The science-themed podcast “Tree of Knowledge,” hosted by Roy Rotstein and debuting this past March, incorporates an RME Babyface Pro 24-channel USB audio interface as a key element in its production, selected by the host after an introduction at last year’s PodFest Expo.
“One of the things I liked best about the Babyface Pro is that you don’t need any audio background in order to operate it — you just plug it in and go,” Rotstein says. “I can use it for recoding solo episodes where I’m reading off a script, and I can use it when I conduct on-site interviews.”
Available on Spotify and Apple Podcast channels, “Tree of Knowledge” covers a range of topics, from vaccine development to neuroimaging, with new episodes released on a regular basis. According to Rotstein, he decided to start the podcast, and its correlating YouTube channel, to make scientific-related content “that’s available to the masses.” The podcast dives deeper into the topics covered on his YouTube channel.
When conducting in-person interviews, Rotstein is able to fit the Babyface Pro, two mics with stands and his laptop all in one bag, making for a compact, portable audio rig. “The portability of the Babyface Pro has been an enormous boon for me,” Rotstein notes. “The fact that I have this little device which is just a little larger than my cell phone and is able to handle all the audio requirements that I need is huge.”
While doing Skype interviews, the Babyface allows Rotstein to record two channels independently. He said having the ability to have complete control over his podcast’s audio quality is key. “I didn’t want the interviewees to have to record themselves,” he explains. “The Babyface Pro allows me to record two channels simultaneously and not have to rely on the second party. This was pretty important to me to be able to have that capability.”
