Connecting an Audio Device

How to connect an external microphone or other audio device to Ecamm Live.

Updated over a week ago

There are two main types of audio devices that can be connected to your Mac: USB audio devices, such as a USB-based microphone, and non-USB devices such as a microphone that has a traditional audio connector.

Connecting USB Audio Devices

USB-based microphones such as the Blue Yeti and the AudioTechnica AT2020 are a quick, easy way to achieve higher sound quality on your broadcasts. 

USB audio devices are plug-and-play. Connect the device, and you'll see it show up as an option in Ecamm Live's Mic menu and on the first row of the Sound Levels window.

Some USB microphones support left and right stereo. To turn on stereo, go to the Audio section of Ecamm Live's preferences, and check the checkbox Map Input Channels 1 and 2 To Left and Right Stereo.

Connecting Non-USB Audio Devices 

Non-USB audio devices are devices that have a standard audio plug such as a 1/4" connector or an XLR connector. This could include handheld microphones, lavalier (clip-on) microphones and sound boards. 

Connect these devices using a USB audio interface such as the Focusrite Scarlet 2i2. There are many options to choose from when selected an audio interface, but the 2i2 is our favorite as it accept both 1/4" and XLR, has two input channels, and has an easy-to-read green/red level indicator.

The USB audio interface connects to the Mac via USB cable. Your microphone connects directly to the front of the interface.

Depending on how many inputs you need, USB audio interfaces are available with anywhere between 1 and 16 channels.

When using an audio interface, ensure that stereo is turned off. To check on this, go to the Audio section of Ecamm Live's preferences, and uncheck the checkbox Map Input Channels 1 and 2 To Left and Right Stereo. When stereo is turned off, Ecamm Live will mix all input channels together.

Echo Cancellation and Audio Channels

Most input devices can take advantage of Ecamm Live's Echo Cancellation feature to reduce echo and background noise. Note however that when Echo Cancellation is turned on, only channel 1 of an audio device will be used. All other channels will be ignored.

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