When it comes to quality audio products that are budget-friendly, RØDE's offerings are hard to beat. The VideoMic NTG is one of the many popular on-camera microphones they offer, and pairing it with any mirrorless or DSLR camera, you're sure to get quality audio recordings because of its highly directional supercardioid polar pattern and very flat frequency response. 

One of the caveats about the microphone is that out of the box, the output connections are 3.5mm or USB-C. While this is pretty standard and covers the majority of cameras and smartphones, it leaves out any XLR workflows without the use of an adapter. Recognizing this, RØDE has introduced new VideoMic NTG accessories that include the VXLR Pro, a handy XLR adapter, and the SC19, a lengthy USB-C cable to connect the VideoMic NTG to iOS compatible devices. 

The VXLR Pro is a female TRS mini-jack to male XLR adapter that can connect the VideoMic NTG (and other RØDE mics) to an XLR input. Inside is a transformer that converts the unbalanced signal to a balanced signal, allowing you to connect longer XLR cable runs into a camera or to mixer-recorder. RØDE says cables can go up to 328 ft (100m) without any degradation in quality.

It can also convert 12-48V phantom power to 4V plug-in power, allowing the VideoMicro and VideoMic GO to receive power from XLR devices. The adapter features a locking connector for extra security. 

VxlrproVXLR Pro & SC19 cableCredit: RØDE

If you're more of a smartphone user, you can take advantage of longer cable runs with the SC19 cable. RØDE previously announced that the VideoMic NTG was MFI-certified allowing it to connect to iOS devices through the USB-C port instead of the 3.5mm jack. This was good news for those with newer iPhones and iPads that don't feature a 3.5mm input. The compatible cable introduced with that functionality was the SC15, which was 11.8" (300mm) in length. The SC19 cable provides the same functionality but at a longer length. How long? About 5' long (1500mm). This allows you to place the VideoMic NTG at a decent distance from the camera which can be useful for interviews, placing a quick plant mic, or pairing it with the VXLR Pro and a boom pole for field use. 

The VXLR Pro retails for $39, while the SC19 costs $29. With the VideoMic NTG at $249 and the $49 RØDE boompole, out the door you're looking at $360 for a pretty versatile setup for both XLR compatibility and iOS devices. 

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Sound & Music