Rode Microphones began as Freedman Electronics, a company
that started in 1967, and went on to be a pioneer in the Australian audio
industry. Noted for its design and
manufacturing expertise, it quickly gained popularity for being reliable and
diverse. Because the Australian market
was small, Freedman Electronics was able to capture the attention of many
industry leaders, and set its sights on capitalizing on the uniqueness of this burgeoning
market.
Over the next 23 years, Freedman continued its research and
development of various microphone technologies both in the lab and in the
field, a move that would later drive their ambition to design and produce
superior quality microphones that are rated among the best in the industry
worldwide. The decision to produce and
market the first actual Rode microphone was made in 1990, and thus began a line
of excellent makes and models offered at a very affordable price.
Prior to the explosion of the home recording market that
sent everyone clambering for the latest pieces of technology guaranteed to turn
even the smallest of rooms into a vocal booth, live room, and control room all
in one, there were few established companies who manufactured and sold
professional condenser microphones for recording purposes. The companies who did produce those products offered
them at higher prices, because the main customers were owners of large
recording studios. There was nothing of
a professional quality, but musician’s price to cater to those investing in a
home studio.
One reason for the high prices was due to the small market
and respective need for the recouping of considerable investments by the
equipment manufactures. This all changed
as the popularity of the home studio grew.
Rode, however, recognized this need from the very beginning, and worked
hard to target the needs of this now growing market.
Rode began its microphone manufacturing around the same time
as the emergence of the home and project studio markets, and quickly found that
by using the latest technology, but offering it at a lower price, they would be
able to capture the attention of those who preferred quality at an affordable
price. By doing so, they were able to
achieve previously unheard of sales on demand.
By 1998, Rode Microphones had established itself as a
leading force in this emerging market, and was able to upgrade to a larger
facility that afforded them great opportunity for further growth and
stability. Placing emphasis on superb
design and engineering capabilities, Rode continued to turn out products that
exceeded even the highest of international standards, and made them stand out
in the microphone market. They are
committed to providing their customers with products of great value,
performance, and user satisfaction. In
order to do this, they are continually investing time and effort into the
research and development necessary to maintain the high standards they have set
in the industry. They integrate the
latest manufacturing technologies to further the quality, performance, and
production of their microphones.
Rode Microphones prides itself on placing the greater
importance on what really matters. By
listening to those who use microphones, they are able to further company
quality and sales, and gain new customers in the process. They also provide superb customer support to
those who buy their products, which in turn, is helping them forge customer
relationships that will last a lifetime.
