Best Small Podcast and Livestream Sound Mixer? Mackie DLZ XS

In this episode we review the Mackie DLZ Creator XS. This podcast/livestream/creator audio mixer competes most directly with the RODECaster Duo. It is nearly half the size of the Mackie DLZ, but has most of the same, amazingly powerful features. Let’s have a closer look and a listen!

Comparison table of RODECaster Pro II, Mackie DLZ Creator, and Mackie DLZ Creator XS can be found here.

Video covering how to get audio from your podcast mixer to your livestream can be found here.

If you’d like to learn how to make great dialogue audio for your film and video projects, please have a look at my courses including processing dialogue audio in Adobe Audition and DaVinci Resolve/Fairlight, recording sound, how to use the Zoom F4, F6, F8, and F8n, and how to get the most from the Sound Devices MixPre series of recorders. Our latest courses cover Sound for Live Streaming with the ATEM Mini and an Intro to Izotope RX.

Support my work creating videos by donating at Ko-Fi.com.

Gear used or mentioned in this episode. The links below are Amazon.com, B&H Photo, Sweetwater, or other affiliate links. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases:

Some of my other gear:

- Mackie DLZ Creator XS adaptive digital mixer — B&H

- Mackie DLZ Creator adaptive digital mixer (the big brother) — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- RODECaster Pro II digital mixer — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- RODECaster Duo digital mixer — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- RODECaster Steamer X USB audio and video interface — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Earthworks ETHOS microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Impact Turtle-Base C-Stands — B&H, Amazon

- Aputure LS 600x Pro Bicolor LED Light — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Aputure Light Dome III Softbox — Aputure, B&H

- Amaran 300c RGBWW Single-Point LED Light — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Amaran Spotlight SE — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Rosco Prismatic Glass Gobo in Cool Lavender — B&H

- Canon C70 Cinema Camera — B&H

- Canon RF 24-70 f/2.8 lens — B&H, Amazon

- Panasonic GH5 camera — B&H, Amazon

- Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 II lens — B&H, Amazon

The intro and outro music for this episode is from Musicbed - “Dynamo” by Virgil Arles. Take your films to the next level with music from Musicbed. Sign up for a free account to listen for yourself.

Copyright 2024, Curtis Judd

RODECaster Pro 2 versus Mackie DLZ Creator Podcast & Livestream Mixers/Recorders

In this week’s episode we compare the RODECaster Pro 2 and the Mackie DLZ Creator. The RØDECaster Pro II and the Mackie DLZ Creator are both dedicated podcast and livestream recorders, mixers, and audio interfaces. A question I get a lot is, "Which one is better?"

There isn't a clear answer to that question for everyone because It all depends on which features are important to YOU and the type of show you produce.

So we created a chart comparing many of the features between the two so you can figure out which is a better fit for you.

You can find the comparison table here.

If you’d like to learn how to make great dialogue audio for your film and video projects, please have a look at my courses including processing dialogue audio in Adobe Audition and DaVinci Resolve/Fairlight, recording sound, how to use the Zoom F4, F6, F8, and F8n, and how to get the most from the Sound Devices MixPre series of recorders. Our latest courses cover Sound for Live Streaming with the ATEM Mini and an Intro to Izotope RX.

Support my work creating videos by donating at Ko-Fi.com.

Gear used or mentioned in this episode. The links below are Amazon.com, B&H Photo, Sweetwater, DVEStore, Perfect Circuit, Trew Audio or other affiliate links. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases:

- RODECaster Pro II podcast mixer — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Mackie DLZ Creator podcast mixer — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Earthworks ETHOS broadcast condenser microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- ART Cleanbox Pro (convert balanced to unbalanced audio and vice versa) — Amazon, Sweetwater

- SHURE SM7B dynamic microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Mogami microphone cable — B&H, Sweetwater

- Blackmagic Design ATEM switchers — B&H, Amazon

- Amaran 200x S LED light — B&H, Amazon, Aputure

- Aputure Light Dome II soft box — Aputure, B&H, Amazon

- Aputure Spotlight Mount — Aputure, B&H, DVE Store, Amazon

- Rosco Prismatic Glass Gobo in Cool Lavender — B&H

- Canon C70 Cinema Camera — B&H

- Canon RF 24-70 f/2.8 lens — B&H, Amazon

- Panasonic GH5 camera — B&H, Amazon

- Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 II lens — B&H, Amazon

The intro and outro music for this episode is from Musicbed - “Dynamo” by Virgil Arles. Take your films to the next level with music from Musicbed. Sign up for a free account to listen for yourself.

Copyright 2023, Curtis Judd

Sound for Video Session — Mackie DLZ demo & Q&A

In this week's session, we demonstrate the Mackie DLZ Creator mixer for livestream and podcast. Then we'll answer your sound for video related questions.

If you’d like to learn how to make great dialogue audio for your film and video projects, please have a look at my courses including processing dialogue audio in Adobe Audition and DaVinci Resolve/Fairlight, recording sound, how to use the Zoom F4, F6, F8, and F8n, and how to get the most from the Sound Devices MixPre series of recorders. We have a course on sound for live-streaming with the ATEM Mini and just added Introduction to Izotope RX for Dialogue Audio.

Gear I often use or that we mentioned in this episode. The links below are Amazon.com, B&H Photo, Sweetwater, DVE Store, Waves, or other affiliate links. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases:

- Mackie DLZ Creator — B&H, Amazon

- Earthworks ETHOS microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Sound Devies 888 field recorder/mixer — Trew, B&H, Sweetwater

- Sound Devices MixPre II Series Recorders - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Panasonic GH5 camera - B&H, Amazon

- Canon C200 Camera - B&H

- Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 lens — B&H, Amazon

- ATEM Mini Extreme & Extreme ISO - B&H, DVE Store, Amazon

- Allen & Heath SQ5 Digital Mixer - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

- Rupert Neve Designs Shelford Channel, pre-amp, EQ, compressor - Sweetwater, B&H

- Universal Audio 6176 channel strip pre-amp, EQ, compressor — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon

The intro and outro music for this episode is from Musicbed. Take your films to the next level with music from Musicbed. Sign up for a free account to listen for yourself.

Copyright 2023, Curtis Judd