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It feels like smartphones get better and better at recording video every year, but even the best handsets are humdrum at capturing sound. Aussie audio expert Rode has something for content creators wanting a sonic step up that doesn’t involve a mess of cables, or swapping your phone for a digital camera: The Rode Wireless Micro. I’ve been using the mobile-friendly mics for a week or two, and love how they’ve seamlessly slotted into my recording setup.
Launching in black and white colours, the two lavalier mic kit lives in a pocket-friendly case barely any bigger than the sort that holds your true wireless earphones. There’s also room inside for a slim USB-C receiver that plugs directly into your smartphone, and everything connects automatically. Older iPhone owners aren’t being left behind either, as there’s also a Wireless Micro version with a Lightning connector.
Each mic has a built-in clothing clip and a magnetic attachment for two ways of mounting, and the omnidirectional pickup pattern means placement isn’t a problem. They only weigh 12g each, so don’t drag down your shirt neckline, and their splash-proof design has coped just fine when shooting in a light rain shower.
This isn’t the first wireless lav mic aimed at phone filmmakers, but the Wireless Micro is among the easiest I’ve used. Setup boils down to plugging in the receiver and clipping on a mic, or two if you’re shooting with a co-presenter or interview subject. The mics power on as soon as you remove them from the charging case, and connect to the receiver as soon as it’s getting power from your phone. It’s much neater than running a cable from your phone to a receiver box, even one that’s bolted to a filming grip like Rode’s own Phone Cage accessory.
You don’t need specific recording software to use it, either. My Android 14 phone swapped over to the external mics instantly, in both its stock camera app and the sound recorder app. Android 15 changed up external device permissions a bit, so you’ve got to make sure you’ve installed Rode’s Reporter app before plugging in; when you do it’ll prompt you to assign the mic to the app, at which point it’ll be recognised by your phone’s stock camera app. iOS owners will find it works just fine with Rode’s free Capture video recording app.
This is only aimed at smartphones, so unsurprisingly the receiver didn’t power on when I plugged it into my digital camera. If you also shoot content using a mirrorless or DSLR, Rode’s Wireless ME is the more versatile alternative.
Content creators that spend more time in front of a camera than holding it will see the most benefit from the Rode’s wonderfully clear microphones. They already had my Google Pixel 9 Pro XL beaten for clarity up close, but there was no contest once I got six feet or so away from the phone.
I’ve also been impressed with how effectively the microphones cope with wind noise. Rode includes a pair of fluffy wind shields in the box, but for walking and talking on lightly breezy autumnal days I’ve not needed them. Rode’s familiar GainAssist tech adjusts audio levels on the fly, which has cut down on editing time. A lot of clips can just be fired straight to social media now.
The Wireless Micro’s charging case is good for two full recharges, meaning I’m seeing as much as 21 hours of recording time before having to plug anything into a wall socket. That has basically been enough that I’ve not needed to think about charging when away for long weekends.
The Rode Wireless Micro is available now, from all of Rode’s usual stockists, as well as directly from the firm itself.
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