The largest podcasting conference for independent podcasters in the US, the Podfest Multimedia Expo is supported by the official Podfest Podcast. Hosted by Podfest veterans Glenn Hebert and Producer Jaime Legagneur, each episode is a mini Podfest conference offering lessons from past speakers – some of whom are the best in the industry. Central to the production of the podcast are the Tascam’s Mixcast 4 Podcast Station, TM-70 dynamic mic and TH-05 headphones.
Legagneur discovered podcasting in 2014 and has grown her production house, Flint Stone Media, by launching and producing podcasts and podcast networks. She was also the first podcasting instructor for the Connecticut School of Broadcasting and is a recipient of Podfest’s 2020 High Achiever Award. Partner Glenn Hebert started the Horse Radio Network in 2008, which is now the largest podcast network for horse enthusiasts. He hosts Horses in the Morning, which is one of the longest running daily podcasts in the world and has been the Keynote speaker at Podfest for the past five years. With a wealth of experience between them, they shared their experiences using the Mixcast 4 and their supporting Tascam gear.
‘In terms of our content, previous guests are free to submit as many two-to-three-minute-long clip tips whenever they like,’ Legagneur explains. ‘We then pick two of those submissions to include as our first two tracks and then provide the third track either ourselves or from Buzzsprout’s library of podcast tips. Then, we record our impressions and feedback on those tips, along with sharing a trivia question from Jonathan Oaks of Trivial Warfare, so listeners can enter to win our monthly prize.’
According to Hebert, the Tascam Mixcast 4 is ideally designed for their manner of working, ‘I love the Mixcast 4’s ability to pause a recording and restart it. This is something I don’t have with my other audio mixers. It also has the perfect number of features for a podcaster, without burdening you with too many – as is the case with so many music-orientated mixers. I record remotely with four mics at live events, and this is the perfect mixer for different tracks, multiple headphones, and hooking into a loudspeaker system.’
Hebert has also become fond of the Tascam TM-70 dynamic mic: ‘I have purchased dozens of microphones over the years and, frankly, I hate how I sound on all of them,’ he says. ‘To be honest, I was expecting the same results with the TM-70, but when I listened back, I was positively blown away. I told everyone at the studio that I love this mic. It’s crisp and clear and does wonders for my unique voice.’
Legagneur and Hebert are also using the TH-05 headphones. ‘These headphones are so comfortable,’ Legagneur reports. ‘It feels like two pillows on my ears, and the audio quality is wonderfully clean. Equally important, The different sized adapters enable you to easily use them in any environment.’
Legagneur has also been impressed with the operation of the Tascam Mixcast 4, ‘The Mixcast 4 is very intuitive. It’s designed for the type of work we’re involved in and everything about the piece demonstrates that the designers understand podcasting. Having a piece of equipment on this level as part of my podcast studio setup is a game changer. As someone who produces scores of shows with varying needs, the Mixcast 4 not only meets my requirements, but has created more opportunities for my creativity to flow. As an example, I now use the sound pads to enhance the experience of the rooms I run on Clubhouse by incorporating sound effects. It’s awesome – and I’ve just scratched the surface on all the new ways I expect to use it as I expand my content creation.’
‘I have waited for years for equipment designed with a podcaster’s requirements in mind,’ Hebert adds. ‘The Tascam Mixcast 4 fills a need that, previously, has not been met to this point. Its ease of use, flexibility, and feature set makes it a perfect tool for the serious podcaster.’
‘I’m very proud to be able to say I now use this equipment,’ says Legagneur. ‘It’s truly everything a podcaster could want. And if video is part of a podcaster’s content offerings, the Mixcast 4, TM-70 mic, and TH-05 headphones are not only top-quality pieces of audio equipment, but they also look really good on camera! These would be smart investments for any podcaster wanting to grow. Thank you, Tascam.’
