RØDE Microphones Vlogger Kit Universal Editio
The Universal Vlogger Kit comes with the DCS-1 dual cold shoe mount for quick and easy mounting of both the VideoMicro and MicroLED
Premium sound included, with VideoMicro.
The VideoMicro is a high-quality microphone for your mobile device, designed to give you incredible audio when shooting video. The microphone’s directionality reduces surrounding noises to focus on exactly what you’re filming, ensuring your videos sound clear and intelligible.
- Directional microphone for improved intelligibility.
- Can be used in forward or rear facing modes.
- Includes SC7 cable for TRRS devices.
- Furry windshield included.
Vlogger Kit Universal
Filmmaking Kit for Mobile Phones
The Universal Vlogger Kit contains everything you need to get professional results when filming using your mobile phone with a 3.5mm headphone socket. The VideoMicro connects directly to your device, delivering crisp, clear, directional sound for any application. The SmartGrip secures your device firmly in place for stable recording and connects seamlessly to the Tripod 2 for either handheld or tabletop use, while the MicroLED ensures all your shots are perfectly lit.
- All-in-one mobile filmmaking kit, including a RØDE VideoMicro, DCS-1 Mount, Tripod 2, SmartGrip, MicroLED and accessories.
- High-quality microphone that delivers professional, directional sound in any recording situation
- Three-position tripod with gimbal head – perfect for either handheld or tabletop use
- MicroLED on-camera light with diffuser and eight coloured filters for flawless shots
- Lightweight all-metal mount with rubberised grips, accommodates phones 65mm to 85mm wide
Key Accessories:
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|---|---|---|---|
Tripod 2The Tripod 2 is a sturdy three-position tripod for mounting cameras, microphones and other accessories. In the closed position, it’s perfect for handheld use. The tripod legs can also be opened out to a mid or wide setting for optimal positioning and stability on a tabletop, and it features a gimbal head for even more flexibility, ensuring you get the perfect shot every time. | SmartGripThe SmartGrip is a high-quality smartphone mount – the perfect companion for the Tripod 2. Rubberised grips will keep your phone firmly in place and it can accommodate phones 65mm to 85mm wide, making it compatible with most models. It also features a cold shoe mount for microphones and accessories, and three attachment points for mounting in a range of orientations. | DCS-1 Dual Cold Shoe MountThe DCS-1 is a dual cold shoe mount for mounting both VideoMicro and Micro LED Light onto a single cold shoe mount. Constructed from lightweight aluminium, it is sturdy and discreet and is compatible with all RØDE products that feature a cold shoe adaptor. It also includes cable management slots for select RØDE audio cables. | MicroLED, Diffuser & Coloured FiltersThe MicroLED is a compact rechargeable on-camera light that mounts neatly onto the Tripod 2. It features four adjustable brightness settings and a clip-on diffuser with eight coloured filters for capturing flawless shots. It’s charged and powered via USB-C, with over four hours operation on a single charge – more than enough for even the longest vlogs. |
| Weight: | 471 g |
| Dimensions: | 16.2 x 20 x 8.3 cm; 471 Grams |
| Model: | VLOGVMICRO |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium ion batteries required. (included) |
Good quality, happy buye
The mic does the job. Because we only have this one so cannot say it is better than others. Compare with the mic on the phone, the record through Rode is more clear for sure. Btw, I used it to record violin play, all working fine.
Strong sturdy equipment but issue with the microphone when attached with case o
Good strong product slightly heavier than expected but that makes the build quality 5star. The light attachment is really good but the microphone will not fit if you have your phone in the case. If you can live with that small inconvenience then buy it.
Great kit bundle
There are cheaper kits and components, but I doubt they will be as well made as this one. I also found this kit on a special price. Easy to use. A super little rechargeable LED lamp with coloured filter gels included.
Great kit bundle
There are cheaper kits and components, but I doubt they will be as well made as this one. I also found this kit on a special price. Easy to use. A super little rechargeable LED lamp with coloured filter gels included.
Works well on my android phone
This works very well indeed on my android Google pixel 3a. I’ve noticed some of the negative reviews are from IPhone owners.
