USB microphone in Resolve for recording VO and dialogue

This is a preliminary test for a workflow that I will have a video about soon. Below is the YouTube blurb for the video.

Cheers,
Dave.

RODE VIDEOMIC GO II Close Mic Test In USB Mode On An M1 Max MacBook Pro With DaVinci Resolve

This is basically a rough test for a video that I’m thinking of doing for my main channel.

After being quite damning of the Rode VideoMic GO II in a recent video, I’m trying to find a positive use for it to balance my overall opinion of it.

So what I’ve done in this test is to connect the Rode VideoMic GO II to my M1 Max MacBook Pro via USB C. Don’t forget, the GO 2 has a fairly unique function whereby it basically acts as a class compliant USB audio interface. Class compliant just meaning something that doesn’t need specific drivers and is basically plug and play.

Once the GO II is connected to the Mac, the Mac sees it as a mic input and headphone output. Once in DaVinci Resolve, you can then freely route the microphone as a source to an audio tracks in Resolve which then allows you to record directly within Resolve using its Fairlight DAW page.

Another test in this video is to see what limiter options are best for re-summing dialogue while adding a ceiling to protect 0db. I often use this method to effectively mix dialogue as it helps to get to a finished sound quicker than traditional line/channel mixing, which is something that helps audio more so for video outputs as opposed to music mixes etc.

Certain limiters in Resolve don’t respond as expected with regard the ceiling, this is why I’ve tested two and why the audio recording is duplicated and cut across two different tracks. This would also help to hear if there’s any sonic differences between the limiter options being applied to the channel sources. Not that light limiting should effect tone etc. but it’s always worth testing when working out an audio workflow.

The Rode VideoMic GO 2 also had a deadcat on it from a Rode VideoMicro. While this will effect tone and won’t totally remove plosives, it was actually the best option from what I tried, including various thickness foam filters, a dual layer nylon popper stopper and a couple of metal mesh filters.

For the best part, the audio is OK with minimal plosives and can always be EQ’d for further tone manipulation and can always be subject to further dynamics processing to suit.

For this type of use, you do have to be carful to not overload the capsule or exceed its SPL, something that this take was just on the cusp of with certain transients. With some practice, correct distance and voice/dialogue control, it’s totally feasible to use the Rode VideoMic GO II as a V/O mic and in a close mic position.

You can also monitor via the mic/headphone socket on the mic in USB mode. Although headphone monitoring is probably better done via the Rode Connect software as this allows better control for direct monitoring. If you’re not careful, you’ll be subject to monitoring latency via Resolve, which is no good when tracking. You can also patch the channels and their effects from the Rode Connect software directly to tracks in Resolve as well.

Once I’ve perfected this process I will make a video showing the whole workflow including the setting up and routing of the mic between the Mac and Resolve.