A DJ mixer and one or two mics
Yamaha AG06MK2
A six-channel streaming mixer with two mic inputs, an RCA line in and loopback; the control app is its weak point.
Photos: Yamaha
of 6 reviews recommend itand 25 owner reviews
Choose it if you play on a DJ mixer or a controller with its own outputs. The mix goes into a stereo line input on RCA or 1/4-inch jacks, two combo inputs take microphones with phantom power, and the STREAMING OUT switch adds the computer's own audio in loopback mode, which reviewers and owners say makes streaming simple. Owners find the AG Controller app clunky, there is no Android app, and an iPhone or iPad setup needs a power supply that isn't in the box. For two computers on faders, choose the RØDECaster Duo.
- Best for
- Streaming a DJ mix with one or two microphones from a computer or iPhone.
- Skip it if
- You stream from an Android phone or need more than two mics.
What people praise
- Good sound, with quiet, warm mic preamps
- Loopback puts computer or phone audio and the mics into one stream mix
What to know first
- AG Controller app is clunky or unreliable for some owners
- No control app for Android, and Android phone support is patchy
Video reviews
- DJ REAL ONEJul 2025Recommends
- Inventive GearFeb 2025Recommends
A DJ laptop and a second computer on faders
RØDECaster Duo
A compact two-input studio with clean preamps and two USB-C ports; a stereo DJ mixer feed takes both inputs.
Photos: RØDE
of 15 reviews recommend itand 27 owner reviews
Choose it over the AG06MK2 when the DJ laptop and the streaming computer are separate machines: each of its two USB-C ports takes one, and the mix, a mic and chat sit on physical faders with a compressor, gate and EQ on every channel. A DJ mixer's stereo output takes both combo inputs, which leaves the mic to the headset jack, a RØDE wireless transmitter or a RØDE USB mic. Reviewers describe a learning curve in the routing, and some owners noticed latency when monitoring their own voice.
- Best for
- A DJ laptop's mix, a microphone and a streaming computer on physical faders.
- Skip it if
- You need zero-latency mic monitoring, or a stereo mixer feed plus an XLR mic.
What people praise
- Clean, low-noise preamps and strong sound
- Easy to set up and use, with a setup wizard and mic presets
What to know first
- A learning curve: routing and settings live in menus and take time to work out
- Costs more than a plain interface; owners who mention the price mostly call it worth it
Video reviews
- Tom BuckAug 2023Recommends
- EposVoxNov 2023Recommends
One mic over DJ software on the same computer
Elgato Wave XLR MK.2
A one-mic interface with on-board effects and 80 dB of gain; no line input, so a DJ mixer needs another way in.
Photos: Elgato
of 5 reviews recommend it
Choose it when the DJ software runs on the streaming computer and you add one XLR microphone. Wave Link 3.0 takes the DJ software's audio as a source and builds separate mixes for OBS, and the effects and Clipguard 2.0 run on the unit. It has no line input and no faders, so a DJ mixer needs another way in. No owner reviews have been read, and one of the five reviews found Wave Link 3.0 unstable at launch, so the evidence is thinner than for the other two.
- Best for
- One XLR mic over a DJ set played from software on the same computer.
- Skip it if
- You stream from a hardware DJ mixer, or want physical faders.
What people praise
- On-board effects (EQ, compressor, Voice Tune, expander) run on the unit and clean up the voice
- Clipguard 2.0 keeps sudden shouts and laughs from clipping
What to know first
- Wave Link 3.0 was still in beta at launch, and one review found it unstable
Video reviews
- Basic TutorialsMar 2026
- Techy MillennialMar 2026Recommends
Also considered
- RØDE Streamer X. One box for an XLR mic, a camera over HDMI and SMART pads, with a second USB-C port for a DJ laptop. Six of nine reviews recommend it, but Thomann owners are split over headphone hiss and the companion software, and it has no stereo line input for a DJ mixer, so it isn't a pick.
- IK Multimedia iRig Stream. A pocket interface that puts a mixer's stereo feed into a phone. Reviews are split, two of four recommending it, and owners complain of a light plastic case and patchy Android support. The AG06MK2 also streams from an iPhone or iPad, with a power supply.
- RØDE RØDECaster Pro II. The larger RØDECaster, for more microphones than the Duo takes. It has no product page yet.
- Elgato Wave XLR Pro. Two XLR preamps with 48 V phantom power, a stereo 3.5 mm line input and Wave Link 3.0 with five mixes, per Elgato. It has no product page yet.
- TC-Helicon GoXLR and GoXLR Mini. The former top pick here. Elgato, a competitor, says TC Helicon no longer manufactures or supports the GoXLR and that software updates have ended with it, and a streaming mixer that depends on its routing software is a poor buy once that software stops being updated.
How to choose a streaming mixer
Start from what your DJ gear already outputs
A DJ mixer or controller with a USB sound card already gives the computer a clean stereo feed, and OBS can capture it or the DJ application itself; the livestreaming guide has the OBS steps for Windows and macOS. A mixer with only RCA outputs needs an interface or a streaming mixer with a line input to get into the computer; what an audio interface does explains the difference, and the best audio interfaces covers the plain interfaces. Buy a streaming mixer for the things a DJ mixer lacks: a processed microphone channel, a second computer or phone, and faders for each.
A stereo feed needs a line input
A DJ mixer's master output is stereo, so it needs a stereo line input, or two inputs linked as a pair. The AG06MK2 has two stereo line inputs, on RCA or 1/4-inch jacks. The RØDECaster Duo takes a stereo feed on both of its combo inputs, which leaves a microphone to the headset jack, a wireless transmitter or a USB mic, per RØDE's guide. The Wave XLR MK.2 and the Streamer X have no stereo line input at all.
Microphone processing on the device or in software
A compressor, noise gate and EQ on the mic channel keep your voice level against the music. The RØDECaster Duo has them on every channel and the Wave XLR MK.2 runs them on the unit; the AG06MK2's are set in its AG Controller app. Either way you need a microphone that suits the room; the best microphones for streaming compares USB and XLR options, and only an XLR mic can use the phantom power these devices provide.
Faders, pads and a second machine
Physical faders matter when you are mixing with both hands and can't reach for the mouse. A second USB port lets a dedicated streaming computer take the broadcast while your DJ laptop stays untouched, which is how the Duo and the Streamer X are built; the AG06MK2 has one USB port and the Wave XLR MK.2 lives on the streaming computer. Pads trigger jingles and stings without a sampler in the DJ software.
The platform's music rules
Hardware doesn't solve licensing. Twitch, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram each treat a DJ set differently, and the livestreaming guide sets out what each allows; the Instagram Live guide covers that platform on its own.
How these picks are made
Each pick is the mixer or interface with the strongest evidence for its situation. The evidence is what professional reviews conclude and what owners report at Thomann and Guitar Center, compiled for each one, with every source linked on its product page. Neither shop sells the Elgato, so its pick rests on reviews alone, which its card says. Product figures come from the makers' pages. We haven't tested these mixers. Prices come from daily tracking across the retailers we link to. The methodology explains the whole process.