Sound quality from the mic is great. I am not easily pleased on this front but very impressed. With my phone you do have to select the mic manually while in the camera app but this is a simple process.
The light is surprisingly powerful for its size (the filters included with the kit are a must, otherwise it will blind you!)
Tripod is a trifle flimsy but made up for by how light weight this is (primary design is for user to hold it so this works well as not too heavy).
Plug & play for Android phone. Good quality.
Excellent build quality. The sound is good – it’s very “neutral”, and I’m still playing with how to equalise it to make voice recordings sound better in finished video, but that’s exactly how a good microphone should be.
Would be quite expensive full priced – I got one 30% off due to damaged packaging, and was more than happy.
Great upgrade to the built in microphone
As a new YouTuber I found this mic very easy to set up, and to use. It is quite literally plug and play.
Its sturdy, fits directly onto my iPhone without any problems and just works so well. I’m very happy with this mic.
I honestly think this is a very good budget friendly mic, and definitely worth the money invested.
Great upgrade to the built in microphone
As a new YouTuber I found this mic very easy to set up, and to use. It is quite literally plug and play.
Its sturdy, fits directly onto my iPhone without any problems and just works so well. I’m very happy with this mic.
I honestly think this is a very good budget friendly mic, and definitely worth the money invested.
Great for roaming
This is a great product I use it with and iPhone 11 and it fits my phone perfectly and work great one thing to mention is if you plan to use the light you will need to carry a portable battery to make it work but when it’s on it’s very bright!
Great for roaming
This is a great product I use it with and iPhone 11 and it fits my phone perfectly and work great one thing to mention is if you plan to use the light you will need to carry a portable battery to make it work but when it’s on it’s very bright!
Doesn’t disappoi
As with other Rhode products, this microphone has great sound quality for broadcast-quality home studio recording. I purchased two with a mini-mixer from Rhode for two-person recording. Remember these are omnidirectional.
Brilliant directional mike way outperformed my expectations
Took this combo straight out of the box to record a series of location interviews at two motor sport events. At both venues the mike performed brilliantly, filtering out what must have been 90% of very loud ambient noise. And with one interviewee who was very softly spoken, it still produced great audio with a PA system blaring Bat out of hell just 10 feet away. Quite incredible performance at the price and so good I’ve bought a second as back up. Well done Rode, you’ve done it again.
Brilliant directional mike way outperformed my expectations
Took this combo straight out of the box to record a series of location interviews at two motor sport events. At both venues the mike performed brilliantly, filtering out what must have been 90% of very loud ambient noise. And with one interviewee who was very softly spoken, it still produced great audio with a PA system blaring Bat out of hell just 10 feet away. Quite incredible performance at the price and so good I’ve bought a second as back up. Well done Rode, you’ve done it again.
Good Quality Audio but poor design.
I ordered this RODE microphone as they are a well known brand in the microphone business and I was expecting only positive things, unfortunately I was disappointed by the quality of the product. The audio is amazing for the price and is definetly comparable to studio grade sound in my opinion and it’s plug and play with my iPhone XR and Lighting to 3.5mm adapter. Unfortunately the microphone clip/mount is poorly designed, it has a good crocodile clip to attach to clothing but the micophone wireloop is made of thin metal and snapped straight off when I tried to attach the microphone, I soldered it back together and it snapped again so I contacted Amazon support and got a 15% refund to purchase a new microphone clip.
Fantastic. Way better than using the phones internal mic.
Picks up sound very well, even from a distance of half a meter. Way superior to using a phones internal microphone. The windshield is very large so it is best suitable for use on a phone that has the headphone jack on the opposite end of your phones camera otherwise it will probably obscure your cameras view. Thankfully my phone does have its headphone jack on the opposite end to the camera so it works nicely for me. Great quality as you would expect from rhode.
Works as expected
Bought it a few years ago and it still works — what can be a better testimonial to quality?:) It’s alright but the sound quality some out a bit metallic, could really be better. The windshields are handy. Happy with it overall but would love it if the sound quality was a bit better.
