RØDE goes gaming – launches RØDE X sub-brand for gamers and streamers

As if being the biggest and best name in audio for video production and podcasting wasn’t enough, Aussie company RØDE has launched a new division and brand, called RØDE X – and it’s all about gaming and streaming.

@trevorlong RODE X – a revolution for Streamers and Gamers – check out the microphones and the SOFTWARE! #rode #microphones #gaming #streaming #audio #mixer #mixing #obs #stream #software ♬ original sound – Trevor Long

Twitch Live, YouTube live even TikTok live streaming of gaming is a huge – like, multi-billion dollar industry. There are people making a living from it and plenty more spending big coin to improve their gaming and streaming rigs.

Money is spent on the lighting in the room, the hardware to switch and engage in the game and stream, and of course in the actual playing of the game like your keyboard, mouse and headphones.

And yep, Audio is a huge deal – we’ve seen amazing microphones from AKG, HyperX and many more aimed just at gamers so with RØDE coming into the market they have a steep learning curve but huge opportunity.

EFTM has been hands on with the new products and software this week, and it’s impressive for sure.

RØDE’s two new microphones are iterations of existing and outstanding products. The XDM-100 is a professional grade dynamic microphone with USB-C connectivity for broadcast quality audio designed for streaming.

The XDM-100 comes with a long USB-C to USB-C cable plus a shock mount and pop shield.

For a simpler and more affordable solution, the XCM-50 is a USB Condenser microphone modelled on the NT-USB from RØDE. It comes in the box with a small tripod mount which is ideal for desktop use.

XDM-100 will set you back $439, the XCM-50 is $259.

One problem I see with the products from a competitive market standpoint is the lack of lights. Sounds ridiculous I know, because Audio is so important, but if they’d just included some USB lighting it would have been epic.

All of that is great, and the market will respond well to the dark design, red highlights and importantly the outstanding audio credentials of the microphones.

But – the real genius here is the Software.

RØDE call it UNIFY and that’s what it does, brings together all your audio and allows you to route it as you choose.

Up to four USB microphones, plus all your on-system audio sources and some hotkey audio stings can be mixed to the ideal output.

But even better, the UNIFY software creates a range of virtual outputs for you, so you can have a separate mix of audio for your stream, to the mix that comes into your headphones and another that your chatroom gets, and another that is recorded.

It is the most complex audio mixing software for this purpose, but does it so well and will reduce the amount of hassle for a streamer who can now have recorded gameplay audio with your game commentary, a clean microphone feed just for chat, your headphones pumping music that no-one else hears, and your stream getting the ideal mix of it all.

Remarkable stuff.

And the software features RØDE’s APHEX processing so you can add tweaks to your voice to get the best sound for you.

“The launch of RØDE X marks an exciting new era for RØDE,” is how RØDE CEO Damien Wilson describes it, saying “In addition to these two incredible microphones and UNIFY, we have a suite of groundbreaking products currently in development that are going to shape the future of audio for streaming and gaming. This is just the beginning.”

This really is just the beginning of something massive for the streaming industry, and it’s all designed AND made right here in Australia.