New Rode Wireless Pro

[Ty Ford]

Wow! This looks pretty impressive. Anyone got their hands on one yet?   RØDE ANNOUNCES THE WIRELESS PRO    THE MOST POWERFUL  WIRELESS MICROPHONE EVER

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Tuesday, August 22, 2023

RØDE has today announced a groundbreaking new wireless microphone system for filmmakers and content creators, the Wireless PRO. Fresh off the back of releasing the Wireless ME, the perfect grab-and-go mic for creators, RØDE has now unleashed the most powerful compact wireless system ever with the Wireless PRO. Boasting an unprecedented feature set not found in any microphone – let alone a compact wireless system – the Wireless PRO delivers next-level audio quality and unmatched versatility for today’s demanding creators and filmmakers. Taking the legacy of the legendary Wireless GO series to new heights, this is the ultimate wireless microphone.

The Wireless PRO takes the legacy of the legendary Wireless GO series to new heights.   KEY FEATURES OF THE WIRELESS PRO: Compact dual-channel wireless microphone system RØDE’s state-of-the-art Series IV 2.4 GHz digital transmission with 128-bit encryption for crystal-clear, incredibly stable audio up to 260m (850 ft) line of sight Universal compatibility with cameras, smartphones and computers 32-bit float on-board recording with 32GB internal memory for clip-free audio in any recording application Advanced timecode capability for quick-and-easy audio sync in post-production Intelligent GainAssist technology, flexible output gain control and safety channel for ensuring pristine audio when recording direct to camera Locking 3.5mm lavalier connectors for complete security Headphone output with on-board level control TRRS input on receiver for headset or other “narrator” microphone to record up to three audio channels simultaneously Plug-in power detect for extended battery life Complete accessory kit, including smart charge case, two Lavalier II microphones, cables, MagClip GO magnetic mounting clip and accessory case Easy configuration on a computer or smartphone via RØDE Central Designed and made in RØDE’s precision facilities in Sydney, Australia   “In 2019, the Wireless GO was the first truly wireless microphone to enter the market,” says RØDE CEO Damien Wilson. “RØDE was the first company to create a compact and easy to use workflow that forever changed the way creators capture audio for their content. The Wireless GO II took this even further, adding incredible new features and setting a new standard for compact wireless audio. Today, we take this iconic microphone a step further once again with the Wireless PRO. We’ve left no stone unturned when it comes to features in this new system, packing incredibly powerful and useful features like 32-bit float on-board recording and advanced timecode capability into the same compact, easy-to-use form factor that thousands of creators around the world use every day.”   ULTRA-COMPACT PROFESSIONAL WIRELESS   Despite its powerful capabilities, the Wireless PRO features the same pocket-sized form factor as the rest of RØDE’s compact wireless range, with a sleek new black-on-black aesthetic for extra discretion. It comes in a dual-channel set with two transmitters and a receiver and utilises RØDE’s state-of-the-art Series IV 2.4GHz digital transmission and proprietary near-zero latency codec with 128-bit encryption to deliver crystal-clear, incredibly stable audio at distances up to 260m (850 ft) line of sight. Integrated clips and broadcast-quality in-built omnidirectional microphones on the transmitters make getting set up a breeze, and it is universally compatible with cameras, smartphones and tablets, computers, and other audio devices via its analog 3.5mm TRS and digital USB-C outputs.   PERFECT AUDIO IN ANY SCENARIO   The Wireless PRO offers an array of powerful features for ensuring creators can capture flawless audio every single time. 32-bit float on-board recording capabilities allow users to record directly to the transmitters with no chance of the audio clipping. This groundbreaking feature ensures users will always have a clean backup of their session – even in extremely dynamic scenarios – and eliminates the need to set gain levels prior to recording, making the creative workflow more streamlined than ever before. 32GB of internal memory offers over 40 hours of on-board recording, with dedicated buttons on the transmitters that make triggering recordings super easy.   For users that want to record audio directly into their camera, the Wireless PRO provides a plethora of features for capturing pristine audio. This includes RØDE’s innovative GainAssist technology – first introduced with the Wireless ME – which utilises intelligent algorithms to automatically control audio levels on the fly, ensuring the output is smooth and balanced and minimising the risk of clipping. It also features a flexible output control with a huge 30dB gain range available, allowing users to precisely tailor the mic’s output to their camera, as well as pre-configured camera presets for quick-and-easy setup. For added peace of mind, the Wireless PRO also offers a safety channel feature, which outputs a second channel of audio 10dB lower than the primary channel in case the signal is too hot and clips the camera input.   These features combined make recording pristine audio incredibly easy. No matter their preferred workflow, users can set their Wireless PRO up to deliver perfect audio in almost any environment or scenario, taking the guesswork out of recording and unlocking more creative freedom.

