RODE Microphones Rodecaster Duo Specification sheet

How to Get Started With the
RØDECaster Duo
In this section, we’ll take you through the basic setup
process for the RØDECaster Duo, including connecting
headphones and speakers, connecting and setting up
microphones, instruments and other devices, updating
firmware, and more.
Selecting a Language
After booting up your RØDECaster Duo for the first time,
you will be asked to select your default language. There are
10 languages to choose from: English, Chinese, Japanese,
Korean, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.
The default language can be changed at any time by
tapping the settings cog and selecting ‘System’ >
‘Language’.
Date and Time
Next you will be asked to configure the time and date for
your unit. Use the rotary encoder and touchscreen to set
your local time and date. On the bottom left, you can also
select whether you would like to show the time and date on
the home screen.
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Updating Firmware
Next you will be prompted to connect your RØDECaster
Duo to a computer via Wi-Fi, ethernet or USB to ensure you
are running the most up-to-date firmware. Select your
preferred connection method and follow the instructions to
establish internet connection.
The Setup Wizard
Next you will be taken through the Setup Wizard process,
which provides step-by-step instructions for configuring
your device. These steps are covered below. You can
access the Setup Wizard at any time by creating a new
‘Show’ (tap the ‘Show’ icon in the top right of the
homepage, then ‘New Show’).
Connecting Headphones
There are two outputs on the back of the RØDECaster Duo
for connecting two pairs of headphones, such as the
NTH100, that feature high-quality 1/4-inch connectors. If
your headphones have a 3.5mm connector, use a 1/4-inch
to 3.5mm adaptor such as the RØDE HJA4to connect
them to the unit.
Pro Tip
If you are the host of a podcast or producing/engineering a recording, we recommend always plugging into headphone
output 1. This is because when you press the ‘Listen’ button on a fader, it will only be solo’d for headphone output 1 so you
can listen to that channel without disrupting the flow of the recording for other people in your session.
Connecting a Headset
On the front of the RØDECaster Duo, on the right-hand
side, there’s a 3.5mm TRRS input for connecting a headset
such as the NTH100M. This input allows you to capture
your headset microphone as well as monitor audio via your
headset. The RØDECaster Duo features a dedicated
headset input channel, which you can assign to a fader to
control the headset microphone’s input level.
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Adjusting Headphone Levels
Both headphone outputs have an independent level
control. These are located at the top-right of the unit and
are labelled 1 and 2. These allow you to easily control the
volume of your headphones and balance the levels for
others you are recording with.
The ‘1’ encoder also controls the output level of the
headset connected to the headset input on the front.
You can also optimise the output level for the type of
headphones you are using (i.e., whether they are high
sensitivity or low sensitivity). To do this, tap the settings
cog, then ‘Outputs’ > ‘Headphones’, then select your
headphone type. High sensitivity models have more output
while low sensitivity models have less output. Selecting the
correct setting for your headphone type will optimise the
gain structure to make setting headphone levels as
consistent as possible.
Pro Tip
To avoid unexpected loud sounds in your headphones, we recommend always starting with your headphone levels low
before setting up your inputs for recording, then turning them up to a comfortable level.
Connecting and Using
Speakers/Monitors
There are two balanced 1/4-inch line outputs on the back
of the RØDECaster Duo for connecting a pair of
speakers/monitors. These are clearly labelled left and right.
The monitor output level is controlled using the rotary
encoder on the front of the unit and there is an icon on the
top of the mixer screen to check your level.
Pro Tip
To avoid interference or electrical noise when using speakers/monitors, we recommend using balanced TRS cables.
Monitor Output Settings
You can access two additional settings for the monitor
outputs by tapping the settings cog, then ‘Outputs’ >
‘Monitor’.
When enabled, the monitor output will automatically be
muted whenever a microphone channel fader is turned up
in order to prevent feedback.
When enabled, the Bluetooth output will be muted when a
microphone channel fader is lifted to prevent feedback.
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When enabled, the monitor output level will be set to line-
level and cannot be adjusted. This is useful if you are using
the monitor outputs to send audio to outboard equipment,
such as broadcast or livestreaming equipment, and want to
ensure that your levels aren’t too high or low.
