One of my favourite microphones of the last decade has been my RØDE PodMic. It was a sturdy, affordable microphone that looked and sounded great. It was a better value than any XLR microphone on the market at the time, and the only reason that people didn’t see it in front of my face in any of the content I have created is that I had moved away from an XLR setup because the audio interface took up too much space at my desk.
The gear that content creators used began to evolve, and I’d argue that the company best able to adapt and evolve with the needs of creators is RØDE, and not just by giving creators what they want, but by simultaneously giving them what they are going to want later. In this case, the RØDE PodMic USB is the next step in the popular microphone’s evolution, and it is built to keep evolving with you.
The RØDE PodMic USB Microphone is one of the latest in RØDE’s line of XLR/USB combos, allowing it to be used by users of either preference, which is looking to become more and more the norm in the marketplace thanks largely due to RØDE’s advancements in this space with a number of hybrid mics in their lineup.
The dynamic microphone’s durable build quality lives up to its predecessor. The RØDE PodMic USB is not only rock solid but may be the most solidly built USB-capable mic that I have ever seen. Its aesthetic is also reminiscent of the original PodMic with the same mount and the metal bands wrapping around the capsule. The grill is the only difference in its look as the PodMic USB Microphone’s grill is black as opposed to the original mic’s silver grill.
“The RØDE PodMic USB is the next step in the popular microphone’s evolution, and it is built to keep evolving with you.”
Another difference, albeit less visible in a setup, is the back of the microphone. The XLR port is exactly where you would expect it to be on both the PodMic and PodMic USB, but the PodMic USB Microphone also includes the USB-C Port, a headphone jack and a small dial to control headphone volume. What it doesn’t have that you find on a lot of other USB-capable microphones is any sort of actual microphone controls.
No mic gain knob or mute button will be found anywhere on this microphone, which can be a real pain if you are using this in USB mode and have no other hardware that can control this for you. One thing to consider, however, is that those knobs, buttons or whatever else you find on a USB microphone are completely superfluous once you are using the mic in XLR mode. I would make the argument, though, that you could just flip over the microphone and hide those knobs from the camera’s view if they are not being used.
One thing that RØDE has done very right for the USB mode of this microphone is that they made it compatible with all of the company’s software solutions, meaning that you can use it on RØDE Connect, their original mixing software, but you can also connect the mic to UNIFY, which is arguably the most complete software solution for any USB microphone.
These software solutions also unlock the control of the RØDE PodMic USB Microphone’s onboard DSP. Processing, including noise gates, compression and their proprietary Aphex processing. The fact that this processing occurs on the microphone saves a lot of your PC’s processing power, saving that power for streaming or whatever you are doing with the microphone.
“The RØDE PodMic USB is not only rock solid but may be the most solidly built USB-capable mic that I have ever seen.”
When we talk about the RØDE PodMic USB’s sound quality, we are talking about a long tradition of RØDE audio. There is a reason that the original PodMic was such a big seller, and it went beyond its lower price. The microphone makes you sound fantastic out of the box. The PodMic USB continues what the original had started with great sound, both in USB and XLR Modes. Using it through an audio interface plugged in via XLR, your voice will sound deep and rich without any significant need for processing.
If you are using one of RØDE’s interfaces, namely the RØDECaster Pro (either version) or the RØDECaster Duo, presets built for the RØDE PodMic will make customizing your voice easy if you need to do so. The concern is always the USB mode. Will the digital audio lose something over the analog? Not in this case. Gain controls may vary from audio interfaces to software, but that’s about all you are really needing to account for. The previously mentioned onboard DSP does a lot to ensure that the sound difference between the two modes is virtually nil.
The RØDE PodMic USB Microphone comes in at $199 USD, a large leap from the original PodMic’s $99 price tag, but there is a lot of cost to make a microphone into one that supports two connections. It is the least expensive of the hybrid microphones that RØDE offers and sits comfortably in the middle of the price range of other companies like Fifine, Maono, Samson and Shure.
Is it worth an upgrade if you already own a PodMic? That depends on whether you are looking to expand or change how you capture audio. If you are sticking with XLR, then there is no need, as there isn’t a technological jump between the two mics that will benefit you. If you want to switch to USB or want to be able to bring it with you without lugging an audio interface, then it is a worthy investment.
Who this is really for, in my opinion, are beginners who are looking to commit to content creation long-term. The reason for that is that the hybrid XLR/USB microphones are built for you to grow. Buy it and start with it as a USB microphone. You can use it like that forever if you want, but should you choose to graduate to a more producer-friendly solution by using an audio interface, then you already have the mic for the job.
A microphone is something that can last you forever if you take good care of it, so if you find one you like, it’s worth sticking with. The RØDE PodMic USB is an evolutionary step that RØDE has taken to help you future-proof your audio that much more.
