PRODUCT
TESTS
Rode PodMic & RodeCaster Pro Production Studio
By Drew Robertson
I
recently had the chance to try out a pair of new podcasting tools
from Rode: the PodMic, a podcast-ready dynamic microphone, and
the RodeCaster Pro, a fully-integrated podcast production studio.
Build Quality
Both the PodMic and RodeCaster have great build quality. The PodMic
boasts an all-metal body and grille, which gives it a hefty, robust feel-
ing. It stays in place very well though the weight may cause stand sag
if you use too much extension.
The RodeCaster is also notably robust, with smooth linear faders
for each of its channels. I find the slight resistance on each fader quite
nice as it makes them feel very precise. The Solo and Mute buttons
are made of silicon rubber like the pads and Record button (more on
that later) and are easy to use and distinguish even in bright light. The
pads are customizable both in terms of what they trigger and their
LED colours for optimal ease-of-use during a session. The touchscreen
is fast and responsive and headphone pots have a nice ratchet feel to
them, which keeps the theme of precision going.
Elaborating on the silicon buttons, down the entire right side of
the unit are eight LED-lit sample pads. They come preloaded and
ready to go and have a nice, rubberized feel to them. Personally, I’d
prefer at least the master Record button be a physical switch, though
I do appreciate that it glows a bright red when engaged. The unit
boasts multi-track recording capabilities to either an SD card or to a
computer via USB.
There are four locking XLR inputs located on the back panel for
your use as well as a stereo 3.5-mm jack to connect a mobile device.
The RodeCaster also has built-in Bluetooth on its own dedicated chan-
nel, meaning you can easily take calls live without any extra equipment.
Sound Quality
The sound quality of the RodeCaster is fantastic and when paired with
the PodMic, they make a great-sounding and practical combination.
The preamps are smooth and clear with no noticeable noise floor.
The gain is set via the touchscreen when using the channel selector
button and the setup submenu. I found this a bit cumbersome, but
overall, the setup process is fairly straightforward and you’ll have no
trouble getting up and running.
Included on each channel are various effects, like a compressor,
de-esser, and noise gate. Each dynamic processor sounds good and
does what it should; however, they don’t have much in the way of user
control. Each effect has a simple on or off function and that’s it – great
for someone who’s looking to up their production value without much
knowledge of audio processing but potentially limiting for the more
advanced user that’s looking to tweak their sound.
22 PROFESSIONAL SOUND
Also bundled with the unit are the
onboard Aphex effects: the Aural Exciter
and BigBottom. While there’s no technical
documentation that indicates exactly
what the effects do, they add
a certain warmth and sound
good.
The included headphone
amps are nice and loud and
allow for each person on air
and the engineer to hear the mix.
If you’re mixing from another room, there’s a set of 1/4-in. outs for
monitors with a dedicated volume knob.
Another feature to elaborate on is the preset sound modes on
each mic channel. The RodeCaster has dedicated presets for the most
common Rode mics used in podcasting and broadcast, as well as
generic settings if you’re not using a Rode mic.
Ease of Use
The RodeCaster Pro offers quick and easy set-up. I had it plugged in
and ready to record audio in under five minutes. The touchscreen
works well, making it easy to access most features quickly, though
gain changes weren’t as simple as I’d like. It would be nice to have
dedicated preamp knobs in a future version.
I should also address the lack of detailed metering. While I real-
ize the RodeCaster is designed to be plug-and-play for novice users,
aiming to give them things they need without bogging them down
with overly complex features, metering can benefit everyone. It’s
important to know how loud you actually are and what that means
for your audio. I do like the included target box on each mic chan-
nel that helps you get the volume right, though in the future, it’d be
helpful to know where 0dB is.
Each mic channel has a complement of audio effects, the most
notable of which are the aforementioned Aphex effects. They’re all
extremely easy to use as they only have simple on-or-off switches.
Pairing a phone via Bluetooth was also fast and simple to do and the
audio quality was quite good, though that can depend on call quality.
Summary
I liked both of these products. They achieve exactly what they intend
to and offer a great way to pump up the production value of a podcast
or similar audio production in an affordable and very easy-to-operate
package. Plus, the RodeCaster Pro’s ability to directly interface with
Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) makes it a great streaming solu-
tion for any host, be it for Facebook, YouTube, or Twitch. The built-in
Bluetooth means you can take calls on air and use your device for
playback. The voice control is very user-friendly and the onboard
sample pads and basic effects put everything you need for a slick
production value right at your fingertips.
Drew Robertson is an audio engineer, live sound tech, and educator. He is based out
of London, ON, and is the co-owner of Prosperity Audio Works. He can be reached
at [email protected].