I have taken similar devices to the people who replace cell phone batteries and they have been able to replace batteries. There are 2 main skills: 1) opening the device non-destructively, and 2) soldering in the new battery. Those guys can do it.
There's probably still the issue of about 100 battery standards and a replacement costing relatively much money to the original product. Yes you can replace these batteries but finding the right one and in size and power delivery could very well still be an issue.
@@SyntheticFuture the Rode Go II take 3.7v cells, so i don't think the other ones are very different. it's not a hard job, the average technician could do it in less than an hour
Nicely said, Tom. I believe that the product companies need to simply be more responsible and offer battery replacement services or replaceable battery products. For those commenting that these consumer systems are repairable by others or yourself, yes, yes, that's technically true, but that's not a great solution for those who aren't DIYers.
Thanks Roger! I know there are complexities that come with product development/design/etc that I don't fully understand...but it seems like batteries should be manageable.
They most likely won’t. They want them to go bad in a few years so you’re forced to upgrade. This is something that should be addressed just like the EU forced Apple to switch to usb-c. But they would probably just increase prices to compensate for losses.
@@christeduard951 yeah, most likely prices would increase due to less sales, and slightly more complicated engineering and product developement - but a price increase would actually be a price decrease, since you can switch batteries :)
Companies will not address the problem by themselves... they all profit from obsolescence! The European Union is addressing (or at least trying) this problem by regulation and new consumer laws and hopefully that will change things worldwide (if the companies don't want to develop totally different devices for just the European market).
Just got my first wireless mic and appreciate this video. "Right to Repair" is going to be a bigger and bigger trend. Don't be afraid to fix your stuff, especially for something as simple as a battery replacement.
@@gnosjo Indeed. A similarly-priced alternative (higher priced for dual channel, but nowhere near as crazy as, say, Lectrosonics) is Sony's UWP system. If you have a Sony camera or camcorder with a Multi-Interface (MI) shoe, you can even get an accessory for hot-mounting the receiver to the camera without the need for separate audio cables (i.e., the audio and power are transmitted through the MI shoe). Only trouble is, with the unique way Sony's mics and connectors are wired, you pretty much have to use their mics with their transmitters. Still, I love the results of a UWP dual channel system in combination with the wireless version of the Sony ECM-77 lavalier microphone. Uses replaceable AA batteries (I use rechargeable NiMH's) that (on paper) last for 8 hours. (As a precaution with an all-day training session I had to record once, I still changed the batteries during the lunch break.)
They need to just make them user replaceable. Remember when phones used to have batteries you could replace? The iPhone and androids are all getting replaceable batteries in the EU due to a new law.
RODE offer a 10yr warranty, but good luck actually getting a hold of them to redeem it. On a professional set it just isn't good enough to have your audio go down over something simple like that. We now just have two kits with us to fail over to, but not everyone can afford to run redundant systems. It's still cheaper than dual tx UHF but a really silly oversight- to the point where I'd agree that it seems strategic on RODE's part. That's not even mentioning the button durability on their units is very poor as well.
It's easy to find used Sennheiser G4 or G3 systems from reputable dealers like BH and Adorama for around the same price as a new 2.4ghz kit (in the U.S. anyway). So that could be a good alternative for some people
Non-replaceable batteries are a big issue (don't even get me started on today's smartphones!). But I thought you were going to mention that they all operate on the 2.4 GHz band, which is generally not as reliable for transmission as UHF. I know from experience. One time I tried RODE's RODELink system, and I got the "fuzzies" when an actor dared sit behind a desk to begin a scene (which blocked the line-of-sight that 2.4 GHz is so finicky about). Good thing I also had a wired boom that day.
This reminds me of an Apple keynote many years ago, when batteries became non-replaceable in MacBooks. The claim was how much volume was taken up by the housing and compartment that allowed access to the battery. The volume of these two things was greater than the volume of the battery pack itself. Removing the requirement for these two things allowed bigger battery pack in a similar volume and / or reduction is the overall volume of the device. The placement of an inbuilt battery pack also adds more design scope to the placement of the pack. While Apple certainly didn’t invent the concept, I believe they were instrumental in the popularisation of it - after Apple released the iPhone with a built in battery, other companies felt validated in doing it themselves. If replaceable batteries are added, the size of these devices will increase if performance is to be maintained - the size of 2.4GHz microphone systems are a central appeal to me personally. We will also have to accept that build quality will be affected - a device with less moving parts has a natural advantage over one with more. It is a nasty problem - I always wince when I see discarded disposable vapes put in bins
I have one of the first sets of OG wireless Gos ever shipped out and have absolutely abused them over the years , I still have no battery issues at all with them. I'm at the point where if I spend $200 and they last me 3-4 years I've gotten my moneys worth. After that amount of time whatever new model is out is probally a decent upgrade for me anyways.
Good point! Zoom F2 is a really small 32-bit audio recorder and these 2.4GHz wireless systems are comparable to it in size, while the Zoom F2 takes two AAA batteries, sure the build quality might be a bit questionable but I know I can use it for years, while I can't say the same for my RØDE Wireless GO II
So funny you mentioned this because I originally had a whole tangent about the F2, but cut it for time. I did talk to Rode about the batteries specifically, and they said that there's have protective circuits built in to make sure they don't lose charge to the point that they become dead, which should make them last longer than average (this tracks since it was my Deity system that died and even my original Wireless Go does still work, but the battery is still not removable).
Yeah but the zoom F3 only takes XLR connections and after 6 months of use the battery door already broke with my unit. The rode wireless go ii is not a recorder, it is a wireless mic. Two different things that you are comparing
Thank you for this discussion. I recently bought the rode wireless pros after waiting for the DJI Mic 2 to release. I got the rode wireless pro for about £330 in the UK - so it was very comparable in price to the DJI Mic 2, and worked better for me. I quickly realised the non replaceable batteries may be an issue. I may switch to zoom F2. Good to know the rode wireless pro’s are built with protective circuits. I may just see how it goes, and if i ever need to upgrade switch to another solution with replaceable batteries. Haven’t seen your channel before - subscribed!
@@papsny it broke because it's cheaply designed. It doesn't have to break. Things like digital multimeters have replaceable batteries and they don't break even after decades of use on the terrain. All you need is solid plastic and a little screw to secure the trap.
Spank you kindly for this; the teacher in you served this vid well! On a note about Rode, it's illuminating to recall its previous RodeLink system that offered wireless XLR and 3.5mm pack products with replaceable battery options (including Sony NP-F type ones for the XLR base!). What's followed with Rode and its contemporaries in the 2.4Ghz arena -- and other electronic devices in general -- has often been a race to miniaturize, and to abandon a good 'ol gasket for hardcore IP-xxx-proof ratings. And we've loved it like we loved CFC-pumping refrigeration; however, perhaps with time we're finally ready to talk with these chickens that have come home to roost... and, perhaps, let some pink bunnies have a turn.
This is a really good point. A lot of folks complained about the DJI Pocket 3 not having a replaceable battery, but I've never heard anyone say the same about wireless mic kits. Also, come to think of it, the original RodeLink Filmmaker kit (the predecessor to the Wireless Go) had replaceable batteries and was quite affordable.
Yes the rode filmmaker is great, I'm very happy with mine, lovely audio quality, fairly cheap secondhand, and good battery life on AA alkaline or AA rechargeable batteries.
You’re ABSOLUTELY right I've bought several replacement wireless go mics due to battery issues. I really hope these brands are paying attention. Great video
@@tombuck the last one to break was a white wireless go that I’ll only use for wedding gigs. I’d normally tag it onto the bride’s dress. Then one day when I wanted to use it for a personal project it just didn’t turn on🤣🤣🤣
@@NickzAndMikz I got it as soon as the white one was available. A year or two old. I rarely used it, I have only used it maybe for 3 weddings and a UA-cam video. The black ones still work just fine but also, I would charge them all the time and use them
That's interesting. With how quickly it died, I wonder if there was an underlying issue. Regardless, it doesn't build the argument for the longevity of these guys@@GuilDormeus
I've got an old Shure wireless lav mic system that I bought 8 years ago. Uses AA batteries in the lav pack. Still going strong. In fact it even has great resale value after all this time.
This video should be taped to the forehead of all video makers. And it's not only about batteries. The power button on my Røde Wireless Go II recently stopped working after 2 years and 2 months. Yes, you guessed it; the warranty was 2 years. Yes, I've been in contact with them. No luck. From now on, I'll only buy this kind of device if the price is low enough for me to write it off in 2 years, like around $100. What I will buy though is a Comica W200 Pro UHF system with 96 channels, AA batteries and backup to a Micro SD card in each transmitter. It's bigger, heavier and looks "old-fashioned", but like similar systems from Sennheiser and others, it's built like a tractor and will hopefully last as long. Thank you for a good, honest video!
