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The Rode Rodecaster Pro is a very unique piece of podcasting equipment. It is designed entirely with podcasting in mind
This new piece of equipment from Rode is very exciting for the entire podcasting medium. because it shows that the podcasting market is worth investing in. Rode has always done well in the music world. As a result, I don't believe they would have created this product on a whim.
A lot of thought and research has gone into the design of this product.
With that said, there’s a bunch of room for improvement with this device. Let's have a look at those as we review the product that has a great many features it can offer to a podcaster.
What is the Rode Rodecaster Pro?
Rode calls The Rodecaster is “the world’s first fully-integrated podcast production studio”.
What exactly does this mean? If you took a mixer and made it appear much less complicated, then added a digital recorder, that's the basics of the Rodecaster. What does that actually mean though? Well, if you took a mixer, cleaned it up, and made it much less complicated looking, then merged it with a digital recorder, that should give you a basic idea of what the Rodecaster is and does.
Mixers are useful for plugging in multiple microphones, doing shows in front of a live audience, and recording Skype calls. Mixers are unable to save audio.
The Rode Rodecaster immediately differentiates itself from a mixer. It can record audio, which saves lots of time swapping multiple pieces of equipment and cables. It isn't even required to use a computer to You don’t even necessarily need a computer to record with the Rodecaster.
What can the Rode Rodecaster Pro do?
The Rodecaster has several talents. Out of the box, it is capable of recording phone calls. The importance of this feature will depend upon your niche. You are able to speak to less technical people via the telephone, eliminating their need for a microphone.
As mentioned, you don't need a computer to run the Rodecaster, it is quite simple to connect a computer in order to record Skype or offline interviews. You can even record directly to your favorite DAW rather than use the device's
With the Rodecaster, you have the capability to add in your own sound effects, giving you the ability to record them during your show with the touch of a button.
How many mics can I use?
The Rodecasgter allows you to plug in up to four XLR mics at once. This allows you to have up to four people recording at one time.
You have full control over each mic in the control panel, There are several different options and presets.
Recording Audio
You can independently control the settings of each mic that's plugged in. Each input has its own gain slider, ‘mute' button, and ‘solo' button. There are a few processing options you can toggle on and off too.
- Compressor – to help level out the overall volume
- High-Pass Filter – to minimize the effects of low rumbling noises or mic pops
- De-Esser – to create a less sibilant recording
- Noise Gate – to reduce unwanted background noise
- Ducking – to automatically lower the volume of music underneath speech
- Aural Exciter & Big Bottom – humorously named EQ presets that change the tone of your voice
For me, these are things I prefer to handle in post-production. At the same time, these are very nice features if you don't know much about audio production.
Headphones & Monitors
The Rodecaster gives you the option for monitoring your recordings.
There are four headphone jacks available at the back of the unit. You control their volumes independently. This allows each person to set their headphones at a volume they
Most other devices would require you to add a headphone amp or splitter for this.
The headphone jacks are 1/4″ TRS, so if you prefer to use a set of earbuds you'll just need to pick up a little adapter, which you can get for about $2 on Amazon.
There are 1/4″ Left and Right outputs to connect to studio monitors or speakers too, and these also have their own independent volume control.
Connections
There are two more connections that have not been mentioned yet.
The Rodecaster provides a USB connection that is used when recording Skype calls or anything else from a computer. It has its own level control, solo button and mute.
You could use the 3.5 mm TRRS jack to hook up your phone and record calls. It also has a level control, solo button and mute.
You can also connect your phone via Bluetooth, and it has the same 3 channel controls as the above.
What Else Do I Need?
You will need at least one microphone to podcast with the Rodecaster. Connecting a Rode mic causes this device to automatically recognize it and set it up.
There is no memory card included, so you will need one to record directly to the un
Summary
The Rodecaster Pro is an extremely unique device that is an amazing solution for many podcasters.
It comes with a very steep price of $600 plus the cost of microphones. This makes it out of reach for most people.
If you're a seasoned podcaster that isn't quitting any time soon, the Rodecaster might appeal to you due to its many features.
If you are able to come up with the money, this will definitely simplify setup and workflow for you. It will give you a bunch of flexibility for recording your show.