5 ms·

While this requires some investment, I've found that having a good broadcast monitoring solution helps a lot during online calls. Whether you're on headphones,

While this requires some investment, I've found that having a good broadcast monitoring solution helps a lot during online calls. Whether you're on headphones, in-ears, or using a full wedge, having your own voice echoing back at you allows you to easily know if you're speaking clearly at the correct volume. You can also tell if you're backing away from the mic, whether background noise is audible on the far side, and so on. Professional public speakers and radio personalities monitor themselves, so why shouldn't you? A cheap analog mixer or audio interface will let you do this, and obviously the sky's the limit if you want a full digital mixer with DSP and all the bells and whistles. There are software options but the latency can be jarring if you aren't used to it.

CyanLite4 4y ago
$35. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-wired-cardioid-omnidirectional-usb-microphone/6451652.p?skuId=6451652 https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-wired-cardioid-omnidir...
peepee1982 4y ago
That's correct. But I'd strongly recommend some integrated solution instead of an analog mixing board. I have a Logitech G433 that lets you adjust the feedback. It's analog, so it has no latency. I used to use an external audio interface, but it was cumbersome and not very portable. And working with a stationary mic was annoying. The flexibility of headphone and mic choice was great though.
- prox 4y ago
  Nice setup. I went all software… I use the excellent voicemeeter (donationware!) https://vb-audio.com/Voicemeeter/index.htm https://vb-audio.com/Voicemeeter/index.htm Coupled with virtual audio cables I can mix and monitor virtual audio setups.
  - andreareina 4y ago
    I've tried using the audio loopback device un Linux and between the latency and noise (that isn't present in the final audio) it's unusable for me.
  - peepee1982 4y ago
    If it works for you, I'm happy for you. I'm pretty sensitive to latency when monitoring my voice, so I prefer a hardware loopback.
- andreareina 4y ago
  I've looked at the Logitech G433 page [1] and didn't find anything about live monitoring. [1] https://www.logitechg.com/en-sg/products/gaming-audio/g433-7-1-surround-sound-gaming-headset.981-000693.html https://www.logitechg.com/en-sg/products/gaming-audio/g433-7...
  - mfontani 4y ago
    Look for "sidetone", which is the feature I have on my G533, too. Great for hearing yourself, and possibly lowering your voice.. except in my case, it's turned all the way up to 11, and I still "shout" on calls.
    - andreareina 4y ago
      Ahh that's brought up some results, thanks. Unfortunately they all require the windows driver to adjust.
      - peepee1982 4y ago
        Yeah, I didn't think of that. That's a bummer for sure.
- digitallyfree 4y ago
  I have done some sound engineering in the past hence why I went with the full setup of external mics+digital mixer. Obviously this is not for everyone, and I have multiple devices that require audio routing as well as multiple mics. I ended up getting a used commercial audio DSP as the mixer/processor to save some money [1]. Since I listen on speaker I also have noise gates set up, mics rung out, etc. The whole shebang is definitely not portable and tuned to the room, and if I'm on the go I'll just take the interface, handheld dynamic, and IEMs. [1] https://www.reddit.com/r/CommercialAV/comments/waufab/update_considering_a_used_biamp_nexia_as_a/ https://www.reddit.com/r/CommercialAV/comments/waufab/update...
  - peepee1982 4y ago
    If you already have the stuff and work stationary, that's a great solution. I'm a musician, so I had this stuff laying around. But it proved impractical for me.
jacamera 4y ago
This is the conclusion I've come to as well, but I'm still not 100% happy with my setup. First off, many cheaper audio interfaces might have a hardware monitoring toggle but not allow monitor mixing. I found these devices to be totally unusable since many times the monitor level ended up being way too low to be effective. Even with monitor mixing, however, I'm still annoyed that I have to dial in the mix and adjust the volume every time I connect with someone depending on how loud or soft their microphone is. Are you aware of any audio interfaces that allow for adjusting the absolute monitor level vs. just the relative mix level? Like, I always want to hear myself at a specific level and I'd love to be able to adjust the output volume so I can hear the other person properly without affecting my monitor level. Currently I'm using an Elgato Wave XLR interface with an Audio-Technica BPHS1 broadcast headset and it works perfectly except for this one issue. Edit: Forgot to mention that I've also found mic mute buttons to be another often overlooked necessity! The capacitive mute button on the Wave XLR is probably my favorite feature. Totally seamless/silent muting and unmuting.
- digitallyfree 4y ago
  Most audio interfaces with a single monitor knob (like the popular Scarlett) are like that. I think they do it to save costs/panel space over having a separate PC volume knob and a monitor knob. With a proper mixer you can have a fixed monitor mix for yourself and another one for your far side listeners. You also get muting, EQ, and so forth. If your focus is on live audio as opposed to recording I would actually recommend a small mixer over an interface and just route the audio to the onboard soundcard if you don't want to get both units.
  - jacamera 4y ago
    Thanks for the suggestion. This is super interesting to me. After doing a bit of research though it appears that in order to go with a mixer over an interface I'd need to find one that supports some form of multiple outputs (aux sends, direct outputs, or separate monitor/main mixes) in order to hear my mic and computer audio in my headphones but only send the mic to the computer. Unfortunately I couldn't find any smaller (4-6 input) units with those features. In my search I came across the Yamaha AG03MK2 hybrid mixer/interface which looks promising. It has a strange combination of inputs and outputs but it looks like the STREAMING OUT switch allows it to be set in a mode that is appropriate for audio/video meetings with an independent level control for the computer audio.