NONE of these companies that have these behaviours should be puffing up their chest's talking about how they're "Environnment friendly"! Good for you, giving em a little telling off. We need A LOT more of that quite frankly, instead of every 'influencer' pandering desperately to any brand with a bit of cash to pay.
Most of these things will also operate directly when powered from the USB charge port. This means that there'll likely be a market for a small power-bank device that can be clipped to the wireless mic itself and power it long after the internal battery has died. You can also be sure that there'll be a thriving industry in third-party battery replacement services. Just because the manufacturer says the batteries are not replacable doesn't mean they can't be replaced. The R0de mics, for example, are not too hard to get apart and anyone familiar with servicing smartphones would have no problems replacing the battery in those devices.
Well done sir! This is something that definitely needs to be addressed. I believe the 2.4Ghz manufacturers are aware of this issue but are purposefully omitting it so they can sell more units down the road and thus increase their profits. And the E-waste issue is certainly worth considering as well. I actually have another issue I would LOVE to see all the 2.4GHz manufacturers address as well. Why must all of your equipment look like a NASCAR team designed it!?! PLEASE STOP "branding" your products with huge shiny corporate logos and flashy red, orange, yellow, blue, etc. stripes and buttons. I'm specifically calling you out DJI and rOde. In a corporate environment the last thing you want to do is draw attention to a mic transmitter. Truly most of the time for corporate level productions you'll either boom the audio or use a lav wired to a Tx unit and then hide the unit in a jacket pocket or on a belt. But is would be SO much more professional to not have a big flashy logo plastered on that Tx unit. And frankly since I purchased that gear with my own money, there's no need to do that. If you were sponsoring me, then I could see the reasoning. But since I bought the gear, in my view I'M actually sponsoring YOU! Can I get an Amen from anyone else out there on this? Or have I just had too much coffee...
I have always felt exactly the same about branded stuff, especially T-shirts with logos on your chest/pocket. Why should I pay you and do free advertisement for you? You should be paying me instead.
For me, the biggest problems with these systems is that they aren't really compatible with Android, since those phones don't support multiple audio channels nor do they let you set microphone gain.
One of the reasons I started to look into body packs that have replaceable batteries. Albeit they don't transmit audio via wireless means and only record internally, hence a little extra step to sync the recorded audio with your video in post-production. However, pair it with a timecode generator system, then syncing is a breeze! I'm looking into Tentacle's Track-E and Sync-E's. They offer battery replacement kits.
I've read that DJI will replace the batteries on their mic kits out of warranty for a fee. Although they don't seem to make that fee known. If you contact the manufacturers about battery replacement you may find others will do the same. Perhaps they don't want to make this widely known as it will discourage sales and given many of the fees are "down the road" (as opposed to down the Rode) they don't want to list a fee that may change in the future depending on battery availability. You may want to investigate this or perhaps some manufacturers are already responding to you.
Think im done buying consumer grade gear. My rode vidmic ntg was dead outta the box. Their customer experience is terrible trying to get a new one. The dji wireless system i have works OK but it just feels cheap and definitely no super robust. All my pro grear is GREAT. Worth every penny. Im DONE with budget gear and companies😂
Look forward to your video on the Theos and UHF systems. The UHF systems appear to require more time to setup, but interested in your observation. Thank you.
It has to be said though: Comparing the Sennheiser EW 112P to a DJI Mic 2 is like comparing a Ford Raptor F150 to a golf cart in terms of size, price and features ;) Mic 2 is tiny, cheap and entry level, the EW 112P is slightly more than that :)
Shure had a wireless system, the GLX-D, that uses 2.4 GHz. I went to buy a second system, in late 2022, and found that they were discontinued. In 2023, though, they came out with the GLX-D+ system, which uses both 2.4 GHz and the 5.8 GHz bands. So, they have a much wider spectrum to search for open bandwidth. 🎤 I hope Røde et al will start to do this as well, not to mention the battery thing. This will make it better for people trying to work without interference in heavy WiFi usage areas, as well as from people heating their leftovers. 😅
I have been using my OG wireless Go for almost five years, and it is still working perfectly, and to be honest, other brands' gear with swappable batteries have failed in less than half that time.
Enjoyed the video, Tom. My 2 cents: I think we have crossed a certain threshold where these companies have moved the longevity of their products way down on the priority list. It's pretty clear, because these small audio TX/RX systems with internal batteries have a wider appeal (not just commercial/pro users), meaning bigger sales. What sells right now is smaller, more features, ease of use, and lower cost. Unfortunately, that has made us consumers (even myself who uses these professionally), short-sighted. Asking companies to create battery replaceable units, I'm afraid will most likely fall on deaf ears. On another note, I used to have a sennheiser G3 system, which uses AA batteries. For one pair of TX/RX, the system costs $440. That used to be the standard back the 2010's. I started having a problem where the buttons started to fail, and although I could have sent it in for repair, it would have cost me $200. So, all in all, I see the appeal of these smaller units that have non-replaceable batteries. They're not that expensive, and I foresee them getting replaced anyways in maybe 3 years. It's just a matter of what's the best bang for my Buck -- see what I did there? ;)
Great points. Overall I don't actually see in which way any of the 'more professional' sennheiser systems are better. Is the noise floor better or the transmitted audio somehow crisper? There's no way sennheiser can do radio better than a radio company, dji has customers send 30+ thousand dollar dangerous drones kilometers out. Sennheiser has customers transmit audio 15 meters. I had to use the g3/g4 on a documentary shoot and they were such a pain to use, I plan to never use them again now that I have the dji mic 2.
You have a good point. A big reason I like them is how small they are. And I would think adding replaceable batteries would make them a bigger size. If they could keep the same size with a replaceable battery I'd be all for that.
Fantastic point Tom!!! I never thought about the battery issue... Pro UHFs are too big for weddings, I believe. And that's going to be where I'm headed as a film maker...
Hey Tom, I am your most recent member! I am starting my Podcast Journey after giving it a Loooooong thinking process, I finally decided to ACT. So I recorded my first 2 episodes, (pretty much trials, nothing worth sharing yet) bought a Mic to fix the sound of my podcast....still learning, and now decided to be a member of your tribe since I started watching your amazing podcast last year. I want to ask you if you are planning to do a review of the Fifine AM8. Very affordable and it seems to be a goooood mic. Want to hear your thoughts!
Hey Martin! Congrats on taking the leap! I haven't used the AM8 myself yet, but it seems interesting, especially since it's a USB/XLR combo mic at a pretty low price. I just ordered one on Amazon based on your recommendation, so I'm excited to see how it sounds and then maybe do a review 👍 Thanks for joining as a channel member- that's what makes it possible to randomly order an interesting mic like this!
Good point. These get little use compared to say an iPhone which when you sell it the first thing someone asks is “What percentage is the battery health”.
really good point and reminder you make in this video. I think each and every wireless mic producer should offer a battery exchange service. This should be a common standard.
Seeing the Aquabats poster and the guitars was an instant subscribe, I haven’t even heard your opinions on the mics yet but I just know I like your vibe and will appreciate your takes
Thank you so much for addressing this! I don't understand why more people aren't upset that the modern devices they're buying these days have such a limited shelf life because the batteries can't be replaced. I have a question about the transmitters/receivers you recommended that take AA batteries: Do rechargeable NiMH batteries (e.g., Eneloop, Ikea Ladda, etc.) work fine in these despite the slightly lower 1.2v voltage?
My experience with DJI has been affordable service rates on out of warranty or accidental damage repairs. My employer paid $27 for a repair on an out of warranty original DJI mic.
The irony of the cheaper systems is that they require AAA and AAAA batteries. The Godox I have can be cracked open and you can replace the cells with very rudimentary soldering skills. But your point is well taken. I seem to recall a law being passed a few several years ago that would require all battery operated devices to have replaceable batteries. I wonder what happened to that.
Apple has an exchange option for AirPods, can install new batteries in an iPhone, it seems like the company that offers an exchange program for wireless mics wins.
Hi Tom, love what you are saying here. Rode does make a AA battery version which outperforms these versions. I use the ones you are showing here on some shoots, yet rely on the very trusty RODE battery wireless mic set up when it's really important.
There are some wireless systems out there that are 2.4 GHz but take the form-factor of a typical UHF system, and they come with AA/AAA battery slots. My favorite one happens to be the Boya WM4 series. Only downside is that they're not simple little clip-on pucks. They're just as bulky as a normal UHF pack. But at least they fall within the same price range as the wireless lavalier pucks.
Spot on! I'm looking for a wireless mic and was looking for info on the battery lifetime. I have DJI drone and the remote controller battery is bad after a few years. I expect these mics have the same problem. The DJI service can replace the battery. The battery is cheap but that service fee will be almost the same as a new device. I have opened my controller myself to replace the battery, but these device are not intended to be serviced. They are very difficult to pry open and the casing will be damaged when doing so.
