RODE Microphones STEREO VIDEOMIC PRO User manual

STEREO VIDEOMIC PRO

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

www.rodemic.com

Thank you for investing in the RØDE Stereo VideoMic Pro.

The Stereo VideoMic Pro boasts an impressive lineage as RØDE’s

latest addition to our celebrated on-camera microphone range.

The now legendary RØDE VideoMic was released in 2004 during the

MiniDV camera boom, the only microphone of its kind in a market

that only offered either cheap inferior quality or high cost shotgun

microphones which were not designed to integrate easily with the

cameras.

RØDE has now been bridging this gap for years by providing

microphones which feature broadcast audio quality and integrated

shock mounting while maintaining an accessible price tag. The

VideoMic has gone on to become the world’s largest selling

microphone for consumer cameras.

As innovative new video cameras are designed with increasing

rapidity, we know the audio devices that match them must also adapt

and grow with the technology. The Stereo VideoMic Pro has been

designed for ambient audio recording with the latest consumer and

prosumer cameras; incorporating remarkable stereo imaging and a

more intuitive and resilient shock mounting system than ever before.

Of course, the form factor has also been updated to a conveniently

compact size, which is perfect for videographers who prefer wide

angle lenses.

Please take the time to visit www.rodemic.com and register your

microphone for a full ten year warranty.

Peter Freedman

RØDE Microphones

Sydney, Australia

INTRODUCTION

SPECIFICATIONS

FEATURES

WHAT’S IN THE BOX

STEREO VIDEOMIC PRO STRUCTURE

SETUP AND USE

Installing the battery

Mounting and connecting

Stereo VideoMic Pro controls

Replacing shock mount bands

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

SAFETY / CARE INSTRUCTIONS

TROUBLESHOOTING / FAQ

PRODUCT WARRANTY

SUPPORT AND SERVICE

INTRODUCTION CONTENTS

10.

13.

15.

16.

18.

SPECIFICATIONS

Acoustic Principle: Pressure gradient

Frequency Range: 40 Hz ~ 20,000 Hz

Frequency Range:

(High Pass Filter)

Selectable HPF

@ 75 Hz / -10 dB /octave

Output impedance: 200

Signal to Noise Ratio: 76 dBA

Equivalent Noise: 18 dBA SPL (as per IEC651)

Maximum SPL: 134 dB SPL

Maximum output: 4.2 dBu

(@ 1kHz, 1% THD into 1K load)

Sensitivity:

-38 dB re 1V/Pa

(12.60 mV @ 94 dB SPL)

± 2 dB @ 1kHz

Dynamic Range: 102 dB SPL

Power requirements: 9 Volt/PP3

Output Connection:

3.5 Stereo mini jack

Tip – left channel

Ring – right channel

Battery Life: Over 100 hours (alkaline)

Over 10 hours on low battery life

Weight: 115g (0.253lb) without battery

Packed weight: 240g (0.529lb)

Dimension (W x L x H): 66.0mm × 108.0mm ×130.0 mm

(2.598in × 4.251in × 5.118in)

Frequency Response:

High Pass Filter:

0˚

90˚ 270˚

180˚

-2.0

-20.0

-10.0

0.0

-2.0

-4.0

-6.0

-8.0

-10.0

-12.0

-14.0

-16.0

-18.0

-20.0

-22.0

-24.0 -25.0

dB rel. 1V/Pa

+5.0

Frequency:

500 Hz:

1000 Hz:

4000 Hz:

POLAR PATTERN

FREQUENCY RESPONSE

FEATURES WHAT’S IN THE BOX

STEREO ON-CAMERA MICROPHONE

•X/Y Stereo recording conﬁguration

•Broadcast recording quality

•Compact, lightweight body

•Integrated shock mount provides isolation

from handling / mechanical noise

•Integrated foam windshield

•3.5mm stereo mini jack output

DETAILED CONTROL

•Two step high-pass ﬁlter (0, 75 Hz)

•Three position level control (-10dB, 0dB, +20dB)

•LED on / off power indicator

•Integrated billeted metal camera shoe mount

with 3/8” thread for easy boompole mounting

HIGH QUALITY PERFORMANCE

•9V battery powered – over 100 hours use (alkaline)

