Originally Posted 6/15/24

image of person using the tascam mixcast 4. The Tascam Mixcast 4 has 8 audio sliders for the 8 different inputs it can have. It also features a digital screen, as well as 8 colored buttons. There are also knobs along the top right for headphone volume.

Quick Info

Price: $399

Where to Buy: Tascam's Website

Quick Summary: An audio mixer made by Tascam which is designed for Podcasters, even coming with podcast editing software.

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In Depth

I really quick here just want to say I don't believe this is a piece of equipment the average person needs. I wanted to mention it though because I use mine a lot, and it has come in handy in a variety of ways I'll describe below. With that out of the way, on to the post.

What is an Audio Mixer?

I think the first thing that needs to be talked about is what an audio mixer even is. Unless you've worked in video or audio production, I don't think the average person even knows what an audio mixer is. An audio mixer takes multiple sound inputs, and allows you to alter the volume of each one individually. The mixer then will either record the audio itself, or more often the audio will then go to a computer or to another piece of hardware. On a computers end, it recognizes the audio as one source, rather than each source individually. In a professional setting, it makes it really easy to adjust different peoples mic levels, as some people talk softer or louder than others. Most audio mixers also will allow you to mute certain inputs for when someone isn't talking, or you want to make sure they can't be heard. In most professional settings, the audio mixer will also have an option so that one person can say something to everyone plugged into the mixer it, but it is not actually in the recording or broadcast. This can be useful in Radio for example if you have a producer who needs to tell the talent how much longer they have left. In a Radio or Podcasting environment, most people who have a mic are also plugged into the mixer in order to hear how the audio sounds.

Why would someone need an audio mixer for personal use?

While I don't think the average person needs one, I'll go into detail about why I've enjoyed having one, in no particular order.

Podcasting- One reason I initially bought the Tascam Mixcast 4 is because I was planning to podcast more. I had a job that we were talking about getting a podcast going, and I wanted to make my life easier by having one easy to transport. This one also allows you to record directly to it, making it a great option for podcasting while not plugged into a computer.
Using XLR Mics-XLR Mics (and cables) as far as I know are the default in the video or audio production industry. My degree is in video production and so I already had XLR mics and cables around, and loved the idea of also being able to use them for my computer or for podcasting. I personally also like working with XLR mics over USB mics, however I'm pretty sure this is just a personal preference thing. I don't know of exact reasons why an XLR mic would be preferable over a USB mic, so this might just be something that was drilled into me in school.
Multiple People in Same Voice Chat in Same Room- Yeah so, if you've ever been in the room with someone else, and tried to both join a voice call to talk with friends online, you know the pain that is echoing. With an audio mixer, only one person needs to join the call because both mics can go into the audio mixer. And with that, you don't have to worry about echo any more.
Bluetooth Connectivity-This one is honestly pretty fantastic. The Tascam Mixcast 4 (and I'm sure you could find other audio mixers that have this as well) has built in bluetooth connectivity. What this allows you to do is pair your phone to the Mixcast 4, and use it as an audio input. This means that whoever you're on the phone with will also be able to hear everything else the mixer is picking up. This works great if I'm in voice chat with one friend, and we want another to join and they're driving or something. So I can have Discord on my computer with the one friend, call the other on my cell phone, and everyone can hear each other. What I end up using it for most though is hands free calling while I'm at my desk. Instead of holding my phone to the side of my head, I can use my nice microphone and comfortable headphones to talk with someone over the phone.
Playing Spotify on Discord-Spotify has cracked down on music bots. With the Tascam Mixcast 4, if you connect your phone via Bluetooth, you can play music from your phone and others can hear it on Discord. This can be useful for playing background music for something like DnD. Speaking of,
Programmable Sound Buttons-The Tascam Mixcast 4 comes with 8 sound effect buttons. It comes preloaded with some sound effects, but you can add more. There are also about 8 or so digital menus you can switch between that change what the buttons do. So you can realistically have something like 64 different sound effects programmed and ready to go.

Why the Tascam Mixcast 4 in particular?

Honestly for me it's because I like Tascam's stuff. The fact that it came with podcast editing software as well is nice, especially because the audio can be exported as individual tracks so you can really fine tune different peoples audio. The price was good enough for me where I felt like it was worthwhile.

Wrap Up

Those are my thoughts on the Tascam Mixcast 4. Feel free to let me know your thoughts or questions in the comments below!

#Tascam Mixcast 4

Tascam Mixcast 4

Quick Info