RØDE VideoMic NTG: New Vlogging Podcasting Microphone

RØDE VideoMic NTG: New Vlogging Podcasting Microphone

RØDE have just announced a new small shotgun microphone called the VideoMic NTG.

Recently, there’s been a lot of innovation in microphone design to cater for our brave new media world. A world where every man, woman, their children and their pet hamsters are potential radio, TV or news broadcasters. And RØDE are one of those forward-thinking companies that see the future and want to be part of it. As RØDE themselves say, they designed the VideoMic NTG for “flexible functionality”.

If you know RØDE microphones, you’ll have heard of their popular NTG shotgun mic range. You will probably also know about their VideoMic ME and VideoMic Pro mini shotgun microphones, frequently used by smartphone filmmakers or DSLR shooters respectively.

Bring those 2 names together to make VideoMic NTG and you’ll understand the concept of this new microphone. While the NTG mics were high quality, lower cost alternatives to professional standards such as the Sennheiser 416, the previous VideoMics are cheap alternatives to using your camera’s inbuilt mics. Somewhere between the VideoMic Pro and the NTG range falls RØDE’s new (not quite as) mini shotgun.

Easier Smartphone Setup

When connecting the previous VideoMic’s (or other mics) to a smartphone, there can be issues with the phone recognising the microphone as an audio input. The only way around is to use a TRS to TRRS adapter. But the new VideoMic NTg has an auto-sensing 3.5mm output which works with both cameras and smartphones. No TRS-TRRS adapter required.

In addition, the mic comes with a USB output for connecting directly to a computer (or tablet). And when using the USB connector, the 3.5mm jack becomes a headphone socket for easier monitoring. Which could be the perfect set up for a podcasting microphone.

With both analog and digital outputs, the RØDE VideoMic NTG is a little different to other microphones. With ocused directivity, continuously variable gain, digitally switched tone controls, and an internal USB-rechargeable battery, this is a run & gun audio capture device for the modern YouTuber, vlogger, for professional social media work and so on.

Because this isn’t just a mic. With inbuilt stuff like preamp, gain control, high-pass filter and headphone out, it’s also an all-in-one audio processing unit.

Audio Specs

• Frequency Range: 20Hz – 20kHz
• Frequency Response: 35Hz – 18kHz ±3 dB
• Output Impedance: 10Ω
• Signal to Noise Ratio: 79 dBA
• Dynamic Range: 105dB SPL (A-weighted, as per IEC651)
• Equivalent Noise: 15dB SPL (A-weighted, as per IEC651)
• Sensitivity: -26 dB re 1V/Pa (50mV @ 94dB SPL) ± 1dB @ 1kHz
• Input SPL at 1% THD: 120dB SPL
• High Pass Filter Frequency: 75Hz, 150Hz

Other Specs

• Battery Life: 30+ hours
• Battery Capacity: 350mAh
• Output Connection: 3.5mm auto-sensing (TRS TRRS), USB-C
• Bit Depth: 24-bit
• Sample Rate: 48kHz
• Weight: 94g
• Dimensions: 21.6mm (diameter), 171mm (length)

Auto On Mode

The VideoMic NTG has an “auto on” mode, so that it automatically powers up when the camera is switched on and off again when the camera is switched off. A good time and battery saving feature, whilst also nice to know you don’t have to keep remembering to switch it off.

When it’s released, the RØDE’s VideoMic NTG will cost $249.

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