Works as expected
Bought it a few years ago and it still works — what can be a better testimonial to quality?:) It’s alright but the sound quality some out a bit metallic, could really be better. The windshields are handy. Happy with it overall but would love it if the sound quality was a bit better.
Good mic and wind shield. Check that dimensions suit your purpose.
Bought this configuration in order to use the phone to record sound one-handed, but the connector would not go through the protective case on my camera. So I had either to remove the camera from its case, or use an extra cable and two hands.
Sound quality, directionality and wind noise reduction are excellent.
It says for iphone, works fine with other cameras having a 3.5 mm socket but video users may find that the mic is in the field of view of the camera, especially with the wind shield fitted.
What on earth is sheerness in a microphone? I gave it 3 stars for an unknown quality because Amazon demanded a response!
Suprisingly good sound from this mic
I am a professional sound engineer by trade and I have been in the industry for over 20 years. This is a great little mic for the price. It’s surprisingly rich vs pretty much anything else in it price range so if you want a little lapel mic with a great sound, this is it.
To preface, I’m a professional audio engineer and I’ve taught music and music production for two years.
I used one of these a few years ago when the college I was working at bought some. Initially I was impressed. The improved directionality and ‘focus’ from what is essentially a mini shotgun mic was notably better than my phone or the college’s iPads could capture internally.
Since then I’ve bought a new phone (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+) and its mics are much cleverer than those on the iPad Air, to the point that doing an A/B test of this versus an internal phone mic recording showed very little difference. While it was noticeably better through the Rde, the difference only presented itself through professional-grade reference headphones (when I’m just recording little demos on my phone, I don’t usually plug in headphones at all – let alone the big fragile expensive ones).
I think that’s the main problem with this mic. For the kinds of things I’m likely to record with it it’s less convenient to have to plug it in every time – so much so that after a few weeks I think I’d just not bother. Not to mention that my phone (and most others these days) doesn’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack, so it’s dangling off a 1″ dongle cable.
As for its main role as a video mic, on a device that has a headphone jack it does clip on nicely and point at your subject, ignoring lots of surrounding noise…but my phone’s mic is just as good. The Rde’s larger diaphragm definitely helps in terms of frequency range, but for acoustic instruments and vocals it makes little difference.
This is not a bad microphone. I got it for 40 and would’ve kept it if my phone weren’t so good as to make it superfluous.
I now have two.
To be absolutely honest, I don’t absolutely need two. But this was so useful as a quick attachment to a phone or tablet for videoconferencing – the distinguishing feature is the socket at the rear for a pair of headphones – that I thought I would play safe and get a spare.
The sound quality is very good; the dead cat is essential for working in the garden; last of all there is the psychological benefit. Talking at a tablet or phone just feels weird, and I never have any faith in the tiny microphones which are part of the wiring on headphones.
If you’re thinking of buying this or any other “tie clip” mic, be aware of the following –
1) Lavalier mics are inherently fragile – thin cables and sensitive capsules. It’s not a design fault, it’s just the way they are.
2) It will only work as well as the environment allows. If it’s windy, your recording will be affected. Choose your location carefully.
3) While it’s plugged in, your phone will think your headphones are in use. To hear your recording, first unplug the mic.
Good performance, with an impressive signal-to-noise ratio, in ideal circumstances.
Great product!
Ar first I was unimpressed with this but it has been really useful in recordings so I am pleased with it. It works on my Android and ios which I wasn’t sure about at first. Still unclear if I need an adapter for it. But it seems to work well!
What I like is it sounds like a cardioid powered mic but it is unpowered analog – and works better in my galaxy s10+ than the akg mic on the included headphones. It has a headphone socket for monitoring.
Also its a lot louder than the mics that are built into the phone.
It is not stereo like the built in s10+ mics but for vocals that’s better for me.
It comes with quite large fluffy pop filter which on my s10+ will cover up to 1/4 of the bottom of the screen. So
I only put it on when I’ve set every volume level to my preference.
This pop filter does stop pops well.
Tried recording deliberatly sibilant sources and bassy things with no obvious clipping.
I like it – it’s stopped all the usb mic latency nonsense and ‘research’ I was wasting my life doing with my phone and made me sound better for peanuts.
