RØDEProcaster Broadcast Dynamic Microphone & WS2 Pop Filter/Wind Shield for NT1, NT1-A, NT2-A, Procaster & Podcaster

Your browser does not support HTML5 video.  This is an excellent dynamic mic. It needs a lot of gain so I use a Fethead with mine and the sound is extremely natural with good rejection.I don’t really understand Rode’s advice to speak two inches from the mic. This increases proximity effect and for my voice, it becomes a bit too boomy. I hold it about 6 to 9 inches from my mouth where it becomes a more natural listen.Low noise as well. Bear in mind that the microphone is very heavy so you need a solid base to hold it in. I have an NT1a and the base for that suits it well.

This is a professional, quality mic. I use my for streaming and the sound quality is superb. Please be aware though that if you are plugging this mic in to a PC then you will most likely need a small amp (with USB out) such as a Scarlet Solo which will add significantly to the price. Please be aware, because this is a processional recording mic, it does not have a USB output. You will also need to get yourself an XLR cable to plug the Mic in to the Scarlet (or similar) USB amp. I purchased a quality, "No Bull" premium cable for just over £6.This mic is heavy (quality heavy), so if you are going to be using a mic boom make sure it can handle the weight. I use a TONOR Adjustable Suspension Boom Scissor which currently cost around £24. You could buy the RODE arm which will cost around 3 times more but doesn't seem to add anything that I can see that the TONOR arm doesn't so I recommend that you save yourself around £40.Oh, the gold metal dot that you will find on the mic indicates where the front of the mic is. Have this facing you when talking in to the mic. The areas to the left and right of this dot will also have good pick up.In summary, for a PC setup I use the following with this mic which should give you a good start in knowing what you will need to look for:- RODE Procaster Mic- Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface (amp)- No Bull Premium XLR Cable (2m) (High Quality Balanced Male to Female Microphone Lead)- TONOR Microphone Arm Stand (Adjustable Suspension Boom Scissor Mic Stand with Pop Filter, 3/8" to 5/8" Adapter, Mic Clip, Upgraded Heavy Duty Clamp)

I use this in a podcast and I think it's an excellent sounding microphone. When I first started using it, I got several emails from listeners asking if I'd upgraded my mic, so it was definitely noticeable. One thing I'd say about it, is that it is quite bass heavy, so depending on the vibe you want, you might need to tinker with your EQ in post, but I find it to provide a very intimate and soft warmth.Rode have always made quality mics and this is no exception. The build quality is insane, it's heavy and feels like it's built like a tank, every part of the mic is made from metal and there's no plastic in sight. It might seem quite pricey if you're new to podcasting but once you feel and hear the sound quality I think you'll appreciate the step up from cheaper, entry-level mics. My one gripe would be the soft, leatherette carry case, which I wish had some padding, although to be honest if I dropped this thing I'd be more concerned for the floor rather than the mic, so it's not a big deal really.I use it plugged into a Scarlett 2i2 and before that, a Scarlett Solo and both drove it just fine, although I did have to turn the gain up to maximum, it was still silent and didn't pick up any unwanted room noise or white noise from excessive gain. If you're looking to get that broadcast feel to your voice and want to either upgrade your podcasting setup to something a little more professional, I couldn't recommend this highly enough.

This is a superb dynamic mic that is a serious alternative to the Shure SM7b. Whilst the SM7b has some advantages like better internal shock mounting, I prefer my voice on the Procaster.As many people have pointed out, this mic needs a lot of gain and +50dB without hiss is a lot of ask of many interfaces, hence the advice to use a Fethead or CloudLifter. An interesting, albeit slightly more expensive alternative is to get a dbx286s. This is a slim 1U rackmountable unit that gives you a lot of clean gain, it also includes a de-esser, a gate you can use to hide background noise, along with a low frequency control that gives you that "radio voice" and a high frequency alternative that adds a pleasant crispness. Now you could do some of those things in post-production if you are recording, but it is a great option if you are live (or like me have a huge problem with external noise from the street). I realise I'm in danger of reviewing the dbx rather than the Rode, but they make such a perfect combination for live streaming I think it is worth mentioning. This setup really brings out the best in the Rode mic.The Procaster itself is incredibly solid. I think it benefits from the Rode shockmount and boom arm, but that's a personal choice depending on how you intend to use it. I think it needs some sort of pop filter, you can get 3rd party alternatives to the Rode foam pop filter, which is a bit expensive. A more visually attractive option is the metal grill available from Roxdon. It is expensive but custom made for the Procaster. If your mic is in shot then it looks really nice.It is great for use in untreated rooms or noisy environments, so a very forgiving choice if you are recording or streaming from a room you cannot treat for sound. To some extent this would be true of any dynamic mic, but this has a large diaphragm to capture a full rendition of your voice and rejects lots of sound from the sides and behind.Naturally the Procaster will work better with some voices than others e.g. I'm not a singer, but if I were I'd be a light tenor. I use some breathing exercises so I am speaking from my diaphragm and not my throat, which would have a more constricted sound. So while this mic is good out of the box, you can also learn to sound better on it e.g. finding the sweet spot in terms of distance.BTW if you literally just want to record straight onto your computer and avoid all XLR type stuff then there is the Rode Podcaster, which is basically the same mic but with USB and a socket for your headphones. XLR mics give you more options for the future, but I appreciate some people might want to just plug it in and record.