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Røde Reporter Microphone Review

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At its heart, sound is all about communication. Whether it’s conveying emotion and art through music or narrating an event through speech, a good microphone is able to get your message across well. And nowhere is that more important than in interviews and newscasting. In today’s review of the Røde Reporter microphone, we take a look at the company’s take on the handheld microphone, and whether it might be a good fit for your setup.


About the Røde Reporter


Sennheiser MKH 416 Microphone

Polar Pattern

Omnidirectional

Frequency Response

70-15,000 Hz

Output Impedance

150 ohms

Maximum SPL

>100dB SPL

Sensitivity

-56.0dB re 1 Volt/Pascal (1.00mV @ 94 dB SPL) +/- 2 dB @ 1kHz

 

Output

XLR

The classic image of the newscaster is of well-coiffed hair, a professional-looking blazer, and a handheld microphone. Technology has improved leaps and bounds within the last decade and a half, leading to new and innovative equipment for both film and sound. But that doesn’t mean that handheld microphones have fallen to the wayside— in fact, they’ve just gotten better.


Røde Reporter Pros


See more product details on Amazon.

Thanks to an expanded microphone market, there are tons of different ways to record a voice or an interview. You’ll see digital journalists and documentarians bringing around everything from microphone packs to lavalier mics to shotgun mics. And while these are all excellent options, none quite have the air of professionalism that the handheld microphone does.

The handheld microphone is an icon of newscasting and presentations. World-famous microphone manufacturer Røde has its own spin on it in the Røde Reporter. We’ll take a look at its features below and see if this microphone holds up to the famous Røde standard.

Full Capture

While directional mics definitely have their advantages, especially when it comes to blocking out wind or background noise, they can be a bit tricky to use when speaking is involved. If there are more than two people involved in your shoot, then you sometimes need to move your directional mic between the two speakers in order to capture the interview in full.

The Røde Reporter does away with this by employing an omnidirectional polar pattern. This omnidirectional pattern allows this microphone to capture sound from all sides. No more switching awkwardly between two sources— simply place in the middle of interviewers and interviewee and you’re good to go.

Cleaner Performance

One of the downsides to the omnidirectional polar pattern is that it can allow your mic to pick up on unnecessary sounds like wind noise. This can be especially frustrating during an outdoor shoot, as getting the audio quality up to a studio standard might seem close to impossible.

There’s no such problem with the Røde Reporter, however. The Reporter is designed with a multi-layer mesh basket that shields your microphone from environmental noise. This reduces the need for bulky, distracting windshields, allowing for a cleaner look and better performance.

A Tailored Sound

The Røde Reporter has a frequency response that is specifically tailored to the human voice. At 70 Hz to 15 kHz, human voices are clear and natural sounding, allowing the mic to capture detail and clarity for broadcast. 70 Hz also means that this mic isn’t going to be capturing low rumbling noises from traffic or some types of wind noise, which is especially useful given that most of your work with the Røde Reporter will probably be done outside.

Sleek, Professional Build

When we talk about microphones, we often talk about the qualities that enable them to put in a good performance in recording. While that’s definitely central to the micing experience, one thing that we don’t usually bring up is optics.

Lots of mics do their work best behind the scenes or out of sight, but for handheld mics, lots of that work is in front of the camera. It has a sleek build, with an ergonomic die-cast body that’ll hold up to the wear and tear of outside use. Røde also offers a 10-year extended warranty when you register your microphone, which is a good bonus on top of the Reporter’s other features.


Pros and Cons of the Rode Reporter

ProsCons
✔ Excellent for handheld interviews
✔ Comes with a zip case and an attachable mic flag
✔ Has an internal shock mount
✖️ Not loud enough

What People Are Saying

While the Røde Reporter might not be the strongest microphone out there in terms of sound quality, it does the job well anyway. It’s designed for use in the field, and that’s where it shines. With a sleek yet durable design, the Reporter allows speakers to have a professional look in front of the camera without missing out on details.

Durability is never a question with Røde, and this is a microphone that’s designed to hold up to heavy use. With a price that isn’t too bad, especially compared with other specialized microphones in the industry, this is a pretty good option to add to any studio’s digital journalism kit.

“Amazing recorded some stuff for the bmi awards. i was blown away at the quality. The mic was ran through avalon 737 with some basic reverb in pro tools and thats all that was really needed. its a great buy for amazing vocals with out much needed mixing.”


Reviewer – Patrick From Sweetwater

Where to Buy the Røde Reporter

Overall, the Røde Reporter puts in a good performance as a handheld microphone. Handheld microphones are all about performance in the great outdoors, and that’s where you can rest easy with Røde. Rugged build and sleek design have always been the company’s trademark, and you’re getting that same quality with the Røde Reporter. Find the best deals for the Røde Reporter Microphone here.


Røde Reporter

The Rode Reporter shines as an exceptional choice for handheld interviews, providing outstanding audio quality and user-friendly features.

Its included zip case and attachable mic flag contribute to its overall appeal, ensuring convenience and adding a touch of customization to interviews and reporting activities.

Moreover, the internal shock mount impressively eliminates handling noise, resulting in pristine and professional audio recordings.

Sound Quality
8
Design
9
Features
8
Price
9

Summary

The Røde Reporter is a quality handheld microphone that performs admirably out in the field. While it's not the top in the industry in terms of sound, it still does great work. Plus, Røde's 10-year warranty and durable build make this an attractive option for documentarians and digital journalists everywhere.

Total Rating

8.5
Naomi Feller

Originally from the East Coast, Naomi started singing as young as 3 years old. In her early teens Naomi made some embarrassing YouTube videos before settling on a love for Podcast editing. When she's not pouring over endless amounts of audio, she lends her expertise to us here at Shout4Music with her crystal clear and finely tuned microphone reviews.

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