The Rode PodMic is similar in price to many USB microphones we test, but it doesn’t use a USB connection. Instead, like most pro studio mics, the dynamic cardioid microphone uses an XLR connection to capture an analog signal. Although this means you can’t simply plug it into your computer like a USB mic, most professional recording gear is designed for XLR microphones, and at $99, the PodMic is affordable enough that you can purchase several to ensure consistent audio across multiple subjects. The PodMic doesn’t hold your hand through the recording process, but its no-frills approach and transparent signal can help move your audio recording setup and skills in a more professional direction.
A Simple Design
Available in black with a silver grille, the cylindrical PodMic measures 6.8 by 2.4 by 4.3 inches (HWD) and weighs roughly 2 pounds. The front-address mic sports a useful built-in swivel mount and the rear of the enclosure houses the XLR connection. A pop filter and damping material sit behind the metallic grille. The dynamic capsule mic delivers a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz and records audio in a cardioid pattern.
Note that the PodMic doesn’t ship with a desktop stand or an external pop filter. Like most XLR mics (but unlike most USB mics), you don’t get a connection cable in the box either and the mic doesn’t include a headphone jack, gain knob, or any onboard presets. Those aren’t complaints, however; most mics in professional recording studios are similarly devoid of buttons and dials.
Transparent Recordings
The PodMic offers a clean, somewhat uncolored sound signature. The internal pop filter works quite well—the damping and the filter thwarted our attempts to make some plosives blow up a recording. For instance, powerful “P” sounds (like if you yelled “Pop!”) don’t set the capsule off in the slightest. We also recorded some vocals at both normal and loud volumes.
You might find that the mic’s signal is a bit less crisp than you prefer—the capsule transmits lows and low-mids quite well, so a baritone vocal might sound overly bass-heavy. Mics like the Shure SM7 have filters you can employ on the back to dial back the lows a bit, but if you want to do that with the PodMic’s signal, you must use EQ plugins.
But that’s a bit of a nitpick. The PodMic is capable of clear, transparent recordings and manages to stop plosives without the need for an external pop filter. If your goal is to match a clean signal across multiple vocalists, the PodMic is a solid option to purchase in multiples.
The cardioid recording pattern is also an advantage because the mic rejects sounds from anyone or anything located behind it. That means that you can get decent separation for mixing with two or more mics set up in the same room.
Affordable, Clear Audio
The Rode PodMic is an excellent vocal mic well worth its $100 price. It produces an accurate, neutral-leaning signal and responds well to any EQ changes you want to make. The internal damping and pop filter work as advertised, and you can probably get by without an external pop filter if your recording subject has reasonably good mic technique. Ultimately, the main advantage of the PodMic is its value—two of these will set you back less than a single Shure SM7 (or the dual USB/XLR Shure MV7). If you’re looking for something comparable in the USB realm, the similarly priced Rode NT-USB Mini and Blue Yeti Nano are both strong options that also avoid any digital signal processing.
