Rode Wireless Pro brings 32-Bit recording and Timecode to tiny mics

Rode has announced the new Rode Wireless Pro (buy here), an upgraded wireless microphone system offering advantages over their previous flagship Rode Wireless GO II (buy here).

Well, it certainly offers at least one advantage. It features 32-Bit float recording in each of the two transmitters. This makes them pretty much unclippable, capable of handling pretty much any super loud or super quiet subject you put them on.

Rode says that the new Rode Wireless Pro is the most powerful compact microphone system ever. And it seems to add quite a few new features over the Wireless GO II.

Rode Wireless Pro – 32-Bit Float Audio

The biggest amongst the updated features is the ability to record 32-Bit audio in each of the transmitters. While there are a number of recorders out there, even teeny tiny little ones, that can do 32-Bit float, this is the first time it’s popped up in a wireless compact microphone system of this type.

I expect it won’t be long before the others follow suit, and there are a lot of others out there making compact microphones these days. But for now, the Rode Wireless Pro is the only one that does it. You could, of course, use something like the Tascam DR-10L Pro but there’s no wireless transmission with that, so you’re forced to do it in post.

Of course, if you need to resort to the 32-Bit files recorded on each Wireless Pro Tx instead of the audio transmitted to the camera, then you’re also going to have to deal with that in post, too.

Overall, though, even though it might add an extra step or two for some workflows, the addition of 32-Bit audio is fantastic, especially for those of us who often plug on-camera boom mics into their Wireless GO II transmitters for recording sounds on location.

Advanced Timecode Capability

The Rode Wireless Pro has what Rode describes as “advanced timecode capability” with a built-in timecode generator. There isn’t much information about the way it works yet, but in their press release, Rode describes it thusly…

To perfectly complement its 32-bit float on-board recording feature, the Wireless PRO offers advanced timecode sync capabilities, making synchronising audio to video in post-production.extremely easy. Eschewing the need for complex and expensive external timecode systems, the Wireless PRO features an internal timecode generator that is easy to use and seamlessly synchronises audio with any camera. This can be easily set up on a computer or smartphone via RØDE Central, with flexible configuration options to suit any recording setup.

Rode press release

Could this possibly be a contender to battle it out against the popular Tentacle Sync or Deity’s recent releases? Time will tell, but it definitely sounds promising.

Similarities with the Wireless GO II

Of course, it’s Wireless GO II users who are going to be the most interested in these. But aside from the two major features mentioned above, the microphones are largely similar. The battery life, storage and minutes recorded may differ slightly but they’re still pretty much the same fundamental device.

The range of the Wireless Pro has increased since the Wireless GO II, however, stepping up from 200 metres (656 feet) up to 260 metres (850ft). But it’s still compatible with microphone inputs on cameras as well as digital USB audio straight to a computer, tablet or smartphone.

One big exceptional difference between the two is the extras you get in the Rode Wireless Pro Package.

But wait, there’s more!

Inside the box containing the Rode Wireless Pro, you also get the charger that was promised months ago. A charger that Rode users have been hounding Rode to finally start shipping out ever since. Now, it looks like it’ll finally be shipping soon. You get a MagClip GO, too, which turns the transmitter’s clip into a magnet that doesn’t need to chew up your shirt.

It also, making a change for Rode, comes with a pair of wired lavs to plug into the transmitters. Yup, and they’re not the cheap generic ones, either. Oh no, you get a pair of shiny new Rode Lavalier II microphones (buy here).

I use a pair of Lavalier II lavs with my Wireless GO II system. They’re a great pairing with that system. I expect they’ll be just as good with the Wireless Pro, probably more so thanks to its 32-Bit float recording.

Thoughts

I had no idea Rode was getting ready to release a new system before writing this post. But I don’t think it’s that much of a surprise to see that whatever Rode was going to release next in this market would feature 32-Bit float recording.

What is a surprise, though, is the timecode capabilities it appears to offer. Or at least what it may potentially offer. Until we get our hands on one, nobody can really say for sure how useful it might be vs devices like Tentacle Sync or Deity’s, but I’d be very keen to test it for myself and find out.

Price and Availability

At the time of writing, I’ve been told that the Rode Wireless Pro (apparently, including the full kit with the Lavalier II mics) will cost $399, although purchase links are not currently available. That seems pretty cheap to me, so I’m not sure that’s come through correctly. We will update this post once the price has been confirmed and links to buy are publicly available.

Yup, the Rode Wireless Pro is available to pre-order now for $399. This includes the charging case and a pair of Rode Lavalier II microphones. This makes it a cheaper deal than the Rode Wireless GO II by about $180 cheaper once you add in the cost of the extras you’d need to buy for the Wireless GO II.