•RF/EMI shielded cable and electronics for extremely

low radio interference

•Low noise circuitry

•Australian designed and manufactured

• Stereo VideoMic Pro

• Spare shock mount bands (4 pieces)

• Stereo VideoMic Pro quick start guide

• Moisture absorbent crystals

STEREO VIDEOMIC PRO STRUCTURE

1. Foam windshield

2. Shock mount cradle

3. Shock mount band

4. Power / High Pass Filter switch

5. Level attenuation / boost switch

6. Power on / off LED indicator

7. Battery cover

8. Billeted metal

camera shoe mount

9. Fastening ring

10. 3/8” thread mount

11. Signal output cable

12. 3.5mm stereo mini jack

SETUP AND USE

INSTALLING THE BATTERY

Before you can record with your Stereo VideoMic Pro, you will need

to install a standard 9V battery (ANS1:1604A or IEC:6LR61). RØDE

recommends using a high quality lithium or alkaline battery to

achieve the best possible battery life.

To install the battery, open the battery cover that is located on the

back of the Stereo VideoMic Pro, just under the switch controls.

To open, hold the microphone in one hand, and in the other hand

hold the sides of the battery cover between your thumb and index

ﬁnger. Pull the cover in an upwards motion until it clicks out of place.

Hold the sides of the battery cover between thumb and index ﬁnger and

pull upwards to remove

Insert the battery with the negative terminal (-) on top as shown in

the next diagram. The correct battery orientation is also shown on

the inside of the battery cover. If the battery orientation is incorrect

the cover will not close fully.

Insert the battery with the negative terminal on top

Replace the battery cover by sliding it into the clips at the bottom of

the battery cavity using a downward motion. Press the cover down

ﬁrmly to click it into place.

SETUP AND USE

The Stereo VideoMic Pro will run continuously for over 100 hours

with a high quality alkaline or lithium battery. Battery performance

may vary depending on ambient temperature and battery shelf

life, so it is wise to always carry a spare battery. We suggest always

installing a fresh battery when the application is critical, with no

opportunity to re-shoot. Always remember to switch off the Stereo

VideoMic Pro when not in use.

MOUNTING AND CONNECTING YOUR

STEREO VIDEOMIC PRO

The standard shoe mount on the Stereo VideoMic Pro

The Stereo VideoMic Pro incorporates a standard camera shoe

mount on the underside of the shock mount cradle.

Designed to reduce handling and mechanical noise being carried

through from the camera to the microphone, the camera shoe mount

also has a 3/8” thread at the bottom to allow mounting on tripods

and boompoles.

Some older model and low cost cameras may produce a higher level

of mechanical noise, which can be picked up by the Stereo VideoMic

Pro. The integrated High Pass Filter should be switched on to reduce

the resulting low frequency rumble.

(Refer to page 8 for more details on engaging the High Pass Filter.)

Before sliding the camera shoe into place, loosen the fastening ring

by turning anti-clockwise until it is loose enough to ﬁt easily into your

camera’s shoe mount. Once the shoe is in place, gently tighten by

turning the fastening ring clockwise until the Stereo VideoMic Pro is

seated ﬁrmly in place.

Press your cable into the cable management clip on the underside of the

shock mount cradle

The Stereo VideoMic Pro has a small cable clip on the underside

of the shock mount to secure the cable in place and prevent any

unwanted movement noise. Simply press your cable into the clip /

groove until the cable is secured in place.

SETUP AND USE

The Stereo VideoMic Pro delivers a mic level signal to the video

camera via a stereo mini jack audio lead. The mini jack should be

connected to the camera via the camera’s “audio-in” socket – refer

to your video camera user manual for the location of the socket on

your camera model.

Now that you have the Stereo VideoMic Pro securely fastened to

your camera and the audio output lead connected, you can switch

the microphone on and start recording.

STEREO VIDEOMIC PRO CONTROLS

ON / OFF AND HIGH PASS FILTER SWITCH

The power / HPF switch is located on the back of the microphone

body.

The High Pass Filter (HPF) is a low frequency cut-off setting, which

you can use to reduce rumble and other low frequency noise picked

up by the microphone while recording. It may affect the tone slightly

but in some situations it is recommended.

For instance, it may be helpful to engage the High Pass Filter to cut

out the sound of air conditioning, handling noise while adjusting

focus settings and distant trafﬁc audible in the background.

