The $149 Rode Wireless Micro portable microphone system is the most compact we’ve ever seen. The kit includes two transmitting microphones, a receiver, and a charging case, allowing you to record high-quality audio from your phone on the go. Moreover, the case is impressively tiny, and the battery life is solid. We wish it included some features available on competing mics, such as gain control and a 3.5mm jack, but we understand these features are absent so Rode could make the system more portable. If you need the absolute smallest wireless mic for your phone, the Rode Wireless Micro is a compelling option. Ultimately, the $169 DJI Mic Mini remains our Editors’ Choice for portable wireless microphones despite its higher price and larger case thanks to its longer battery life and more advanced recording tools.
Design: Incredibly Compact
It’s easy to mistake the Rode Wireless Micro for a pair of true wireless earphones, as the charging case for the microphones is about the same size. It measures 2.83 by 2.28 by 1.18 inches (HWD) and weighs 3.59 ounces with everything packed inside. You can easily fit it in your pocket. In comparison, the charging case for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds measures 2.61 by 2.34 by 1.05 inches. The DJI Mic Mini charging case is bigger and heavier at 3.78 by 1.61 by 2.34 inches and 4.9 ounces—without anything inside. It doesn’t fit in a pocket.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
Case size aside, Rode sells the Wireless Micro in two configurations: one with a USB-C receiver and one with a Lightning receiver. The whole kit comes in black or white and includes two clip-on transmitters with magnetic attachments, the receiver, two furry windshields, and a USB-C-to-USB-C charging cable.
The transmitters have a fairly typical design and size. The front is covered in shiny plastic with a centered Rode logo, while the rest of the transmitter body is made of matte plastic. The lapel clip is metal, and the optional magnet (which is surprisingly strong) is attached and ready for use. A fine mesh screen covers the top edge where the microphone is located. There are no buttons or ports of any kind. You’ll barely notice the two small copper contact charging points on the bottom. The transmitters measure 1.57 by 0.79 by 0.67 inches. They’re small and not too obvious on camera.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
The receiver is smaller. It’s a tiny bar with two green LEDs and a USB-C or Lightning connector sticking out one end. There are no buttons, no controls, and no ports. It measures 1.73 by 0.94 by 0.35 inches. As a point of comparison, the Mic Mini receiver measures 1.83 by 1.17 by 0.76 inches and includes a gain dial, a power button, a link button, a USB-C port, a 3.5mm jack, a series of copper pins for attaching a USB-C male connector, and a cold shoe. The Rode receiver does one thing: It plugs into a USB-C capture device, like your phone or tablet. The DJI receiver does that, too, but it also connects to cameras and PCs and allows you to tweak at least a few settings directly.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
Battery life is reasonable for such a small system. The transmitters can run for up to 7 hours per charge. Their LED glows green when the charge is above 20%, then changes to amber when the charge is between 10% and 20%, and finally switches to red when there’s less than 10% remaining. The case holds an additional 14 hours of battery life, for a total of 21 hours of recording time. The receiver does not have a battery and instead draws power from your phone or tablet. The case and components together need 3 hours to fully recharge with a 10W brick (not supplied). The case charges via a USB-C port on the rear. A small green LED pulses on and off while charging and shines consistently when everything is charged. The Mic Mini system, meanwhile, runs for about 11 hours per charge with a total of 48 hours available, including the case.
Usability: Simple, But Limited
The Rode Wireless Micro is boiled down to the most essential elements. Rode handles most of the basics for you. Take out the receiver and insert it into your phone, then take out one or both transmitters and attach them to your subjects. While you’re doing this, the Wireless Micro transmitter and receivers power themselves up and connect to one another automatically. That’s all you need to do to start recording.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
The microphones will work with any app that can capture audio, including your phone’s camera app and voice recorder app. Rode offers several apps for interacting with the Wireless Micro, called Rode Capture and Rode Central. Both apps are available for Android and iOS, but they are hardly worth the download. They’re basic, don’t have many features, and only allow you to adjust the output gain, switch whether you’re recording in mono or stereo, and control whether the LEDs glow brightly or dimly. You can use the apps to update the system’s firmware. Rode Capture and Rode Central are poorly rated in the app stores for good reason: they just don’t do much to enhance the experience of using the Wireless Micro.