RECORD AND SYNC   To perfectly complement its 32-bit float on-board recording feature, the Wireless PRO offers advanced timecode sync capabilities, making synchronising audio to video in post-production extremely easy. Eschewing the need for complex and expensive external timecode systems, the Wireless PRO features an internal timecode generator that is easy to use and seamlessly synchronises audio with any camera. This can be easily set up on a computer or smartphone via RØDE Central, with flexible configuration options to suit any recording setup.   MORE FEATURES, MORE FLEXIBILITY   In addition to its powerful on-board recording and advanced timecode capabilities, the Wireless PRO offers an abundance of other professional features that make it uniquely flexible. Both transmitters feature locking lavalier connectors for complete security when using an external lavalier or other microphone with a locking connector. Plug-in power detect on the receiver – which automatically powers the unit on and off in sync with a connected camera – extends battery life in the field. The 3.5mm output on the receiver also functions as a headphone output for audio monitoring (complete with flexible output level control) as well as an audio input for a headset or other TRRS microphone, such as a lavalier like the RØDE smartLav+. Merged and split recording modes, marker dropping and customisable buttons are just a few other features that make the Wireless PRO the most powerful wireless microphone system available. The Wireless PRO can also be easily configured on a computer or on the go with a smartphone using the RØDE Central companion app, allowing users to set it up exactly as they need anywhere.     COMPLETE PRO ACCESSORY KIT     The Wireless PRO comes with a complete pro accessory kit, giving users everything they need to get recording right away. This includes a smart charge case, which not only protects the transmitters and receiver when in transit, but also ensures they are always fully charged and facilitates ultra-fast data transfer for quickly exporting on-board recordings to a computer in the studio or in the field. Two Lavalier II microphones deliver broadcast-grade audio capture and the MagClip GO magnetic clips allow for flexible mounting of the transmitters on talent or the receiver on a recording device. It also comes with three high-quality furry windshields for recording in windy conditions, all necessary cables for connecting to cameras, phones and other devices, and a handy case for keeping these accessories safe. The Wireless PRO is designed and made in RØDE’s precision manufacturing facilities in Sydney, Australia, and is built using the highest quality components.   The Wireless PRO sets a lofty new standard for compact wireless audio. No other microphone offers such a wide range of powerful features or guarantees perfect audio in any recording application like the Wireless PRO does, affirming RØDE as the leader in innovative audio solutions for today’s creators.     The Wireless PRO is currently shipping to retailers worldwide and will be available in late August for US $399.

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

That sure is a breathless press release.  The claim that they released the first "true" wireless microphone in 2019 is a bit eyebrow raising.

It's 2.4GHz.  Unless they've done something truly revolutionary with antennas or in their Rx algorithm, it's going to have trouble in urban environments.  I can get 260m of range from my 2.4GHz Zaxnet IFBs ... if I take them into the mountains with no interference and clear line of sight.  In practice, they struggle with dropouts at 20 feet.  That system was engineered over a decade ago, and 2.4GHz tech has changed a lot, but until proven otherwise, I don't have faith that a 2.4GHz system is anywhere near reliable enough for produciton use.

I think the form factor and dual channel capability might make it worthwhile as a camera hop where only a scratch track is needed and dropout can be tolerated.

