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Rode PodMic Review – Broadcast Mic Tested

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Rode Podmic Review

Every podcaster knows the importance of a good microphone as after all, your voice and the voice of your guests are what the audience expects to hear.

It’s no good spending your time planning and preparing to deliver a fantastic podcast episode if the audio isn’t clear. 

The Rode PodMic is a small microphone that uses XLR cords and soundboards to produce broadcast-quality audio and is specifically designed for podcasting with its rich and balanced sound perfect for all voices.

This versatile microphone (see also ‘Best Microphone For Streaming‘) also works well for streaming, gaming and general voice recording. 

Due to the slightly more complex nature of the product, it is recommended for more advanced users rather than those wanting a more simple USB plug-and-play experience. 

There is such a variety of choices when it comes to buying a podcasting microphone, this can be overwhelming when you need to make a choice, regardless of whether this is your first microphone or your fifth.

In this article, we are going to review the Rode PodMic in terms of design, sound quality, the accompanying software and price. 

Hopefully, this will help you decide whether this is the right microphone for your podcasting needs. 

Design

The small and robust microphone has a retro appearance which you would commonly associate with a recording studio or radio station.

The microphone is available in a very simple silver grille with a black metal casing; unfortunately, there aren’t any other color options available with this microphone. 

It weighs around two pounds and the cylindrical shape measures 6.8 X 2.4 X 4.3 inches. The waffle textured microphone grille is covered with a silver metal finish which makes it look really professional as well as assuring you it is a sturdy, well-made product. 

An integrated yoke mount allows you to easily swivel the position of the microphone, perfect for a studio setting.

On the underside of the product, there is a dual thread which allows you to easily mount it on any stand or boom arm without thread adaptors, although this is a handy feature the microphone itself doesn’t come with a stand or boom arm. 

Therefore additional purchases are necessary to enjoy the proper functioning of this product. Experienced podcasters may already have this equipment, but those of you who are new to the game stands and boom, arms can be bought fairly cheaply online. 

Sound Quality 

Delivering a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz, the microphone records audio in a cardioid pattern. As this is considered to be professional recording equipment, it is to be expected that the PodMic produces excellent sound and range.

Alongside the broadcast-quality dynamic capsule, there is also an internal pop filter which minimizes plosives. 

Even from a distance to the microphone and with various background noises at the time of use, the microphone will perfectly pick up voices with no background static.

This means that the input is clear and there is essentially no need for editing for pops. Further, the recordings produced do not need an external pop filter so you can save yourself so much money here. 

Even though this is a more advanced microphone, it is easy to set up and adjust settings to produce great sounding audio. You can play around with settings to create the exact sound you want but you can essentially set up and go. 

As the PodMic uses a cardioid recording pattern, the microphone rejects sounds from anyone or anything located behind it. If you’re using a few microphones in the same studio or room you can still get really good separation.  

Software

Unlike the plug-and-play microphone options used by podcasters, the Rode PodMic requires the user to pair with any XLR interface which is why it is suggested this product should be used by a professional.

 It can be used with any XLR audio interface or mixer. But it should be noted that the device has been optimized for use with the RODECaster Pro integrated podcast production console. 

Recording can then be linked to a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) such as Garageband, Logic or Cubcase. Some may want to pay for more premium software packaged, but pre-installed computer applications work just as well. 

Price  

The price of the Rode PodMic is a huge selling point as you can usually get it for under $100 unlike the higher end Rode Podcaster model. For such a good-quality, professional product this is great for those who are beginners or perhaps those who need multiple microphones for their recording studio. 

Although the price is great value for money, it should be noted again that the microphone doesn’t come with a stand or boom arm so you should budget an extra $20-30 per microphone. 

Customer Feedback 

As expected, there are a vast number of impressive reviews for the Rode PodMic online. Many of these reviews said they were very pleased with the audio quality of the microphone, especially for the price.

As many of the reviewers were podcast creators, it demonstrates the suitability of the product for the industry. 

One review says “I would highly recommend this to anyone looking to upgrade their streaming audio or for someone who is looking for a great XLR microphone that won’t cost them an arm and a leg.”

Other reviews state that “the built-in pop filter works well enough that I don’t worry about speaking directly into the end from close up.”

Some reviews have countered this statement, suggesting that you need an external pop filter, but this really depends on what you’re using the microphone for. You shouldn’t need an external filter for podcasting. 

Overall Thoughts 

In sum, the Rode PodMic is a fantastic microphone that produces great quality audio recordings as you would expect from a professional-grade product.

There are minor inconveniences with this product, but they can easily be overlooked and adapted to. For the price and quality, you can’t really go wrong purchasing this microphone. 

Pros

  • Broadcast-quality sound 
  • Built-in pop filter 
  • Small and robust microphone
  • Affordable 

Cons

  • Doesn’t come with a stand or boom arm
  • Doesn’t come with an XLR cable 
  • You need to use an interface to route the audio from the microphone to your computer 

We hope you found this article interesting and informative when making the decision to buy a new podcasting microphone. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Rode PodMic Worth It?

Yes, the Rode PodMic is worth it. The Rode PodMic is great value for money as it can usually be found for under $100 from online marketplaces. It produces professional great sounding audio recordings ideal for podcasts, gaming and streaming. 

The number of great reviews also solidifies that this microphone is worth buying, especially if you’re looking to upgrade your equipment or purchase additional microphones for your studio set-up. 

Is PodMic Good For Vocals?

Yes, the Rode PodMic is good for recording the spoken word or sung vocals. Even from 10cm away there is a slight noticeable loss of low-end.

Therefore if using it for musical purposes,  you may need to adjust some settings or introduce an additional external pop filter for ideal results. 

Is Rode PodMic Good For YouTube?

Yes, the Rode PodMic is suitable for a variety of uses such as gaming, streaming and recording of sung vocals as well as spoken word.

Although it is specifically tuned for the spoken word, the dynamic microphone does work very well for YouTube purposes, producing high-quality audio and is a great entry-level product. 

Matt Brook

With a background in Journalism and years of experience in the industry, Matt brings a wealth of knowledge to the WiredClip team.

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