Rode VideoMic Pro with Rycote Lyre Shockmount

The VideoMic Pro with Rycote Lyre Shockmount from Rode is a supercardioid condenser shotgun microphone that terminates in a 1/8″ stereo mini-jack (dual mono), includes an integrated shockmount, and an integrated foam windscreen. It can be used to capture audio for camcorders, DSLR, and portable recorders as a source of primary and reference audio.

The VideoMic Pro has been upgraded from earlier models with a 1/2″ condenser capsule that provides broadcast-quality audio. Its 1/8″ stereo mini-jack connector (outputting the mono signal to both left and right channels) delivers low self-noise of just 14 dB. A supercardioid polar pattern ensures that surrounding audio is minimized, and your recording is focused on the subject in front of the camera.

In addition, the Rycote Lyre-based shockmount is built from a single piece of hard-wearing thermoplastic. It separates the VideoMic Pro capsule and electronics from its mount, providing isolation from external physical factors that may cause unwanted rumble and vibrations in the microphone. This suspension will never wear out, sag or snap.

Easily accessible on the rear face of the microphone are the power, the filter, the level controls and a selectable high-pass filter at 80 Hz. The filter will prevent low-end noise such as air conditioners and traffic from being recorded. Furthermore, the -10 dB (or pad) is suitable when recording loud sound sources such as live music, motorsports, or interviews, where the subject is very close to the camera. There is a +20 dB level boost designed for use with DSLR cameras, so the user can reduce the camera’s preamp level, effectively reducing the amount of noise generated by the camera’s audio circuitry.

The Rode VideoMic Pro uses a standard sized shoe-mount for on-camera use and features a 3/8″ thread in the base of the mount for easy boom-pole mounting. The VideoMic Pro is battery powered and provides over 70-hours recording from a single 9V battery.