The Rodecaster Pro II is a slimmer, more customizable audio mixer

Image: Rode

The new version of the portable audio mixer console, the Rodecaster Pro, has upgraded hardware, a load of new software features, and a subtly sleeker design. The key parts of an audio control room for livestreams, podcasts, and other audio productions can be found in the Rodecaster Pro II.

The Rodecaster Pro II looks like a slightly more compact version of its predecessor, with six physical faders instead of eight, which makes it 12 inches wide and 14 inches tall. The console has bigger updates on the inside. The console now has the ability to connect to two computers at the same time for dual operations. There is a bigger, better-looking touchscreen and the system comes with far more options to personalize the on-board software.

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The sound pads are the biggest update. The pads were previously used for playing audio clips on demand but now have the ability to be fully customization, like Elgato's Stream Deck.

The new console's preamplifiers have a lower noise floor and higher gain than the previous model, so much that it eliminates the need for products like the Cloudlifter to boost the signal-to-noise ratio of professional microphones.

The original Rodecaster Pro had limited options for audio processing internally, with some effects only having an on / off function. Additional effects like echo and pitch shifting can be adjusted with more granular parameters.

As live video and audio platforms have evolved into higher productions, the gear has to keep up as well. It's close to having a full control room at your desk with the lighting, transitions, and fades from the console.

In the weeks and months after the launch, the Pro II will be updated with additional features and software compatibility, which can be updated via wi-fi and ethernet on the console. It looks like a lot of the software functions will only be available on the Pro II, when asked if the original Rodecaster Pro will be updated with future firmware releases.

The Rodecaster Pro II is $100 more expensive than the Rodecaster Pro I, but it will ship in June of 2022.