RØDE adds Wireless ME to mic range plus launches RØDE Capture iOS video app

RØDE has a full featured wireless mic that illustrates all that is good about the new gen of clip and go kit, as well as an iOS video app for those that want to exploit all its features.

It’s fair to say that RØDE  has a reputation as good as anyone on the wireless mic side of the industry and the Wireless ME carries on the good work, following in the footsteps of the Wireless GO’s pocket-sized, clip-and-go form factor.

Indeed, it uses the same form factor and adds a few more bells and whistles. The $149 Wireless ME consists of a single transmitter and receiver paired out of the box for fast set up. It utilises RØDE’s state-of-the-art Series IV 2.4GHz digital transmission and proprietary near-zero latency codec with 128-bit encryption to deliver what the company boasts is ‘crystal-clear, incredibly stable audio with best-in-class range’ (which in practice is around 100m). It also has a broadcast-quality microphone built into the transmitter, so there’s no extra equipment required to start recording.

Interestingly it features a “narrator” microphone built into the receiver unit, which RØDE reckons is a world’s first. Dubbed the ‘ME Mic’, this allows creators to record audio from in front of and behind the camera simultaneously, making it ideal for capturing two-way interviews or voiceovers for video content. A second Wireless ME or Wireless GO II transmitter can also be connected to the receiver, allowing for versatile dual-channel recording, or even a three-microphone wireless system.

Other goodies include RØDE’s GainAssist technology, which utilises intelligent algorithms that automatically control the audio levels on-the-fly to ensure they are perfectly balanced and to help prevent clipping or distortion. RØDE is rightly pleased about this, reckoning that it is significantly more advanced than standard automatic gain control features found on cameras and other audio devices, delivering clean audio with no level pumping or background noise elevation. Two modes available, ‘Auto’ and ‘Dynamic’, allow users to choose the perfect setting for their recording scenario, while the output gain can also be adjusted to perfectly match the recording device. These features and other configuration options are accessible via the RØDE companion app for desktop and mobile, RØDE Central.

The Wireless ME works seamlessly with all cameras, iOS and Android smartphones, and Mac and Windows computers, and comes with all the cables required for recording with compatible devices. RØDE reckons this makes it the ultimate grab-and-go wireless microphone for content creators and, on paper at least, we’d say it might have a point.

Free RØDE Capture video app

RØDE has also chosen the launch of the Wireless ME to release its new free iOS video app. 

It offers direct in-app control of compatible RØDE products, including the Wireless ME, Wireless GO II, VideoMic GO II, and more, including turning features on and off, activating digital signal processing, adjusting audio levels, and advanced configuration. The company reckons that no other video app offers direct control of an external microphone, making RØDE Capture (combined with a RØDE mic) a decent solution for anyone looking to record professional audio for their mobile content.

It's definitely not just about the audio either. RØDE Capture is a fully featured video app, offering control over aspect ratio, video resolution, frame rate and zoom. For even more creative flexibility, it also features Dual Cam modes for recording with the front and selfie cameras simultaneously, either in split screen or picture-in-picture mode – useful for interviews. This, of course, integrates seamlessly with the Wireless ME’s in-built transmitter and receiver microphones, allowing creators to record high-quality video and audio from both in front of and behind the camera.