Rode's New Microphones Are Amazing and Affordable

I've used a ton of different microphones over the years, but Rode's latest creations are two of the cheapest and feature-rich mics I've ever used.  

The Rode Wireless Go lav mic and Rode VideoMic NTG are truly revolutionary products. They have managed to squeeze an amazing amount of tech into incredibly small packages while at the same time adding features. Watch the video above to hear them in action, and I'll give you a quick rundown of each below. 

Rode Wireless Go

The Rode Wireless Go system is the smallest and most convenient lav mic system I've ever used. Surprisingly, at just $200, it's also by far the cheapest. The transmitter and receiver both house internal rechargeable batteries that charge via a USB-C port. The transmitter has a microphone built into it so you can clip the entire unit on your shirt or you plug in a wired lav mic and clip the transmitter somewhere else on your subject like a standard system. Unlike Rode's previous lav system, we have not ever had an issue with interference hardware failure. 

The built-in microphone does not sound as good as our $1,000 Sennheiser G4 and MKE2 lav mic, but you wouldn't expect it to. But for the price, sound quality is great, and it's much easier to use than any other system I've tested. 

Rode VideoMic NTG

The Rode VideoMic NTG is like three microphones in one. It comes with a hotshoe mount in the box so that you can use it as an external microphone for your camera. For better audio, you can boom the microphone above your subject and simply run a long 1/8" headphone jack into your camera or an external recorder. The VideoMic NTG also has a USB-C port that you can use to charge it up, but this port can also be used to output a digital signal. This makes the VideoMic NTG a great choice for Skype calls, screen recording, and podcasting. Because it has both a USB-C and headphone output, you can export digital and analog signals from the mic at the exact same time. This is an incredibly rare feature that allows you to output audio to two sources or monitor your audio via headphones while you record your audio digital from the USB-C port. 

The gain knob on the back of the mic makes setting your levels easy no matter how you use the mic, and extra features like high-pass filters, high enhancer, -20 dB pad, and safety channel make this mic even better. I fully expected this mic to cost over $600, but it only costs $250. 

If you're looking exclusively for audio quality, these mics certainly aren't the best on the market, but in terms of features, ease of use, and price point, these mics absolutely destroy the competition. 

Lee Morris's picture

Lee Morris is a professional photographer based in Charleston SC, and is the co-owner of Fstoppers.com

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18 Comments

Psst, RodeLink Filmmaker kits sell used for $200, and the Rode Wireless GO costs $200. What I did was sell my RodeLink for the Wireless GO. No more traveling with a bunch of AA batteries and a single purpose charger.

Good video Lee! Thank you.

I think at $250 its trying to compete with the very similar deity mic . So it wouldn’t sell well at $600.

Great review. Please follow up with "Five Things Rode Wireless Go Can Do That Sennheiser G3 Can't", "The Top 10 Things You Should Know About Rode Wireless Go", "10 reasons why Rode Wireless GO is better than Lightroom", "Why Rode Is Better for Professionals", "Five Ways Rode Is Just Better", "How Rode Wireless GO Completely Changed My Audio Workflow and Streamlined My Creativity", "Rode Offers Unique and Powerful Benefits For Audio Recording"....

You should be a professional YouTube video namer!!

I thank fstoppers for teaching me about click-bait names.

All hail the Kings!

I recently did a side-by-side comparison of lavalier mics. I can’t speak to the quality of the Rode Wireless Go transmitter/receiver, but the mic it comes with was terrible at dealing with even the minor background noise of a camera shop. Assuming it’s the mic, factor that into your purchase. The Sennheiser G4 set was light years better out of the box.

I don't shoot video and now I want to buy these microphones. Thanks.

The big problem with 2.4 GHz gear is that your signal can get knocked out by another 2.4 GHz signal in the vicinity, especially if that signal is more powerful. For some environments it may work. I prefer using a hardwired mic into a recorder on the subject (which could be something as simple as a cellphone) and then syncing audio up in post.

I think someone mentioned that the Rode Go stops working if you turn your back to the receiver. Can anyone confirm?

Never had this happen

The NTG, or the GO?

"For better audio, you can boom the microphone above your subject and simply run a long 1/8" headphone jack into your camera or an external recorder." Trust me, this is a bad idea. Even the best long 1/8" cables will introduce noise if there is any EM interference. Speaking from experience.

Why do we still need both a transmetter & a receiver ? Don't we have the technology to miniaturize both a microphone and internal storage in a single device the size of one of these Rode GO ? It's 2020...

The closest in concept to what you're saying is not actually made for a compact mic but to attach a standard mic to it.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1086779-REG/tascam_dr_10x_dr_10cx...

...at least, that I know of...

The Deity D3 Pro and newly announced S-mic 2S are a direct competition to the Videomic NTG