The Rode Videomic Go II certainly not the best-sounding microphone at $99, but it’s certainly the most versatile.
The Rode MideoMic Go II is a jack of all transactions. You can attach it to your camera, you can project it above your subject, you can connect it to Rode Wireless Go system and use it wirelessly, you can connect it via USB to a computer and use it for recording or video calls, you can connect it to a smartphone and use it while recording video or audio recording. You can also connect up to four of these mics to your computer, and using the free Rode Connect software, you can record podcasts or interviews. For many people, this is the only microphone they need as it can do the job of four or five other mics, but for the low price, it lacks a few features found in high-end mics. more important.
Let’s compare Videomic Go II with its big brother first, Videomic NTG. The NTG is $250, it has an internal battery, physical buttons, a volume knob, and the ability to change the output settings for a 3.5mm headphone output. My VideoMic NTG is currently in storage while my house is being remodeled, but I’ve heard a few side-by-side comparisons and the VideoMic NTG is a bit more directional and has a warmer, fuller sound than a bit, but both mics can sound surprisingly similar.
The VideoMic Go II is cheaper because it doesn’t have an internal battery and therefore doesn’t have any physical buttons that let you change the output via the 3.5mm headphone jack. If you’re using it with a camera, you don’t have any options, you just plug it in, set the audio gain on the camera and start recording. Some users may miss the extra options and volume of the supported VideoMic NTG, but others will appreciate the simplicity of the VideoMic Go II. There’s no mess, and you don’t have to remember to charge it.
You’ll have more control over this microphone when you plug it into your computer or smartphone via the USB-C port and use the Rode Central app. Here you will be able to enable the Pad to record large subjects, set the exact input level, set the high pass filter, enable the high frequency gain to get clearer sound when you are using the windshield and set the display to live, allowing you to plug your headphones into the microphone so you can hear yourself without delay.
If you are looking for a microphone to do a very specific job, such as using it digitally with a computer, this is not the microphone for you. Other $100 mics would be a better choice for dedicated cases. However, if you are looking for a cheap mic that can do it all, Rode Videomic Go II is in a league by itself.