To engage the High Pass Filter, slide the power switch to the right

hand position until it is pointing to where the HPF ( ) symbol is

indicated.

LED POWER INDICATOR

The power indicator LED ﬂashes RED brieﬂy when the microphone

is ﬁrst turned on. This changes to GREEN indicating the battery has

adequate charge.

When the battery runs low the LED will remain RED and you should

replace the battery. The microphone will work for over ten hours

once the RED indicator is lit, however with reduced performance.

RØDE recommends changing the battery as soon as possible after

the LED has turned red.

LEVEL CONTROL

The Stereo VideoMic Pro features three settings to control the signal

output level to your recording device. These are set via the right

hand side selector switch on the back of the microphone.

Power/ High Pass Filter switch

Three position level control switch

Mic OFF Mic ON (Flat) Mic ON (HPF on)

SETUP AND USE

The left setting (-10) will reduce or attenuate the signal by 10dB,

meaning that loud sound sources will be reduced and be less likely

to overload or ‘clip’ the input of the camera.

The right setting (+20) will increase the signal level by 20dB. This

is useful for recording quiet sound sources, or when your camera

requires a higher input level for better signal to noise ratio (as in

many digital SLR cameras).

Please note that when setting the input level you should always be

mindful of your camera’s internal audio level setting. If you have the

+20dB level selected on the Stereo VideoMic Pro you may need to

reduce the input level on your camera.

(For best results reduce the camera’s input level as much as possible,

selecting the +20dB input level on the Stereo VideoMic Pro and

working downward until the appropriate input level is achieved. This

will result in a much lower noise ﬂoor and an overall clearer recording

when plugging the Stereo VideoMic Pro into the typically low quality

mic preamps found on most DSLR cameras.)

The Stereo VideoMic Pro has been designed to work best with the

camera’s Auto Gain Control switched off. (see page 16 for more

information on Auto Gain Control) As always it is recommended to

test your audio ﬁrst before recording anything of importance.

The Stereo VideoMic Pro has been RF/EMI shielded for very high

rejection of radio frequency interference, but we suggest you keep

all transmitters, cell phones, pagers etc. at least two metres away to

reduce the possibility of interference affecting your recordings.

For additional recording tips and tricks, please visit the

RØDE University – RØDE’s free online microphone training website

( www.rodeuniversity.com ). Check out the Broadcast recording

semester for tutorials most relevant to the Stereo VideoMic Pro.

For more entertaining videos, you may also wish to visit RØDE TV

( www.rodetv.com ) – featuring a wide range of demos, reviews,

interviews and behind-the-scenes clips for anyone interested in

music, audio and recording.

Loud sound levels can cause serious

hearing damage.

Take care when setting the audio levels,

especially while wearing headphones.

10.

REPLACING SHOCK MOUNT BANDS

The Stereo VideoMic Pro has been designed with an integrated

suspension shock mount, reducing the amount of handling noise that

is transmitted to the microphone while recording your audio.

This shock mount uses four elastomer suspension bands to hold

the Stereo VideoMic Pro in its shock mount cradle. These bands

have been created to be intentionally soft, again to minimise the

transmission of mechanical and handling noise through this material.

If the Stereo VideoMic Pro is shaken vigorously or knocked during

use, the microphone body may touch the sides of the shock mount

cradle. This should be avoided as it may add unwanted noise.

During handling or transport, the bands attaching the Stereo

VideoMic Pro to its shock mount cradle may become dislodged.

They can easily be put back into place by hand. Also, if the bands

should become damaged or worn over time, the old bands can

be fully removed and replacement bands ﬁtted. Please follow the

instructions below to readjust or replace the bands as necessary.

Start by attaching your shock mount bands to the microphone body.

The shock mount cradle will then slip easily up under the bands and

support the microphone. You may then attach the microphone to the

shock mount cradle by sliding the shock mount bands into place.

Consult the image to the right to determine which band to use on

the relevant side of the microphone. There are four bands in total,

two of each shape.

SETUP AND USE

BAND TYPE 1

RIGHT SIDE VIEW

LEFT SIDE VIEW

BAND TYPE 2

The Stereo VideoMic Pro shock mount bands come in two pairs.

Check which shape corresponds to the part of the microphone you wish

to attach to the shock mount.

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