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Recording Guide

Recording Guide

This guide covers advanced settings for getting the best possible audio from Rebel Audio's local recording pipeline.

Quality settings

Sample rate

Default: 48kHz. Recommended for all podcast use — this is the broadcast and streaming standard. Change to 44.1kHz only if your post-production chain requires it. Setting is per-session in Session Settings → Audio.

Bit depth

Default: 24-bit. Provides 144dB of theoretical dynamic range — more than enough headroom for voice recording. Use 16-bit only if disk space is a constraint (rare for podcast lengths).

Buffer size

Default: 4096 samples (at 48kHz = ~85ms). This is the IndexedDB write interval. Lower values reduce the risk of losing audio on crash; higher values reduce CPU overhead. Adjust in Session Settings → Advanced.

Gain staging

Target input level: -18 to -12 dBFS RMS. Leave headroom for peaks. Rebel Audio's auto-level-to--16 LUFS export applies post-gain correction, but starting with a well-staged signal reduces noise floor.

  • Dynamic mics (Shure SM7B, Rode PodMic): set gain to 50–60% on interface
  • Condenser mics: set gain lower, watch for clipping on sibilants
  • USB mics: use system sound settings to set input level

Guest setup recommendations

Send your guest this checklist before the session:

  • Use Chrome or Edge (latest version)
  • Use headphones — prevents echo on their track
  • Use a USB or built-in mic (no phone call routing)
  • Close other browser tabs that use the microphone
  • Check available disk space: a 90-minute session writes ~600MB per track

Browser permissions

Rebel Audio requires microphone access. Chrome will prompt on first session. If the prompt was dismissed:

  1. Click the lock icon in the address bar
  2. Set Microphone to Allow
  3. Reload the page

Troubleshooting local recording failures

If the waveform meter shows no movement after clicking Record:

  • Check that the correct microphone is selected in Session Settings → Devices
  • Open Chrome DevTools → Console. Look for AudioContext errors
  • Some antivirus software blocks IndexedDB writes — whitelist rebelaudio.org
  • If the issue persists, use the Server backup mode toggle (Creator/Studio plans) — audio routes through server in compressed format as fallback

Track naming

Name each participant's track before recording starts in Session → Guest List. Track names carry through to exported file names: ep42-jared-host.wav, ep42-priya-guest.wav.

What Rebel Audio handles vs. your DAW

Rebel Audio captures, drift-corrects, and exports lossless stems. What it does not do:

  • Dialogue compression / de-essing / EQ: handled in your post chain (Auphonic, Hindenburg, Logic, Adobe Audition, Reaper)
  • Room-tone matching between hosts: requires per-track treatment in your DAW
  • Final mastering: the -16 LUFS export is a first-pass target, not a finished master
  • Noise reduction / restoration: if your guest's mic captures HVAC noise or keyboard clatter, that's in the WAV — we record the signal honestly

The export from Rebel Audio is the input to your post chain, not the output of it.