- This is the Rode VideoMic GO II, a perfect mic for YouTube videos, whether you're creating content like vlogs with your smartphone or camera, or you could plug in this mic
to your computer or laptop using a USB cable and use this for live
streaming or podcasting. But maybe you do talking
head videos like this where you actually boom the
mic outside of the frame, which is one way I love
using mics like this. And so we're gonna be breaking
down all the features, what you get in the package, and the price of the Rode VideoMic GO II. So let's get into it. You gotta just press record. Hey, what's up, it's Omar
Eltakrori with "Think Media," and this channel's all about helping you build your influence with
online video and YouTube, and we do that by sharing
the best tips and tools on how to do so. Sometimes we're sharing YouTube strategy and the latest tactics to help
grow your YouTube channel. Other times we talk about the
best gear that you can use, especially if you are starting out, whether it's using your smartphone, a camera that's easy to use for beginners, or mics and lighting,
and things like that. So if you're interested, be sure to hit that subscribe button. And when it comes to
creating any kind of content, I really think this
mic was geared for you. This is the Rode VideoMic GO II, which is the second version of its kind. And I'll just start saying VideoMic from this point forward in
the video, just so you know, but this mic comes in at around $100 and it truly can do everything
as you saw in the intro. But when it comes to what
it comes within the package, just wanna break it down. You're gonna get the mic itself and you should just know that
this is a super lightweight and compact mic. Another reason why I like it. You're gonna get a
windscreen to cover the mic, which is gonna help with
a little bit of wind, but also any exterior
noises and explosives, which is really nice. It comes with a really
sleek 3.5 millimeter cable to plug into the mic itself
and then your camera. And then it comes with
a really high quality and sturdy shock mount. It's really important that a
mic that you have is protected and doesn't move around. And this shock mount is really cool and it also has a really cool design for the cable that you
use to plug into the mic. It has this ability to
kinda cinch down your cable. You don't have to wrap
it around the mic itself. You can actually just snake it through and then plug it into whatever
device you would like to. Now, it is important to note that this mic does not come with a USB-C, although you can use
a USB-C with this mic. Rode sells their own line of
cords and things like that, and I'll talk about
accessories later in the video, but just using any USB-C cable, doesn't need to be name
brand or anything like that, will work perfectly fine
with a mic like this. Now, this video was entirely
shot using this mic. And so you've been hearing it in all the different scenarios so you can get a real
idea of how it sounds no matter how you use it, but I'd love to know really right up front what you think about the
sound quality of this mic, especially being $100. I think it's really awesome, but there's so much more to it than what it is at face value. I think it's really important to know that this is a super easy to use mic. So if you are a beginner
at creating content, a mic like this is awesome. Simply plug it into whatever
device you can think of. Like, literally you can
plug it into your computer, you can plug it into your smartphone, you could plug it into
a tablet or a laptop. It is important to note if you plan on using
this with your smartphone you're gonna want to use
it with the USB-C option. So the way I use it with my phone, is by using a USB-C to Lightning
adapter provided by Rode, but it makes it super easy to use and you don't have to
worry about anything. You could boom a mic like this and maybe buy just a clamp so that the mic can be held in place or screw it onto a boom setup. And then just run a really long cable into your camera from the boom setup, and this would be if you like doing talking head YouTube videos, because putting a mic like
this on top of a camera and putting it far away
isn't the best use. You kinda want it at a
arms length distance. Right now I have it about
three to four inches away from my mouth and you're gonna get a really
nice high quality sound, but you can also boom
it or put it on a desk and use it with a computer,
laptop, or tablet, like, legit any device
this mic works with, which is what I love. I love equipment that you could
buy and actually grow with. It's easy to use right up
front plug and play-wise, and then you can actually
use it for more things that you wanna grow into, like live streaming and things like that. Another thing that makes the Rode VideoMic so easy for beginners, is that it doesn't have any batteries nor does it need to be charged for. It takes whatever power from the device you have it plugged into to be able to operate, which is super cool and convenient. The Rode VideoMic GO