Connecting Microphones, Instruments and Other Devices
The RØDECaster Duo features a pair of high-quality Neutrik™ combo jacks for plugging in microphones, instruments (such as
guitars and basses), and line-level devices like keyboards and drum machines. In this section, we’ll show you how to connect
these devices and get them set up for recording.
Connecting Microphones
To start, plug your microphone into input 1 on the back of
the unit using a standard 3-pin XLR cable. You can use any
XLR microphone with the RØDECaster Duo, including
condenser microphones that require phantom power USB
microphones cannot be used with the RØDECaster Duo).
By default, inputs 1 and 2 will be allocated to faders 1 and 2
on the mixer. Ensuring that fader 1 is all the way down, also
plug a pair of headphones into headphone channel 1 so you
will be able to monitor your audio.
Microphone Basic Setup
To access the channel setup screen for fader 1, press the
coloured button above the physical fader or tap the fader
on the screen. Here you can select what type of
microphone you are using, which will adjust the level,
voicing and activate phantom power (if required). If your
microphone does not appear in the “mic locker” menu,
select the universal dynamic or condenser option. You can
also manually turn phantom power on and off.
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Pro Tip
The two analog inputs on the RØDECaster Duo feature our world-class Revolution Preamps™. These are ultra-low-noise,
high-gain preamps that will give you plenty of output, even with the most demanding dynamic microphones, while
remaining incredibly quiet. This eliminates the need to use a line booster or lifter with your microphones. In fact, the noise
floor of the Revolution Preamps is so low, using a lifter will actually introduce noise to your signal, so we highly recommend
NOT using one.
Setting Microphone Levels
Once your microphone is set up, push fader 1 up to the
thick line just over halfway up the fader. This represents
‘unity gain’. Then, turn headphone channel 1 up to a
comfortable listening level. Underneath the “mic locker” is a
level meter and gain control. Keeping an eye on the level
meter, talk at a natural level as close to the microphone as
you will be when recording. Your audio should be jumping
around the green section of the meter while you’re talking.
If you selected the correct microphone setting, you should
already be at a good recording level. Use the ‘+’ and ‘-’
buttons to adjust if required. Repeat this process for as
many microphones as you need for your recording.
You may notice that you are still getting levels on the
meter even if the fader is all the way down. This is because
the fader controls the level that is being sent to the output
of the RØDECaster Duo, not the channel input level.
Tips on Microphone Technique
Good microphone technique is incredibly important for capturing clean, clear recordings and getting the best out of your
microphone and recording device, while poor technique can be detrimental to your recording. Click the link below to find out
more about microphone technique, as well as tips on setting your gain correctly and choosing the right recording space.
Using Microphone Presets
The RØDECaster Duo offers a selection of professionally
tailored microphone presets ideal for podcasting and
livestreaming. To access these, click the ‘Presets’ tab in
channel setup screen. There are three default presets to
choose from: ‘Neutral’, ‘Podcast Studio’ and ‘Broadcast’. You
can also create your own presets (check out the section on
‘How to Use the On-board Processing’ to learn more about
creating presets).
Connecting Instruments and Line-Level
Devices
To connect an instrument or line-level device, the process
is much the same as connecting a microphone: simply plug
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it in to any of the four inputs using a TRS or instrument
cable. Next, open the channel setup screen and select
either ‘Line-in’ or ‘Instrument’ from the “mic locker” menu –
this will adjust the input gain to a suitable level depending
on what is connected. Use the level meter and ‘+’ and ‘-’
buttons to adjust the input gain as required.
Stereo Linking Inputs
If you are using an instrument or line level device with
stereo outputs, or recording a stereo microphone pair, you
can link the two inputs and route them to one channel. This
will allow you to control the level of both inputs with a
single fader, ensuring both channel levels are exactly the
same.
To link the two inputs, open the channel setup screen for
the fader you want to allocate them to and click the
settings cog to access the fader assignment screen. Next,
tap the ‘Stereo’ icon underneath the two inputs. Tap the
green tick icon to save. After saving, ensure that you have
the correct input type selected from the “mic locker” menu.
Pro Tip
Linked inputs will automatically be panned hard left and right, giving you a full stereo image. You will also notice that
faders with linked inputs assigned to them will have two level meters on the mixer screen, so you can independently
monitor the level of each input.
