Rode’s new Wireless GO II adds dual mic support, improved range and internal recording

Rode has announced a follow up to their popular Rode Wireless GO microphone system. Not surprisingly, it’s called the Rode Wireless GO II and it offers a number of significant improvements over the original, including over 24 hours of on-board recording, improved range and a new USB audio interface that lets you plug it into computers, tablets and smartphones

It comes in the same pocket-sized form factor but comes with an extra transmitter in the pack, as the new Wireless GO II supports dual channels for transmitting a pair of microphones to a single receiver. Very handy for interviews, or any situation where you need two people to be able to speak in front of the camera at the same time.

When Rode introduced the original Wireless GO in 2019, it changed the game for a lot of vloggers and content creators in what a microphone should be. It became a whole new category of microphones and, initially, it was the only one in that category. Others have come along since, to varying degrees of capability, but few have stood up to the abilities of the original. The Rode Wireless GO II extends those capabilities quite dramatically.

But how, exactly?

Well, you no longer need to buy a pair of kits and various 2-into-1 adapter cables to record interviews that require you to record two people, as the receiver will communicate with two separate transmitters. And when you’re recording yourself, this dual stereo audio allows you to record a -20dB safety channel as a backup in case you clip your mic, causing distortion.

While possibly not all that useful to everybody, the maximum range of the wireless connection has doubled, going from 100m to 200m line of sight, thanks to Rode’s new Series IV 2.4Ghz wireless transmission system with 128-bit encryption. And while you might not need this kind of range, a signal this strong is going to more easily cut through interference much more easily (a big potential problem when shooting interviews at things like trade shows).

And if you do happen to lose signal, each transmitter has the ability to record over 24 hours of audio internally as a failsafe, just in case. And you don’t even need a microSD card. It’s all saved to internal storage.

The Wireless GO II is a huge leap forward in terms of useability and versatility, while retaining all the elements that made the first edition such a success. It represents RØDE’s mission to innovate and continue evolving our product lines, always with creators in mind. The Wireless GO II is once again going to change the way people record audio for their content.

– Damien, Wilson, Rode CEO

For those live streaming or doing lots of Zoom, Skype and similar calls from home (which, let’s face it, that’s most of us these days), the Rode Wireless GO II also now acts as a USB Audio Device, like Rode’s VideoMic NTG. This means that you can plug it directly into your computer, Android or iOS device and completely bypass the device’s preamps with a digital signal, resulting in a much cleaner sound with none of the usual hiss.

Of course, you’ll want to be able to plug it into your camera, too, so the Wireless GO II receiver also features that standard TRS analogue output, letting you plug it into any camera or analogue audio device you wish. And when you do have it plugged into the TRS socket, the internal battery will last for up to 7 hours. When it’s plugged in as a USB Audio Device, whatever device it’s plugged into should keep the receiver powered up indefinitely.

Various features and settings of the Rode Wireless GO II are configured from the desktop using the new Rode Central app for Windows and Mac. At the moment, the Rode Wireless GO II is the only microphone supported by the app, although the VideoMic NTG, AI-1 and several other devices are planned for future integration.

The Rode Wireless GO II, 2-person kit is available to pre-order now for $299 and begins shipping sometime in the next couple of days.