Best DAW for live-streaming?

[Jathon Delsy]

What's the best DAW for live-streaming, that can handle and process multiple inputs simutaneously and give me top sound quality with minimum latency for monitoring. Something with high quality reverbs and compression, and also some good synths would be nice to add another level to my sound.
I'm looking to run it on a modern Mac computer.
Thanks.

[Drew Stephenson]

If you're on a Mac then starting with a look at Logic would make sense. Especially if you're looking for something with built in instruments and effects.

[Kwackman]

I suspect most DAWs will do what you want, including Garageband which is probably already on your mac?
The number of audio inputs will be depend on your choice of audio interface.

[BJG145]

I suspect most DAWs will do what you want

...yes, there isn't really a "best DAW" for anything; it comes down to personal preference and workflow.

[The Elf]

For live performance I wouldn't be considering a DAW. For the Mac there's Mainstage.

[MarkOne]

I think you would be better off explaining what it is you want to do and then we could best advise you. What is the best setup for a live stream?

What sort of live stream?

For me what is required Is an A&H SQ5 and digital snake, for the audio, 2 PTZ cameras with a dedicated controller, a Blackmagic Designs ATEM Mini Pro to handle the video switching and livestream encoding, and a laptop to feed in multimedia cues as required.

For many others OBS and a webcam might fit the bill, quite a lot will just hit the stream now button on YouTube or Facebook on their phone.

If you want to mix some audio in real time monitor it and podcast it, then a DAW probably isn't what you want, and as Elf said MainStage can manage all the audio routing and mixing, then you need to send it out to a streaming encoder (Like OBS)

But help us to help you and let us know what you are planning?

[Jathon Delsy]

I stream singing acoustic songs, using two mics, one for guitar and one for vocals, then I create loops with these inputs. I also have a laptop going through the looper via which I add electric guitar, bass and drum samples. All this goes through a cheap Yamaha mixer and then into an old Windows machine to be streamed by OBS.
This does not give me the professional audio quality I have noticed on other streams. Also, I use a limiter in OBS to boost my overall level to be similar with other broadcast material, and also to even out the dynamics between my multilayered loops, which tend to get loud, and my soft intimate acoustic songs.
A big issue is that I have to headphone monitor direct from the mixer, before the limiter, because if I monitor from OBS then the latency is just too much. But monitoring before the limiter means that the level of my acoustic songs is too soft, compromising my performance, and the multilayered loops end up too loud, sometimes hurting my ears.
So I want something that can handle all of this, that I can monitor after the limiter with minimum latency.
My initial thought is an Apple Mini M1 and a Scarlett 18i20, processing this in Logic Pro. I believe that this will result in a higher quality audio, especially without using the cheap mixer and Windows computer. Also, I can MIDI connect the looper and Logic which will open more possibilities, adding synths and other virtual instruments available in Logic to my sound.
So, is this plan feasable?

[MarkOne]

I'm not really sure logic has that real time capability. you might be able to bend it to your will to do what you are talking about, but that's not really what it's designed for.

MainStage is designed to be used in a live performance situation, and I think it would do a lot of what you want, it even has a looper plugin.

But reading your description, I wonder if Ableton Live might be a better option. (I guess the clue's in the name) I have really only dabbled with it but it's live looping capabilities are pretty incredible. There are lots of YouTube content makers out there doing live stream performance with it.

[jray@jrayo.com]

What's the best DAW for live-streaming, that can handle and process multiple inputs simutaneously and give me top sound quality with minimum latency for monitoring. Something with high quality reverbs and compression, and also some good synths would be nice to add another level to my sound.
I'm looking to run it on a modern Mac computer.
Thanks.

I've been dying trying to figure this out with my new Scarlett Solo..... I finally found something... This might give you a clue on how to do stuff like this through Ableton live. I know this is over a year old but for others searching for a good solution.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBc9J30XvTw