Saving and Exporting Settings as a
'Show'
All of your settings, including your channel setup, mixer and
SMART pad configuration, processing, effects, and device
configuration, can be saved onto a microSD card or hard
drive as a ‘Show'. To do this, tap the settings cog then
‘Show’, then tap ‘Export’. This will take a snapshot of all
your settings and save them as a file to your storage
device, which can then be transferred to your computer.
You can save and export as many ‘Show’ snapshots as you
like, which is handy if you share your RØDECaster Duo with
other creators or if you create several different podcasts,
livestreams or different types of content.
To import a ‘Show’ that you have saved, make sure the file
is loaded onto a microSD card or hard drive, connect this to
your device, tap the icon in the top left corner of the home
screen or tap the settings cog then ‘Show’ > ‘Import’, then
select the ‘Show’ you want to import from the list.
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Factory Reset
To perform a factory reset, tap the settings cog, then
‘System’ > ‘Information’ > ‘View Device Information’, then
‘Erase and Reset Device’.
This will permanently delete all current configuration
data. If you would like to save this data before erasing, see
section above for how to export your ‘Show.
Powering The RØDECaster Duo
The RØDECaster Duo comes with a power supply unit. Plug
this into the USBC input next to the red button on the
back of the unit to provide power. It can also be powered
by a USB power bank, as long as it is capable of providing
30W USBC PD 15V, 2A. You will get approximately one
hour of operation per 10W/h capacity, so a high-quality
battery pack will give you around ten hours of power (note:
the power drawn from the battery depends on usage
factors including screen and LED brightness, USB
connectivity, and phantom power status, so results may
vary). If insufficient power is provided to the unit, you will
see a warning screen indicating so. In this case, either use
the provided power supply or a power supply rated to the
specifications above.
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Setting Up Channels and Outputs
In this section, we’ll take you through setting up the
mixer, assigning channels and configuring outputs on the
RØDECaster Duo. The four physical faders and three
virtual faders are individually assignable, allowing you to
customise the mixer to suit your ideal setup and
workflow. Similarly, each of the eight outputs can be fully
configured with a number of different routing options.
1Fader Level Meters
2Virtual Faders
3Physical Faders
4Unity Gain Indicator
5Listen Button
6Mute Button
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The Default Mixer Configuration
The RØDECaster Duo has seven separate inputs for
connecting a wide range of devices and audio sources: two
combo jacks for connecting microphones, instruments and
other devices, a wireless receiver for connecting RØDE
Series IV transmitters (including the Wireless GO II and
Wireless ME, a 3.5mm TRRS headset input, a Bluetooth
channel for connecting computers and mobile devices
wirelessly, the SMART pad channel, and dual USBC
interfaces for connecting two computers and mobile
devices, plus an extra virtual USB channel called ‘Chat’ for
connecting chat apps, which is useful for livestreaming and
other applications.
By default, these channels will be assigned to the faders as
follows (unless you dictate otherwise during the Setup
Wizard process):
• XLR/TRS Inputs 1 & 2
• Bluetooth
• SMART Pads
• USB 1
• USB 1 Chat
• USB 2
Assigning Inputs to Faders
There are multiple ways to change the mixer configuration.
This can either be done during the Setup Wizard process,
or via the fader set-up screen or the channel set-up
screen.
To access the channel set-up screen for a fader, simply tap
the button above the fader or the icon below the level
meter, then tap the settings cog to access the channel
assignment screen. Here you can select what input is
assigned to that channel, unassign inputs, link stereo
inputs and change the colour-coding of the channel. Once
you have configured the channel, tap the green tick icon to
save the settings. Repeat the process for the other faders
you want to assign inputs to.
To access the fader set-up screen, tap the settings cog,
then ‘Faders’ (or tap the fader icon on the bottom left
corner of the channel set-up screen). Here you can assign
channels to the physical and virtual faders by dragging and
dropping their icons to the desired location using the
touchscreen. This is a quick and easy way to change the
configuration of the mixer. You can also tap a fader icon to
access the channel assignment screen.
Connecting a Wireless Transmitter
The RØDECaster Duo has a built-in wireless receiver,
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allowing you to connect up to two RØDE Series IV wireless
transmitters, including the Wireless GO II and Wireless ME.
To do this, first access the channel setup screen by
pressing the physical button above the fader you wish to
assign your wireless device to. On this screen, you will see
a list of microphone, instrument and other input option
presets that you can scroll through. Scroll to the left to
select the ‘Wireless’ option.
