Review: I’ve said this before (recently here), but worth repeating: if you’re a content creator, the quality of your sound is what makes or breaks your presence. Australian brand RØDE has long been a player in the sound arena and their latest product, the VideoMic Go II, positions itself as the gateway to better quality audio to match your video content. Did it deliver on its promise? Read on to find out!
What is it?
The RØDE VideoMic GO II is a compact and lightweight directional microphone microphone Designed to work with your video setup, whether it’s your phone or a high-end camera device or anything in between.
What’s in this box?
- RØDE VideoMic GO II Microphone with 3.5mm Jack and USB-C Plug
- Rhodes brand windshield
- Short 3.5mm TRS to TRS Audio Cable for Analog Devices
- Shock mount with cold shoe attachment to allow the microphone to be mounted on your device
- Common Instructions and Warnings About Misuse of Electronic Devices
Design and Function
The RØDE VideoMic GO II microphone is similar to many other “shotgun” style microphones on the market. It’s about 5 inches tall and weighs about 3.5 ounces with a foam windshield attached.
On the side of the microphone you have the 3.5mm TRS jack.
On the other side, there’s a USB-C port for digital audio output. The mic snaps into the shock mount (warning here: the mount feels vulnerable to damage, but it’s pretty solid – so go ahead and apply the necessary pressure to snap the mic into the mount) and then connect to your video device of choice. However, you should heed some caveats. First, if your recording source is a computer, the analog plugs are most likely TRRS instead of TRS. Basically, this means that your computer inputs and outputs microphone and headphones on one plug. If this is the case, you may need a TRS to TRRS adapter cable.
The second caveat is that the shock mounts are mounted on a cold shoe equipped base. If you’re using a phone, you probably don’t have such a mount unless you have some sort of camera rig or gimbal. There are many options for installing this mic, but you should be aware that out of the box you probably won’t have a place to put the mic.
One final caveat is knowing where to buy. There are many people selling Rode equipment, but few are authorized Rode resellers. What this means for you is that it’s easy to buy used equipment that is fake or pretends to be new. Rod takes a very hard line on this, and if you buy from one of these grey market dealers, you may find that if something goes wrong, you don’t have a warranty. In these cases, the best price is often the worst deal, so if you decide to buy, make sure to buy from an authorized dealer.
Optional accessories
Before I go into the details, I want to make one point: if you really value your audio quality, then you will need some extra accessories to go with the RØDE VideoMic GO II microphone. The first is the digital cable that connects the microphone to your device. Pictured above is the SC16 USB-C to C cable, which is exactly what I need to get digital audio into my phone. Rode also makes the SC15 for Apple devices (USB-C to Lightning) and SC18 (USB-C to USB-A). I found the quality of the digital input to be far superior to the analog input, and it’s nice to see a microphone with this capability at this price point. Each of these adapter cables also comes with a rubber windscreen to protect unused ports from wind noise.
Another accessory you might want to consider is the WS12, a reinforced windshield commonly referred to as a “dead cat” (don’t blame me for cat violence, I’m just reporting what others have said). In addition to providing additional sound protection from wind, the WS12 also protects against plosives—the kind of hard “p” sounds that many of us make that cause mic recordings to sound like miniature explosions (hence the name). These additions will up your audio game without breaking the bank.
How does it work?
With the RØDE VideoMic GO II mic mounted on the shock mount, it was time to open my SmallRig phone cage and shoot.By the way, our David Sherman reviewed my caged cousin here. Here’s what my setup looks like (with the tripod base attached so the rig can stand on its own):
And from another angle:
My phone in these photos is a Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, although I switched to a Galaxy S22 Ultra last week. This is the unit where I recorded the following video:
Yes, I have a face designed for the radio and the pose of a deer trapped in your headlights. Close your eyes, ignore the stutter, and listen to the quality.
As you can hear in the video, the sound from the RØDE VideoMic GO II microphone is clearer at moderate air volumes than the native multi-directional microphone built into the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. The same goes for using this mic with the GoPro Hero 10 Black—the sound is crisp and clear compared to native mics.
That’s not to say this review isn’t without bumps, but it’s by no means the one caused by the Go II. My first Galaxy S22 Ultra had to be replaced because the USB C port was broken. Like no job. Because the phone was new, the replacement took a little longer than expected. Then there’s the analog vs. digital issue – with most phone makers ditching headphone/mic jacks, digital is the new way to connect. Unfortunately not every manufacturer wants to use an open standard, in my case any analog USB C adapter other than the Samsung version won’t work. Thankfully, once I got a replacement phone and the USB C digital cable that Rode provided, I didn’t have to fall back to analog and the output was much better.
what do I like
- Connectivity Versatility – Analog or Digital, Digital Connectivity to Almost Anything
- Professional Quality in Consumer Devices
- Sound quality is excellent – not as good as high-end Rode mics, but better than native device mics
what would i change
- Provides a desk stand for the Go II in case you want to use it with your laptop
final thoughts
The RØDE VideoMic GO II microphone is a great entry-level device for anyone just starting out with content creation, as long as you keep in mind where you buy is important to your warranty. There are many use cases: single person running and shooting (or walking and talking), 2-3 person interviews, training and demos, etc. While there are cheaper alternatives, it’s hard to find this quality at the requested price. If you decide to buy this microphone, make sure to take into account the other accessories you’ll need to complete the setup: a digital cable (if it fits your use case) and a reinforced windshield. Although the Go II comes with a basic windshield, you’ll thank me for the investment in the enhanced version later.
Price: $99.95 microphone and additional necessary accessories
where to buy: B&H Photos and Amazon
resource: Samples for this review are provided by Rhodes.
