Key things to note when using a USB interface.
1. You need an XLR to XLR cable, Female to Male of whatever length, standard mic cable. Do not use an XLR to TRS cable, it will not work.
2. Make sure you get the latest USB drivers from the website.
3. It adds both a Playback and Recording device, make sure the sample rates match each other (Properties/Advanced) and your OBS sample rate. 48000Hz or 44100Hz, don't use 96000 or 192000 even though the device supports it.
4. Leave the Playback and Recording Device it adds in Windows set to 100%, use the gain knob to control mic input level, the phones knob to control your headphone level, the Mackie also has a Output/Line Out for Speakers.
100% Recording is critical for getting your input levels correct, when you turn it down in Windows you aren't hearing the mic at unity, you're not hearing it at the same level as the interface.
100% Playback is the same level OBS hears your desktop audio, OBS ignores your Windows master level so leaving it at 100% ensures what you hear is what OBS hears. Use application volume controls to turn stuff down.
5. Your microphone will be Mono, outputting out only on the left side. You will need to use the Downmix to Mono option in OBS to center the mic.
6. If possible, don't run it on the same USB bus as your webcam. put one on USB 2.0, the other on 3.0
7. Your microphone is a condenser, you will need to turn on 48V phantom power on the interface.
More on setting your mic input level, disable your filters and set the mic to 100% in OBS mixer.
Using the fancy new meters in OBS, turn the gain knob up and start speaking normally. Aim for the peak of your meter just bouncing around the -18dB and -9dB area(right where the color changes.)
Then start speaking with a little bit more excitement and keep an eye on the peak level, if you are hitting near 0dB you will need to back your gain off a little. You want a strong level that doesn't clip when you act out a bit, you need to leave some headroom.
Next, add the Expander, don't add Noise Suppression or any gain filters, add your gate, add your compressor.
If set correctly the compressor will bring your peak levels down, probably below -9dB, so add some Wet Gain or Output gain on the compressor to bring your levels back up. You want the little black PPM marker to be around -25 to -20, this is your average level, your peak you want well under 0dB, -6dB is a good target.
If your peak level is high but your average level is low, add wet gain on the Gate or lower the threshold (as in -23 to -30) and ratio on the compressor and add more output gain. Compressors are complicated at first but once you understand what they do it makes sense.
After setting everything up, if at any point you then want to turn down your overall mic output level, do so on the OBS mixer. Don't touch your interface, Windows or Filter gain controls, this will throw off your threshold settings and you will have to adjust everything.
