Audio

Podcasting is undergoing a renaissance with listeners consuming on-demand shows at unprecedented levels, and creators enjoying surprising levels of success with their work. One thing that sets apart the amateurs from the professionals is good content, but the other is production values. Here are some of the things I’ve learned, along with recommendations on the hardware, software and techniques to get you started podcasting using your Mac.

I’ve been running podcasts for years, and while I worked on some video courses in the past, over the past year I have invested more time in my audio and video setup, primarily for live-streaming. After months and months of getting It to a point where I am “kind of” happy with it, I thought it was high time I documented it. Partly so others can learn from my setup, and partly so I can keep tabs on it myself.

A few years ago I detailed the hardware and software I use for producing my podcasts and videos. Since then, I have changed a lot, so it seemed a good time to revisit.

macOS has always lacked a built-in way to route and mix audio on a per-application basis. Windows users have had per-app volume control for years, but on macOS, you need third-party tools to get anything close. I had been using a combination of SoundDesk, the Stream Deck MIDI plugin, and a Stream Deck plus with dials to solve this. The setup worked, but configuring it was fiddly. Then Elgato released Wave Link 3, and everything changed.