AudioChainsDB

RodePodMic USB

microphone

New retail price (MSRP)

$199

Used market: $155*

Check price at ThomannManufacturer datasheet

Specifications

8 of 10 values have a recorded source
Built-in converter
24-bit, 48 kHz·
Connectors
XLR 3-Pin Male · USB-C · 3.5 mm Headphone Jack·
Built-in converter
yes·
Self-noise
26✓
Transducer
Dynamic Moving Coil✓
Sensitivity
-57✓
Output impedance
460✓
Phantom power required
no✓
Connection
Hybrid-USB-XLR✓
Indexable Locales
en·

Expert Audio Engineering Commentary

Tonal profile

A PodMic capsule with a converter and Rode's own preamp bolted behind it, so the same microphone is either a passive dynamic on XLR or a self-contained USB device. Cardioid, internal pop filter and shock mount, rated to 148 dB SPL.

Gain staging

On XLR this is a hungry dynamic: -57 dBV/Pa, 2.5 dB below an SM58 and a decibel below an SM57, with a 460 ohm output that is high for a moving coil - it wants a preamp with at least a 3 kilohm input and 60 dB of clean gain. Over USB none of that applies, because the gain and the load are inside the microphone. Rode publishes both noise figures, 26 dBA analogue and 19 dBA digital, and the 7 dB between them is the measure of what the internal preamp saves you over a cheap external one.

Setups using this gear

Rode PodMic USB: USB or XLR — which side is louder, and what do we actually know?

* Estimated with the depreciation fallback (~78% retained value).