It would be nice to have some manufacturer support for battery replacement. Free under warranty if there is a defect or reduced battery lifetime (80% of rated duration?!). And after a warranty expires, service to replace the batteries (as long as the system is still supported). That would help this situation out A LOT. I'd spend $100 to replace the battery if it's a relatively quick turn around, say 10 business days.
You’ve got a heart of gold Tom. Deeply thankful for your unwavering ethical back bone and generous kind commitment to guiding us through our modern a/v minefield.
A very useful video, Tom. Unfortunately, if companies provide us with changeable batteries, they know their sales of the units will drop! I've not found a company yet that truly puts the benefit of customers above profit margins. Your best point was "stop buying the smaller units." I'm definitely going to investigate the UHF option.
Maybe they could even put the car FOB batteries in them! Like the CR2032… I am sure the wireless lav would be much harder on those than the FOB lol, but maybe?
It's so weird that you posted this video because I've been trying to justify to myself getting the Rode Wireless Pro and this very question was forefront in my argument against it. That and what if I wanted to have more than 2 people mic'd up, which I still haven't found a solution to that I am comfortable with. I would really like it if we could mic up 4 people to a single receiver.
More than 2 people gets tricky unless you want to spend A LOT of money. Sometimes the easiest thing to do is use something like a Zoom F2 recorder for each person and sync the audio during editing (or even try a more advanced Tentacle Sync system with timecode). The small recorders are great if you don't absolutely need the live audio and also have the added benefit of never being impacted by interference/signal issues.
I agree 100%. That's why I chose the Rodelink Filmmaker Kit a few years ago. It has all the advantages (and limitations) of 2.4 GHz, but you can power the transmitter and receiver with either AA batteries or any powerbank through Micro-USB. It's great and I srongly recommend it 🙂
This is a good point that I never thought about. I have the DJI Mic system and absolutely love it, but at some point, it won't hold a charge as long. I wonder if manufactures will let us send them in for servicing at that point for a fee? I would pay it. I own a UHF system too, but the size and weight have me grabbing for my DJI mic. It's much more convenient. Good topic.
You have to look at the Tentacle Track E. Not wireless, but amazing 32 bit float pocket recorders. You can put as many as you want on people and sync them together and they offer replacement batteries you can change yourself.
As a user of 3 Sennheiser G3 and G4 systems, one thing to beware: no matter how good the construction is, a government may change the allowable frequencies, instantly obsoleting your transmitter/receiver.
Another issue I've run into is EVEN IF the batteries are rechargeable, they usually change the battery format/shape after the product is updated/replaced, and so any extra batteries you can buy are quickly old/stale stock, which for li-ion means their capacity is still significantly diminished due to short shelf life (even if unused). I have a Dell XPS 13 that still works fine, but Dell doesn't make batteries for it anymore, and even the bootleg batteries I can find are all old, so in the end it's not worth the effort.
It is a valid point, but you are adding moist sensibility and new connectors with upcoming problems... My suggestion would be to add a SMALL battery bank, either with a chargeable or dry batteries... that is easily clipped to the transmitter/reciever unit. And the professional solutions cost a lot more and are much bulkier/heavier.
Inbuilt obsolescence is sooo insidious! A simple solution would be a manufacturer's battery replacement service. Rode are a pretty good company, so they MIGHT have such a scheme. I haven't checked yet. Thanks for the video.
I talked to Rode about their batteries and they said that compactness was a big factor, so AA batteries and the like didn't work. They also said they do use high quality batteries with some protective circuits that should last a long time (and to be fair, my original Wireless Go has outlasted the Deity system), but I would love a simple replacement service or DIY replacement kit option.
I'm holding a purchase for this reason. I been using a zoom h1 with a lav instead to record audio and sync in post but not cheap prosumer alternative for wireless audio yet.
I have the rode ntg, and it doesn't have a removable battery. But, you can use external USB-C batteries as a backup. I hear rode has a good warranty on their battery life.
I totally agree! Just a couple of days ago I was talking to a friend and told him the same. While I like the fact that tech vendors are including lithium batteries because, A you have one less thing to forget at home when going to document an event, and B you waste lots of batteries (for your mics, for the recorder, for the led lamp, etc). Of course I use rechargeable batteries, but those also have a limited life. Longer than a regular battery but.... Also, for all those things like flash, microphones, recorder, led lamp, etc. You need to have lots of them and recharge them all the time. So you end up carrying 10+ sets of batteries, which adds bulk and weight to your bag. And also make sure that all of them are freshly recharged. So having gear with included battery is a life saver. But the fact that you can't change the batteries included, and the gear is dead once the battery dies, it's a bummer. The problem is, I think, they change their gear design a lot from version to version. So it's like Apple, all the accessories you got for your laptop, are not compatible with the next version. So the same batteries designed for a Deity Mic, won't fit in the next version of the microphone. It sucks!
This is exactly why I’ve always been reluctant to buy these units. The idea, that in a pinch, I can always throw in some off the shelf batteries, gives me peace of mind. I’ll just keep using my tried and true Sennheiser G3.
I don't mind not having replaceable batteries if they give us replaceable units. Like a warranty system where you can send old units in to have their batteries replaced in house. Or replace the whole unit and they can recycle the old one. That would reduce e-waste also. But if not, i guess adding a battery door isn't too big an ask. I just gope they dont charge an arm and leg for additional proprietary batteries.
The big thing the small rigs offer is just that ... they're small. Look at the UHF gear you're holding, look at the size of the Rode/Hollyland/DJI/etc. They're tiny, they're light, they don't require wiring yourself up like a heart patient in the ER to get your audio going. Open the case, clip the magnet, rolling. That said, I absolutely agree with you, they should have replaceable batteries. Even if it's a matter of having to do a little iFixit style surgery vs. popping open a little door.
The advent of rechargeable lithium cells in the form of AA and AAA has really created some wonderful options. You can also get the identical size battery at 3.7 V. You don’t want to mix those up generally except maybe in a flash light but I get frustrated at the amount of electronics I have to throw away because of dead batteries even though I’m able to repair a good 50% of what I have. The rest cannot be salvaged.
Hi Tom, thanks for this video. I found your videos really helpful when I was looking for a dedicated studio mic during COVID. I've recently started to branch back out into video work after a long hiatus. Back when I was making videos previously, things like the Rode VMP and like on-camera shotguns were being paired with dedicated recorders like Zoom H4n. Now that I've come back, it seems like these systems are literally everywhere, and no one is talking about any audio solutions, on-camera or off-camera, other than these. I would love to see some sort of breakdown of a 2-track recording using a contemporary wireless set, vs a UHF set, vs a dedicated recorder. Is the ease of use really worth it, or could you buy one of the standards from 5 years ago and have a better setup? Heck, I could buy two H4ns, plus two lavs, and still be at the price of the Rode setup.
Great points, Tom. The only other thing I would add as a benefit to the 2.4 systems is the size. Battery compartments increase the form factor. For major events I have UHF interchangeable battery gear. For stuff like streaming and personal things, I just go with the 2.4 systems. Appreciate your work!
I'd easily accept a mm or two of extra thickness and even slightly shorter battery capacity if it meant I could have replaceable battery. But there's no long term profit in making a cheap product that lasts for a decade.
@@gutterg0dI don't think these companies are as nefarious as you might think. I don't think 80% of users of any of these mic systems will EVER eat through the usuable life time of the batteries. With true wireless headphones that's far more likely but most people really don't use their camera gear all that much. The fact that a few super hardcore users could buy replacement batteries instead of buying a new product for 300 dollars is not a huge impact on sales imo.
@@definingslawek4731 It's not just about longevity of the existing battery. If the battery runs out and you can keep a fully charged spare, you have effectively doubled the amount of use time between charges. Running around with an extra power bank connected is not very practical. Also, if you leave the devices unused without charging it for too long, it will deplete the battery fully and once that happens you won't be able to charge it at all anymore no matter how good condition the battery was in.
Shure just released a couple of new products in their SLXD line of professional UHF wireless mic systems. Unfortunately, neither Shure nor Sennheiser has bothered to address use cases where a USB interface on the transmitter and/or receiver to hand off audio digitally works best for their customers.
4:51 You say that you can't expect a 300 dollar device to transmit 'in uhf' but there's really nothing stopping dji or rode from doing that. It does not cost ANY additional money to transmit at a lower frequency (uhf is around 500mhz so 0.5ghz instead of 2.4) you literally just change the length of the antennas, that's pretty much it. The rode and dji systems could also be UHF if they chose to be but they decided not to as it's totally unnecesary.
I just replaced my Hollyland Lark 150 system as one of the transmitters battery was swelling. I wanted to replace it for a while and saw the introduction of the Sennheiser and Deity systems, when the price was released, I figured I would eat the cost and get the Sennheiser system with 1 mic but ended up going with the Rode Wireless Pro as no one had the Sennheiser or even the Deity system in Asia and the Rode was available. It would be nice to be able to replace the internal battery ourselves or at a store, it sucks to keep replacing them. The size makes the less costly 2.4 wireless system, easier to travel with and they are good for non professional use. I think the solution is to come out with an industry standard set of batteries for these devices, that are user replaceable.
I just picked up the AM-18 from Ulanzi. 14 hours of 16-bit internal recording on each transmitter, $79 down from $99! I’m fine with replacing that every few years. If I want 32-bit float, I’d rather boom and Xoom or something that will give me more control than a lav, which is scratch/reference audio in most scenarios anyway right?
100% agree. I'd love to see a mid-point between these devices and the next step up (things like the Deity Theos etc). Just the same devices but with replaceable batteries would be a fantastic improvement.
I picked up an inexpensive Comica BoomX-D2 kit because I noticed the covers were attached with 3-4 small screws. I'm hoping they use a fairly common battery when the time comes to tear them down to replace. I just did it with two of my Logitech MX mice. Love the idea about using a swappable battery as well. My Deity V-Mic D4 is always ready to go with a AAA battery and it's so easy to carry a few rechargeable spares. If they can fit it, why can't these mini-kits?
because the mini-kits include wireless transmitters and lots of other electronics the deity doesn’t have for onboard processing and internal storage (memory chips for storage, controllers for said storage +++) chuck all that into a deity v-mic 4 and it’ll grow to a chunky boy :) Or try running a wireless lav mic with wifi blasting and onboard storage of huge files while transmitting data on a single AAA battery - «it’ll last 20 minutes, but hey, it’s got an exchangeable battery» :)
@@tombuck it would be great if there was some type of online place one could go to find such tutorials on switching out the battery on things like the Røde Wireless Go and other small electronic things, maybe even short 8-10 minute videos showing the process step by step and tools one needed - if only there was such a place where one could find these things … ;)
@@tombuck I watched the 4 videos Oniyaki did on the Wireless Go & 2 (none out there for DJI) and the battery looked to be barely any smaller than the one for a Sony ZV-1 II. It's not a simple unplug/swap. There aren't replacement batteries out there so he used one from an Apple Watch, and there was a charger circuit strip that is about the size of the battery contact I replaced on my last camera, that needed to be removed from the original battery and soldered to the new. Looks like a swappable battery would be possible on a slightly larger unit.
This practice of not letting customers doing our own maintenance is getting out of hand. Laptops, mobile phones, watches, and now mics. Who knows what else out there that have irreplaceable batteries.
I've been a videographer for over 25 years and my biggest annoyance was always the batteries for the wireless mics. The cost of fresh batteries every time was expensive and wasteful. Rechargeable batteries were unreliable and would go bad quite often and quickly. Replaceable batteries are a waste hazard just like other pieces of electronic equipment. These new wireless systems with their built-in batteries offer a reliability that traditional lav never had.
Thank you very much for addressing this. I've noticed huge battery performance loss with my 2 year old Rode Wireless Go kit. After 2 years of use, I get max 2 hours of battery life and that decreases in the winter temps. Like you mentioned, they perform perfectly well when charged, but as I am not able to replace the battery, I will have to throw them out soon.
I’d never considered this point so well worth thinking about. I think I’ll keep using my Rodelink system which has the removable batteries and has never let me down in nearly 10 years of use.
Since these mics are generally not expected to have any kind of liquid resistance, there's nothing stopping them from making the battery a slide on/slide off piece like drone batteries. Of course their size won't let you put in AA or even AAA batteries, but at least some sort of replaceable solution would be great
I really didn't want to watch this video because I thought it was going to be some gimmicky thing. And then it took a while before you appeared and then I realized oh it's this cool guy I haven't seen in a while! And I just bought those Rode Wireless Pro mics. I wondered about the battery life on these two. So I'm anxious to know if maybe storing them drained is better...
I have some Sennheiser wireless systems. I quit using them when I realized going directly wired sounded so much better and I don't really care if I see the cable in the shot occasionally because I would rather have better sound. I'll be curious to know what the difference is between a system like that and these little Rode Mics. The fact that it captures 32 bit on the transmitter just makes the Rode Mics profoundly better to me than anything you can get with that Sennheiser wireless UHF or whatever.
At last someone is pointing this out. Ive stuck with my Rode filmaker mics. They take LR6 batteries, and because I only do 2 or 3 interviews a year I don't worry. I simply bought a sarmonic audio mixer, so I can run 2 mics. It works, and has never let me down. I did watch a review were they pitted the filmaker against a newer rode wireless, and they seemed to be better shielded again interference, maybe because of a larger case.
I invested in a good Senheiser system years ago. Then, here in the not-so-lovely country of Canadia, our government sold a range of frequencies to private interests. Not sure how or why that's even possible but they did. And it just so happens that the range encompassed the frequencies used by many wireless microphone systems. We received many threatening emails warning about how the use of these frequencies was now "illegal". Of course I thought that was absurd and intended on continuing to use my system that I had paid quite a sum for and felt I had done or would be doing nothing wrong because airwaves should not be owned. But the problem came in the form of interference. The mics were no longer useable because of the amount of anomalous sounds and interference we would get. And now I have multiple sets of non-replaceable battery systems
You are making a great point, but for me, the magnetic attachment for the DJI Mic was a game changer when doing documentary work in Africa. It is really hard to run a cable down a woman's dress and find somewhere to hang the transmitter when she doesn't have belt or a back pocket.
Since most of them are chargeable through USB-C maybe the manufacturer could make some kind of USB-C battery/power bank that doesn't take up much more space than the device itself. Røde could make a kit with three mini power banks that all have the clip on one side and on the opposing "top" side have a cold shoe for mounting the transmitter/receiver. The power bank have one short USB-C port for connecting to device and one that act as a pass through for data, and charging of the power bank.
I had several issues with wireless mics: - I need a solution that SYNCS all the mics. I don't want to waste time doing that in post. - WHY are the in-built and lapel mics all omnidirectional? Your mouth is one place, so what I found is they pick up everything (and everyone) around you, and it bleeds into every mic. So if I edit, I had to mute all the other mics every time someone talks, to avoid phasing issues. - Software is just too basic. It should at least be able to record wirelessly to your phone. - Too heavy for light weight t-shirts so they sag down. - Some are too big so look daft when wearing them. In the end I realised I didn't need wireless mics. For the same price, I bought two Shure MV7X mics, a Zoom Podcaster (which is an excellent bit of kit, automatically syncs all the mics, plus offers all the multitracks. I don't do a podcast but boy has that thing saved me so much time). My mic headaches are now gone and I can concentrate on making content.
Non-replacable batteries is the secret way to make your hardware product a subscription service.
exactly
And all of these sucks
I have taken similar devices to the people who replace cell phone batteries and they have been able to replace batteries. There are 2 main skills: 1) opening the device non-destructively, and 2) soldering in the new battery. Those guys can do it.
@@mattbrown-mbDigital tape recorder, powerbank, GPS, come to mind.
yeah was just gonna comment this, doesn't seem hard to fix. will always baffle me how people working w tech don't know how to fix easy stuff
There's probably still the issue of about 100 battery standards and a replacement costing relatively much money to the original product. Yes you can replace these batteries but finding the right one and in size and power delivery could very well still be an issue.
@@SyntheticFuture the Rode Go II take 3.7v cells, so i don't think the other ones are very different. it's not a hard job, the average technician could do it in less than an hour
It's not a very hard thing to do to be honest. And most microphone use Li-Po battery that is cheap and replaceable.
Nicely said, Tom. I believe that the product companies need to simply be more responsible and offer battery replacement services or replaceable battery products.
For those commenting that these consumer systems are repairable by others or yourself, yes, yes, that's technically true, but that's not a great solution for those who aren't DIYers.
Exactly- it needs to be something that the "average consumer" would be comfortable with. Thanks Curtis!
This is always a deal-breaker for me for most tech. If I can't replace the battery easily and affordably, I generally won't buy it.
This is a really good point Tom! Hope the manufacturing companies address the issue ☝🏻
Thanks Roger! I know there are complexities that come with product development/design/etc that I don't fully understand...but it seems like batteries should be manageable.
They most likely won’t. They want them to go bad in a few years so you’re forced to upgrade.
This is something that should be addressed just like the EU forced Apple to switch to usb-c. But they would probably just increase prices to compensate for losses.
@@christeduard951 yeah, most likely prices would increase due to less sales, and slightly more complicated engineering and product developement - but a price increase would actually be a price decrease, since you can switch batteries :)
Companies will not address the problem by themselves... they all profit from obsolescence! The European Union is addressing (or at least trying) this problem by regulation and new consumer laws and hopefully that will change things worldwide (if the companies don't want to develop totally different devices for just the European market).
They won't unless there is a law that forces them to do it.
They should be a law preventing brands to release products with non removable batteries... not only for price reason, but also for the environment.
The EU is already on it
Just got my first wireless mic and appreciate this video. "Right to Repair" is going to be a bigger and bigger trend. Don't be afraid to fix your stuff, especially for something as simple as a battery replacement.
