[Ken Fujimoto’s Digital Audio Laboratory]Compact strongest mixer specializing in game distribution!? Roland “BRIDGE CAST”-AV Watch

On January 28, Roland released an audio mixer called BRIDGE CAST. Although it is a highly targeted equipment for game distributors, it sold out on the same day, probably due to the reasonable price of 33,000 yen, and it is currently in production and waiting for arrival. Yamaha’s AG series is very popular as a distribution mixer, and the other day we introduced the flagship machine “AG08”, but what is this BRIDGE CAST and what is equipment for game distribution? Is it? I checked the function and performance.

Roland “BRIDGE CAST”

Compact mixer for game distribution

Roland is a manufacturer with a long history in the world of Internet distribution, and is a top manufacturer of video mixers that are used by a wide range of people, from professionals to amateurs. The “VR4-4HD” is also used in the DTM program, DTM Station Plus!, which is run by the author and composer Akifumi Tada, and it is a piece of equipment that cannot be parted with.

The BRIDGE CAST that appeared this time is not an extension of such distribution equipment, but a completely different lineup that was commercialized from the idea of ​​a game-loving employee. From the product photos that were announced, I had an image of a large piece of equipment, but it turned out to be a surprisingly compact mixer. Here is the iPhone 14 Pro and the desktop keyboard side by side. It is 222 x 110 x 70mm (width x depth x height) and weighs 450g, so it is a size that you can easily put in your bag and carry around.

This is an image of the size

USB class compliant equipment for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. However, there is a dedicated driver for Windows, and by using this, you can demonstrate its power as a game distribution device. Roland also plans to release a Mac-optimized driver in April.

Roland’s strength in such drivers is that the drivers are basically installed automatically on both Windows and Mac. Well, if it’s a USB class compliant device, you can use it as soon as you connect it without worrying about the driver, but the automatic installation here means that the special driver developed by Roland is automatically installed. that it will be installed.

As for the audio interface, I don’t think other companies have done that, so I think it’s a unique existence, but it’s really plug & play. can also be used.

Let’s take a look at what this BRIDGE CAST is like from the outside. There are four large, colorfully lit knobs lined up, which are used to adjust the volume of each channel. But it’s not just a 4ch mixer, and it’s not like it has 4 inputs on the rear. It’s a mixer with a lot of unique tricks.

Four large, illuminated knobs provide volume control for each channel

It’s not like there are four inputs on the rear

As for external inputs, there is only one XLR microphone input and a stereo mini AUX input. This microphone can also be used when a headset is connected, but this is also treated as the same channel as the XLR input microphone. The output is a line output on the stereo mini on the left of the AUX input in addition to the headset / headphones. Further on the left is a USB Type-C terminal for connecting to a PC and another USB Type-C terminal for power supply.

When connecting to Windows, Mac, etc., by setting the switch called CONSOLE to a PC, it will operate with USB bus power, and when connecting to an iPhone, etc., set the switch to MOBILE and supply 5V power to operate. ing.

So what are the inputs other than the mic input and AUX input? On the top panel, from left to right, there are MIC, AUX, CHAT, and GAME. Yes, CHAT and GAME are sounds coming from the PC via USB. As a usage scene, the voice of the person you are talking with on ZOOM or Skype will appear in CHAT, and the sound of the game will appear in GAME. After adjusting the volume balance of the four, it is distributed.

The top panel has MIC, AUX, CHAT, and GAME from the left.

The Yamaha AG08 that I introduced the other day comes to mind here. Even with the AG08, the output from the PC side could be set up on each fader of the mixer and adjusted. And it was able to stand up and adjust 3 systems separately. The AG08 is about 100,000 yen, but this 33,000 yen BRIDGE CAST can do the same thing.

However, from the story so far, it seems that BRIDGE CAST can only handle two stereo systems, CHAT and GAME. System is ready to use.

You can see why as soon as you launch the BRIDGE CAST control app. Looking at this LEVEL METER, in addition to the four channels on the top panel, there are also MUSIC, SYSTEM, and SFX, making it a total of seven channels of a mixer. Of these, only the mic is mono, the rest are stereo.

BRIDGE CAST control app

However, you may think that 4CH is the only hardware that can be controlled. It’s true that there are only four knobs, but in fact, you can freely set the input assigned to each knob. If CH1 is MUSIC, CH2 is SYSTEM, CH3 is CHAT, and CH4 is GAME, the sound from the PC can be controlled with four separate knobs. Moreover, it is also interesting that the color on the panel can be set freely.

