R0DE Wireless GO (Gen 3) review — Sounds like upgrade time

R0DE has been in the premium audio business since 1967, when Henry Freedman, a London-born sound engineer, and his Swedish-born wife, Astrid, formed the company.  While we’ve seen generation after generation of audio technologies, ever cleaner and feature-rich, a brand new generation of creators is looking to bring studio-quality sound to the field.  Today, we’ll take a look (or more accurately, a listen) to the Gen 3 R0DE Wireless GO, the company’s newest iteration of their professional wireless microphone system.  Aimed squarely at today’s content creator crowd, could this third iteration of this flagship product be worth the upgrade from its predecessors, and can it handle the most challenging of audio scenarios?  It’s time to find out. 

GamingTrend’s recording studio is far from the most acoustically tuned video space.  While there are some dampening panels on the wall, there is an unseen wall on the opposite side that is a floor-to-ceiling green screen.  That makes audio bounce a real problem at times.  I’ve tested microphones that handle this relatively well, and I’ve had my fair share of them that sound like I’m in a tin can of an echo chamber on the moon.  I can certainly continue to tune the physical space, adding additional panels, blankets, and more to dampen any audio bounce. There is a technological approach to solving the issue.  

As I mentioned, the R0DE Wireless GO has seen three generations of upgrades, with this last one being the one we’re reviewing today.  I’ve been using the Wireless GO II and an older Wireless GO as my go-to field microphones for a few years, and despite the somewhat confusing naming convention, this newest iteration has a number of features that make it an immediate recommendation for an upgrade.  Lofty statement, to be sure, but let’s get into the specifics.  To keep things simpler, I’m going to refer to these simply by Gen 2 and Gen 3, referring to the Wireless GO II and Wireless GO Gen 3, respectively.  

Looking at the outside, there are only a handful of cosmetic differences between the previous generation and this one. First, the words “Wireless Go II” and the signature gold dot have been removed in favor of the simple R0DE typeface font in white.  Two LEDs are still in the upper corner as indicators.  The surface of the device is still shiny, which isn’t wonderful for lighting sources, but at least the sides are now matte.  To appeal to the visual flair a streamer or influencer might use, you can now get the device in a dozen colors, as you can see here.  I don’t know how many people will mix and match to synchronize with their outfits, but a removable shell might have been a better choice.  Or better yet, a small screen to display a channel or website logo.  It’s a very minor thing, but when I’m trying to represent GamingTrend, I don’t necessarily also want to advertise R0DE at that moment.  

To understand the biggest difference between the hardware generations, you have to understand what a “float” is.  To do that, you have to get a bit into the weeds about how audio is captured.  If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a 32-bit float can be a bit complex.  When you record audio, it has to fit within a specific memory registry.  The vast majority of audio capture devices are 24-bit, meaning they have 24 on and off positions to capture the dynamic audio range.  This range handles the fullness of the sound and also the volume.  A 32-bit float is still capturing audio at 24-bit, but the volume control is shifted to the last 8 bits.  It gives more headroom for capturing that same audio richness as before, but now more accurately, with 8 bits of space devoted to ensure your audio doesn’t get too quiet to be detected or too high to cause it to “peak” or flatten out and distort, thanks to dual integrated low-cut filters at both 75 and 100 Hz. The filter is meant to reduce rumble from things like wind, air conditioners, and other passive noises, with further adjustments able to be made with R0DE Central, R0DE’s software – we’ll get to that in a bit. 

Normally, audio and volume are compressed into a 24-bit stream, which can cause sound artifacting if the sound is too loud, causing it to “clip” or flatten out..  The R0DE Wireless Gen 3 captures at 24-bit, but also has that extra bit of headroom up to 32-bit. It does so while also ensuring no compression is occurring, meaning the capture is precisely what you hear – devoid of any artifacts, and with a bit of extra space for adjustments when needed.  Thanks to a robust 32GB of on-device storage, you’ll be able to hold more than 40 hours of this uncompressed audio, meaning you can run this device without the need for a camera, phone, or any other device. If any of this made your head hurt, just know that it’s clean audio in, clean audio out, and without distortion. 