(Credit: Rode/PCMag)
In this respect, the DJI Mic Mini offers far more features. For example, it allows you to manage auto on/off behaviors for the transmitters and receiver, set gain levels, record a separate safety track, access three levels of noise cancellation, and more. With the Wireless Micro, you get “intelligent GainAssist technology” that Rode claims can automatically control your audio levels to prevent overloading the mics.
(Credit: Rode/PCMag)
With no buttons to push and no significant settings to tweak, the Rode Wireless Micro is about as simple a system as you’ll encounter.
Performance: Strong Signal
In this case, simple also means easy. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a wireless mic system that required so little fussing before you hit the record button. That’s great news if you’re often inspired at random moments and want to start capturing audio right away. Because the Wireless Micro has two transmitters, it’s ideal for use in close-up interviews and scenes where your subjects are far apart. Rode claims the system has a range of 100 meters. I had no issue recording audio to about 100 feet.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
Since the Wireless Micro is designed for phones and tablets, that’s how I primarily tested it. I connected the receiver directly to the USB-C ports of an Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, an Apple iPad Pro, and a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6. The experience and results were equal across the board.
All three devices instantly recognized the receiver and switched from the embedded mics to the Rode. I was able to use the native Android and iOS video camera and voice recorder apps to record mono and stereo signals without issue. Third-party apps were a little more hit-or-miss. For example, DJI’s Omni mobile app refused to acknowledge the Rode microphone even though the app works seamlessly with DJI’s USB-connected mic on the same device. But Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok all worked flawlessly when I used their internal capture tools to record audio and video.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
You cannot pair the transmitters with your phone via Bluetooth; the receiver is required. You can also not record audio directly to the transmitters or plug in a TRS microphone via 3.5mm, which limits the flexibility to a degree. Moreover, I tried to use the transmitter with my camera and laptop to no avail. The Rode Wireless Micro is a mobile-only product.
The audio quality is quite good but not wholly pristine. I like the overall timbre of voices captured by the mics, which sound natural. However, you will get the odd plosive and some wind noise if you use the mics without the included windshields. It’s a shame the windshields don’t fit on the transmitters when in the charging case. The GainAssist software isn’t always up to the job. If your subject turns their head away from and toward the mic while speaking, you may notice some up and down in the audio level. The software is a little slow to react to environmental sounds like wind, traffic, and random background voices. I wish it included even a basic level of noise cancellation. Instead, you’ll have to manage low-frequency drones and other imperfections in post.
(Credit: Eric Zeman)
The Rode Wireless Micro works best in quieter environments where voices have a pleasing warmth. Out in the world—where capturing audio on the go actually happens—the mics pick up unwanted background noise to a greater degree than some competing models.
Verdict: A Good Mic for Travel
It’s hard to believe Rode crams an entire two-mic wireless recording system into a package this small. The charging case easily fits in a pocket and manages to contain the transmitters and receiver you need to record stereo audio from your smartphone. We appreciate the unrivaled portability, solid battery life, and warm vocal tones that the Wireless Micro records, but we think Rode was perhaps a little too aggressive in trimming functionality. We’d prefer to have more connection options, some basic noise cancellation, and better control over gain. The Rode Wireless Micro is best suited for those who need the absolute smallest microphone system when on the road—and are willing to give up features in favor of size. Everyone else would do well to spend a little more on the DJI Mic Mini, which connects to more devices, offers good noise reduction, and captures pristine audio, making it our Editors’ Choice.
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About Eric Zeman
Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics
