podcasting Archives - Dad of Divas

Making My Podcasting More Mobile With Saramonic!

September 20, 2015 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

If you are a podcaster that has ever wanted to find a way to your podcasting on the road (or at least I have). I have a and know that I could simply use this to record voices, but I also always wondered if there was some way to connect in multiple dynamic XLR mics, like the that I use, with the Roland to be able to have interviews with great quality microphones while traveling.

Now there is and I found a device that was inexpensive that the Roland R-05 can plug directly into and allows up to two dynamic XLR mics to be plugged in at the same time. The is a Universal Audio Adapter with Dual XLR Inputs for DSLR Cameras & Camcorders and while it does not say that it is made for a Roland R-05, I can tell you that I have used it and it works and it is about half the price of the next device that I have heard of that does something similar.

The best thing about the was that it provided you as a user:

Inputs: Two balanced XLR and one 3.5mm aux mini-jack input
Output: Stereo 3.5mm aux mini-jack
Dual control knobs; Mono/Stereo switch; Line/Mic & Dual Ground Switches
Universal camera/camcorder attachment via 1/4″ tripod thread (a second female tripod thread is beneath the unit)
Passive circuit

I personally used this and found that it provides you a pretty clean and clear sound overall. I recommend that unless you are interviewing someone a ways away from you, you will need to have a few microphone cords that are shorter in length (I use ). You can use any cord length you have though and that will work too.

The saves you a ton of time, and is small and compact. While it does not come with a hard case to carry it in, you could use the box too or make-shift a case that could work too.

The only downside to this over the that I can see at first glance is that the Beachtek seems a bit more sturdy from first glance and there is more plastic used in the making of the .

Though this was the case, the audio quality was still top notch and it made my ability to podcast on the road that much simpler.

If you were like me and always wanted to podcast further outside of your home check out the . I also would recommend this for anyone with a DSLR that is looking to expand the capabilities that it has for video recording.

If you have a or have been on the fence on whether to invest in one, I will also put in a plug here with the fact that I am VERY impressed with the sound quality of this recording device. That on top of very intuitive controls and recording custom prompts, you can really take your recording to the next level. There are even some podcasters that record only into their Roland R-05.

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Creating the Perfect Setup For A Podcasting Studio With Samson

September 4, 2015 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Many of you know that I started a podcast with Don Jackson over at Daddy Newbie in May called Dad Spotlight! We are fifteen episodes in and continue to love what we are doing and sharing with others.

On top of this I also started a podcast at my work called Law School Insider to help those people thinking about going to law school or those that were already in law school to give them a better understanding of law school success.

As I started along this journey at work I did not have much equipment. I had one microphone at home that I would bring back and forth and its’ quality was a bit lacking. I also did not have a mixer either. Now starting off, I have to say that I do not know whether you have to have a mixer, but I will say that it is a lot easier, and you have so much more control when you do have a mixer.

So in starting a studio in my office at work, I knew I needed a good quality microphone and mixer to be able to take my podcasts to the next level. Lucky for me, I learned about some amazing products that Samson has on the market that really provide a very high quality experience for a very inexpensive price.

After doing some research and some talking to the folks at Samson, I found that the MixPad® MXP124FX and MTR101A Microphone Kit were really what I was looking for for my office. I wanted to be able to get great sound and control the audio levels both in my office and when I interviewed people from afar and both the microphone and mixer fit this bill implicitly.

You can find both of these great products on Amazon!

About the MixPad® MXP124FX

The all-new MixPad® MXP124FX Compact, 12-Channel Analog Stereo Mixer with Effects and USB demonstrates Samson‘s commitment to quality, affordability and professional specs. This lightweight mixer offers all of the sonic clarity, ease of use and premium performance that serious musicians demand.

About the MTR101A Microphone Kit

Samson‘s MTR101A Studio Mic Kit brings exceptional performance and high-end quality to a variety of live and studio situations. Ideal for recording vocals, close miking instruments, use as a room microphone and more, the MTR101A (MTR101 Condenser Microphone, pop filter and shockmount included) solidifies, Samson‘s commitment to offering superior sound and the ability to capture the best audio possible.

I have been using both of these now for about a week and have been very impressed thus far to the quality of both. In talking to my co-host he mentioned that my audio-quality sounded crisper and I love the additional control that I receive from the mixer too. While I know that I have a lot to learn when it comes to all of the additional controls on the mixer itself, I am learning every day and that for me is a great thing!

If you are looking to set up your own podcast, these two items are definitely ones that I would recommend to all of you!

As mentioned before. you can find both of these great products on Amazon if you want to grab them for yourself!

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Setting Up A Home Studio For Talking To Others With Samson Products

July 23, 2015 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Many of you know that I recently started a new website and podcast with fellow blogger and friend, Don Jackson of DaddyNewbie.com. The podcast, Dad Spotlight speaks to parenting and all of the things that we deal with on a daily basis and I have to say that Don and I are having a blast thus far.

Getting this podcast off the ground took some time and we had to do a lot of research to get it right. Many people talk about the importance to just get it up and going, and I would have to agree, but Don and I also agreed that we wanted to have the structure and equipment in place to get a good sound that would bring people back again and again.

So we spent time, researched items and purchased items. We found what we needed, and what we did not need, and we are still learning a lot about this even today.

One of the things recently that I have come to find is that having only one microphone for one location just does not cut it, and having to transport my primary microphone with me wherever I go just makes no sense. That being said I was excited to work with Samson to try out a few items to set up a more mobile studio per se that allows me to record on the go, get a great recording and sound for playback too.

Samson provided me with two great items, the and the .

As Samson States about the Two:

Samson Meteor

Featuring state of the art sound processing technology and a solid all metal zinc die cast construction, the Meteor M2 pushes the boundaries of volume and sound quality for compact speakers. According to Ask Audio Magazine: “These speakers produce far more bass than speakers of this size should have the right to.” The perfect gift for the avid Netflix watcher, gamer or music freaks, the Meteor M2 provides a true stereo soundscape.

Samson Meteorite

Samson‘s Meteorite is the universal solution for capturing high-quality recordings on your computer. Meteorite is ideal for podcasting, creating audio for YouTube videos and recording music on your favorite software or apps. This sleek microphone will also vastly improve your ability to communicate with friends, family and business associates on programs like Skype, FaceTime and other VoIP software.

So I decided to set this up at home as a mobile studio and see what it would take to create a way to do the podcast from there (instead of in the studio environment itself). Granted, I did this without the kids around to keep the noise down. That being said, I have to say that first off, the set up was easy and seamless. There were no issues and the computer immediately accepted everything.

First off- lets start with the microphone. This small microphone takes up so little space, but it picks up a ton of sound and really provides high quality for recording purposes. I loved how the microphone simply sits in the magnetic cradle ans wirelessly connects to the base – talk about high-tech! The audio quality for the microphone was very clear and I had a hard time noticing a difference between this and my other microphone, except for the fact that I did not have a wind screen in front of this one as I do for the other one that I own.

For the price for how small this microphone was I was very impressed with the microphone itself. You get a ton of power in the petite size of this microphone!

The speakers were so retro! I loved the sleek design and the look and feel of them. They are heavy duty and provide you with amazing sound. I was really impressed with the overall design and quality of these speakers and they were such a step up from what I had used in the past. While I was not using these primarily for music, I did try them with a CD or two and found the bass to be amazing and the treble to rock as well.

Both of these products offered so much more than I expected and for the price they were a very good value and would allow you to easily set up a mobile studio for yourself in no time!

If you would be interested in purchasing these, you can find them on Amazon through the (Aff) links below!

Have you used Samson products in the past? If so, which ones and what was your experience? If not, what are you using for microphone or speakers in your own home?

Look forward to hearing your thoughts!

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