As I mentioned, the Gen 3 (and its predecessors) are built for near-universal compatibility.  While this is becoming more common among microphone manufacturers, there are a few additional features for this generation that might be worthwhile.  The battery life is still the same, 7-8 hours of constant local recording with noise cancelling, with the same weight and profile.  The range, on the other hand, gets a solid boost, going from around 200m or 656 feet to around 260m or 853 feet.  That’s enough for you to have long-lens cameras set up in a press area while your reporter walks around at the other end of a theater.  Both generations will charge to roughly 75-80% in less than a lunch break, but a new Charge Case+ was introduced with the Gen 3 that can add 21 hours of battery charge, storage, and even the ability to process the files and perform updates while charging.  It’s far better than the third-party chargers I used with Gen 1 and 2, and it has a far smaller footprint.  

Beyond the extended range and the additional headroom of the 32-bit float, there are some differences in the microphone, not the least of which being that it can now physically lock into the receiver.  This is great if you use lavaliers, but want to make sure they don’t accidentally get disconnected in the case of an accidental pull on clothing. While this newest device doesn’t have a magnet for clipping it to your shirt magnetically (please add this next time!), but the clip will keep it safely attached to your belt.  In my case, I use it with a lavalier that has a metal cage, allowing me to clip it to a device I wear around my neck, which works as well.  

In the video above, you can hear the difference between the previous generation R0DE Wireless II and the R0DE Wireless GO (Gen3).  There is a pronounced background hiss that even the noise cancellation wouldn’t take out without manual adjustments, whereas the R0DE Wireless GO (Gen3) pulled those out immediately.  There’s a marked difference in audio quality – something my team noticed immediately in the video above.  Let me know in the comments if you can hear the difference – I’ve marked the point where I switched in the video, allowing you to hear the changeover.  

One of the things I appreciate about the R0DE Wireless GO (Gen3) is that it is essentially universally compatible.  The 3.5mm jack on the side of the transmitter can be plugged into a number of things, or adapted to do so, allowing just about any device to carry audio to it.  Similarly, it has a USB-C connector, meaning you can connect it to a number of different USB-C audio sources.  Whether you are connecting it to a DSLR, a mirrorless camera with a 3.5mm jack, or your PC, iPhone, or Android device via USB, it’s essentially plug-and-play.  That sort of universal compatibility and ease of use isn’t lost on me – I’ve got a lot to keep track of, and a simple audio setup is one less thing to worry about.  

There is a bit of tech I didn’t notice until I connected the device to the R0DE Central software.  In here, you can designate your output gain mode. Manual just adds a gain to the overall package in 3dB increments.  Camera gives you a wealth of camera types, providing a profile that is perfectly suited to your specific device.  In my case, it had the Blackmagic 6K Pro already built in, setting the levels automatically.  If you’re using headphones or a headset to monitor, you can adjust the volume level here as well.  It’s great having this level of granularity, and I’ve never seen this camera profile system built into any device before.  It’s also in here that you designate how you’d like your audio captured.

When you capture with the Wireless GO (Gen3), you can select to route it either split, merged, or with a safety track.  Split is likely the most common use case, as it records each transmitter onto a separate channel (left and right) so you can adjust each individually.  Merged is what the name suggests: moving both audio sources into a single summed output for minimal post-production work.  Safety records both audio tracks and merges them, but also captures the right channel with a 10dB reduction.  If you were to have a loud issue happen, you can use that audio track to salvage your sound.  

Another hidden feature (or at least one I wasn’t aware of till now) is the ability to set the device to flag key moments. Tapping the 0 button on the device sends a marker to all devices that pops up in Resolve that designates it for attention.  That’s a slick little feature that helps simplify your edits, and another feature that says “The people who designed this also use it”.  

There is a feature you can toggle in the software that’s another indicator that the people who made this also use it, and that’s the plug-in detect.  If you turn it on (and the camera has the feature to use it), the device will spring to life automatically, making it ready to go faster. On the receiver, this can be done by plugging in a microphone.  We don’t have one to test (yet!), but I suspect this will tie in directly with the R0DECaster Video, springing to life as it recognizes it and makes it ready for use.  

