So this here is the brand new Rode VideoMic Go II. The VideoMic Go II is a lightweight,
ultracompact, on-camera microphone that’s extremely versatile. Not only does it work
with your camera and smartphone right out of the box but it also doubles as a USB microphone making
it great for Zoom calls, streaming, recording your podcast and so much more. The VideoMic Go II
is truly a do-it all microphone that's completely plug and play and ready to tackle whatever it is
that you throw at it. What you're probably going to be surprised to know, is that all of the audio
in this video is recorded directly from the Rode VideoMic Go II here. It's connected to my Sony a7c
and this should give you a pretty good idea of what you can expect out of this microphone.
From all of the tests that I've done, the Rode VideoMic Go II sounded fantastic.
Whether I was indoors in my studio like I am now or outdoors with lots of noise going on around me,
this little thing impressed me with its sound quality. You might not consider this mic to be
the highest end on-camera microphone based on price alone but its performance, versatility
and set of features, make it a steal of a deal and very tough to beat. Which makes me think,
do you even need to spend more on an on-camera microphone? I mean, I think it really depends
what your project is. But for most people, this is thing is going to get the job done.
In the box, you get a quick start guide, the microphone itself, a 3.5mm audio cable,
the shock mount, which also features a cable organizer and allows the mic to move forwards
and backwards, and finally there's a windscreen. The VideoMic Go II here has been completely
redesigned and has a full metal enclosure that brings it more in line with the awesome VideoMic
NTG and other high-end shotgun mics from Rode. I use the VideoMic NTG regularly so you can see
right here how both the microphones look side by side. The Go II is obviously smaller and doesn't
have all of the bells and whistles of the more expensive NTG. There's not even a button on it.
The biggest difference between the two is that the VideoMic NTG has a built-in battery and the
Rode VideoMic Go II doesn't have a battery at all so it's completely plug and play. There's no need
to charge it or anything like that, which is very convenient. As mentioned before, there's no setup
or thought needed with the new Go II. Just plug it into your device and you're good to go.
One of my favorite things about the VideoMic Go II is that is doubles as a USB microphone.
This opens up a whole new world of use cases and makes it great for things like Zoom calls,
streaming, recording your podcast, voiceovers and all of that fun stuff. The microphone has a USB-C
port along with that audio jack so you can wire it up to your computer via USB
and monitor the audio with a headset via that audio input. Rode also offers a RodeConnect
app that's pretty much a mixing software allowing you to connect and monitor multiple microphones,
adjust the sound quality, apply settings and record audio. It's simple, easy to use software
that works very well and I'm surprised it's free because you can record everything that you'll ever
need right in the Rode Connect app. So you guys know how this microphone sounds here indoors,
in my studio. Now I want to take this microphone outside for a more real world test where you guys
can hear it with a lot of different noise going on around me. I know it's pretty noisey out here in
New Jersey all of the time so I figured this would be a pretty good of like a real world,
vlog style thing so let's get right to it! Alright friends so we are outside now with
the new Rode VideoMic Go II! There's a lot of sound going on around me. There is a helicopter
flying up above. There are birds chirping. There's wind. Just a lot of sound going on around me and
I'm curious how this microphone just focuses on my voice in comparison to everything else going
on around me. I thought this would actually be a cool test to do, you know, like vlog-style.
Kneel down, talk to the camera, very informal like all of the cool kids are doing nowadays. So
how does it sound? Does it sound good? I've never tested this microphone outside before
with all of this surrounding noise going on. So what does it sound like? We will
learn together. Hopefully it sounds good! After blindly recording that test, loading that
footage onto my computer and listening to it back, I was impressed. I think I fell in love with this
microphone even more. It was no where near quiet when I was filming outside and despite all of
that surrounding noise, the VideoMic Go II kept my voice front and center. Sure you heard everything
else going on but above it all you heard my voice loud and clear and that's what matters most at
the end of day so if you're shooting a vlog or a podcast, whatever it is. This microphone can
be used in a variety of different scenarios. Overall, the new VideoMic Go II here is truly a
content creators dream come true. This microphone does it all. Not only is it small and lightweight
on your camera or smartphone and works with a range of devices right out of the box but it also
has that USB compatibility which opens up a whole new world of possibilities. At it's price point,
the VideoMic Go II is hard to beat. This microphone is an excellent way to give your
content an instant boost in sound quality without breaking the bank. There's no thought needed,
no need to charge it, just plug it into your device and you're good to go. It's as simple
as that. Rode knocked it out of the park with this new microphone here and you're no doubt
going to be hearing it a lot in my videos going forward. It might not always be in the shot here,
it will definitely be on top of the camera but it's going to be there. I have a feeling
this thing is going to be permanently stuck to my camera from this point on!
Anywho, that’s about it for this video! I hope you enjoyed it and found out helpful. If you
did and you liked what you saw, be sure to give it a thumbs up and hit that subscribe
button because it always helps out the channel. Also, don’t forget to follow @raystrazdas on
Twitter and Instagram for much more! Until the next one, I will catch you guys later. Peace!