Rode’s RodeCaster Pro II could be the ultimate podcasting console

Rode is going all-in with the hyperbole for the launch of the RodeCaster Pro II audio production studio, calling it “its most revolutionary audio innovation to date” and claiming that it “offers a plethora of groundbreaking features that have never been seen before in a single console”. Wowzer.

This is the follow-up to the original RodeCaster Pro, a podcasting console that was released in 2018 and possibly the best podcast mixer on the market. On the front-end it features four Neutrik combo inputs for connecting mics and other gear, which each benefitting from one of the new Revolution preamps. These promise an input noise rating of -131.5dBV and 76dB of gain, resulting in a sound that delivers clarity and transparency.

The Aphex audio processors have also been overhauled. These are based on component-level analysis of analogue hardware and designed “to capture the magic of a professional studio”. There’s a quad-core audio engine - Rode claims that this provides more processing power than any other content creation console on the market - along with built-in effects.

You can navigate the RodeCaster Pro II using a combination of the full-colour touchscreen and a rotary encoder, and the presets and VoxLab processing editor are on-hand to ensure that even beginners should be able to make decent recordings.

There are flexible configuration options, too - any of the nine channels can be assigned to six physical faders and three virtual faders - and the eight Smart pads can trigger both sounds and effects. They can also be used to send MIDI commands and activate automated mixer actions such as fade-ins and fade-outs, and with eight banks, you effectively have access to 64 pads at a time.

Complete setups on the RodeCaster Pro II can be saved as ‘Shows’ for easy recall, while further connectivity options include dual USB-C, WiFi, Ethernet and Bluetooth.

The RodeCaster Pro II will be available in June priced at $699. It’s available for pre-order now, and you can find out more on the Rode website.