Introduction
The Rode VideoMic Me is a compact microphone designed for enhancing the audio quality of your smartphone videos. In this review, we will delve into its features, advantages, and disadvantages to help you make an informed decision.
Features
The Rode VideoMic Me offers several notable features:
- Compact Design: This microphone is small and easy to carry, making it perfect for on-the-go recording.
- Directional Audio: It captures sound from the front, reducing background noise.
- Plug-and-Play: No complicated setup – simply plug it into your smartphone’s headphone jack.
- Windshield: Included to reduce wind noise during outdoor recording.
Pros
Here are the advantages of the Rode VideoMic Me:
- Improved Audio Quality: It significantly enhances your smartphone videos’ audio, delivering clear and crisp sound.
- Ease of Use: The plug-and-play design ensures you can start recording without any technical expertise.
- Compact and Portable: Its small size allows you to carry it in your pocket and use it whenever needed.
- Directional Microphone: The front-facing capture ensures your subject’s voice is the focus, reducing unwanted noise.
- Windshield: Perfect for outdoor recording, it minimizes wind interference.
- Affordable: It’s budget-friendly, providing great value for the price.
Cons
Despite its advantages, the Rode VideoMic Me has some drawbacks:
- Compatibility: It only works with devices that have a headphone jack, which excludes many modern smartphones.
- Battery-Free: While not necessarily a con, it draws power from your device, which can affect your smartphone’s battery life.
- Limited Range: It’s ideal for close-range recording, but not suitable for larger spaces or long-distance shots.
Conclusion
The Rode VideoMic Me is an excellent choice for those looking to improve their smartphone video audio quality without breaking the bank. Its compact design, ease of use, and directional audio make it a valuable tool for content creators. However, keep in mind its compatibility limitations and consider your recording needs before making a purchase.
Hostile Fire Media –
Ever heard about the latest and mini mobile friendly microphone? Rode has something to make your audio experience even better.There are lots of mini microphone for iphone available in the market today, but Rode VideoMic Directional Microphone for Smart Phones seems to be the top choice to be carried every day. Although this iphone external microphone has large similarities to VideoMicro for using similar cardoid capsule, still they differ to flexible mounting bracket and TRRS jack.Rode VideoMic Me Directional Microphone for Smart Phones enables to let the microphone to clip to the device without even the need for hotshoe mount. Also, this wireless microphone for iphone is an ideal option to those who are avid in taking high quality audios for their videos. Interestingly, headphone jack is added in monitoring audios together with the particular recording apps.Product FeaturesIf you are interested to have one of this external mic for iphone, the following features will help you to be more familiar.1. A compact TRRS cardoid microphone specifically designed and created for iOS devices and smart phones2. High quality wireless microphone for iphone which directly connect to iphone TRRS3. 3.5 mm headphone output4. Exception to iphone 75. No required batteries6. Directional shotgun mic7. Built-in headphone jack for effective audio monitoring8. Includes deluxe furry windshieldProduct DescriptionTogether with elegant electronic stabilization, 4k resolution and modern high quality smartphones, this iphone external microphone can satisfy your requirements for quality and exquisite audio for your video recordings. Rode VideoMic Me Directional Microphone for Smart Phones serves to be the best and newest option for picky, demanding and savvy smartphone film makers.This wireless microphone for iphone is a versatile directional microphone that connects through TTRS microphone jack or headphone and weighs about 34 grams making it light to carry. Because of its flexible mounting bracket, it perfectly fit to work with most of the high end smartphones and is ideal to be used with front or main camera.When you use some video recording apps, the 3.5 mm headphone jack on the microphone rear allows you to play-through of the audio while you are recording. This also means that you can timely and easily playback your footage or simply listening to music while you are in a break without a need for removing the microphone.Advantages You Can Get From Rode VideoMic Me Directional Microphone for Smart PhonesSince recording audios or videos with the use of iphone, there is an increasing demand for it and it is becoming a norm. Now, you can have the chance to improve the quality of audio of your videos with the help of Rode VideoMic Me Directional Microphone for Smart Phones. If you buy this microphone for iphone you can expect the following advantages:• Suitable Price for Quality Audio ExperienceYou can buy Rode VideoMic Me Directional Microphone for Smart Phones for as low as $59. You can get satisfied to leave your kit with this iphone external microphone. You get happy when clipping the microphone on to your device where you need not have to move it. If this kind of ease of use and convenience you are requiring for, then this microphone for iphone is all you need. This can be more ideal if you are doing pieces to your camera.• Incomparable freedomWhen you do video or audio recording, you wanted your movements to be comfortable or you are free to move so that it will be easier for you to do a detailed more. Also, this will help you to enhance the quality of your project. Fortunately, Rode VideoMic Me Directional Microphone for Smart Phones can provide you the freedom you desire. It gives you the freedom where you will not worry or take an extra effort of using handle or rig.• Flexible Built-in MicYou have to keep in mind that this wireless microphone for iphone is characterized with tiny shotgun as well as it can be directly picked up in front of it. And, this will help you in focusing to the sound you wanted from your subject. In quiet rooms without a hint of distractions, it is perfect to use an external mic for iphone. Also, this can be useful to a room with noise or with lots of going.A Hint of Disadvantages You Can Get from Rode VideoMic Me Directional Microphone for Smart PhonesLike any other products, there will always be cons. Disadvantages will always depend to the users distinct requirements.• No Carry CaseSince this iphone external microphone does not come with carry case, you have to pack it with a windshield attached.Final VerdictRode VideoMic Me Directional Microphone for Smart Phones offers simple and affordable features. It also effectively delivers great quality audio whether indoor or outdoor projects. It comes with ceramic coated body and with no battery required and no switches making it perfect for various audio recordings.