[JesseF]

I've yet to find a piece of truly professional hardware that has the word "Pro" in it.  Rode makes some good stuff, but I can't imagine this will hold a candle to any of the pro-fessional wireless systems already available.

[borjam]

14 hours ago, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

It's 2.4GHz.  Unless they've done something truly revolutionary with antennas or in their Rx algorithm, it's going to have trouble in urban environments.  I can get 260m of range from my 2.4GHz Zaxnet IFBs ... if I take them into the mountains with no interference and clear line of sight.  In practice, they struggle with dropouts at 20 feet.  That system was engineered over a decade ago, and 2.4GHz tech has changed a lot, but until proven otherwise, I don't have faith that a 2.4GHz system is anywhere near reliable enough for produciton use.

Maybe they are using some spread spectrum modulation that, as long as the receiver is not saturated by a really strong signal (such as a nearby microwave oven) can be unbeliavably resilient. I have heard of some frequency hopping applications working on 2.4 GHz that, I guess, are based on (maybe?) some new chipset implementing implementing it.

 

For certain applications spread spectrum can seem like magic. And with digital signal processing power becoming so affordable and energy efficient you can use techniques that were unthinkable several years ago.

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

Yeah, spread spectrum was one of the things I had in mind.  I've been aware of the 2.4GHz improvements in consumer electronics, and haven't seen those innovations spread to our professional gear.  I would give it a look.

That being said, my skepticism remains.  Even with better reception techniques, it's still unregulated spectrum, and spread spectrum techniques don't change the fundamental physical constraints of microwave frequencies:  poorer barrier penetration and higher absorption by human bodies.

Even if spread spectrum can work well with once device, what happens when you have a dozen transmitters (all of which will frequency hop and raise the noise floor with each other)?  How will they interact with all the other devices on set (in particular Teradeks and lighting control, not to mention crew WiFi)?  What happens in a dense urban location where there are dozens or hundreds of WiFi networks, all competing for the same spectrum?

Will all the devices continue to reliably pass time-critical audio streams with fixed and low latency?  My understanding is that part of the reason consumer devices work as well as they do in 2.4GHz is because they use packet switched protocols where lost packets can be re-sent and latency can be variable and isn't super critical.  A real-time, synchronous data stream is harder to send with the same quality of service guarantee than a packet switched one.

[Paul F]

I suspect wireless microphone manufacturers  that offer 2.4G products don't develop their own modulation techniques. Wifi and Bluetooth live in the 2.4 and 5G bands and soon 6G. They have worked very hard for all these years improving the technology in competition and as a consortium. I just can't imagine that a wireless mic company has the where-with-all to do any better than the people that are making billions off the wifi and bluetooth market, which includes audio products such as earbuds, headphones, etc; companies like Broadcom. I suspect wireless microphone companies buy the chips from vendors like Broadcom. The latest release of wifi offers 12ms latency.

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

That makes sense.  I would suspect that as well.  My question is how suitable are those chips for professional audio use?

Is WiFi latency directly comparable to the latency an in-house modulation?

I would tend to assume that latency in WiFi would mean 12ms for packet delivery, and if a packet is missed, it would have to be re-sent, which would mean a buffer is needed to smooth out packet drops.  So ... minimum 24ms (first send + retry), plus some processing time for the acknowledgement to time out and a random seed to prevent simultaneous transmission.  That very quickly adds up to a frame or more.

I know WiFi is a physical layer, so maybe it's not packet switched in itself?  Can it offer better QoS if it's not broadcasting TCP on top?

Anyway, all I have are questions that nobody here can answer, and we won't know the answers until we see some of these in the field, so I guess I'll sit and we'll see if my skepticism can be assuaged.

[borjam]

5 hours ago, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

Yeah, spread spectrum was one of the things I had in mind.  I've been aware of the 2.4GHz improvements in consumer electronics, and haven't seen those innovations spread to our professional gear.  I would give it a look.

 

 

Properly implemented spread spectrum can be really robust. Of course it can be vulnerable to receiver overload, but the legal limits on transmission power should avoid that.