You can freely set the input assigned to each knob

One more thing, this BRIDGE CAST has a very good function as a distribution mixer. The point is that you can use the switch to switch between the mix mode for streaming and the mix mode for personal use. This idea is also similar to AG08, but in the personal mix, your voice is not monitored back, and the chat partner and the game sound are louder with ZOOM, etc., while your voice and the voice of the chat partner are louder in distribution. You can put it out in the middle of the day and keep the sound of the game low-key.

For this personal use, you can use it by outputting it from headphones or by using a monitor speaker from the line out.

Switch between stream mix mode and personal mix mode

By the way, from the PC side, there are 3 types of input from BRIDGE CAST, STREAM, PERSONAL, and MIC, so you can choose which one to use as needed. If MIC is selected, only the sound from the microphone will be captured.

In addition to STREAM, there are 3 types of input from BRIDGE CAST, PERSONAL and MIC, so you can choose which one to use according to your needs.

By the way, the SFX mentioned earlier is the pop-out that BRIDGE CAST has. This is also a function similar to AG08, AG08 had 6 PADs for popping out, but BRIDGE CAST has 2. By default, the button below the CHAT knob is the SFX 1 button, and the button below the GAME knob is the SFX 2 button. By transferring the WAV file from the PC side, the BRIDGE CAST will play the sound, but this use is also the same as AG08, with a maximum of 5 seconds.

SFX of pop function

Powerful microphone effect function

Well, one more thing, BRIDGE CAST has a powerful function. That is the effect function for microphone input. This area is also closer to AG08 than AG series. As many of you may know, Roland has a voice transformer (=voice changer) called “VT-4”, and BRIDGE CAST has a function similar to that.

Powerful microphone effect function

There are 5 presets by default, and you can switch between them by pressing the SELECT button on MIC EFFECTS. Of course, this is linked with the BRIDGE CAST app. As you can see if you try it, you can apply reverb to the input from the microphone, and by changing the pitch and formant, you can make a man’s voice sound like a woman, or make it sound like a robot voice. can be done.

MIC EFFECTS SELECT button works with BRIDGE CAST app

Furthermore, by using a function called MIC CLEANUP, it is possible to apply various effects to the microphone. Specifically, the low cut, noise suppressor, de-esser, compressor, and EQ. There are no presets for this, so you can adjust it yourself, but you can also create quite aggressive sounds. EQ can be adjusted in 10 bands.

Various effects can be applied to the microphone

EQ is adjustable in 10 bands

Functions unique to game distribution

Another major feature of BRIDGE CAST is that these effects are installed independently in GAME and CHAT. In the case of CHAT, it is a compressor and a de-esser, so you can adjust the voice coming in from ZOOM, SKYPE, etc. so that it is easy to hear.

You can adjust the voice coming in from ZOOM, SKYPE, etc. so that it is easy to hear.

On the other hand, GAME is in the form of adjusting only EQ. And here are 5 presets, which can be switched with the EQ SELECT button on the main unit.

GAME only adjusts EQ

Switch with the EQ SELECT button on the main unit

Looking at the five, 1.APX (probably Apex Legends), 2.VLRT (same as Valorant), 3.FRONT (same as Fortnite), 4.COD (same as Call of Duty), 5.FPS General. As you can see from this, it is set to make it easier to hear the sound in each game software. This is also the reason why this area is exactly a game machine.

Of course, it is also possible to make your own EQ settings and save them as presets, so trying to create the optimal settings for each application can be said to be an interesting way to use BRIDGE CAST.

As I mentioned at the beginning, when BRIDGE CAST is connected to a Windows machine, the driver is automatically installed and can be used with ASIO. In this case, the input is 3 systems and the output is 4 systems, which is the same as the normal Windows sound driver = MME. Of course, the microphone input and AUX input can be used at the same time, so it seems possible to use it for music production and distribution while using a DAW.

3 inputs

4 outputs

These routings may be easier to see on a block diagram than they are on paper.

block diagram

It’s a well-thought-out mixer that’s closer in concept to the AG08 than the AG03 mkII or AG06 mkII. It is not suitable for needs that require a lot of external inputs, but it seems to be a compact and strongest mixer for single person distribution of games.