There's the Sennheiser AVX-ME2 and MKE2, which are wireless and have replaceable/removeable batteries. They aren't cheap, but the audio is stellar.
Yes! I would love for Sennheiser to make a two-channel system with the AVX form factor.
@@gnosjo Indeed. A similarly-priced alternative (higher priced for dual channel, but nowhere near as crazy as, say, Lectrosonics) is Sony's UWP system. If you have a Sony camera or camcorder with a Multi-Interface (MI) shoe, you can even get an accessory for hot-mounting the receiver to the camera without the need for separate audio cables (i.e., the audio and power are transmitted through the MI shoe). Only trouble is, with the unique way Sony's mics and connectors are wired, you pretty much have to use their mics with their transmitters. Still, I love the results of a UWP dual channel system in combination with the wireless version of the Sony ECM-77 lavalier microphone. Uses replaceable AA batteries (I use rechargeable NiMH's) that (on paper) last for 8 hours. (As a precaution with an all-day training session I had to record once, I still changed the batteries during the lunch break.)
I have two sets of AVX mics and lavaliers for this very reason. Stellar sound that doesn't "expire" in a few years
Man this is brilliant and a great way to tackle a problem that’s not been chatted about enough! Thanks Tom!
Thanks Ron! It's not the biggest issue in the world, but something definitely worth being aware of.
These companies need to offer replacement/recycling and battery recycling programs to reduce all this waste
That’d be lovely
Have you reached out to anything to ask them to do it? How did it go?
They need to just make them user replaceable. Remember when phones used to have batteries you could replace? The iPhone and androids are all getting replaceable batteries in the EU due to a new law.
RODE offer a 10yr warranty, but good luck actually getting a hold of them to redeem it. On a professional set it just isn't good enough to have your audio go down over something simple like that. We now just have two kits with us to fail over to, but not everyone can afford to run redundant systems. It's still cheaper than dual tx UHF but a really silly oversight- to the point where I'd agree that it seems strategic on RODE's part. That's not even mentioning the button durability on their units is very poor as well.
It's easy to find used Sennheiser G4 or G3 systems from reputable dealers like BH and Adorama for around the same price as a new 2.4ghz kit (in the U.S. anyway). So that could be a good alternative for some people
Love the G3/G4s! I used them for many years when I was teaching!
Non-replaceable batteries are a big issue (don't even get me started on today's smartphones!). But I thought you were going to mention that they all operate on the 2.4 GHz band, which is generally not as reliable for transmission as UHF. I know from experience. One time I tried RODE's RODELink system, and I got the "fuzzies" when an actor dared sit behind a desk to begin a scene (which blocked the line-of-sight that 2.4 GHz is so finicky about). Good thing I also had a wired boom that day.
This reminds me of an Apple keynote many years ago, when batteries became non-replaceable in MacBooks. The claim was how much volume was taken up by the housing and compartment that allowed access to the battery. The volume of these two things was greater than the volume of the battery pack itself. Removing the requirement for these two things allowed bigger battery pack in a similar volume and / or reduction is the overall volume of the device. The placement of an inbuilt battery pack also adds more design scope to the placement of the pack. While Apple certainly didn’t invent the concept, I believe they were instrumental in the popularisation of it - after Apple released the iPhone with a built in battery, other companies felt validated in doing it themselves. If replaceable batteries are added, the size of these devices will increase if performance is to be maintained - the size of 2.4GHz microphone systems are a central appeal to me personally. We will also have to accept that build quality will be affected - a device with less moving parts has a natural advantage over one with more. It is a nasty problem - I always wince when I see discarded disposable vapes put in bins
I have one of the first sets of OG wireless Gos ever shipped out and have absolutely abused them over the years , I still have no battery issues at all with them. I'm at the point where if I spend $200 and they last me 3-4 years I've gotten my moneys worth. After that amount of time whatever new model is out is probally a decent upgrade for me anyways.
Good point! Zoom F2 is a really small 32-bit audio recorder and these 2.4GHz wireless systems are comparable to it in size, while the Zoom F2 takes two AAA batteries, sure the build quality might be a bit questionable but I know I can use it for years, while I can't say the same for my RØDE Wireless GO II
So funny you mentioned this because I originally had a whole tangent about the F2, but cut it for time.
I did talk to Rode about the batteries specifically, and they said that there's have protective circuits built in to make sure they don't lose charge to the point that they become dead, which should make them last longer than average (this tracks since it was my Deity system that died and even my original Wireless Go does still work, but the battery is still not removable).
Yeah but the zoom F3 only takes XLR connections and after 6 months of use the battery door already broke with my unit. The rode wireless go ii is not a recorder, it is a wireless mic. Two different things that you are comparing
Thank you for this discussion. I recently bought the rode wireless pros after waiting for the DJI Mic 2 to release. I got the rode wireless pro for about £330 in the UK - so it was very comparable in price to the DJI Mic 2, and worked better for me. I quickly realised the non replaceable batteries may be an issue. I may switch to zoom F2. Good to know the rode wireless pro’s are built with protective circuits. I may just see how it goes, and if i ever need to upgrade switch to another solution with replaceable batteries. Haven’t seen your channel before - subscribed!
@@papsny it broke because it's cheaply designed. It doesn't have to break. Things like digital multimeters have replaceable batteries and they don't break even after decades of use on the terrain. All you need is solid plastic and a little screw to secure the trap.
@@arjuntao with the F2 we are also not limited to transmission range and most probably less electrical disturbances.
Spank you kindly for this; the teacher in you served this vid well! On a note about Rode, it's illuminating to recall its previous RodeLink system that offered wireless XLR and 3.5mm pack products with replaceable battery options (including Sony NP-F type ones for the XLR base!). What's followed with Rode and its contemporaries in the 2.4Ghz arena -- and other electronic devices in general -- has often been a race to miniaturize, and to abandon a good 'ol gasket for hardcore IP-xxx-proof ratings. And we've loved it like we loved CFC-pumping refrigeration; however, perhaps with time we're finally ready to talk with these chickens that have come home to roost... and, perhaps, let some pink bunnies have a turn.
This is a really good point. A lot of folks complained about the DJI Pocket 3 not having a replaceable battery, but I've never heard anyone say the same about wireless mic kits. Also, come to think of it, the original RodeLink Filmmaker kit (the predecessor to the Wireless Go) had replaceable batteries and was quite affordable.
Film-maker is the predecessor to the Wireless Go system, the Film Maker kit is still actively produced by Rode.
Yes the rode filmmaker is great, I'm very happy with mine, lovely audio quality, fairly cheap secondhand, and good battery life on AA alkaline or AA rechargeable batteries.
You’re ABSOLUTELY right I've bought several replacement wireless go mics due to battery issues. I really hope these brands are paying attention. Great video
Such a bummer when something that’s not really broken becomes unusable 🫤
@@tombuck the last one to break was a white wireless go that I’ll only use for wedding gigs. I’d normally tag it onto the bride’s dress. Then one day when I wanted to use it for a personal project it just didn’t turn on🤣🤣🤣
@@GuilDormeusHow old was that mic?
@@NickzAndMikz I got it as soon as the white one was available. A year or two old. I rarely used it, I have only used it maybe for 3 weddings and a UA-cam video. The black ones still work just fine but also, I would charge them all the time and use them
That's interesting. With how quickly it died, I wonder if there was an underlying issue. Regardless, it doesn't build the argument for the longevity of these guys@@GuilDormeus
I've got an old Shure wireless lav mic system that I bought 8 years ago. Uses AA batteries in the lav pack. Still going strong. In fact it even has great resale value after all this time.
This video should be taped to the forehead of all video makers. And it's not only about batteries. The power button on my Røde Wireless Go II recently stopped working after 2 years and 2 months. Yes, you guessed it; the warranty was 2 years. Yes, I've been in contact with them. No luck.
From now on, I'll only buy this kind of device if the price is low enough for me to write it off in 2 years, like around $100. What I will buy though is a Comica W200 Pro UHF system with 96 channels, AA batteries and backup to a Micro SD card in each transmitter. It's bigger, heavier and looks "old-fashioned", but like similar systems from Sennheiser and others, it's built like a tractor and will hopefully last as long.
Thank you for a good, honest video!
NONE of these companies that have these behaviours should be puffing up their chest's talking about how they're "Environnment friendly"! Good for you, giving em a little telling off. We need A LOT more of that quite frankly, instead of every 'influencer' pandering desperately to any brand with a bit of cash to pay.
Most of these things will also operate directly when powered from the USB charge port. This means that there'll likely be a market for a small power-bank device that can be clipped to the wireless mic itself and power it long after the internal battery has died. You can also be sure that there'll be a thriving industry in third-party battery replacement services. Just because the manufacturer says the batteries are not replacable doesn't mean they can't be replaced. The R0de mics, for example, are not too hard to get apart and anyone familiar with servicing smartphones would have no problems replacing the battery in those devices.