 

5 hours ago, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

That being said, my skepticism remains.  Even with better reception techniques, it's still unregulated spectrum, and spread spectrum techniques don't change the fundamental physical constraints of microwave frequencies:  poorer barrier penetration and higher absorption by human bodies.

 

Of course there is no magic for that, although some spread spectrum schemes using also FEC (forward Error Correction) like LoRaWan can achieve unbelievable results. I am not suggesting they are using LoRa (it's a low data rate modulation, so impossible), but that modern modulation techniques can be amazing.

 

But at the cost of latency if using FEC. Note that it includes timecode, they claim. That means they can cope with more latency and still the audio files will be usable, you can think. 

 

 

5 hours ago, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

Even if spread spectrum can work well with once device, what happens when you have a dozen transmitters (all of which will frequency hop and raise the noise floor with each other)?  How will they interact with all the other devices on set (in particular Teradeks and lighting control, not to mention crew WiFi)?  What happens in a dense urban location where there are dozens or hundreds of WiFi networks, all competing for the same spectrum?

 

There is a limit to that of course, but (assuming it is frequency hopping) if the hops are really random they shoudln't expect many collisions. 

 

As for other devices, it depends. If using frequency hopping I am wondering about the front end filtering of the chips they employ.

 

5 hours ago, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

Will all the devices continue to reliably pass time-critical audio streams with fixed and low latency?  My understanding is that part of the reason consumer devices work as well as they do in 2.4GHz is because they use packet switched protocols where lost packets can be re-sent and latency can be variable and isn't super critical.  A real-time, synchronous data stream is harder to send with the same quality of service guarantee than a packet switched one.

 

I guess they will keep latency kinda under control maybe having the equipment make decisions about interference avoidance. This is old tech, even the Telebit Trailblazer modems of the 80's did something like that over telephone lines. Instead of the classic approach of one carrier, they used many low bandwidth carriers and if error rate was high for some carriers their frequencies were blacklisted if I remember well. 

 

 

40 minutes ago, Paul F said:

I suspect wireless microphone manufacturers  that offer 2.4G products don't develop their own modulation techniques. Wifi and Bluetooth live in the 2.4 and 5G bands and soon 6G. They have worked very hard for all these years improving the technology in competition and as a consortium. I just can't imagine that a wireless mic company has the where-with-all to do any better than the people that are making billions off the wifi and bluetooth market, which includes audio products such as earbuds, headphones, etc; companies like Broadcom. I suspect wireless microphone companies buy the chips from vendors like Broadcom. The latest release of wifi offers 12ms latency.

 

As I said above, I imagine they are using some off the shelf chipset that implements that. I have hints because a customer in a completely unrelated field is developing some spread spectrum transmission system and I am pretty sure they aren't developing modulation schemes. 

 

24 minutes ago, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

That makes sense.  I would suspect that as well.  My question is how suitable are those chips for professional audio use?

 

I guess good enough for many modest, prosumer equipment level but I am pretty sure they are not trying to compete with the high end professional stuff all of you use. Only the RF front ends must be really expensive.

 

My brother, who works for a stage equipment company, told me that he was sure that Lectrosonics cheated with power levels because he couldn't understand how they manage to work otherwise I had to explain him that, well, that's not possible and, well, not all RF circuits are created equal!

 

 

24 minutes ago, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

Is WiFi latency directly comparable to the latency an in-house modulation?

 

WiFi imposes several limitations, including collision avoidance measures if you are intending to send large packets. Also it doesn't have an arbitration protocol. Maybe they are using WiFi chipsets with a kinda tailored implementation of the protocols? But I doubt it.

 

If you develop your own scheme you can make important decisions so that you can compromise between latency, error correction, total channel capacity, etc, with more flexibility.

 

24 minutes ago, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

I would tend to assume that latency in WiFi would mean 12ms for packet delivery, and if a packet is missed, it would have to be re-sent, which would mean a buffer is needed to smooth out packet drops.  So ... minimum 24ms (first send + retry), plus some processing time for the acknowledgement to time out and a random seed to prevent simultaneous transmission.  That very quickly adds up to a frame or more.