I’m not finding it picks up rf from the phone plugged into the headphone jack with headphones attached to the rear of it.
Be aware it is your app that has to be programmed to push live audio out to the headphone socket terminal to it’s rear.
It will sit there happily allowing you to play mp3s from whatever app but you won’t hear this mic *live* unless your recording app has that specific feature.
Worth more than it sells for imo.
Quite good on an iphone X
Bought to use with my iPhone X
I can confirm that with the *Apple* lightning-3.5mm adaptor this mic works
I would have rated 5* but the Rode app is god damn *awful*
But for a few quid, what more can you ask for. Good entry level mic with a decent sound and very convenie
I love this microphone, its very compact, easy to use. I am using it for filming my youtube videos and I have to say, it is worth the price. Sounds are amazing and I love using it. I have seen comments, that the cable isnt long enough, but I dont think thats true, at least for me, I think I could do with shorter one for sure. Anyway, love it and I am happy, that I picked this product… Works great with any free voice recording app, so no issues found.
I’m very pleased with this mic and I’ve been using its for 6 months
I use this with my IPhone 6plus for Vlogging and it’s great love it.. I’ve been using it for a few months now and all is working perfectly. It even comes with a wind-cat.. It’s a big fluffy grey thing you put over the mic to stop wind noise and it’s perfect and it works and doesn’t full off..
It works really well, it’s simple to assemble and the sound quality is excellent the pop filter is really good it fits over the tiny mic very tightly it has a rubber connector which means it won’t fall off the mic, the last one I bought cost 24.99 and caused a high pitched whine through all recordings making it unusable and considering the price I expected it to work well, so that got returned to Amazon for a full refund it was the “Pro Lavalier Lapel Microphone JK MIC-J 044” the pop filter was crap too it fell off if you breathed on it too heavily ;). The big plus for me is Amazon dropped the price of this rode mic from 55.99 to 39.00 that’s a 17.00 drop which made it just 14.00 more than the previous crap mic and man am I glad I did, so 6 out of 5 stars from me highly recommended
I bought this to improve my YouTube videos for my sons channel (Henry’s Hysterical History). The videos before this were suffering from wind noise and were picking up a lot of background audio that I didn’t want.
The microphone comes with a wind muffler to reduce wind noise. This is effective, but doesn’t fit as tightly as I would like – I am genuinely worried at times ti will fall off if I’m tipping the mic forwards so might look at other attachment methods.
The clipping method is brilliant and works flawlessly on my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. I also use this with my DJI Osmo Gimbal so have bought an extension cable to mount the microphone onto the gimbal instead.
Directional audio has vastly improved the sound quality and allows me to focus the audio recording on the subject of the video and cut out a lot of background cars or chatter.
Overall I highly recommend this if you plan on using your videos for anything more than home use. Audio is hard to fix in post production so getting it right first time is a life saver.
+£6 For an app
Its a lav mic. Rode is renowned for its good microphones, and in this case the microphone is to their great standard and is perfectly usable in most scenarios using voice memos.
Just to nit pick annoyingly there is an app you can buy to extend the uses of this microphone. Petty but in the big picture its only 10% the value of the mic.
There will not be an adapter for this so you’re essentially buying a great mic with a short shelf life.
There will not be an adapter for this so you’re essentially buying a great mic with a short shelf life.
The audio can not be played back via the phone speaker when reviewing recordings. You have to use headphones or unplug.,hence 4 stars. Also it can not be used with gimbal on iPhone 7+ wrong orientation. Pity I would have kept i
A quality product, well made and performs as expected.
As it is a directional mic ambient sound from the side and back are much reduced leaving the sound from your subject clean and crisp. Rde may have just made the iPhone the best minimalist vlogging tool.
Wow! What a difference this has made to the audio quality on the video. You must get one one of these – it’s a quality product and worth the money for the improvement it makes but it would be good if the SC3 adapter were included (you need it to attach this to an audio recorder or camera) as I’d guess many people need it and it’s expensive to purchase given it appears to be quite a simple accessory.