Well done sir! This is something that definitely needs to be addressed. I believe the 2.4Ghz manufacturers are aware of this issue but are purposefully omitting it so they can sell more units down the road and thus increase their profits. And the E-waste issue is certainly worth considering as well.
I actually have another issue I would LOVE to see all the 2.4GHz manufacturers address as well. Why must all of your equipment look like a NASCAR team designed it!?! PLEASE STOP "branding" your products with huge shiny corporate logos and flashy red, orange, yellow, blue, etc. stripes and buttons. I'm specifically calling you out DJI and rOde. In a corporate environment the last thing you want to do is draw attention to a mic transmitter. Truly most of the time for corporate level productions you'll either boom the audio or use a lav wired to a Tx unit and then hide the unit in a jacket pocket or on a belt. But is would be SO much more professional to not have a big flashy logo plastered on that Tx unit. And frankly since I purchased that gear with my own money, there's no need to do that. If you were sponsoring me, then I could see the reasoning. But since I bought the gear, in my view I'M actually sponsoring YOU! Can I get an Amen from anyone else out there on this? Or have I just had too much coffee...
I have always felt exactly the same about branded stuff, especially T-shirts with logos on your chest/pocket. Why should I pay you and do free advertisement for you? You should be paying me instead.
@@doktorsaab Amen!
For me, the biggest problems with these systems is that they aren't really compatible with Android, since those phones don't support multiple audio channels nor do they let you set microphone gain.
One of the reasons I started to look into body packs that have replaceable batteries. Albeit they don't transmit audio via wireless means and only record internally, hence a little extra step to sync the recorded audio with your video in post-production. However, pair it with a timecode generator system, then syncing is a breeze! I'm looking into Tentacle's Track-E and Sync-E's. They offer battery replacement kits.
I've read that DJI will replace the batteries on their mic kits out of warranty for a fee. Although they don't seem to make that fee known.
If you contact the manufacturers about battery replacement you may find others will do the same. Perhaps they don't want to make this widely known as it will discourage sales and given many of the fees are "down the road" (as opposed to down the Rode) they don't want to list a fee that may change in the future depending on battery availability.
You may want to investigate this or perhaps some manufacturers are already responding to you.
Think im done buying consumer grade gear. My rode vidmic ntg was dead outta the box. Their customer experience is terrible trying to get a new one. The dji wireless system i have works OK but it just feels cheap and definitely no super robust. All my pro grear is GREAT. Worth every penny. Im DONE with budget gear and companies😂
There can definitely be a point where it really feels like the "pro price" is worth the peace of mind.
Look forward to your video on the Theos and UHF systems. The UHF systems appear to require more time to setup, but interested in your observation. Thank you.
I’m wrapping my head around how to approach it since it’s not my area of expertise, but I at least understand the basics I think 😬
very good point. that's why I love the Sennheiser EW 112P and its replacable batteries.
It has to be said though: Comparing the Sennheiser EW 112P to a DJI Mic 2 is like comparing a Ford Raptor F150 to a golf cart in terms of size, price and features ;) Mic 2 is tiny, cheap and entry level, the EW 112P is slightly more than that :)
agreed. if these low budget mics had replacable batteries I would give it a try. @@andresjoberg
Great point. My Wireless Go II's I got 2 years ago are in perfect condition except the battery is no longer completely reliable.
I wish RODE would replace batteries. Even if for a reasonably affordable fee.
Shure had a wireless system, the GLX-D, that uses 2.4 GHz. I went to buy a second system, in late 2022, and found that they were discontinued. In 2023, though, they came out with the GLX-D+ system, which uses both 2.4 GHz and the 5.8 GHz bands. So, they have a much wider spectrum to search for open bandwidth. 🎤 I hope Røde et al will start to do this as well, not to mention the battery thing. This will make it better for people trying to work without interference in heavy WiFi usage areas, as well as from people heating their leftovers. 😅
Oh that's cool- I like the idea of a system that can live in both worlds!
I have been using my OG wireless Go for almost five years, and it is still working perfectly, and to be honest, other brands' gear with swappable batteries have failed in less than half that time.
I don't usually comment but your background is just beautiful! Great content presentation as well
I appreciate that! It really means a lot to hear.
Enjoyed the video, Tom. My 2 cents: I think we have crossed a certain threshold where these companies have moved the longevity of their products way down on the priority list. It's pretty clear, because these small audio TX/RX systems with internal batteries have a wider appeal (not just commercial/pro users), meaning bigger sales. What sells right now is smaller, more features, ease of use, and lower cost. Unfortunately, that has made us consumers (even myself who uses these professionally), short-sighted. Asking companies to create battery replaceable units, I'm afraid will most likely fall on deaf ears. On another note, I used to have a sennheiser G3 system, which uses AA batteries. For one pair of TX/RX, the system costs $440. That used to be the standard back the 2010's. I started having a problem where the buttons started to fail, and although I could have sent it in for repair, it would have cost me $200. So, all in all, I see the appeal of these smaller units that have non-replaceable batteries. They're not that expensive, and I foresee them getting replaced anyways in maybe 3 years. It's just a matter of what's the best bang for my Buck -- see what I did there? ;)
Great points. Overall I don't actually see in which way any of the 'more professional' sennheiser systems are better. Is the noise floor better or the transmitted audio somehow crisper? There's no way sennheiser can do radio better than a radio company, dji has customers send 30+ thousand dollar dangerous drones kilometers out. Sennheiser has customers transmit audio 15 meters.
I had to use the g3/g4 on a documentary shoot and they were such a pain to use, I plan to never use them again now that I have the dji mic 2.
I own a first edition Samsung watch that has a dead battery, and now its useless...I totally agree with you.
You have a good point. A big reason I like them is how small they are. And I would think adding replaceable batteries would make them a bigger size. If they could keep the same size with a replaceable battery I'd be all for that.
I'm glad UA-cam place this video in my feed. I've been looking to upgrade my audio system. Cheers.
Fantastic point Tom!!! I never thought about the battery issue... Pro UHFs are too big for weddings, I believe. And that's going to be where I'm headed as a film maker...
Hey Tom, I am your most recent member! I am starting my Podcast Journey after giving it a Loooooong thinking process, I finally decided to ACT. So I recorded my first 2 episodes, (pretty much trials, nothing worth sharing yet) bought a Mic to fix the sound of my podcast....still learning, and now decided to be a member of your tribe since I started watching your amazing podcast last year. I want to ask you if you are planning to do a review of the Fifine AM8. Very affordable and it seems to be a goooood mic. Want to hear your thoughts!
Hey Martin!
Congrats on taking the leap! I haven't used the AM8 myself yet, but it seems interesting, especially since it's a USB/XLR combo mic at a pretty low price. I just ordered one on Amazon based on your recommendation, so I'm excited to see how it sounds and then maybe do a review 👍
Thanks for joining as a channel member- that's what makes it possible to randomly order an interesting mic like this!
Good point. These get little use compared to say an iPhone which when you sell it the first thing someone asks is
“What percentage is the battery health”.
really good point and reminder you make in this video. I think each and every wireless mic producer should offer a battery exchange service. This should be a common standard.
Seeing the Aquabats poster and the guitars was an instant subscribe, I haven’t even heard your opinions on the mics yet but I just know I like your vibe and will appreciate your takes
Oddly fascinating topic. Thanks Tom!
Thank you so much for addressing this! I don't understand why more people aren't upset that the modern devices they're buying these days have such a limited shelf life because the batteries can't be replaced.
I have a question about the transmitters/receivers you recommended that take AA batteries: Do rechargeable NiMH batteries (e.g., Eneloop, Ikea Ladda, etc.) work fine in these despite the slightly lower 1.2v voltage?
My experience with DJI has been affordable service rates on out of warranty or accidental damage repairs. My employer paid $27 for a repair on an out of warranty original DJI mic.
The irony of the cheaper systems is that they require AAA and AAAA batteries. The Godox I have can be cracked open and you can replace the cells with very rudimentary soldering skills. But your point is well taken.
I seem to recall a law being passed a few several years ago that would require all battery operated devices to have replaceable batteries. I wonder what happened to that.
Apple has an exchange option for AirPods, can install new batteries in an iPhone, it seems like the company that offers an exchange program for wireless mics wins.
great point
Hi Tom, love what you are saying here. Rode does make a AA battery version which outperforms these versions. I use the ones you are showing here on some shoots, yet rely on the very trusty RODE battery wireless mic set up when it's really important.
Is it the Filmmaker set? I know Rode used to have one that seemed absolutely awesome, but I think it was discontinued?
Yes, I can still get it here in Aus.@@tombuck
found your channel today. I freaking love your energy!
There are some wireless systems out there that are 2.4 GHz but take the form-factor of a typical UHF system, and they come with AA/AAA battery slots.
My favorite one happens to be the Boya WM4 series. Only downside is that they're not simple little clip-on pucks. They're just as bulky as a normal UHF pack. But at least they fall within the same price range as the wireless lavalier pucks.
Spot on! I'm looking for a wireless mic and was looking for info on the battery lifetime. I have DJI drone and the remote controller battery is bad after a few years. I expect these mics have the same problem. The DJI service can replace the battery. The battery is cheap but that service fee will be almost the same as a new device. I have opened my controller myself to replace the battery, but these device are not intended to be serviced. They are very difficult to pry open and the casing will be damaged when doing so.
It would be nice to have some manufacturer support for battery replacement. Free under warranty if there is a defect or reduced battery lifetime (80% of rated duration?!). And after a warranty expires, service to replace the batteries (as long as the system is still supported). That would help this situation out A LOT. I'd spend $100 to replace the battery if it's a relatively quick turn around, say 10 business days.
You’ve got a heart of gold Tom. Deeply thankful for your unwavering ethical back bone and generous kind commitment to guiding us through our modern a/v minefield.
A very useful video, Tom. Unfortunately, if companies provide us with changeable batteries, they know their sales of the units will drop! I've not found a company yet that truly puts the benefit of customers above profit margins. Your best point was "stop buying the smaller units." I'm definitely going to investigate the UHF option.
This is VERY true! My first several wireless lav systems won’t even turn on anymore😑
Maybe they could even put the car FOB batteries in them! Like the CR2032… I am sure the wireless lav would be much harder on those than the FOB lol, but maybe?
It's so weird that you posted this video because I've been trying to justify to myself getting the Rode Wireless Pro and this very question was forefront in my argument against it. That and what if I wanted to have more than 2 people mic'd up, which I still haven't found a solution to that I am comfortable with. I would really like it if we could mic up 4 people to a single receiver.
Dont buy anything rode. If anything goes wrong its a pain dealing with their warranty. Even if it comes broken brand new outta the box.
More than 2 people gets tricky unless you want to spend A LOT of money. Sometimes the easiest thing to do is use something like a Zoom F2 recorder for each person and sync the audio during editing (or even try a more advanced Tentacle Sync system with timecode).
The small recorders are great if you don't absolutely need the live audio and also have the added benefit of never being impacted by interference/signal issues.
I appreciate everyone's advice! It really helps.
I agree 100%. That's why I chose the Rodelink Filmmaker Kit a few years ago. It has all the advantages (and limitations) of 2.4 GHz, but you can power the transmitter and receiver with either AA batteries or any powerbank through Micro-USB. It's great and I srongly recommend it 🙂
This is a good point that I never thought about. I have the DJI Mic system and absolutely love it, but at some point, it won't hold a charge as long. I wonder if manufactures will let us send them in for servicing at that point for a fee? I would pay it. I own a UHF system too, but the size and weight have me grabbing for my DJI mic. It's much more convenient. Good topic.
You have to look at the Tentacle Track E. Not wireless, but amazing 32 bit float pocket recorders. You can put as many as you want on people and sync them together and they offer replacement batteries you can change yourself.
As a user of 3 Sennheiser G3 and G4 systems, one thing to beware: no matter how good the construction is, a government may change the allowable frequencies, instantly obsoleting your transmitter/receiver.
Another issue I've run into is EVEN IF the batteries are rechargeable, they usually change the battery format/shape after the product is updated/replaced, and so any extra batteries you can buy are quickly old/stale stock, which for li-ion means their capacity is still significantly diminished due to short shelf life (even if unused). I have a Dell XPS 13 that still works fine, but Dell doesn't make batteries for it anymore, and even the bootleg batteries I can find are all old, so in the end it's not worth the effort.
Have been trying out a few wireless systems lately and I never thought about the battery situation.
I’ve been wanting simple AAA batteries in these systems since they started coming out!
It is a valid point, but you are adding moist sensibility and new connectors with upcoming problems... My suggestion would be to add a SMALL battery bank, either with a chargeable or dry batteries... that is easily clipped to the transmitter/reciever unit. And the professional solutions cost a lot more and are much bulkier/heavier.
Inbuilt obsolescence is sooo insidious! A simple solution would be a manufacturer's battery replacement service. Rode are a pretty good company, so they MIGHT have such a scheme. I haven't checked yet. Thanks for the video.
I talked to Rode about their batteries and they said that compactness was a big factor, so AA batteries and the like didn't work. They also said they do use high quality batteries with some protective circuits that should last a long time (and to be fair, my original Wireless Go has outlasted the Deity system), but I would love a simple replacement service or DIY replacement kit option.
thumbs up for working Alkaline Trio into the video!
I was quite proud of that haha, but unsure if anyone else would get it 😁
@@tombuck haha well I'm glad to have been the one!
I'm holding a purchase for this reason. I been using a zoom h1 with a lav instead to record audio and sync in post but not cheap prosumer alternative for wireless audio yet.
That's a great solution! The Zoom F2 is also a fantastic little 32 bit recorder.
I have the rode ntg, and it doesn't have a removable battery. But, you can use external USB-C batteries as a backup. I hear rode has a good warranty on their battery life.
I totally agree! Just a couple of days ago I was talking to a friend and told him the same. While I like the fact that tech vendors are including lithium batteries because, A you have one less thing to forget at home when going to document an event, and B you waste lots of batteries (for your mics, for the recorder, for the led lamp, etc).
Of course I use rechargeable batteries, but those also have a limited life. Longer than a regular battery but....
Also, for all those things like flash, microphones, recorder, led lamp, etc. You need to have lots of them and recharge them all the time. So you end up carrying 10+ sets of batteries, which adds bulk and weight to your bag. And also make sure that all of them are freshly recharged. So having gear with included battery is a life saver.
But the fact that you can't change the batteries included, and the gear is dead once the battery dies, it's a bummer.
The problem is, I think, they change their gear design a lot from version to version. So it's like Apple, all the accessories you got for your laptop, are not compatible with the next version. So the same batteries designed for a Deity Mic, won't fit in the next version of the microphone.
It sucks!
This is exactly why I’ve always been reluctant to buy these units. The idea, that in a pinch, I can always throw in some off the shelf batteries, gives me peace of mind. I’ll just keep using my tried and true Sennheiser G3.
oh yeah I have the same issues. Once I even had battery bloat on a set after a year.
Expanding batteries are terrifying!
I don't mind not having replaceable batteries if they give us replaceable units. Like a warranty system where you can send old units in to have their batteries replaced in house. Or replace the whole unit and they can recycle the old one. That would reduce e-waste also. But if not, i guess adding a battery door isn't too big an ask. I just gope they dont charge an arm and leg for additional proprietary batteries.
DJI offers this service at a price of about $30.
@@paulpan6842 That's good. Maybe I should buy into DJI cause I'm in the Rode ecosystem
The big thing the small rigs offer is just that ... they're small. Look at the UHF gear you're holding, look at the size of the Rode/Hollyland/DJI/etc. They're tiny, they're light, they don't require wiring yourself up like a heart patient in the ER to get your audio going. Open the case, clip the magnet, rolling.
That said, I absolutely agree with you, they should have replaceable batteries. Even if it's a matter of having to do a little iFixit style surgery vs. popping open a little door.
You can replace the battery sending them to a electronic shop or computer, or DYI if used to it. Or a powerbank (bulky)
The advent of rechargeable lithium cells in the form of AA and AAA has really created some wonderful options. You can also get the identical size battery at 3.7 V. You don’t want to mix those up generally except maybe in a flash light but I get frustrated at the amount of electronics I have to throw away because of dead batteries even though I’m able to repair a good 50% of what I have. The rest cannot be salvaged.
Wow! This is a REAL THING! Thanks for shining a light on it!
Hi Tom, thanks for this video. I found your videos really helpful when I was looking for a dedicated studio mic during COVID.
I've recently started to branch back out into video work after a long hiatus. Back when I was making videos previously, things like the Rode VMP and like on-camera shotguns were being paired with dedicated recorders like Zoom H4n. Now that I've come back, it seems like these systems are literally everywhere, and no one is talking about any audio solutions, on-camera or off-camera, other than these.
I would love to see some sort of breakdown of a 2-track recording using a contemporary wireless set, vs a UHF set, vs a dedicated recorder.
Is the ease of use really worth it, or could you buy one of the standards from 5 years ago and have a better setup?
Heck, I could buy two H4ns, plus two lavs, and still be at the price of the Rode setup.
Great points, Tom. The only other thing I would add as a benefit to the 2.4 systems is the size. Battery compartments increase the form factor. For major events I have UHF interchangeable battery gear. For stuff like streaming and personal things, I just go with the 2.4 systems. Appreciate your work!
I'd easily accept a mm or two of extra thickness and even slightly shorter battery capacity if it meant I could have replaceable battery. But there's no long term profit in making a cheap product that lasts for a decade.
