RØDE Announces New Gaming Division RØDE X Alongside Two Mics And UNIFY Software

RØDE, the prominent Australian microphone and audio brand, has announced its new gaming and streaming division – RØDE X – that launches today with two microphones and its new audio software UNIFY.

After more than three years in the making, RØDE X is a series of products that have been tailor-made for gamers and content creators while maintaining the level of quality and craftsmanship that users expect from the Sydney-based company.

The RØDE X launch line-up includes two new professional USB microphones: the XDM-100 dynamic USB microphone and XCM-50 condenser USB microphone. Both microphones utilise a USB-C connection, include a built-in high-powered headphone output for audio monitoring, a mute button, and feature a solid black finish with red trimmings.

The XDM-100 is similar in design to RØDE’s Procaster mic and features the company’s signature ultra-low-noise, high-gain Revolution Preamp and high-resolution 24-bit/48 kHz analog-digital conversion​ for crystal clear recordings. In the box you’ll find a pop shield and shock mount that lets owners mount it on a mic stand, such as the RØDE PSA1+.

While the XCM-50 is a smaller unit that delivers detailed audio thanks to its full frequency response. Like the XDM-100 it comes with a pop shield and shock mount, and it also comes with a desktop tripod to make getting started even easier.

Pricing for the new microphones will see the XDM-100 set you back AU$439 / US$249, while the XCM-50 will cost AU$259 / US$149.

Alongside the new microphones, RØDE has revealed UNIFY, a brand-new audio software that allows users to get the most out of their RØDE X products. UNIFY will come free with any RØDE X product or can be purchased for a monthly subscription fee of AU$7.99 / US$5 or AU$69.99 / US$45 annually if you want to use it with other USB audio devices.

So what is it? UNIFY is an all-you-need software solution that lets users route and mix up to four USB microphones or other audio devices and up to six virtual audio sources (including game, chat, music and browser applications) in one intuitive interface. Users can also create independent sub-mixes for different outputs (such as their livestream, headphones and chat), add studio-grade audio processing to microphone channels and sound effects on the go, as well as the ability to multitrack record and more.

RØDE’s Senior Product Manager Chris Beech says that UNIFY “is a huge step forward for streaming and gaming audio technology.”

“Throughout development, we spent countless hours researching exactly what streamers and gamers need from audio software and worked tirelessly to implement every feature while ensuring it is as simple to use as possible.”

UNIFY software

More RØDE X products are in the pipeline and will launch in 2023, while UNIFY will be updated with Voice FX later in 2022.

I’ve had early access to the XDM-100 and XCM-50 microphones as well as UNIFY, and my early impressions have been positive so far. I should hopefully have reviews up in the coming weeks one I spend more time with them.

What do you make of the new RØDE X microphones and UNIFY software? Will you be checking them out? Let us know in the comments or on social media.