Plenty of podcast studios use only a fraction of their RØDECaster Pro II: they record a stereo mix, plug in a mic, and miss the two features that change everything, in post and on air, namely multitrack recording and automatic mix-minus. This guide explains how to set them up, why they matter, and the settings you need to know so you are not stuck in the edit.
The RØDECaster Pro II at a glance
Before the how-to, a reminder of what the unit packs. The RØDECaster Pro II has four Neutrik combo inputs for mics, instruments and line sources, driven by its Revolution Preamps (up to 76 dB of gain, very low input noise). The surface offers nine channels — six physical faders and three virtual — eight programmable SMART pads, a Bluetooth channel for phone calls, a built-in wireless receiver compatible with two RØDE Series IV transmitters, four headphone outputs and dual USB-C connectivity. Every channel has full processing (high-pass, noise gate, compressor, de-esser, three-band EQ) and the master bus gets APHEX processing — Aural Exciter, Big Bottom and the Compellor leveller.
Why record multitrack
Recording a stereo mix sets everything in stone: if a guest spoke too loudly, if a mic caught a table bump, there is nothing you can do afterwards. Multitrack records each source on its own track — every mic, the phone channel, the USB channel, Bluetooth, the pads — alongside the main mix. In the edit you ride one person’s level, cut a coughing fit, EQ a single voice without touching the others. It is the same logic that makes a guide like the Tascam Model 12 worthwhile: a production console only earns its place if it hands control back to you in post.
The RØDECaster Pro II can record in three places: to a microSD card, to a USB stick or drive, and to a computer over USB, where it appears as a multichannel interface any DAW can use. Nothing stops you combining them: recording to microSD as a backup while the DAW captures the tracks is a safety net every professional appreciates.
Enabling multitrack, step by step
- Open the settings by tapping the cog on the touchscreen.
- Go to the “Outputs” section, then “Multitrack”.
- Enable multitrack for the destination you want (microSD, USB or computer).
- Choose how tracks are recorded: pre-fader or post-fader.
That pre/post-fader choice is decisive. Pre-fader means the fader position has no effect on what is recorded: you capture every source at its raw level, leaving maximum latitude in the edit. Post-fader records the audio at the level set by the fader: handy if you mix cleanly live and want tracks already balanced. The simple rule: if you edit afterwards, go pre-fader; if you broadcast live with no retouching, post-fader makes sense.
Mix-minus and remote guests
This is where the RØDECaster Pro II saves serious time. As soon as a source is remote — a guest on the phone over Bluetooth, a participant on a video call via USB, a contributor on a wireless link — you have to send them the whole mix minus their own voice. Without that, the guest hears themselves come back with a slight delay, and echo is guaranteed, unbearable on air and in the headphones. That clean feed is called a mix-minus, and the RØDECaster Pro II generates it automatically for each relevant channel: there is no complex routing to build, the console removes the guest’s voice from what it sends back to them.
The principle is worth understanding once and for all, because it applies to any production gear: we broke it down in our article on mix-minus. In practice, on the RØDECaster Pro II, the dual USB-C ports play a key role: one can take your main computer (DAW, multitrack recording), the other a second device — a phone or a laptop for a video call. Each remote channel gets its own mix-minus, so you can host several remote guests without any of them hearing an echo.
From recording to the edit
Once the show is captured, the multitrack output gives you a folder of separate tracks (or a multichannel project in your DAW). You edit each contributor independently, clean up breaths and gaps, balance levels, then move to final calibration. A podcast or show aimed at the platforms needs a consistent loudness target: that is the step too many productions skip, even though it governs listening comfort. Our guide on broadcast loudness (LUFS, EBU R128, true peak) lays out the marks to aim for.
Field tips
- Set gain first. The Revolution Preamps have plenty of headroom: bring the gain up to a healthy level before leaning on the processing.
- Always record a backup. microSD locally while the DAW captures: if the computer drops out, you keep the session.
- Use the SMART pads for beds, jingles and stingers, rather than firing them by hand from another device.
- Check each guest’s headphone feed at the start: that is where you catch a badly assigned mix-minus before it hits the air.
My take
Multitrack and automatic mix-minus are the two reasons to buy a RØDECaster Pro II over a plain interface. The first saves you in the edit, the second spares you the routing tinkering that sinks so many live shows with remote guests. The unit’s real strength is making these features reachable without diving into a manual: a few taps on the screen and you are in multitrack with clean feeds. One habit to build: decide pre or post-fader before you hit record. That is the one call no one will fix for you once the show is in the can.