II is a condenser mic, meaning this mic will
pick up general audio from its general vicinity. A dynamic mic we've made in the past with like USB mics and things like that will really cut out a lot of noise coming out around the mic, which is really nice and
what a lot of people need if they're in an echoy
environment or what have you. A mic like this, you can actually put a
little bit further away than a dynamic mic and it'll still pick up good audio if you just adjust your input
audio gain levels as needed, but putting the mic up to your
mouth like this really close makes it kinda sound like a dynamic mic because it's capturing all
the richness from my mouth. And because it's so close, it is cutting out a lot
of the exterior noise that you would hear if this mic was further away from my mouth 'cause I got the AC running, blasting 'cause it's like 110 degrees
outside in Las Vegas, but you don't really hear it because it's right next to my mouth and it's capturing the
sensitivity of my voice. And I do like how natural
condenser mics sound overall in comparison to a dynamic mic. Now, you can really maximize the potential of a mic like this by accessorizing it. I think if you plan on
using this mic outdoors, you can invest in the Rode WS12, which is simply their wind muff or what you would call a dead cat. This would replace the
windscreen that comes in the box. However, it'd be able
to withstand high winds and really any scenario you
may find yourself in outside. And so if you plan on vlogging outside, maybe doing adventures
and things like that, having a windscreen like
that would be really key. And what's cool about this kit, is it actually comes
with this little rubber that you can use to cover
whatever port you're not using. So if you plan on plugging
this into your camera, you can cover the USB cable so you don't get anything in there, which I think was really cool. But I definitely think
it's worth the investment if you plan on vlogging
with a mic like this. You can also accessorize a mic like this with a boom arm setup, whether you clamp it to a desk and do live streams or
podcasts and things like that. You don't need a heavy duty
one as the mic is super light. You just wanna make sure you
have the right accessories to go with your mic arm, just so that you can Mount this mic. And we'll post links down
to everything I'm mentioning down in the description below. So be sure to check that out. But definitely using the
mic that way is super cool. And then in this setup, I kinda just have it on
a Manfrotto vlog stand that I use for my smartphone set up, but I like this because the ball head allows me to change the
angle of the mic as needed. But I literally use this vlogs stick for my smartphone and things like that, so it's very versatile in that nature, but literally I just
wanted to paint the picture of all the ways you can
use a mic like this. And just when you thought that was everything you
can do with this mic, it does even more. When you buy this mic, you get access to Rode's free softwares. They got the Rode Connect
app, the Rode Central app, and the Rode Reporter app. These apps are available
on computer laptops or even tablets, but the road connect app, simply put, will allow you to capture
high quality audio. Simply plug in this Rode
mic into your device and you can capture great sounding audio as well as tweak some things a little bit. The Rode Central app will be the place where you either update the
firmware of your microphone as well as just some
settings, like the input gain or if you wanna change like
the high pass or low pass or take away some features in that sense. But what's also cool
about the Rode Central app is that you can actually
change the mic jack of this mic into a headphone Jack, so having audio signals sent out. And now you can monitor your audio, really making this mic
like a mini interface, but it's all in one and it all comes when
you purchase this mic. And the fact that this
mic is only $100 or so, really makes this one of
the best mics for the budget with all that it can do. And so you may not ever go that route and use it for those things, but to know that a mic like this can do so really makes it one of
the best mics of all time. I literally have been testing mics for like more than four or five years, especially when Sean was testing mics, and I've never seen a mic
that's not only easy to use, but also has so much potential to use it for other use cases like the Rode VideoMic Go II. And so if you plan on looking for a mic that could kind of do it all, I would say this would be the mic to get, especially if you're
looking for a budget option. Now, one thing that this mic can't do, is act like a lavalier mic. Obviously I can't clip this onto my shirt, but if you are looking for
a wireless mic solution that maybe you can clip on
your shirt or what have you, you can check that out by
clicking or tapping the screen or check out another video
from us here at "Think Media." Can't wait to see you in a future video. Peace. (upbeat music)
