RØDE VideoMic GO II Review

In 2013 the RØDE Microphones brought their exceptional microphones to the growing market of vloggers/content creators, podcasters and streamers but a price everyone could afford. The VideoMic GO was born.

Even to this day, I see the VideoMic GO in abundance at ever convention & is a staple of not just upcoming but all vloggers/content creators, podcasters & streamers. I myself have owned 2 over the years & recommend it to everyone that asks me for a great run & gun mic.

Why do I tell you all this? Because I just need you to understand just how excited I am for this microphone. So, without further ado, let me introduce to you the RØDE VideoMic GO II! Fingers crossed the squeal is better than the original!

Design

RØDE VideoMic GO II boosts some amazing new design features, yet hasn’t changed too much to lose the soul of the VideoMic GO.

The RØDE VideoMic GO II is still super compact & light weight, weighing in at only 89 grams. It’s all metal cylindrical construction features electret condenser mic that uses a supercardioid polar pattern.

The microphone is mounted on a Rycote Lyre shock mount with inbuilt cable management, but this time the RØDE VideoMic GO II is removeable. Allowing for easier storage & giving more versatility.

Adding to the versatility & the feature that should make the growing market of vloggers/content creators, podcasters and streamers ecstatic. It now features 2 inputs, a 3.5mm TRS output audio jack for analogue recording which you were featured on the original RØDE VideoMic GO. Yet, the second & more exciting one is the new USB-C port for digital recording.

This opens up a world of opportunity. You phone is now a video camera or a portal podcast recording studio. Or you can use the same microphone for streaming at home or on the go. As someone that interviews people at events, this will be amazing, as it is small, directional & can just be plugged into my phone or mounted to a tripod.

With so many beautiful thought-out design decisions, it has taken RØDE VideoMic GO from just a DSLR Microphone to a very affordable all-round microphone that I expect to see taking over conversations with both up & coming content creators & veterans alike.

Audio Quality

The RØDE VideoMic GO II annular line tube design is the same one found in its big brothers, the VideoMic NTG and NTG5. This design allows it to have an exceptional high-quality directional audio in a super compact form factor.

Its features a frequency response between 20Hz & 20kHz, with 24-bit depth & 48kHz sample rates with a maximum SPL of 110 decibels that provides distortion-free recording & the ability to record the best sound possible for such a small versatile microphone.

If those specs aren’t good enough or you are still worried about the quality of the RØDE VideoMic GO II, then connect it to a phone, tablet, or compute. It gives the microphone superpowers & allows you to access the RØDE holy trinity suite: RØDE Connect, RØDE Central, and RØDE Reporter.

If you own a RØDE microphone & you aren’t using what I call their holy trinity suite. You aren’t getting the full advantages RØDE Microphone. Here is how RØDE describes these apps :

• RØDE Connect: RØDE Connect is a simple and powerful software solution for podcasting and livestreaming with the NT-USB Mini, VideoMic NTG, AI-Micro, VideoMic GO II and the Wireless GO II.
• RØDE Central: RØDE Central is an easy-to-use companion app for compatible RØDE microphones that lets you configure your device settings, unlock advanced features, activate and deactivate functions, and update your firmware
• RØDE Reporter: The RØDE Reporter App is the intuitive recording companion you need to easily record and publish broadcast-quality audio. With native sharing, variable bit rate for either long record time or high-definition broadcast, the RØDE Reporter App is ideal for recording audio on the go.

Final Thoughts

I had very high hopes for the RØDE VideoMic GO II, as I had such a fond memory of the original. I wanted it to not just be a reskin of the original, I need there to be more. I wanted it to be my beloved RØDE VideoMic GO, yet versatile enough for today’s content creators that are no longer one dimensional & need something for every occasion & on a budget.

The RØDE VideoMic GO II is everything I wanted it to be and more. The versatilely of this new microphone met and exceeded my expectations. All more concerns were put at ease when I first plugged it in. The sound quality of amazing, whether using it as a streaming or interview microphone or as a shotgun microphone.

If you are a content creator, streamer or videographer that is looking for a small, powerful & versatile microphone under $100 USD ($149 AUD). The RØDE VideoMic GO II is a highly recommended piece of kit that i expect this to be on every body’s camera in the upcoming event session.