Wow! What a difference this has made to the audio quality on the video. You must get one one of these – it’s a quality product and worth the money for the improvement it makes but it would be good if the SC3 adapter were included (you need it to attach this to an audio recorder or camera) as I’d guess many people need it and it’s expensive to purchase given it appears to be quite a simple accessory.
I must say that it is actually decent recording device. Review could end here… though.
Rode’s ridiculous focus on Apple environment is truly annoying through eyes of Smartlav+ user. It is dedicated to those of you that have old apple phone (yes they support old ones only-it is all about jack 🙂 ) – Rode app (paid!) is available on IOS only 5.99 sic!). I know you can always find better apps on Android and usually free or for a fraction of IOS equivalent price (i bought Rec Forge II pro for just over 2, it was ‘expensive one’. I must say that native app was doing the job well, but I always want to squeeze all juice from my devices. It is not an issue though, Rode does not recommend any particular one for android. Why? What is the point of having good product for obsolete mobile devices? I do not follow Rode’s philosophy.
Box and package. It comes with basic cardboard box (no tech specs on it , but I’ll talk about it later). Inside there is attached a quick guide… If you expected quick guide about the product, you would be surprised. It is all about mount clip. Yes. mount clip only. Nothing about using the mic. No tech specs, no characteristics of the mic, nothing but clip. You can straight away see that the product and its users are not treated seriously by the producer. All the time you get impression, you got cheap leftover from great Rode’s true offer (btw it is in fact costly product and we pay quite a lot in it for branding – manufacturing eng guy perspective).
The only way to get more info about specs is on their website (at least that).
Acoustic Principle Permanently Polarise
Active Electronics JFET
Capsule 0.10″
Polar Pattern
Address Type End
Frequency Range 60Hz – 18kHz
Output Impedance 3000
Maximum SPL 110dBSPL
Maximum Output Level 189.0mV (@ 1kHz, 1% THD into 1K load)
Sensitivity -35.0dB re 1 Volt/Pascal (17.80mV @ 94 dB SPL) +/- 2 dB @ 1kHz
Equivalent Noise Level (A-weighted) 27dBA
Weight 6.00g
Dimensions 1180.00mmH x 4.50mmW x 4.50mmD
Output TRRS Output
Warranty 1 year
Since it is omni-directional condenser mic, you must be aware that it is capable of recording environment as you actually hear it. Remember you can learn to ignore some sounds, but microphone cannot. It will record your wall clock ticking , fridge, neighbours … everything. Thus, you need app to cut off its sensitivity dramatically, so that it picks up only your voice and later you amplify it to suit your needs. It is not dynamic, nor one that focuses on one direction only mic-please check what you really need.
What annoys me is that they use meaningless phrases on the box, leaflet and adverts (‘professional- grade’, ‘broadcast quality’… meaningless marketing only).
It is not pro grade product. But it is a high quality (sometimes too high) for beginners and above in audio/voice recording.
Cable length is ok (you get about 70cm of usable cable length, when excluding all necessary bends and loops) for average height person – you can hide your phone in front trousers pocket. I would not recommend it if you need to be further away from recording device (probably rare for such a basic product occasion, but have it in your mind before purchase), or if you are really tall and cannot hide phone in your jacket.
Free advice:
– always record in flight mode
-if on windows surface like device switch of system sound enhancements (recording device advanced properties settings).
-your phone or tablet or PC (if TRRS jack compatible) may see it as headset – you have to define it as recording device only and use other audio output (in some devices it is not that simple) for sound
To sum up, it is a very good microphone for its price, but only for people that spent some time setting up recording devices of are experienced in voice recording. If not- too expensive – you can get your results for less.
There is a lot of misleading marketing info (mainly from Rode itself) that could create unsupported expectations. Lack of any guidance or advice or app for users (the one for IOS can be ignored – supports devices that are not even manufactured anymore!).
