A two-host podcast starts with a conversation worth listening to. Rewrite the article as a script, assign a consistent voice to each host, then generate and edit the dialogue. MiniMax Speech 2.8 handles speech synthesis; the script, sequencing and music mix are separate production decisions.
A recent example is Overhear, a MiniMaxathon award winner described in a September 21 event report. Its public repository describes an article-to-dialogue workflow using Speech 2.8 for individual lines and separately generated theme music. We reviewed the report and repository; we did not run or listen to the application. This is a workflow example, rather than evidence that one speech request produces an entire finished episode. ,
Build a two-host podcast: Editorial workflow diagram, not a tested model output
Rewrite for two different contributions
Choose one question the episode should answer. Host A can explain the main idea, while Host B asks the questions a listener might have or introduces a useful example. Neither host needs to speak after every line.
For an article about video budgets, an untested script example could be:
A: The generation price is only one part of the budget.
B: Why reserve money for retries if the first clip might work?
A: A successful generation still needs to meet the brief. You may need to correct the product appearance or change the shot.
Read the dialogue aloud before generating it. Remove exchanges in which the second host only agrees or repeats information.
Build a production sheet before synthesizing
Use this short pilot plan to check the workflow before converting an entire article. The lines below have not been synthesized; fill in durations after listening to the actual files.
Order: 01 · Speaker and purpose: A introduces the question · Example line: Where should a video budget start? · Generation check: Keep voice A fixed and check that the question is clear
Order: 02 · Speaker and purpose: B identifies the assumption · Example line: I used to look only at the price of one generation. · Generation check: Keep voice B fixed and check that the voices are distinct
Order: 03 · Speaker and purpose: A explains the method · Example line: Count every attempt, then measure the material you actually keep. · Generation check: Reuse A's settings and check the key terms
Order: 04 · Speaker and purpose: B proposes an action · Example line: I will reserve a revision budget for each of the first two shots. · Generation check: Check the handoff and ending, then adjust the pause in editing
Keep the source passage, voice ID, tier, emotion setting, task ID, filename and acceptance status alongside each line. Production notes belong in separate columns so they are not accidentally read aloud. Replacing a rejected line still adds submitted characters to the budget.
Generate two turns per host first. Once the voices and pacing work together, expand the episode. For factual material, the second host should question a real point of confusion rather than invent an opposing claim absent from the source.
Keep each host's voice consistent
Start at the MiniMax Speech 2.8 model page. Choose two distinguishable voices and record the voice identity, speed, volume and synthesis mode. A short sample containing statements, questions and emphasis is more informative than a greeting.
Use the same settings when replacing a line later. If you need a custom voice, complete the separate voice-creation workflow before synthesis. Uploading a recording should not be confused with automatically creating a voice inside every speech request.
Assign emotion to the line
Keep explanations steady and use emotional changes where the meaning calls for them. Conflicting directions in one line make the production brief harder to evaluate.
Maintain a record with speaker, text, voice, emotion and filename. Names such as episode01-A-001 and episode01-B-002 help preserve order. Keep production notes separate from spoken text.
Generate sections, then assemble them
Split at natural pauses and speaker changes. Listen to each section for missing words, pronunciation and emphasis before placing it on a timeline. Replace the section that needs correction, then check its transitions again because its duration may change.
Use the Speech 2.8 Docs for API modes and fields. Browser users can begin in the model workspace and assemble files in an audio editor. An API field does not establish that a website has a button with the same name.
Mix around intelligible dialogue
Match the perceived loudness of the two voices before adding music. Keep music lower during dialogue and check the result with headphones and a phone speaker. Introductions, transitions and endings often provide better space for music than dense explanations.
Check APIXO Pricing before budgeting. The public table checked on October 10, 2026 lists Speech Turbo at $0.06 per 1,000 characters and Speech HD at $0.10. A hypothetical 5,000 generated characters therefore costs about $0.30 or $0.50 for synthesis. Include regenerated text; custom voice creation and other models are separate costs.
API usage rates; Studio monthly credits are separate.
Before publishing
You do not need cloned voices to test the format. Start with preset voices and a short conversation, then check factual accuracy, line order, pauses, loudness and music. Once that sample works, expand the script. Speech synthesis is one stage of producing the podcast.
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