It’s worth noting that assigning either of the input
channels to the ‘Wireless’ option will override the
associated physical input (the combo XLR/TRS input),
meaning that you won’t hear any audio coming from
microphones or instruments connected to that channel.
To actually pair the wireless transmitter, first tap ‘Pair New
Device’ on your RØDECaster Duo, then follow the pairing
process for your wireless device. To put either the Wireless
GO II or Wireless ME transmitter into pairing mode, simply
short-press its power button when the units are turned on
and not already paired to another receiver.
Once connected, you’ll be able to see your device’s
connectivity, recording, mute and battery status (where
applicable) on the RØDECaster Duo screen. To unpair your
device, simply access the channel setup screen again and
tap the ‘Unpair’ button on the display.
Using the Physical and Virtual Faders
The RØDECaster Duo features four broadcast-quality
physical faders and three virtual faders, allowing you to mix
a total of seven separate inputs with complete hands-on
control. The physical faders function like any other mixer:
simply use the sliders to adjust the level for that channel.
The fader position will be mirrored in real-time on the mixer
interface.
The virtual faders work just like the physical faders, only
you have a digital fader that is controlled by tapping the
level meter then using the rotary encoder. You can also
easily scroll through the virtual channels by pressing the
rotary encoder. Pressing and holding the rotary encoder
will mute the selected virtual channel.
Pro Tip
‘Unity gain’ for each fader is indicated by the white markers on the physical mixer and the small arrows on the virtual mixer
(in default level meters mode only). This is helpful for balancing the input level with the output level and is a good starting
point when setting your levels. If a fader is at unity gain and the signal is still too low, boost the preamp gain level in the
channel set-up screen rather than pushing the fader up further. This will help you achieve a healthy signal with minimal
noise.
Changing the Level Meter Display
There are two ways to display the level meters on the
virtual mixer: ‘Default’ mode and ‘Broadcast’ mode. In
‘Default’ mode, there are markers at regular intervals,
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allowing you to easily visualise your levels, as well as a
marker for unity gain. In ‘Broadcast’ mode, the level meters
will include dBFS (decibels full scale) markers as well as a
gain reduction meter (if you have the compressor activated
on that channel). To switch between the two modes, go to
settings then ‘Display’ > ‘Metering’ and select either
‘Default’ or ‘Broadcast’.
Using the Mute Buttons
The red button under each of the RØDECaster Duo's
physical faders is a mute button. This will simply mute that
channel on the output. You can also access a mute button
for the three virtual channels by tapping the level meter
then tapping the mute icon, or by pressing and holding the
rotary encoder when a channel is selected. When a channel
is muted, the button and fader on the virtual mixer will be
illuminated red.
Pro Tip
When a channel is muted, audio will still be coming though at the preamp stage but will not be sent to the output, meaning
you can still adjust the gain level in the channel setup screen while a channel is muted, though you will not be able to hear
it.
Using the Listen Buttons
The green button under each of the RØDECaster Duo's
physical faders is a “listen” button (also known as a solo
button). This allows you to monitor the audio from a
channel by itself, without the rest of the audio mix (the
solo’d audio will only be heard by the host/producer on
headphone channel 1. You can also access this feature for
the three virtual channels by tapping the level meter then
tapping the ear icon.
Pressing both the listen and mute buttons will
activate ‘Back Channel’ mode, allowing the host/producer
and guest to communicate “off-air”. This action can also be
allocated to a SMART pad – check out the 'Using the
SMART Pads' section for more information.
There are two different listen button modes: ‘After-fader
Listen’ and ‘Pre-fader Listen’. To switch between these, go
to settings, then ‘Outputs’ > ‘Listen’.
When ‘Listen’ is engaged, the
host/producer on headphone channel 1 will hear the
channel at the fader level.
When ‘Listen’ is engaged, the
host/producer on headphone channel 1 will hear the
channel at unity gain, regardless of the fader position.
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Pro Tip
You need to select the green listen buttons for all of the channels you are using when recording. They are for
“listening” to a particular channel without hearing the rest of the audio. Selecting the listen buttons for all of your channels
may result in audio being recorded that you do not expect (for example, if you have all of your active channels solo'd using
the listen buttons, you may not notice audio coming through another channel because it will be muted in your headphones,
though it will still be recorded).
