At Hello Studios, we prioritize high-quality audio production to ensure your podcast sounds professional and polished. Our default recording setup utilizes a mixer as the main audio source, with an aux cable running from the mixer to one of the cameras as a backup audio feed. If multiple cameras are in use, the additional cameras will rely on their onboard microphones, which serve as an emergency backup in case of equipment failure.

We highly recommend using the mixer audio as your primary source for several key reasons:

1. Superior Audio Quality

Mixers like the Rodecaster Pro and DLZ Mackie are designed specifically for broadcast-quality audio. They provide:

• Cleaner, more professional sound than camera audio.
• Higher fidelity and less background noise.
• Better signal processing to ensure crisp and balanced sound.

Camera microphones, even with an aux connection from the mixer, cannot match the full quality that a mixer-recorded track provides.

2. Multi-Track Recording Capabilities

One of the biggest advantages of using a mixer is its ability to record each microphone separately. This allows:

• Greater control in post-production, enabling you to adjust individual voices.
• Improved clarity and balance, so one speaker isn’t overpowering another.
• Easier noise reduction, as unwanted background sounds can be isolated.

In contrast, audio from the aux cable is a mixed-down version, meaning all voices are combined into one track. This limits your flexibility if adjustments are needed later.

3. Customizable Effects and Processing

Mixers allow real-time customization of audio settings. You can:

• Adjust EQ settings to enhance vocal clarity.
• Apply compression and noise reduction for a smoother sound.
• Add effects like reverb or de-essing to make voices sound more professional.

With a direct aux feed to the camera, these audio adjustments are not captured—you’re simply recording whatever the mixer sends without any flexibility.

4. Lower Risk of Audio Glitches

When using a direct aux connection to a camera, you introduce potential issues such as:

• Signal interference or degradation over longer cable runs.
• Volume mismatches due to camera preamp limitations.
• No multi-track separation, meaning any mistakes in volume levels cannot be corrected later.

By recording directly to the mixer, you avoid these issues and ensure a clean, properly leveled recording.

5. Redundancy and Backup Audio

While the mixer serves as the primary audio source, our setup still provides a fail-safe mechanism in case of technical difficulties:

• If the mixer malfunctions, audio will still pass through to the camera via the aux cord.
• If the aux cord fails, the camera’s onboard microphone will still capture audio as a last resort.

This ensures you never lose audio entirely, but relying on camera audio alone is not ideal due to its lower quality and limited control.

Final Thoughts

Using the mixer audio as your primary source is the best way to ensure a high-quality, professional podcast recording. With its superior sound quality, multi-track recording, real-time audio processing, and reliability, a mixer far outperforms camera-recorded audio or aux cord feeds.

At Hello Studios, we’ve optimized our setup with Rodecaster Pro and DLZ Mackie mixers to give podcasters the best audio experience possible. Whether you’re recording a single interview or a multi-guest discussion, using mixer audio ensures you get the cleanest, most customizable sound for your podcast.