Or buy it and play with it for a while – once you understood its properties, it will give you expected results… and will open your way for pro products 🙂
One of the better options for iphone recording (perhaps the best? Can’t say for sure as I haven’t tried them all). I am a video producer by profession and we normally use high end equipment for recording in the field, but as a fallback, or to grab a quick voiceover or interview, this does a good job. My wife also uses it to record her video blogs and it’s a marked improvement over the built in mic on her iphone 6. It’s not something I would want to use by default, though, as it’s difficult to guarantee recording levels on a phone. I am a Rode fan and use their mics in the studio. They have a good reputation for build quality and value for money. Personally, I think this is rather overpriced for what it is, even though it comes from the Rode stable, hence the dropped star. Only other niggle is that the cable could have been a few feet longer.
The best piece of accessory kit you can get for your tablet, IMHO
This little thing upgrades even an iPod to an almost-professional quality*) video shooting device. Best piece of accessory kit you can get for your tablet (an style).
Highly recommended if you want to free yourself from the tinny sound of built-in device mics.
Only the brand-name is a shame, as ignorant Rde were not even aware of the “” having some meaning in Danish and Norwegian before they ‘styled’ their logo. Yet another case of the ‘Pajero’ problem here 🙂
—
*) of course, I am aware of the constraints of tiny sensors & fingernail-sized lenses etc found in smartphones and tablets — just saying that the specs make this an option for ‘standard’ or above-average lighting or certain special situations these days.
The best piece of accessory kit you can get for your tablet, IMHO
This little thing upgrades even an iPod to an almost-professional quality*) video shooting device. Best piece of accessory kit you can get for your tablet (an style).
Highly recommended if you want to free yourself from the tinny sound of built-in device mics.
Only the brand-name is a shame, as ignorant Rde were not even aware of the “” having some meaning in Danish and Norwegian before they ‘styled’ their logo. Yet another case of the ‘Pajero’ problem here 🙂
—
*) of course, I am aware of the constraints of tiny sensors & fingernail-sized lenses etc found in smartphones and tablets — just saying that the specs make this an option for ‘standard’ or above-average lighting or certain special situations these days.
Wow! As we’re new to producing iPhone videos, we read up on lots of things, including producing good-quality audio. And time and time again, this microphone was recommended.
Good call! Seriously, anyone using a smartphone to produce videos (and that’s a LOT of people) need to invest in a good-quality mike – probably a lavalier like this one.
I’m no mike expert, but I love the sound that this produces. Just plug it into the iPhone (or whatever) and enjoy crystal-clear sound. It transforms videos, seems really well made, comes with a carrying pouch and good instructions. If you’re any distance from your subject, you’ll need the SC1 extension cable.
Highly recommended!!
Honestly, i was hesitating to buy this mic cuz of all the negative reviews on here. When on the contrary on youtube this is the best non-professional mic almost every YouTuber is recommending. I ve watched their field tests and i was impressed.
So, i went on and bought this mic despite the negative reviews here. And i am glad i ignored them!
First of all i am not giving the full 5 stars because of the deceiving description thus some of the negative reviews. The box states clearly that this mic is meant for Apple products ONLY. I don’t know if it has to do with the software but definitely has to do with the position on your mic’s jack. So yes it is not meant for phones that the camera is next to the mic jack, when it comes to this feature at least , as i don’t know (but probably won’t matter but..) what can be the problem with other phone’s software to use this mic.
When it comes to performance it definitely deserves the whole 5 stars and more. Don’t trust someone’s hearing ability to decided! Trust your own ears and that is what youtube videos are for. And there is a plethora of reviews for that brand and for the specific mic and they can’t ALL be sponsored to support them nor all to be lying nor to be incapable of hearing!
I didn’t want to spend a huge amount of money for a mic for everyday vlogging and i hate wires! The price is to be taken seriously here as this is not an amount of money you wouldn’t be upset to throw down the drain if not happy so do your research depending on your needs! Amazon’s policy with returns and all the reviews and test fields from so many people on youtube about this brand made me give it a go.
At the end of the day i could have tried it and if not happy return it but that is not happening for me with this mic and i am so glad i went the extra money for a well-known brand so i dont have to return anything now to get the well-known brand at the end!