Understanding the Outputs
The RØDECaster Duo has a total of eight audio outputs.
These comprise of both analog outputs, including the two
headphone outputs and the stereo monitor output, as well
as digital outputs, including the Bluetooth channel, the
audio that is recorded to the on-board microSD card, and
the three USB outputs.
By default, the levels that you set using the physical and
virtual faders on the main mixer will dictate the audio mix
that is sent to all of these outputs. However, you can also
create custom sub-mixes for these outputs (see below).
This is particularly useful for streaming applications where
you want full control over what audio sources and audio
levels are sent to your stream, chat, headphones and other
audio destinations. For channels that are used for two-way
communications, you can also set the output configuration
as mix-minus to mitigate unwanted echo or delay (see
below for more information).
Creating Custom Sub-mixes
To create a sub-mix for any outputs, tap the settings cog in
the top-right corner of the main mixer screen and then
navigate to ‘Outputs’ > ‘Routing’. Here you will see a menu
with each of your eight different audio outputs. Tap the
output you want to configure and select ‘Custom’ at the top
of the screen.
Tap on one of the sliders and use the rotary
encoder to adjust the level of an individual input channel up
or down for the selected output sub-mix.
The ‘link’ button below each fader allows you to tie
the volume level for that channel to the main mix level,
which is set by the physical faders and virtual faders on the
main mixer screen. By default, all channels are linked
(indicated by the white link icon with the dash in the
centre), but tapping this button unlinks the fader in the
sub-mix (yellow icon with no dash in centre).
When linked, adjusting individual levels in a sub-mix will
create offset levels that are relative to the main mix fader,
indicated by the blue bar on the fader. This means that any
fader adjustments on the main mix will increase or
decrease the sub-mix level but with this offset maintained.
When unlinked, fader levels in a sub-mix will not change
when the associated channel is adjusted in the main mix.
The third option on the link button (a red ‘x’) mutes
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the associated channel in this sub-mix ( when you
select the mute setting on a channel in a sub-mix, this will
clear the custom level you had set on that input’s fader and
return it to the level set by the main mix).
Main Mix and Mix-Minus
Along with the ‘Custom’ setting, on some outputs you can
also select ‘Main Mix’ (which simply uses the levels set by
the physical and virtual faders on the main mixer) or ‘Mix-
Minus’ for the output mix. For the Bluetooth and USB
outputs, the ‘Mix-Minus’ option uses the same settings as
the main mix but excludes the selected channel’s input
USB 1’s input on USB 1's output channel, for instance) in
order to avoid feedback or echo. See our guides on USB
connections and connecting online callers for more
information on mix-minus.
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Setting Up USB Connections
Learn more about the RØDECaster Duo’s USB interfaces,
including how they work, what they should be used for,
and how they can help you improve your workflow.
The RØDECaster Duo is an incredibly versatile audio production tool with a plethora of powerful features for improving
workflows for podcasting, livestreaming, and music production. This includes two USB interfaces with three available USB
audio devices, and a host of configurable options for mix-minus, sub-mixes and multitrack recording.
Whilst these features offer a lot of flexibility, they are quite unique. In this guide, we’ll explain how the RØDECaster Duo mixer
and USB architecture works, the different features and uses for each USB interface, how multitrack recording works, routing
audio for remote calls, sub-mixes, mix-minus, and more.
Understanding the RØDECaster Duo
Mixer Architecture
The RØDECaster Duo is a powerful audio console for
mixing multiple audio sources with complete control over
levels, processing, and more. There are seven audio inputs
in total: two XLR/TRS connections for connecting
microphones, instrument and other devices, Bluetooth for
connecting smartphones and other devices wirelessly,
SMART pads for triggering audio, and three USB audio
input devices. Each of these inputs will send audio to the
fader it is assigned to on the RØDECaster Duo mixer,
allowing you to control each audio source individually to
create the perfect mix for your content.
The RØDECaster Duo also features a number of different
audio outputs, including the headphone and speaker
outputs, and the USB audio interfaces. However, it’s
important to note that, by default, the main audio mix
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(meaning all of your audio inputs blended together) is sent
to all of these audio outputs. This means that what you
hear in your headphones, on speakers, and what is sent to
each of the USB audio interfaces will be exactly the same.
