For a while now, I have been searching for the right wireless microphones that are easy to use, have great sound quality and won’t break the bank. I tried many popular brands like Tonor and Movo as well as other less popular, but cheaper, brands and couldn’t find anything that fit my workflow. I finally settled on the Comica CVM-WM100 Wireless microphone system as it was fairly inexpensive and came with two transmitters which is what I was really looking for. After testing them out for a few weeks I was thrilled with the sound quality but two things really started to bug me about these specific microphones. The first was they operated on AA batteries and I wasn’t too thrilled about contantley making sure I had enough batteries for more long-form interviews. The second issue was the connection issues with the receiver. When the mics worked, they did great but more often than not I would have to spend so much time on site trying to get them connected. This obviously didn’t look professional and was very aggreviating.
After having all of the connection issues it was time to look for a better solution. This was when I came across with RODE Wireless GO series of mics, specifically the GO II. On paper the RODE Wireless GO II had everything I needed and was not only at a good price but also more portable than my Comica mics. Now after having used these mics for over a month now I would have to say they are by far the best mics I have tested and I actually love using them. Let’s talk about some of my favorite features of the RODE Wireless Mic GO II so you can decide if they are right for you.
Before be get into the main features, here is the list of specifications you can expect from this series:
- Dual channel wireless microphone system
- Series IV 2.4GHz digital transmission, 128-bit encryption
- 3.5mm TRS analog output, USB-C and iOS compatible digital audio output (additional cables needed, SC15 & SC16 not included)
- In-built rechargeable lithium-ion battery – up to 7 hours battery life
- Carrying Case
Amazing Sound Quality
When you are looking into purchasing any microphone, the sound quality is defiantly the most important aspect to consider. This is especially true when looking for a setup like a lavalier mic. I have to say that the RODE Wireless Mic GO II has exceptional sound quality. I have used many “professional” mics in my business and the quality is comparable to those high-priced mics used for music and podcast recording. On that note, I have even used these mics to record professional voice-overs and both me and my clients were more than pleased with the sound quality. Not bad for a microphone system that fits in your pocket!
Built-In Microphone / Lapel Support
What makes the RODE Wireless Mic GO II system so great is that you don’t have to carry any unnecessary equipment with you. You can simply clip the microphone on to your talent, plug the receiver into your camera and you are good to go! No batteries, not extra cords, nothing. That being said, the GO II has support for any 3.5mm lapel microphone or even a USB-C mic. This will allow you to treat the transmitter as a wireless mic pack and will give you more flexibility to “hide” the mic on your talent.
Portability
On thing I have always hated with other wireless mic systems was having to carry around another bag with multiple cables and batteries. With the RODE Wireless Mic GO II they are extremely portable and can really be considered an all-in-one option for any on-the-go filmmaker or photographer. The receiver just needs one cord that plugs directly into your camera and the transmitters clip directly on your talent without any other cord. As mentioned above, you can still use a lapel with this system but this is totally optional. The overall size is extremely small and can easily fit in your gear bag without having to purchase any additional piece of gear.
Battery Life
As listed in the product specifications, the battery life is listed as up to 7 hours and I can say that I have consistently seen upwards of 5-6 hours of battery life which is amazing for a microphone system of this size. One thing that is not listed is it’s standby time. I usually keep these mics in my camera bag without the worry or need to charge them before any job and I can say I have gone weeks without charging them and they still have almost a full charge. I my experience, the standby time is more important that the actual runtime.
