Røde Microphones
 | |
| Formerly | Freedman Electronics (1967–1990) |
|---|---|
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Consumer and professional audio equipment |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Founders |
|
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Global |
Key people |
|
| Products | Microphones, audio mixers |
Number of employees | 800+ [1] |
| Website | rode |
Røde Microphones (/ˈroʊd/), officially Freedman Electronics Pty Ltd,[2] is an Australian audio technology company specialising in the design and manufacture of microphones, headphones, audio interfaces, and audio software. The company's product range focuses on applications such as music recording, location sound recordings, broadcast and podcasting, filmmaking, and content creation, for the consumer, producer, and professional markets.[3]
History
Freedman Electronics was founded in 1967 by Henry Freedman, a London-born sound engineer, and his Swedish-born wife, Astrid.[4][5] The couple moved to Stockholm in 1952.[6] While working for a telecommunications company, Freedman provided after-hours servicing and modifications for a local agent representing the German pro-audio manufacturer Dynacord.[7] Eventually, he was granted the distribution rights in Australia to sell the brand, which led to them emigrating to Australia in 1966 with their family, which included their son, Peter.[8][9]
Establishing a shop in the suburb of Ashfield near Sydney, Freedman Electronics became one of the earliest companies in the city to design, manufacture, install, and service audio products, such as loudspeakers, amplifiers, and microphones.[10]
Peter Freedman took control of the business after Henry passed away in 1987. Peter made substantial investments in expanding Freedman Electronics sound installation services. However, his limited business experience, coupled with the challenging economic conditions of the late 1980s, nearly pushed the company to bankruptcy and left Peter burdened with significant financial debt.[11]
As the 1990s dawned, Freedman Electronics faced financial challenges. While exploring other ventures, he recalled a large-diaphragm condenser microphone he had encountered a decade earlier at a trade show in China. After assessing local market interest, he imported 20 of these microphones.[8][9]
The modified microphone achieved immediate success. This led to the informal nickname 'Rodent-1' for the microphone, which was later rebranded as the Røde NT1, thereby establishing the Røde Microphones brand. The addition of the 'Ø' character paid homage to the Freedman family's Scandinavian heritage (although Swedish itself uses the 'Ö' character)[12] to impart a European flair to the brand.[7] In 1992, Røde introduced the NT2 large-diaphragm condenser microphone following the release of the NT1.[13]
In 2006, Freedman Electronics purchased loudspeaker manufacturer Event Electronics,[14] a company that had been instrumental in establishing RØDE's US distribution channel in the early 1990s.[13] In 2007, in response to the growing podcasting industry, Røde introduced its first dedicated podcasting product, the Podcaster—a dynamic USB microphone. Røde has released additional podcast-focused products, such as the NT-USB and Procaster microphones, which have become popular choices among podcasters.[15]
In 2018, Røde unveiled the RødeCaster Pro, an 'integrated podcast production studio.' This system incorporates several components including a mixer with microphone inputs and headphone outputs, sound pads, and channels designed for seamless integration with remote callers.[16]
In 2019, Røde launched the Wireless Go compact wireless microphone system. Building upon technology initially introduced in the mid-2000s with the RødeLink range of wireless microphones, the Wireless Go received positive reviews. Its compact size and form factor, featuring a built-in microphone within the transmitter pack, enabled entirely wireless operation.[17]
In 2023, Røde acquired the American professional audio company Mackie.[18]
See also
References
- ^ "RØDE Microphones - Jobs". rode.com. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
- ^ Yasiejko, Christopher (1 November 2023). "Zaxcom Sues Rode Microphones for Wireless-Tech Patent Damages". Bloomberg Law.
- ^ Koziol, Michael (14 October 2014). "RODE microphones: the world hears them now". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ "Putting it all on the line". Business Research and Insights. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- ^ Dow, Steve (13 January 2021). "'Unprecedented': Sydney festival receives $5m donation from electronics entrepreneur". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
- ^ "The high school dropout who built an audio empire lands on Rich List". Australian Financial Review. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
- ^ a b Schoepe, Zenon (March 2011), "Meet your Maker – Rode Microphones", Resolution, pp. 56–61
- ^ a b Holder, Christopher (2004), "The Name behind the Name" (PDF), AudioTechnology, pp. 56–61
- ^ a b White, Paul (August 2005), "The Wizard of Oz", Sound on Sound
- ^ "Peter Freedman AM, Founder & CEO of Røde Microphones". The Modern Vocalist World (Podcast). 27 October 2009. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ Grafton, Julius (July 2005), "Peter's Long and Winding Rode", CX Magazine, pp. 16–24
- ^ "Swedish word of the day: ö". 7 August 2024. Archived from the original on 7 August 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
- ^ a b Murphy, Daniel (2017). RØDE Trip: Inside 50 Years of Freedman Electronics and RØDE Microphones. Sydney: Freedman Electronics Pty Ltd. pp. 126–127. ISBN 9781742459264.
- ^ "Rode Microphones buys Event Electronics". Broadcast Engineering. 9 June 2006. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
- ^ Corfield 07, Chris (7 June 2021). "The 12 best podcasting microphones 2021: our pick of podcast mics for every level and budget". MusicRadar. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Rode RodeCaster Pro v2". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
- ^ Domanski 07, Harry (7 May 2021). "Rode Wireless Go II review". TechRadar. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Sparrow, Mark. "RØDE Microphones LLC Acquires Iconic US Pro Audio Brand Mackie". Forbes. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