Works with HTC Android Phones
Purchased this to use with a HTC10 Android phone. Tested using Android 7.0 Nougat and the default HTC camera app. Also used with the Rode SC1 extension cable. When you plug this into the headphone jack a small headset icon appears in your notification bar. You can then record a phone video as normal, I used the default camera app. When you playback the audio pull the microphone out of the jack as the audio won’t be audible until you do. This is because the phone thinks it’s a headset plugged in not just a microphone. In reality it has recorded the sound perfectly. Significant difference in audio recording quality over the phone’s built in microphone. Clear and crisp audio without any background noise. Great product!
This is a neat little microphone. It is made for an iPhone or iPad with a headphone socket. It pushes into the socket easily, and it is held firm by a rubber end piece that slides against the phone or tablet.
The sound is better than the built in microphone. As you would expect, it’s not perfect, but it’s a big enough difference to be worth the cost to me. There is a furry cover included, which is designed to reduce wind noise. There is no carry case included.
Firstly, I would like to point out that I have bought this from Amazon and have not received it solely for review purposes. I hope this lends some validity to the review.
I’m not sure what I was expecting, but to me there isn’t a massive leap in audio quality over the iPhone mic. It is better, but enough to make a difference? Maybe.
I will say that the unit is very sturdy and the other parts seem robust. I have had no problem clipping it to my iPhone, over a quadlock phone case, and it stays in position.
My main use is for recording live music performance (mainly of solo violin) and it is sufficient for me to make out whatever nuances I want to be able to hear in my playing.
I have yet to use it outside and make a comparison, but I expect the wind shield will make a huge difference over the iPhone audio experience, so I am hoping to be more impressed than with the marginal audio quality jump I have experienced so far.
I’m not unhappy, I’m not ecstatic, but I am satisfied.
Absolutely brilliant!
I’ve used it now for different situations and it has never let me down!
I mostly used it with Zoom H1 recorder.
GOOD:
1. It’s got a superb sound recording quality. Not a single bad thing to say about it!
2. It’s small and comes with a nice bag to carry it with.
3. IT IS CHEAP! So good for the price you pay.
BAD:
1. If you want to use it with a recorder like Zoom H1 or similar then you need to have a small adaptor (RDE SC3) RDE SC3 iPhone Accessory – Black . It’s not really a biggie but it just adds another thing to go wrong when you’re recording coz the adaptor might disconnect from the mic. My fix for that is to just tape it and that’s it. And it’s another 10 pounds.
Clear audio!
Awesome clarity. The wind protector works great.
This is nice and compact and the audio is very good when used properly. I used it in a mildly windy situation and you could hear the crackle sound the wind makes. When I had the “dead cat” on the recording was absolutely clear.
It does pickup some of the sound around you but it captures mainly what’s in front of it. I was recording a video (speaking to camera)with a speaker playing music behind and to the left of me and my voice came out clear. You could still hear the music but it was at levels where my voice was clearly above it.
This is so tiny but feels very well-made.
Clear audio!
Awesome clarity. The wind protector works great.
This is nice and compact and the audio is very good when used properly. I used it in a mildly windy situation and you could hear the crackle sound the wind makes. When I had the “dead cat” on the recording was absolutely clear.
It does pickup some of the sound around you but it captures mainly what’s in front of it. I was recording a video (speaking to camera)with a speaker playing music behind and to the left of me and my voice came out clear. You could still hear the music but it was at levels where my voice was clearly above it.
This is so tiny but feels very well-made.
Superb quality but some issues in practical use as a standalone.
I bought this to improve the quality of my vlog and Facebook Live broadcast. It’s great but sometimes the volume just seems too low no matter what I do. But I am not sure if it happens to anyone but I need to launch the Rode app and boost the input then exit the app before opening any other app to do any recording, then the mic works with that volume that I set in the Rode app. It should be independent from the app so it’s really weird.
Here’s old review – Just taken delivery – it simply doesn’t work on iPhone 6+ nor my iPod video recorder. I looked at the Rode Rec app that was suggested but this is quite useless and does audio only. Took me a massive period of time to find their real website and send an email. Really unimpressed and my time completely wasted.
Here’s new review -sometimes you just have to own up to your own mistakes! Wrote this far too quickly. Rode did come back with some offered solutions inc getting Filmic Pro app. Will still consider this but needed it ty work with basic iPhone video (eg for Facebook Live). Then my stupidity struck me – I had left the mic socket in on playback. Even more annoying because I did exactly the same thing when I bought my mic for the desktop.