@@gutterg0dI don't think these companies are as nefarious as you might think. I don't think 80% of users of any of these mic systems will EVER eat through the usuable life time of the batteries. With true wireless headphones that's far more likely but most people really don't use their camera gear all that much. The fact that a few super hardcore users could buy replacement batteries instead of buying a new product for 300 dollars is not a huge impact on sales imo.
@@definingslawek4731 It's not just about longevity of the existing battery. If the battery runs out and you can keep a fully charged spare, you have effectively doubled the amount of use time between charges. Running around with an extra power bank connected is not very practical. Also, if you leave the devices unused without charging it for too long, it will deplete the battery fully and once that happens you won't be able to charge it at all anymore no matter how good condition the battery was in.
Shure just released a couple of new products in their SLXD line of professional UHF wireless mic systems. Unfortunately, neither Shure nor Sennheiser has bothered to address use cases where a USB interface on the transmitter and/or receiver to hand off audio digitally works best for their customers.
4:51 You say that you can't expect a 300 dollar device to transmit 'in uhf' but there's really nothing stopping dji or rode from doing that. It does not cost ANY additional money to transmit at a lower frequency (uhf is around 500mhz so 0.5ghz instead of 2.4) you literally just change the length of the antennas, that's pretty much it. The rode and dji systems could also be UHF if they chose to be but they decided not to as it's totally unnecesary.
Well, how are they otherwise gonna make you buy a new one 🤷🏻?
You mean there aren't insane leaps in audio quality every few months?! 😉
So you're right about the replaceable batteries. But look at how small. The microphones are where are you going to put them? Design-wise too
I just replaced my Hollyland Lark 150 system as one of the transmitters battery was swelling. I wanted to replace it for a while and saw the introduction of the Sennheiser and Deity systems, when the price was released, I figured I would eat the cost and get the Sennheiser system with 1 mic but ended up going with the Rode Wireless Pro as no one had the Sennheiser or even the Deity system in Asia and the Rode was available. It would be nice to be able to replace the internal battery ourselves or at a store, it sucks to keep replacing them. The size makes the less costly 2.4 wireless system, easier to travel with and they are good for non professional use. I think the solution is to come out with an industry standard set of batteries for these devices, that are user replaceable.
I just picked up the AM-18 from Ulanzi. 14 hours of 16-bit internal recording on each transmitter, $79 down from $99! I’m fine with replacing that every few years. If I want 32-bit float, I’d rather boom and Xoom or something that will give me more control than a lav, which is scratch/reference audio in most scenarios anyway right?
100% agree. I'd love to see a mid-point between these devices and the next step up (things like the Deity Theos etc). Just the same devices but with replaceable batteries would be a fantastic improvement.
I picked up an inexpensive Comica BoomX-D2 kit because I noticed the covers were attached with 3-4 small screws. I'm hoping they use a fairly common battery when the time comes to tear them down to replace. I just did it with two of my Logitech MX mice. Love the idea about using a swappable battery as well. My Deity V-Mic D4 is always ready to go with a AAA battery and it's so easy to carry a few rechargeable spares. If they can fit it, why can't these mini-kits?
because the mini-kits include wireless transmitters and lots of other electronics the deity doesn’t have for onboard processing and internal storage (memory chips for storage, controllers for said storage +++) chuck all that into a deity v-mic 4 and it’ll grow to a chunky boy :) Or try running a wireless lav mic with wifi blasting and onboard storage of huge files while transmitting data on a single AAA battery - «it’ll last 20 minutes, but hey, it’s got an exchangeable battery» :)
Exactly! And I wouldn't even mind a bit of a tinker-y DIY replacement process as long as it's at least an option.
@@andresjoberg Thank you for your insight.
@@tombuck it would be great if there was some type of online place one could go to find such tutorials on switching out the battery on things like the Røde Wireless Go and other small electronic things, maybe even short 8-10 minute videos showing the process step by step and tools one needed - if only there was such a place where one could find these things … ;)
@@tombuck I watched the 4 videos Oniyaki did on the Wireless Go & 2 (none out there for DJI) and the battery looked to be barely any smaller than the one for a Sony ZV-1 II. It's not a simple unplug/swap. There aren't replacement batteries out there so he used one from an Apple Watch, and there was a charger circuit strip that is about the size of the battery contact I replaced on my last camera, that needed to be removed from the original battery and soldered to the new. Looks like a swappable battery would be possible on a slightly larger unit.
This practice of not letting customers doing our own maintenance is getting out of hand. Laptops, mobile phones, watches, and now mics. Who knows what else out there that have irreplaceable batteries.
I've been a videographer for over 25 years and my biggest annoyance was always the batteries for the wireless mics. The cost of fresh batteries every time was expensive and wasteful. Rechargeable batteries were unreliable and would go bad quite often and quickly. Replaceable batteries are a waste hazard just like other pieces of electronic equipment. These new wireless systems with their built-in batteries offer a reliability that traditional lav never had.
Thank you very much for addressing this. I've noticed huge battery performance loss with my 2 year old Rode Wireless Go kit. After 2 years of use, I get max 2 hours of battery life and that decreases in the winter temps. Like you mentioned, they perform perfectly well when charged, but as I am not able to replace the battery, I will have to throw them out soon.
I’d never considered this point so well worth thinking about. I think I’ll keep using my Rodelink system which has the removable batteries and has never let me down in nearly 10 years of use.
Since these mics are generally not expected to have any kind of liquid resistance, there's nothing stopping them from making the battery a slide on/slide off piece like drone batteries. Of course their size won't let you put in AA or even AAA batteries, but at least some sort of replaceable solution would be great
I really didn't want to watch this video because I thought it was going to be some gimmicky thing. And then it took a while before you appeared and then I realized oh it's this cool guy I haven't seen in a while! And I just bought those Rode Wireless Pro mics. I wondered about the battery life on these two. So I'm anxious to know if maybe storing them drained is better...
I have some Sennheiser wireless systems. I quit using them when I realized going directly wired sounded so much better and I don't really care if I see the cable in the shot occasionally because I would rather have better sound. I'll be curious to know what the difference is between a system like that and these little Rode Mics. The fact that it captures 32 bit on the transmitter just makes the Rode Mics profoundly better to me than anything you can get with that Sennheiser wireless UHF or whatever.
At last someone is pointing this out. Ive stuck with my Rode filmaker mics. They take LR6 batteries, and because I only do 2 or 3 interviews a year I don't worry. I simply bought a sarmonic audio mixer, so I can run 2 mics. It works, and has never let me down.
I did watch a review were they pitted the filmaker against a newer rode wireless, and they seemed to be better shielded again interference, maybe because of a larger case.
Excellent points Tom. I held onto my RodeLink and NewsShooter lavs primarily because they take regular batteries.
I invested in a good Senheiser system years ago. Then, here in the not-so-lovely country of Canadia, our government sold a range of frequencies to private interests. Not sure how or why that's even possible but they did. And it just so happens that the range encompassed the frequencies used by many wireless microphone systems. We received many threatening emails warning about how the use of these frequencies was now "illegal". Of course I thought that was absurd and intended on continuing to use my system that I had paid quite a sum for and felt I had done or would be doing nothing wrong because airwaves should not be owned. But the problem came in the form of interference. The mics were no longer useable because of the amount of anomalous sounds and interference we would get. And now I have multiple sets of non-replaceable battery systems
UHF definitely gets VERY complicated, and jeez, I can't even think of how frustrating it'd be to be in that situation 🫠
I just purchased the new Deity wireless system and it operates on two rechargeable AA batteries. Same as my old Sony wireless system.
You are making a great point, but for me, the magnetic attachment for the DJI Mic was a game changer when doing documentary work in Africa. It is really hard to run a cable down a woman's dress and find somewhere to hang the transmitter when she doesn't have belt or a back pocket.
Since most of them are chargeable through USB-C maybe the manufacturer could make some kind of USB-C battery/power bank that doesn't take up much more space than the device itself. Røde could make a kit with three mini power banks that all have the clip on one side and on the opposing "top" side have a cold shoe for mounting the transmitter/receiver. The power bank have one short USB-C port for connecting to device and one that act as a pass through for data, and charging of the power bank.
I had several issues with wireless mics:
- I need a solution that SYNCS all the mics. I don't want to waste time doing that in post.
- WHY are the in-built and lapel mics all omnidirectional? Your mouth is one place, so what I found is they pick up everything (and everyone) around you, and it bleeds into every mic. So if I edit, I had to mute all the other mics every time someone talks, to avoid phasing issues.
- Software is just too basic. It should at least be able to record wirelessly to your phone.
- Too heavy for light weight t-shirts so they sag down.
- Some are too big so look daft when wearing them.
In the end I realised I didn't need wireless mics. For the same price, I bought two Shure MV7X mics, a Zoom Podcaster (which is an excellent bit of kit, automatically syncs all the mics, plus offers all the multitracks. I don't do a podcast but boy has that thing saved me so much time). My mic headaches are now gone and I can concentrate on making content.