S. Bremenkamp –
I run a YouTube channel (Sola Gratia Life, if you’re interested) and just got this to improve my video’s audio quality. It works great on my android phone for making short reels, but the bread and butter of my channel are long-form educational/vlogging hybrid type of video’s, which I can get away with creating on my phone as well, but other content I want to grow is my livestreaming episodes with guest interviews… this is where I need my laptop. My PC laptop has a headphone input but no mic input. The Rode VideoMic does not fit into the headset input. To avoid buying another $1100 computer I may have to buy a USB audio input system (such as for podcast and radio recordings) to male this work… and there’s no guarantee right now that’s the solution because I don’t have the technical knowledge to predict that. So potentially there’s more hassle involved with product returns, more research to find a viable solution for my needs and budget, etc. Not sure if it’s worth it yet. It will be for me if I can have good quality audio for my little channel for under $100 but so far what I got is a great little mic with a trusted brand that I can use for some projects, but not much to show for it with others. I’d give this product 5 stars if it came with some kind of multi-connection adapter.
DU –
I bought this because I needed something for my cell phone to reduce or eliminate wind noise from my cell phone videos. A fur wind screen works extremely well for this, but is difficult to adapt to a cell phone microphone so this mic looked promising. I am using it on an Motorola Android phone and when the microphone was mounted to the cell phone as originally designed, it ended up being in the picture so I got a 4 pole TRRS 3′ extension cable and mounted the mic remotely on another camera that was away from the cell phone. I needed to also replace the stock camera app on my phone with the “Open Camera” app from the Play Store and under Video Settings enable Audio Source -> “External Mic (if present). With all that, the mic and supplied wind screen eliminates all the wind noise from my videos. The “Open Camera” app also allowed me to manually control the camera so that was a bonus. Like all the other Rode products I have, it is well made, too.
Captain Hook –
1st off: the Rode MicMe showed up fast. I had put no rush shipping, and it still arrived 8 days earlier than projected. So that’s nice. As for the microphone itself: it’s a step up from your phone’s stock mic. I did several tests once I opened the package, and did notice a difference in terms of sound quality. Sans mic my phone captured all ambient sound in the room (So the TV in the next room, echo w/in the room I stood inside, and my voice was clear but obviously only so good). With the Rode, which is a directional microphone, my voice was clearer in the recording. The background and ambient noise was reduced. So what I had was a more focused sound.I later recorded myself playing an instrument. I did notice clearer and richer audio compared to when I’d just use the microphone equipped to my smartphone.I won’t put this in the mid-tier with Rode’s or any other brand’s shotgun mics. This is very basic. It’s mean to make quick, amateur smartphone recordings sound a little nicer. That’s the most you can expect. It’s also Rode’s cheapest microphone offering, as far as I can tell. It’s not going to give you Shure SM57 quality audio on an instrument recording. If you want better, then you need to spend more on better equipment.I haven’t tried this outside, but I never intended to use it that way. I suggest holding the phone close to the subject and using the dead cat which comes with the mic, if you plan to take it outside. Again you’re better off with a proper video/audio recorder (Even a Zoom would do) if you want better than a simple smartphone.