 

There is buffering also just because you are packing together a bunch of samples into a packet and computing an error detection/correction

code. So, latency. 

 

24 minutes ago, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

I know WiFi is a physical layer, so maybe it's not packet switched in itself?  Can it offer better QoS if it's not broadcasting TCP on top?

 

WiFi sends packets of course. You can say that access points do the packet switching. And the use cases for TCP and UDP are different. UDP is mostly appropiate if your priority is real time (say, a journalist live broadcasting via satellite link) and you can tolerate a glitch or two. TCP, with congestion control and error detection and retransmission offers data integrity but it will sacrifice latency.

 

It can be a middle ground solution anyway. 

 

 

24 minutes ago, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

Anyway, all I have are questions that nobody here can answer, and we won't know the answers until we see some of these in the field, so I guess I'll sit and we'll see if my skepticism can be assuaged.

 

I think Rode are no fools. As a mater of fact three years ago the marketing dept wanted to buy a wireless microphone to record some videos at trade shows. They were going to buy some utterly crappy stuff and I convinced them to, as a bare minimum, buy a Rode set. So far it has worked even in very busy trade shows with WiFi activity all over the place.

 

Typical Rode fashion I imagine it will be very good equipment for the money but surely no match for the established high end names.

 

 

 

[Paul F]

Oh, this is interesting - There is now a 6Ghz wi-fi band (old news to you?) that will achieve 1ms latency and 2Gbs speed. Chips came out two years ago. So where are the wireless audio guys with this? Is 6Ghz too short a wavelength to be practical for distance and wall penetration?

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

11 minutes ago, Paul F said:

Is 6Ghz too short a wavelength to be practical for distance and wall penetration?

In a word, yes, I think that's likely to be true.

Remember all the hype around the 5G wireless speeds?  Those speeds and latencies are made possible by GHz frequencies.  Unfortunately, the practical rollout of 5G proved that those speeds were only possible with very densely-spaced cell towers, and the real-world range and data speeds were a massive disappointment, as was a large increase in power consumption due to the increased transmission strength needed to penetrate obstacles.  Those shortcomings are a direct consequence of using such a short wavelength.  Fortunately, the 5G spec includes lower data rates at lower frequencies (it basically expands 4G, so the existing 4G part of the spec gives the it reliability and the higher frequencies allow for data bursts when range allows).  As things stand, 5G works best in extremely densely populated urban areas where the number of users can justify the dense spacing of cell towers that is needed to deliver those high speeds in a uniform area.  Ironically, more users means more competition for bandwidth, so I'm not sure how much speed has increased per user if everyone was to try and make use of their theoretical bandwidth at once.

Professional audio doesn't really need the increased bandwidth, and I would guess the risk of dropout will keep the pro audio companies away.  But ... I'm still pre-judging things.  If Rode or someone else (Deity?) comes along with a product that uses 6GHz WiFi, I'll certainly give it a look.

[borjam]

Yes, the 6 GHz WiFi band is more or less the same (radio wise) as the 5.8 GHz band.

 

The advantages are:

 

- There is much more bandwidth than at 2.4 GHz.

 

- It is less tolerant to obstacles.

 

The second may be shocking for some, but it is a real advantage. Whenever I give a talk about WiFi networks to customers I use to point the main mistake made in many WiFi deployments. Whenever I hear something like "I use high power network gear, I can connect even from the other side of the parking lot!" I answer "You botched it!".

 

Why? Because WiFi equipment adapt to network conditions. When your signal is great, equipment chooses the high throughput signal codings. With poor conditions they fall back to the slowest modes which can work with marginal radio signal. So, yes, it connects from the parking lot!. What many people fail to grasp is, there is a precious resource in your wireless network and it's called "time". If you have a far away use connected with a low performance mode, it will mean it is using a lot of "on the air" time, which means it will slow down all the "cell" (users of the same access point).

 

So why is 5-6 GHz better? It makes you increase the access point density in order to cover a wide area, and it will help prevent distant users from connecting to the wrong AP because of the higher attenuation.

