RØDE RODECaster Pro II

General

The first edition of the RØDECaster Pro turned out to be a big success. The RODECaster Pro II takes things even further and provides an all-in-one solution that helps you create vlogs, YouTube content or podcasts from scratch. The idea of this machine is comparable to the options that an audio interface combined with the right software provides, and then some. Best of all? This uber-complete chunk of kit has remained fairly affordable.

Features of the Rode RODECaster Pro 2

Kitted out with high-end mic preamps, the Rode RODECaster Pro 2 allows you to hook up four microphones and four pairs of headphones and offers ultra-transparent sound - no boosters needed (RoDE actually discourage the use of boosters). Adding effects is simple too: the built-in Aphex effects are essentially simulations of vintage effects that can enrich any voice. Don't feel like doing any extensive programming? No worries, the VoxLab is easy to access and encompasses just a handful of clear-and-crucial parameters. Other pad-assignable effects include a robot, a megaphone, a pitch shifter and more.

Control

Besides jingles, the eight fitted pads can be used to control effects, MIDI commands, fade-in, fade-outs, 'ducking moments' and, thanks to the banking buttons, you technically have access to a total of 64 pads. When it comes to the faders, Rode haven't installed as many as the original RODECaster has. On the other hand, the new faders are programmable, which means you could combine one with a stereo source that takes up two mono inputs. Since the entire routing system is endlessly extensive, the faders can then be assigned to virtually everything.

Not Just an Upgrade

While even the inputs and outputs have been upgraded to Neutriks, the Rode RODECaster Pro 2 isn't just an upgraded version of the first model. The new internal architecture includes a dual audio interface, allowing you to connect the device to two different computers, or a laptop plus a phone, or simply two phones, while the programmable faders can be dialled in to ensure the perfect volume level. Whether you're plugging in microphones, instruments or a combination of both, the RODECaster Pro 2 supports any ambitious plan.

Wireless Connectivity, Storage and Firmware

We're not there yet; the RODECaster Pro 2 offers Bluetooth support, MFi for iOS, wireless streaming and firmware updates via WiFi, and an ethernet port. Rode regularly release firmware updates, and not just to squash bugs because the aim is to pro-actively add new functions to this machine. Recordings, meanwhile, can be stored in full audio quality to microSDXC or microSDXC cards, whether channel files or complete mix-downs and, using the Rode Central app, all of the functions can even be controlled from the comfort of your phone. In a nutshell, you're looking at a fantastic podcast-creating tool, possibly the only one that truly matters right now.