Whether you’re streaming live, conducting a podcast, doing Zoom calls, or creating content for your social media or YouTube channel, professional-sounding audio is a key part of setting your content apart from others.
Seemingly everyone is creating some form of video content today, especially guitarists eager to share their latest guitar lick, song or tutorial. Unfortunately though, direct audio from smartphones, tablets and computers is sometimes subpar. That’s where Mackie’s new M-Caster Live portable live streaming mixer enters the picture.
In this video, YouTube guitarist Jimmy Franklin provides an excellent overview of the many uses of the M-Caster Live. Inserting this mixer into your workflow, Franklin says, will bring “all of your live streams to the next level with a few little production tweaks.”
The M-Caster Live packs a whole lot of features into a surprisingly small enclosure.
Connectivity comes on either side of the M-Caster, with a lightning plug in, computer input, gamer headphone input, instrument input, and a smartphone input for music insertion (a TRRS cable is included). Earbud/headphones and monitor speaker outputs, an XLR input and 48V phantom power for condenser microphones that require it also come aboard.
As Franklin explains in the video, the M-Caster Live’s top-mounted controls are easy to navigate and fairly self-explanatory.
At the top of the mixer you have your Earbud output level, while directly under that sits channel one with Vocal Effects and Contour Effects levels. A microphone selector allows users to utilize their favorite mic or headset, while channel two has the same configuration as channel one, except that users can select between instrument input or computer.
The third row of knobs, meanwhile, allows users to select between vocal effects presets, contour effects presets, light choices, and smartphone volume adjustment.
M-Caster Live is ideal for podcasts and Zoom meetings/presentations as well. “If you want to sound more professional in your meetings,” Franklin says, “this product really kills it.”
For a vlog or single camera streams, M-Caster Live interfaces easily with the camera and other software and hardware. In his demo, for instance, Franklin utilizes the M-Caster Live to sync with his multiple video camera setup, while still switching live on the fly.
“Instead of doing the audio effects in post-production,” Franklin explains, “we now automatically synced up to these three camera angles. It cuts down on post-production and editing of effects.”
“It’s hard to get people to sit through bad audio on YouTube,” Franklin correctly points out. So, if you’re taking the time and effort to create superior video content, shouldn’t your audio be just as good or better?
The M-Caster Live Portable live streaming mixer lets you unlock your true sound using all of your favorite tech and your best microphone. It’s compatible with Mac or PC, and will give your video streams, podcasts, Zoom calls, and YouTube videos pro audio sound on the go or in the studio.
For more information on the M-Caster Live, head to Mackie.