You can, however, customise how the different audio inputs
are routed to each of the eight possible outputs, including
the USB outputs, as well as adjust the individual input
levels and mutes for each using sub-mixes. You can learn
more about sub-mixes on the
Setting Up Channels and
Outputs page, but we’ll cover the USB channels specifically
below.
Understanding the Physical USB Interfaces
The RØDECaster Duo has two USB interfaces, labelled 1 and 2. Whilst they both offer audio connectivity, they have slightly
different functionality as follows:
RØDECaster Pro II Main
RØDECaster Pro II Chat
RØDECaster Pro II Secondary
Yes No
No Yes
Yes Yes
Yes Main device only) No
YesYes
Yes Yes
YesNo
Yes Yes
Understanding the capabilities of each interface can help determine the best setup for you. In general, USB 1 should be
connected to your primary computer. USB 2 can then be connected to a secondary device (such as a smartphone, another
computer, or the same computer).
In a dual-PC setup, you can use the appropriate USB port for each computer’s role in your setup, depending on which
computer runs your stream, which runs your chat, and which runs your content or gameplay.
Pro Tip
If you are using the RØDECaster Duo with a single computer, connecting both the USB 1 and USB 2 interfaces
simultaneously will give you access to all the above features without the need to disconnect and reconnect while creating
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content.
USB Main
The main output of the RØDECaster Duo is the device
called ‘RØDECaster Duo Main’. To access this device on
your computer, connect your computer to the USB 1 port
on the back of the RØDECaster Duo.
You should then see an audio device labelled ‘RØDECaster
Duo Main’ appear in the list of audio devices available.
Note: you will also see ‘RØDECaster Duo Chat’ appear, as
this is also available via the USB 1 port (see below for more
info on how to use USB Chat).
Pro Tip
If you use a Mac computer, sometimes the list of devices you can see when you click on the speaker icon in the Menu Bar
does not update straight away when new devices are plugged in. If you have connected your RØDECaster Duo but can’t
select it from the Menu Bar, go to your Audio Preferences, where all available devices will be listed.
If you set ‘RØDECaster Duo Main’ as the default audio device for your computer, audio from your computer will be sent to the
RØDECaster Duo via the USB 1 audio input, which you can allocate to any fader you choose.
Your entire audio mix (unless otherwise specified using custom routing; see below) will also be sent from the RØDECaster Duo
to your computer via the same audio interface and will be available on any software that you are using – for example, a digital
audio workstation DAW, streaming software, or a communications app.
By default, ‘RØDECaster Duo Main’ is a stereo USB output, but it can be set to multitrack by going to settings > ‘Outputs’ >
‘Multitrack’ > ‘USB’ and deselecting ‘Off’. When in multitrack mode, you will be able to record each track you have set up on
your RØDECaster Duo individually in recording software such as a DAW.
Note: When Multitrack mode is off, the ‘RØDECaster Duo Main’ audio device will appear as ‘RØDECaster Duo Main Stereo’;
when it is on, it will appear as ‘RØDECaster Duo Main Multitrack’ (Mac) or just ‘RØDECaster Duo Main’ Windows).
There are 16 different audio channels available on the ‘RØDECaster Duo Main Multitrack’ audio device, which are organised as
follows.
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1Mix L
2Mix R
3XLR/TRS/Wireless 1
4XLR/TRS Wireless 2
5Bluetooth L
6Bluetooth R
7SMART Pads L
8SMART Pads R
9USB Main L
10 USB Main R
11 USB Chat L
12 USB Chat R
13 USB Secondary L
14 USB Secondary R
15 Headset
Microphone
If you are using software or an application that does not allow you to select which channel(s) you want to use, we recommend
turning off multitrack mode. This is because some software (such as Ecamm Live) automatically mixes all 16 channels together
if it detects a multitrack audio device, which can cause unexpected results when muting or fading, or using voice effects.
We also recommend switching off multitrack mode when using a browser-based streaming platform (such as restream.io) on a
Windows PC, as the streaming platform may not accept ‘RØDECaster Pro Main Multitrack’ as an audio source. This is a
limitation of browser-based software due to multitrack audio devices not being properly recognised.
Check out the Recording and Exporting Audio section to find out more about setting up multitrack recording.
