Rode, the Australian audio company that enjoyed breakthrough success with the Wireless Go and GO II, has unveiled a dual transmitter version of the more affordable Wireless ME mic. If you can do without onboard recording, the dual transmitter version could save you from buying extra gear for a multi-mic setup.
As wireless clip-on digital mics have exploded in popularity with creators, the (single transmitter) Rode Wireless ME has been a popular budget ($149) alternative to the $299 GO II. This dual-transmitter model is otherwise the same as the single-mic version. So, you’ll get the same Series IV 2.4GHz digital transmission, Rode’s GainAssist tech and “universal compatibility” with cameras, phones and computers.
Also, like the single-transmitter version of the Wireless ME, the new model’s receiver includes an extra “behind-camera” mic for a bonus audio source. In this case, that theoretically gives you a third mic — as long as your setup allows plugging it directly into your recording device. It works with the Rode Capture app (available for iOS and Android), which is aimed at creators.
Given that the Wireless ME is on the budget end of Rode’s lineup, the same compromises from the single-transmitter version apply. That includes the lack of a receiver display, onboard recording / storage or an option to record a safety track at a lower gain level. In return for those tradeoffs, you’ll likely save a few bucks vs. the higher-end GO II.
We say “likely” because Rode hasn’t yet said how much the dual-transmitter version will cost. (The single-mic variant costs $150, so you can probably assume it will be more.) The dual Wireless ME arrives this spring, so expect to hear about pricing as its release date approaches. It will be available in black and (for the first time in the ME series) white.
Rode has growing competition in this space. JBL launched a similar budget product — the $100 Quantum Stream — at CES 2024, and DJI just revealed the Mic 2, including a $349 dual-transmitter variant.