 

Also, less obstacle tolerance means less interference from neighbors. So it can be a blessing

 

Anyway, with WiFi users migrating to 5 GHz whenever possible, the 2.4 GHz band should be less polluted now than it was several years ago. Except of course for other equipment such as follow focus, video transmitters, etc.

As I told a customer the other day: The two kinds of wireless hells on Earth are schools and movie sets

 

As for 5G, it can use several different bands. The lowest frequencies (700 MHz) have a much better wall penetration so it should work pretty well inside buildings, while there are provisions for high density deployments on 2.6 or even 26 GHz which would be adequate for places such as sports stadiums.

 

 

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

2 hours ago, borjam said:

Anyway, with WiFi users migrating to 5 GHz whenever possible, the 2.4 GHz band should be less polluted now than it was several years ago.

This is not my experience based on trying to use Zaxnet to broadcast IFB audio.  If you aren't familiar, Zaxnet uses a single tuned frequency in 2.4GHz, adjustable in 1MHz steps (so, it uses claims a lot of bandwidth).

When I started using it in 2016, it mostly worked in a "same room" scenario.  I'd get occasional dropout.  Since then, with the adoption of newer WiFi standards, performance has gotten significantly worse, to the point that it's unusable.  I see dropouts at regular intervals, at ranges closer than 10 feet.  This is true if there's even one WiFi network active (admittedly, it's probably related to the number of devices, not the number of networks, and film sets have lots of devices).

Point being, "should" be less polluted hasn't translated into better performance for Zaxnet's naive single-frequency modulation, even though it claims as much as 1MHz of bandwidth for error correction, and it only needs to broadcast 2 audio channels & some metadata (a feat Zaxcom accomplishes in 3-400Khz in its UHF products).

[borjam]

Well, maybe that Zaxnet system is way too naive. That approach can work in regulated spectrum with all the players following similar rules. But in ISM bands where several radically different schemes can be used… Remember that Deity mentioned a clever mechanism to advise WiFi equipment around to leave free radio time.  How old is Zaxnet anyway?

 

Also there might be other problems. How is its front-end filtering? I mean, despite using one end of the available band, how would it resist off channel interference? 

 

But on ISM bands your transmission system should be designed with the assumption that it will have to coexist. And actually I am probably wrong about the 2.4 GHz band. Maybe it has gone through a sort of transition period with less pollution. But now wireless headphones and other 2.4 GHz devices are on the rise, not being WiFi.

 

So my assumption is, indeed, likely inaccurate. I was only thinking about WiFi, sorry.

 

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

Zaxnet is definitely too naive.  It's an old design.  I'm sure you are right it would be more robust if it took into account the other types of transmissions that use the space.  I'm not sure what kind of filtering it has (and it probably depends on the device).

[Phillip C Dent]

I would love to replace my Lectro DCHT and M2R camera hops with a much cheaper system.  Price along with the small size, recording and timecode features look awesome. The deal breaker for me with this system is that it doesn’t have a pro line level out of the receiver. I often work with Arri minis and LFs that would require a line level.

[Michael Scrip]

Rode posted a new video answering some questions:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCPlo0MT6R4

 

[Michael Scrip]

The marketing and social media teams at Rode have been busy!  They made another video answering questions about the Wireless Pro and timecode:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwh1xYaEf7I

 

[LoganSound]

This may have been posted already but I look forward to grabbing a single transmitter when they release singles (the Go and lower tier are between 80-110 for single TX), the easy WAV transfer to me means this could be a great standalone recorder for small jobs, or maybe a "mail back to me" for shoots where they are planning to shoot some B-roll after sound is cut.

[LoganSound]

8 hours ago, Michael Scrip said:

The marketing and social media teams at Rode have been busy!  They made another video answering questions about the Wireless Pro and timecode:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwh1xYaEf7I

 

Yeah actually my comment above hinges on the transmitter being able to Jam to another source, which they suggest might be coming around 1:20 : https://youtu.be/Nwh1xYaEf7I?si=6IxKo2TNYuSwiI3G