CyanLite4 4y ago

$35. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-wired-cardioid-omnidirectional-usb-microphone/6451652.p?skuId=6451652 https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-wired-cardioid-omnidir...

peepee1982 4y ago

That's correct. But I'd strongly recommend some integrated solution instead of an analog mixing board. I have a Logitech G433 that lets you adjust the feedback. It's analog, so it has no latency. I used to use an external audio interface, but it was cumbersome and not very portable. And working with a stationary mic was annoying. The flexibility of headphone and mic choice was great though.

prox 4y ago
Nice setup. I went all software… I use the excellent voicemeeter (donationware!) https://vb-audio.com/Voicemeeter/index.htm https://vb-audio.com/Voicemeeter/index.htm Coupled with virtual audio cables I can mix and monitor virtual audio setups.
- andreareina 4y ago
  I've tried using the audio loopback device un Linux and between the latency and noise (that isn't present in the final audio) it's unusable for me.
- peepee1982 4y ago
  If it works for you, I'm happy for you. I'm pretty sensitive to latency when monitoring my voice, so I prefer a hardware loopback.
andreareina 4y ago
I've looked at the Logitech G433 page [1] and didn't find anything about live monitoring. [1] https://www.logitechg.com/en-sg/products/gaming-audio/g433-7-1-surround-sound-gaming-headset.981-000693.html https://www.logitechg.com/en-sg/products/gaming-audio/g433-7...
- mfontani 4y ago
  Look for "sidetone", which is the feature I have on my G533, too. Great for hearing yourself, and possibly lowering your voice.. except in my case, it's turned all the way up to 11, and I still "shout" on calls.
  - andreareina 4y ago
    Ahh that's brought up some results, thanks. Unfortunately they all require the windows driver to adjust.
    - peepee1982 4y ago
      Yeah, I didn't think of that. That's a bummer for sure.
digitallyfree 4y ago
I have done some sound engineering in the past hence why I went with the full setup of external mics+digital mixer. Obviously this is not for everyone, and I have multiple devices that require audio routing as well as multiple mics. I ended up getting a used commercial audio DSP as the mixer/processor to save some money [1]. Since I listen on speaker I also have noise gates set up, mics rung out, etc. The whole shebang is definitely not portable and tuned to the room, and if I'm on the go I'll just take the interface, handheld dynamic, and IEMs. [1] https://www.reddit.com/r/CommercialAV/comments/waufab/update_considering_a_used_biamp_nexia_as_a/ https://www.reddit.com/r/CommercialAV/comments/waufab/update...
- peepee1982 4y ago
  If you already have the stuff and work stationary, that's a great solution. I'm a musician, so I had this stuff laying around. But it proved impractical for me.

jacamera 4y ago

This is the conclusion I've come to as well, but I'm still not 100% happy with my setup. First off, many cheaper audio interfaces might have a hardware monitoring toggle but not allow monitor mixing. I found these devices to be totally unusable since many times the monitor level ended up being way too low to be effective. Even with monitor mixing, however, I'm still annoyed that I have to dial in the mix and adjust the volume every time I connect with someone depending on how loud or soft their microphone is. Are you aware of any audio interfaces that allow for adjusting the absolute monitor level vs. just the relative mix level? Like, I always want to hear myself at a specific level and I'd love to be able to adjust the output volume so I can hear the other person properly without affecting my monitor level. Currently I'm using an Elgato Wave XLR interface with an Audio-Technica BPHS1 broadcast headset and it works perfectly except for this one issue. Edit: Forgot to mention that I've also found mic mute buttons to be another often overlooked necessity! The capacitive mute button on the Wave XLR is probably my favorite feature. Totally seamless/silent muting and unmuting.

digitallyfree 4y ago
Most audio interfaces with a single monitor knob (like the popular Scarlett) are like that. I think they do it to save costs/panel space over having a separate PC volume knob and a monitor knob. With a proper mixer you can have a fixed monitor mix for yourself and another one for your far side listeners. You also get muting, EQ, and so forth. If your focus is on live audio as opposed to recording I would actually recommend a small mixer over an interface and just route the audio to the onboard soundcard if you don't want to get both units.
- jacamera 4y ago
  Thanks for the suggestion. This is super interesting to me. After doing a bit of research though it appears that in order to go with a mixer over an interface I'd need to find one that supports some form of multiple outputs (aux sends, direct outputs, or separate monitor/main mixes) in order to hear my mic and computer audio in my headphones but only send the mic to the computer. Unfortunately I couldn't find any smaller (4-6 input) units with those features. In my search I came across the Yamaha AG03MK2 hybrid mixer/interface which looks promising. It has a strange combination of inputs and outputs but it looks like the STREAMING OUT switch allows it to be set in a mode that is appropriate for audio/video meetings with an independent level control for the computer audio.