It's been ages since I've written a product review but I've been using this cool little mic for a few weeks now and it's well worth talking about.
A couple of months back I was dragged, kicking and screaming, over to TikTok. I make stupid videos and post them there. My first few clips were with the built in phone mic, which, as a VO I realised wasn't the best advert. Then I thought, "I know, I'll record in my booth with my proper mic and then edit the audio together with the video after".
Ridiculous idea. The point of TikTok for me is to get stuff out there in as little time as possible.
So the solution was to get a plug in microphone for my mobile.
Enter the RØDE VideoMic Me-C.
The RØDE VideoMic Me-C is a tiny (just over 7cm long) microphone that plugs directly into the USB-C connector of your mobile phone/tablet. Because of it's size, it's more portable than a portable TV ever was. This can literally fit in your pocket. The reason for its existence is simple - to improve the audio quality of your phone recordings (video, voice notes etc). It is also a great gift idea for the voice over artist in your life.
Who likes bullet points? Good, because you're going to get some now.
Pros of the RØDE VideoMic Me-C
It's small and therefore it's portable. You can carry it in your pocket or bag without even noticing it's there.
Plug it in and it just works. You don't need any power source for this, it runs off of the USB-C connection. Shove it in and you're ready to record.
Sound quality is better than built in phone mics. It has a directional condenser capsule, meaning the sound is picked up in from front of the microphone, which cuts back on annoying background noise. And it's crisper and clearer than the phone mic.
The output volume is far greater than the built in phone mic.
It's compatible with loads of devices. USB-C is pretty universal among new phones and tablets so it's likely going to work with yours, across operating systems.
It's flexible. I don't mean bendy, I mean you can plug it into the USB slot in both directions. So you can have it working on the screen side, or the back of your phone, depending on if you're recording yourself or someone else.
It's cheap. When I bought it in mid 2023 (as the vlogging bundle), it was £79 for the mic, a stand for the phone, a wind diffuser and a little light. The improvement it has made to the audio makes it an absolute bargain in my eyes/ears.
You can monitor the sound. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack on it so you can listen to the audio while recording.
Cons of the RØDE VideoMic Me-C
You'll probably need the Rode Reporter app. When I first plugged it in and recorded, the audio was full of static. After much annoying research (as is often the way when you just want something to work first time), I found out about the app. Update the firmware in it's settings and you'll be good to go. (Slight inconvenience but we're programmed to what instant results these days!)
You can't hear playback when the mic is plugged in. Well, you can, but only through the headphones. I don't wear headphones when filming myself, so it's a bit of a pain having to put them on each time I want to check the video clips.
Unplugging stops it working. (Well, obviously). What I mean is... if you unplug it to listen to playback (if headphones aren't available), you'll have to close the Rode Reporter app, close your filming app and open them again after reinserting the mic. For some reason it completely kills the connection between mic and app if you remove it with the app open.
It's likely you'll have to take the phone case off. The mic is designed so that the phone "rests" on it, with two small "feet" to assist the connection. Because the USB connection on the mic is quite short, it doesn't have the length to pass through 1mm or 2mm extra of phone case.
Who else might use a RØDE VideoMic Me-C?
Content creators. If you're making videos for social media and don't have ALL THE GEAR yet, then this will save you both money and time. Use it for TikTok, Youtube, Instagram, Facebook and all of the others!
Vloggers. Before you make your YouTube millions, you might be strapped for cash, but you still want to look and sound good online. I probably sound like a rep by this point, but if you skip down to the video comparison at the end, you'll see why.
Filmmakers. Can't afford a dedicated sound recordist? That's a shame, but this will at least give you options. The advancement of technology in recent years has opened up opportunities for budding filmmakers to get cracking.
Journalists. Out in the field and need to record members of the public? Better quality than the phone and not as cumbersome as those big ice cream cone looking mics. This will make your job easier when you get back to the newsroom as you'll have a lot less trouble hearing what's being said.
Podcasters. Want to start podcasting but have a limited budget? Do it on your phone! I'm a strong believer that everybody has something to say, but sometimes they don't have facility to say it. This will sort that out.
Interviewers. If you're in the process of hiring someone, why not record the interview? You'll be able to concentrate on the conversation more, instead of having to make notes. You can point this at the interviewee and say "TALK".
Meeting attendees. If you log on to meetings via your phone, use this. People will think you sound better than you normally do!
Streamers. Going live? Do it anywhere, anytime. React to the latest news and stand out from others doing the same... which leads me onto...
People turn off if the audio is bad!
You'd think given that billions of poor quality videos are uploaded every nano-second to every social platform available, that people would generally be more forgiving these days.
Not true.
Poor quality audio impacts negatively on viewer engagement.
A HubSpot study found 85% of viewers will stop watching a video if the audio quality is poor or it's difficult to hear. Mumbling BBC dramas anybody?!
The University of Salford revealed that viewers perceive poor audio quality as more detrimental to their experience than low-quality visuals. Participants in the study said they felt frustrated, annoyed and less engaged. Let's take a look at that again and revel in it's glory...
VIEWERS PERCEIVE POOR AUDIO QUALITY AS MORE DETRIMENTAL TO THEIR ERXPERIENCE THAN LOW-QUALITY VISUALS
A survey by Brightcove saw 60% of respondents state that they would abandon a video with poor audio quality, even if the content was interesting. Paying attention yet?
Wistia's analysis of video engagement showed that videos with better audio quality tend to have higher completion rates and viewer retention.
The Audio Engineering Society (AES) conducted research on audio quality perception and concluded that audio quality significantly impacts user experience and emotional engagement. And that's what we all want right? Emotional engagement in a piece?
These stats show that, whether you like it or not, prioritizing audio quality in videos is pretty darned important. Clear, well-captured audio enhances engagement, understanding of the piece and the overall viewing experience.
RØDE VideoMic Me-C vs Built in phone mic
Here's a video with incredibly low production values.
However, you can immediately hear the difference when it switches between the two mics.
There was no processing done on either pieces of audio, that's how they came out of the phone.
So despite the cons, which actually are all incredibly minor, I'd have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this neat piece of kit.
Yes, there are a million and one other things to buy during your career as a voiceover artist, but if you want to make quick clips (video or audio) or do auditions on the move without taking all your gear, this is an amazing option. It's convenient, it's affordable and it sounds MUCH better than the built in phone mic.
This blog contains links where I may make a measly amount of money should you make a purchase (on Amazon!)
