A Look At The Rode Wireless GO

Rode introduced earlier today in preparation for NAB 2019 (which starts tomorrow) a new compact affordable wireless microphone system designed for on the go shooters looking for a small and portable wireless mic solution.

The Wireless GO units are identical in size (both the transmitter and receiver) and are much smaller than Rode’s existing RODELink kit. They also include a built-in mic (we are not exactly sure how good it is but it is nice to have) as well as a 3.5 jack (although not the locking type so be careful).

The system works seamlessly in a plug an play fashion similar to other comparable systems (maybe the most recent one is the Sennheiser XS Wireless Digital System which we covered here as well). It uses open 2.4GHz frequency and up to 8 units can work in the same space (might not be enough for journalists on trade shows and expos actually). It has a 70m/~200 feet line of sight range but with walls, this should be considerably shorter.

Rode Wireless GO

Both units have a built-in 7hr battery and can charge and power via USB-C. The receiver also has a tiny screen and 3 levels of gain so you can feed your camera the right level and not get too hot/cold signal in. The unit doesn’t seem to come with an XLR adaptor so this system was not really designed to work with external recorders although Rode does have a 3.5mm to XLR adaptor so it might work.

Both units include a clip that can easily attach to clothing and the nice thing is that the receiver can also connect using the clip to the hotshoe of the camera (pretty cool actually).

Here are some of the features of the new Wireless GO system according to Rode:

Operates as both a clip-on microphone or belt-pack transmitter for a lavalier/headset microphone.
Built-in omnidirectional condenser microphone delivers broadcast-quality sound.
Up to 70m range (line-of-sight), but optimized for shorter-range operation in congested radio-frequency environments.
Up to 7 hours on a full charge, including a battery saver mode.
TX and RX have built-in rechargeable batteries, charged via USB-C.
3-stage output pad: 0, -6dB and -12dB.
Use up to 8 systems in one location.

As for pricing – the Rode Wireless GO will sell for just under $200 (starting in about 2 weeks).

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Iddo Genuth

Iddo Genuth is the founder and chief editor of LensVid.com. He has been a technology reporter working for international publications since the late 1990's and covering photography since 2009. Iddo is also a co-founder of a production company specializing in commercial food and product visual content.