Pro Tip
If you are using a browser-based streaming platform (such as restream.io) on a Windows PC, the streaming platform will
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not accept ‘RØDECaster Pro Main’ as an audio source. This is a limitation of browser-based software due to multitrack
audio devices not being properly recognised. If you are using an online streaming platform, connect your RØDECaster Duo
to your computer using the USB 2 port instead of USB 1 and use the ‘RØDECaster Pro Secondary’ audio device as your
input and output device (see below for more info).
USB Chat
When using USB 1 to connect the RØDECaster Duo to a
computer, another audio device called ‘RØDECaster Duo
Chat’ will be available alongside the ‘RØDECaster Duo Main’
device described above.
This is a completely independent audio device that can be
allocated to its own fader on the RØDECaster Duo’s mixer
and is optimised to be used with communications
applications such as Skype and Discord. To set this up,
simply select ‘RØDECaster Duo Chat’ as both the input
(microphone) and output (speaker) device in your
communications app’s audio preferences and allocate ‘USB
1 Chat’ to a fader on the RØDECaster Duo.
USB Secondary
The RØDECaster Duo has an additional USB audio device
called ‘RØDECaster Duo Secondary’. This is accessed using
the USB 2 port on the back of the RØDECaster Duo. You
can use USB 1 and USB 2 with two different computers or
connect them both to a single computer simultaneously
(you will just need an additional cable and an extra USB
port on your computer).
Pro Tip
If you are running out of USB ports on your computer, you can use a USB hub. We recommend using a high-quality USB3.0
hub for best results.
‘RØDECaster Duo Secondary’ is useful in a range of applications. For example, if you are using ‘RØDECaster Duo Chat’ for your
communications application, you can route additional audio from an app such as Spotify to ‘RØDECaster Duo Secondary’
(simply select ‘RØDECaster Duo Secondary’ as the output device in the app settings), which will then be sent to the fader that
USB 2 is allocated to.
Remember, if you are using the ‘RØDECaster Duo Secondary’ device to connect to a communications app, your caller will hear
the main output mix – including any audio sources connected to the ‘RØDECaster Duo Main’ and ‘RØDECaster Duo Chat’
devices via the USB 1 port – unless you create a custom output mix (see below).
It is also important to note that the ‘RØDECaster Duo Secondary’ output device is not a multitrack output – only the full output
mix will be sent to your computer. The USB 2 port should also be used for connecting smartphones and tablets to the
RØDECaster Duo as it is MFi-certified, meaning it will interact seamlessly with iOS devices (you will need to connect iOS
devices with a Lightning Accessory Cable such as the SC19; a standard charging cable will not work), and it has mix-minus
available, which is important when making calls.
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Mix-minus for the USB Outputs
If you are using a USB channel for making a remote call via
either a mobile device or a communications app on a
computer, we recommend activating mix-minus on that
channel. This is a handy feature that means that the
communications app will receive all of the audio that is
coming into the RØDECaster Duo except its own. This
prevents echo on your calls, as your caller will hear
everything but their own voice being piped back to them,
which is very distracting (especially as it will be somewhat
delayed).
To activate this, either go to the channel set-up screen for
the USB channel you want to configure and tap ‘Routing’ >
‘Mix-minus’, or go to settings then ‘Outputs’ > ‘Routing’ >
‘Mix-minus’.
Note: Mix-minus is activated by default on USB Chat and
USB 2.
Custom Routing for the USB Outputs
As mentioned, by default, the main audio mix will be sent to
all USB outputs on the RØDECaster Duo (with mix-minus
applied for USB Chat and USB 2. However, this can be
problematic in recording or streaming scenarios where you
don’t want a particular audio input being sent to one of the
USB outputs, or you want it sent at a different volume level
– for example, if you don’t want your game sounds that are
being sent to USB 1 being heard on your chat application
on USB 2, or you just want them to be heard at a lower
volume. To solve this, you can set up a custom sub-mix for
USB 1, USB Chat and USB 2, giving you full control over
what audio inputs are being sent to each USB outputs and
at what levels.
To access this, either go to the channel set-up screen for
the USB channel you want to configure and tap ‘Routing’ >
‘Custom’, or go to settings then ‘Outputs’ > ‘Routing’ >
‘Custom’. From the custom routing set-up screen, you can
adjust levels, mutes and links for each input track – for
more detail on this feature, read the Setting Up Channels
and Outputs section of the user guide.
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