Speaking of always being ready, the transmitter can capture to its 32GB of onboard memory.  That translates to over 40 hours of high-quality recording, even with the 32-bit float enabled.  Given that it can run continuously for over 7 hours, that’s a whole lot of audio for each transmitter.  The great part is that it works even without the receiver.  This means you can fire these up, even without a camera, and take an impromptu interview with no additional equipment.  While you’re in here, you can also enable an automatic high-pass filter (it was disabled for the video above, so you can hear the raw audio capture), as well as another feature that I greatly appreciate.

Enabled by default, the Wireless GO (Gen3) has “Auto Gain Assist” enabled.  This automatically provides an appropriate amount of audio adjustment to obtain a more natural and even sound.  If you have heard audio on a device fade off when the subject moves around, this aims to provide a bit more consistency.  Dynamic GainAssist does this while also trying to maintain the audio dynamics for a more natural sound that doesn’t have large swings in gain.  Both sound fantastic, but you’ll have to play with them a bit to determine what works best for your environment.  If you want to disable it for some reason, you can also do that in here, setting the gain or reduction manually from 0dB to 30dB.  

While you're in the Transmitter adjustments, you can set the same button to do the flagging mentioned above, or use that button to mute.  You can also adjust the brightness of the LEDs, enable or disable the automatic power-off, rename the device for ease of tracking, and even set an automatic dropout flag to the recording should the signal between the transmitter and receiver drop below an acceptable level.  It doesn’t do anything other than drop that flag into your editor, but it will allow you to spot problems should they occur. Yet another quality of life set of features.  

The little charging strip that you plug all of the devices into to charge them also comes into play when using R0DE Central.  If you plug in more than one device, you’ll be able to manage them in the software, gaining access to all the features above, as well as managing the recordings, without the need to use three USB connections.  I don’t have the charging case to test against, but I suspect the official one will provide that same functionality.  

There is one extraordinary feature that is completely and entirely unique to R0DE, and it’s frankly impossible to beat.  While both R0DE and others offer warranties for their gear, not only does this device carry a 5-year warranty, but at the end of it, R0DE provides a “seamless and cost-effective pathway to upgrade” to whatever is next.  That means you don’t have to worry about battery degradation, you don’t have to worry about device failure, and you don’t have to worry about obsolescence.  They’ll even help you responsibly dispose of the device if you find yourself in need of that service – all of this is offered with the word of Peter Freedman AM, R0DE’s Founder.  That’s completely unheard of, and frankly, adds a level of value that I can’t readily quantify.  Here’s the guarantee in full: 

RØDE Guarantee

"I take my obligations to our customers, the environment, and future generations seriously. To that end, and to give comfort to current and future RØDE customers, we have implemented a 5-year warranty on all wireless products. This means if you own a RØDE wireless product, it now has a 5-year warranty, regardless of when you bought it. At the end of those 5 years RØDE will offer you a seamless and cost-effective pathway to upgrade.

I also give you my personal guarantee that all future RØDE wireless product designs will have user-replaceable batteries where possible, or be supported by our 5-year warranty and sustainable battery recycling program.

If you have a RØDE wireless product that requires responsible disposal, please contact our customer support team."

– Peter Freedman AM, Founder

Our last stop on any review is always warranty and price.  We just covered the warranty, so let’s talk about the price.  The R0DE Wireless GO (Gen 3) has an MSRP of $199.  At the time of writing they were $100 more expensive, but R0DE announced a massive price drop, recognizing that life is a bit tough for everyone right now –  amazing. With upcoming sales like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, there’s bound to be opportunities to snap these up on sale.  Even at full MSRP, and especially at the new reduced price, they’re absolutely worth the upgrade.  They have a number of features to ensure you catch those moments you might not get twice, as well as quality of life upgrades to make your workflow easier. These are easy to recommend, even as an upgrade to the Wireless GO II.