So I’m labouring the before and after in case anyone else attempts t of thre same thing. Bought an extension cable too and it is when the camera is a distance away from you, on a tripod, that the difference in sound is really noticeable.
Mic works really well or the price.
Love it - no more wind noise!
It’s great! Especially awesome is the performance of the supplied dead cat – I’ve tested this in some ridiculous conditions where I’d never usually consider recording, and it works. When I’m shouting to hear myself over the noise of the wind the sound would normally be unusable – but no more! You can still hear the wind, but it’s okay, it adds atmosphere rather than obliterating everything else. In calmer (breezy, blustery) conditions there’s just no wind noise at all. Brilliant!
Depending on your phone (I use a Galaxy S6) the mic itself may not sound hugely different/better than the built-in mic, but the ability to record outdoors without worrying about the wind is worth the price alone. If you shoot videos, with your phone, outdoors, especially selfie videos, this is what you want.
Absolutely incredible little piece of kit; I’m a videographer and this has saved my bacon on the audio front of things soooo many times already. I’m definitely going to buy at least another one with the mutli-adaptor so i can lapel mic more than one person. Having said that with only one, if you position (attach to someone) as close as possible to another person it picks them both up with amazing clarity and worse case scenario you can balance it out in your audio editing software. Ideal for busy/noisy/windy/road traffic locations. Very highly recommend and for the money you will not regret it. FYI I use it with a Tascam Dr-05 and as long as you remember to turn ‘mic power’ on, you will be fine. This does use up more battery but you purchase duracell rechargeable batteries, even one set of two will last for a good 1-2 hours; often more for me.
This is the second Rode mic I purchased (I also have the Videomic Pro) to give me some flexibility when filming. Small and discreet, it punches well above its weight in terms of sound quality. Used with the iPhone app it gives great control over sound and easy file markings.
The microphone gives a richness to the sound that I certainly didn’t get with my DSLR’s mic, and I might not be able to get with my Videomic Pro (if distance or ambient noise is an issue).
Using it with a video camera provides one hurdle, you have to synch in editing. But for the quality of sound it gives you, you will accept the extra step without fuss. A great addition to my kit bag.
If you need any more convincing, two guys on Youtube called Andyax published a video of the mic’s qualities. Convinced me to buy and I haven’t been disappointed.
For simplicity it’s really difficult to beat this mic. Applying the law of diminishing returns, you’re unlikely to do much better than this mic (and included softie style windshield) if you are looking for on-camera mono cardioid in the field. Listed roll-off (although I’ve not seen a graph) at 100Hz means this is not a mic for silky smooth soundbooth recordings – but for exteriors and with the windshield.
Heed the warnings though – if your lens and minijack are on the same side of the phone you almost certainly won’t be able to use the windshield (which was as major part of my purchasing decision vs rubbish windshields and weird DSP effects with built-in phone mics).
Crackly....
I bought this microphone for using on my phone and on my computer. It does the job well, but I’ve noticed that quite often there will be a clicking interference about 5 minutes into my recordings that will last the remainder of the recording. It only happens when there’s sound recorded. I’m still trying to figure out what the problem is, but until I do I have to assume it’s a fault with the microphone. Due to this I have rated it 4 stars instead of 5, but it’s definitely a recommend microphone.
Rode Lav+ - it's worth it !
These Lav+ mics are good – gives a high output and a relatively low noise. A giant step up from the original Rode Lav which had loads and loads of self-noise ( hiss ) and was virtually useless.
The capsule a bit large, but the audio quality is ok, which is what matters I suppose..
They have a 4-pole plug (TRRS) for use with iPhones etc , but with a 4-pole to 3-pole adapter, they will work as a normal lavalier – that’s how I use them with a Sony PCM-M10 or a Zoom h1. Rode make an adapter, the Rode SC3 TRRS to TRS adapter, which is a bit expensive, but well made and has right-angle plug at one end.
A good buy. I’m not a fan of Rode products , but this is good value at the price.