USB cable.*
Set the mode switch (B) to STREAM/TRANSFER. Your Howler will now be recognized by your smartphone or computer device as an external audio source. You can select it on your favorite streaming platform to start your livestream. Your mobile device should automatically take Howler as audio input when launching a livestream app or camera app.

* iPhone users with Lightning port require an Apple USB camera adapter, or our Lightning Pack, to be able to connect external USB devices like Howler. Phones/devices with a USB-C port only need a USB-C cable to connect. Make sure the USB-C cable supports data transfer. If you want to charge your phone while using your Howler, you can use our USB-C Pack.

Also check out our guide on getting pro audio for DJ livestreams for tips & tricks on getting the best out of your livestreams.

4. Battery and Level indicators

If your LEVEL indicator is blinking red this means your volume is too high. Turn down the volume of the sound source to avoid clipping in the recording.

Read our post on getting clean, distortion-free recordings to get more in-depth information about recording volume.

When Howler is switched on, the BATTERY indicator is blue when not charging, red when charging, and green if when is fully charged. Howler is able to record around 30 hours on a full battery.

The BATTERY indicator blinks blue and red when you have around 1 hour left of recording. You are unable to start new recordings until you connect a charger.
The BATTERY indicator blinks red rapidly when the battery is totally depleted. Howler automatically saves the file to the micro SD-card just before depletion. We recommend to charge Howler while recording just to be safe.

If the RECORD button stops blinking soon after you've pushed it, there is something wrong with the microSD card, or the microSD card is full.

5. Dongle use

If you want to keep your phone charged while using your Howler, we’ve got you covered. Using the dongle you can connect both your Howler and a charging cable to your phone:

Connect your Howler’s USB-C port (A) to the left port (B) on the dongle.
Connect the charger cable to the right port (C).
Plug the dongle’s cable (D) into your phone.

6. Transferring files

Transferring your recordings from the microSD card in the Howler to your phone or laptop can be done in two ways. You can connect it using a USB-C cable or you can take out the microSD card and put it in an SD card reader.

For connecting the Howler using a USB-C cable to a phone we have two step-by-step guides:

Have a question?

Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Ask your questions via the form or send us a DM on social media!

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