Studio Devices & Audio Setup

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Overview

RunBeat Pulse Studio Live can broadcast directly from your local audio hardware in Desk Mix mode — your physical desk's output becomes the live broadcast. This guide explains how to connect common studio devices, choose the right input, and confirm your signal reaches air.

Pulse captures audio at your device's native sample rate (44.1kHz, 48kHz, or 96kHz) and resamples to the broadcast standard (48kHz stereo) automatically. Broadcast-specific processing such as echo cancellation, noise suppression, and auto-gain is disabled so your desk's mix is sent exactly as you hear it.

Browser: use a recent version of Chrome, Edge, or another Chromium-based browser. These offer the best support for multi-channel devices and output-device selection.

Quick Start

1. Connect your device via USB and let your operating system finish installing it.
2. Open Studio Live in Pulse and click 🎛️ Audio Settings.
3. Grant microphone access if prompted (needed so the browser can list device names).
4. Select your device under Input Device.
5. If the device has more than two inputs, choose the correct Channel Pair (see below).
6. Click 🎤 Test your setup and speak or play audio — you should see the level meters move.
7. Close settings, then switch the studio mode to 🎛️ Desk Mix to go live from your desk.

Test Your Setup

The Test your setup button in Audio Settings opens the exact same audio path used for broadcast, so what you see is what listeners will hear. Two meters show the left and right channels of the pair you selected.

• Both meters move — you're ready to go live.
• Only one meter moves — your source may be mono or on a single channel. Try a different channel pair, or that's expected for a single-mic setup.
• No movement — the device may be muted, its gain turned down, or the wrong channel pair is selected. See troubleshooting below.

Channel Pairs

Many interfaces and controllers present more than two inputs to the browser (for example a 4-in interface exposes channels 1–4). Pulse broadcasts in stereo, so it sends one pair of channels at a time.

When a device reports more than two channels, Audio Settings shows a Channel Pair selector. Pick the pair your mix or microphone is actually connected to:

• Channels 1 & 2 — the most common default (main outputs / first two inputs).
• Channels 3 & 4 — a secondary bus, or mics plugged into inputs 3 and 4.

Your selection is remembered per device on that browser, and is the pair used when you go into Desk Mix.

USB Audio Interfaces

USB interfaces are the recommended way to get professional audio into Pulse. They run at their own native sample rate; Pulse handles resampling automatically.

Device	Notes
Tascam US-2x2HR / US-4x4HR	Fully supported. Select the interface as the input. The 2x2 presents two channels; the 4x4 lets you choose a channel pair. Set input gain on the hardware knobs so the meter peaks in the green/amber, not red.
Focusrite Scarlett (Solo / 2i2 / 4i4)	Fully supported. On the Solo, use the default pair. On 4-in models, pick the channel pair matching your mic inputs. Enable direct monitoring on the hardware for zero-latency headphone monitoring.
Behringer UMC / U-PHORIA	Supported. Choose the interface as the input and set the channel pair for your mic inputs.
PreSonus AudioBox	Supported. Use channels 1 & 2 for the default mic inputs.

Tip: if the interface has a "Loopback" or "Mix" channel, that pair often carries the full desk mix — ideal for Desk Mix broadcasting.

Podcast Desks

All-in-one podcast desks appear to the browser as a USB audio interface with a main mix output.

Device	Notes
RØDECaster Pro / Pro II	Fully supported. Select the RØDECaster as the input. The main stereo mix is normally on channels 1 & 2 — this carries everything on your faders (mics, USB, Bluetooth, SMART pads), which is exactly what you want to broadcast. The Pro II also exposes multitrack channels; stick to the main pair unless you know you need another.
Tascam Mixcast 4	Supported. Use the main mix pair. MIDI control of Pulse carts is also available (see the Pulse guide).
Zoom PodTrak P4 / P8	Supported. Select as input and use the main pair.

DJ Controllers & Mixers

DJ controllers with a built-in USB sound card can feed their master mix into Pulse.

• Select the controller as the Input Device.
• Controllers often expose several channel pairs (master, booth, cue). Use the Channel Pair selector to pick the master output pair — this is what your audience should hear.
• Avoid selecting the cue/headphone pair, or listeners will hear your cueing rather than the live mix.
• Standalone mixers (e.g. a small analogue desk) need a USB interface between the mixer's main out and your computer — connect the mixer's main/record out to the interface line inputs, then select the interface in Pulse.

Virtual Audio Devices (VoiceMeeter & similar)

Virtual audio tools let you route and mix multiple apps into a single input that Pulse can broadcast — useful for working-from-home presenters combining a mic, music, and call audio.

• VoiceMeeter (Windows) — route your sources into a VoiceMeeter bus, then select VoiceMeeter Output (the B1/B2 virtual output) as the input in Pulse.
• BlackHole / Loopback (macOS) — create an aggregate or virtual device, route your desired mix to it, then select it as the Pulse input.
• Match the virtual device's sample rate to 48kHz where possible to minimise resampling.
• Watch for feedback loops — don't route Pulse's own monitor output back into the broadcast bus.

Built-in & USB Microphones

A laptop's built-in mic or a simple USB mic (e.g. Blue Yeti, Samson Q2U) works for talk-only broadcasting. These are typically mono or a single stereo pair — no channel-pair selection is needed. Use the level meter to set a comfortable speaking level and keep a consistent distance from the mic.

Bluetooth Headsets

For anything beyond a quick test, use a wired USB headset or a USB interface with a wired microphone. If you must use Bluetooth, keep the headset close to the computer and expect reduced audio quality on air.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	What to try
Device not listed in Audio Settings	Grant microphone access when prompted, then reopen settings. Check the device is powered and connected before opening the browser.
No signal on the meter	Confirm the device isn't muted and its input gain is up. If it has multiple inputs, try a different channel pair. Check your source (mic/desk) is actually producing sound.
Only one channel shows a level	Your source may be mono or on a single input — this is normal for one mic. For a stereo desk, select the correct pair.
"Device is in use by another app"	Close any DAW, conferencing app, or other software holding the device, then click Retry.
"Microphone access denied"	Allow microphone access for the Pulse site in your browser's site settings, then reload and reselect Desk Mix.
"Device was disconnected" while live	Reconnect the interface, reselect it in Audio Settings, then switch back to Desk Mix. Pulse falls back to Server Mix so you don't go silent.
Distorted / clipping audio	Turn down the input gain on the hardware so the meter peaks in green/amber rather than red.
Listeners hear cue/headphone audio	On a DJ controller, switch the channel pair to the master output rather than the cue pair.

Still stuck? Get in touch and we'll help you get on air.