Orniralf –
Verbesserung der Aufnahme von VogelstimmenDas Mikrofon wird von mir zur Aufnahme von Vogelstimmen benutzt. Zweck ist die Bestimmung der Vögel unter Zuhilfenahme von Vogelstimmen-ID-Apps. Das funktioniert ganz gut. Auf jeden Fall spürbar besser als mit dem Handymikro. Ich nutze ein Samsung A40. Allerdings ist die Aufnahme sehr leise. Ohne die Lautstärkeerhöhung mit zusätzlicher Software, ist bei meinem Mikro kaum etwas in der Aufnahme zu hören. Die ID-Software “versteht” aber offenbar genug um recht zuverlässig zu bestimmen. Auch die Richtwirkung ist ok. Das Fell ist gegen Windgeräusche hilfreich. Wenn das Mikro lauter aufnähme, bzw. wenn eine entsprechende App zu Verfügung gestellt werden würde, gäbe es 5 Sterne. So sind es nur 4.
Rémi L. –
Son faible et ne fonctionne pas pour tous les Android.Le son enregistré est plutôt faible.Ce micro est estampillé pour iPhone et iPad.Fonctionne sur certains smartphones Android à condition de prendre une application tierce comme Open Caméra et de la paramétrer en conséquences.Cela ne fonctionne pas pour tous les Android, sur mon Wiko oui, sur mon Poco non.Quand on a les conditions pour qu’il fonctionne, ce micro est bel et bien directionnel, dans le sens où il enregistre un peu plus fort devant que derrière.
Danut –
Semplice e leggeroMicrofono semplice e leggero, preso per l’iphone ma con jack TRRS così posso usare una prolunga. Serve naturalmente l’adattatore lightning che da solo sarebbe troppo corto. Almeno ho la possibilità di piazzare il microfono dove voglio senza tenerlo attaccato fisso. Rispetto al microfono del telefono questo è direzionale e cattura meno rumore di fondo o che arrivano dai lati ma è carente di frequenze basse e medie (quello del telefono è più ricco e fedele ma più rumoroso).Lo dovrò ancora provare in ambienti live e vedere come si comporta. Per ora l’editing è minimo e il rumore di fondo è trascurabile o facile da togliere con un gate al minimo.Il gatto invece fa la muta e perde pelo dappertutto, va maneggiato con cura. A parte questo per ora nessun difetto.
Anders Wilson –
Bra ljud och stabilKör med ett hygligt tjockt gummiskal på Galaxy 10+ och det funkar fint.
Dométille Edwin –
Qualité ok, sensibilité moui, mais SNR (Bruit)Construction: ensemble bien assemblé, prise Jack ferme, reste en place avec l’embout caoutchouc de maintien, attaché à un smartphone.Attention à l’emplacement de votre prise Jack par rapport à la caméra si vous filmez sur smartphone, notamment avec le DeadCat, volumineux!Fonctionnalité: DeadCat fourni, bon point, il tient sans soucis pour moi, assez efficace.Port Jack casque intégré: Super, sauf que brancher un cable classique ne fonctionne pas, il faut un convertisseur… Je ne sais pas si c’était obligatoire, en tout cas j’aurais préféré le branchement direct évidemment…Qualité : Aaaah. Notez bien que celle-ci dépend de qui y est branché en amont (ADC, pré-amplis, etc); si branché direct à un smartphone par expl, ses performances se verront significativement variables en fonction de celles des composant du phone (comparé entre un Galaxy S6 & LG V20, la différence est sans équivalent).La qualité sonore en elle-même est bonne pour le prix, ce que je cherchais, captation des basses raisonnable (attention au clipping avec les “pops” des consonnes P, F, S … classique), hautes fréquences sans trop de distorsion…MAIS: le SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio => Bruit) est plutôt médiocre à mon goût, là où le bât blesse? Même branché à une source clean, peu importe la sensibilité, pas moyen d’avoir un bruit négligeable, ce qui réduit forcément la qualité captée au fianl, pour la post prod etc…Dommage, car même avec une sensibilité correcte, on est limité.Je dirais qu’à ce prix, pour ce form factor (branchement easy en Jack direct, très compact, avantage principal pour moi), il n’y a pas vraiment de concurrence, donc pour débuter On the Go, c’est certainement un choix judicieux. En revanche, at home / en usage fixe, je recommanderais de passer sur les gammes au dessus, voire bien au dessus, car l’audio est un investissement vertueux, dont vous profiterez à partir de l’acquisitiion, jusqu’à… indéfiniement (ça claque pas les micros, pas d’obsolescence ici, autant en profiter!) !