Rode VXLR+ 3.5mm TRS Female to XLR Male Adapter with Phantom-to-Plug-in Power Converter

Rode VXLR+: The Adapter That Makes a 3.5mm Mic Sound Like an XLR Mic

The VXLR+ solves a single specific problem: you bought a Rode VideoMicro II, VideoMic GO, Lavalier II, or another 3.5mm plug-in-power mic, and your audio interface or field recorder only has XLR phantom-power inputs. The bare 3.5mm output cannot connect, and even if you could rig a TRS-to-XLR cable, 48V phantom power would damage the mic's tiny capsule on contact. The VXLR+ is the in-line piece that converts the 3.5mm TRS signal to a balanced XLR signal AND steps the 12-48V phantom power coming back through the XLR run down to the 3-5V plug-in power the small mic actually needs. The result: your existing 3.5mm Rode mic now connects to a Zoom H6, Tascam DR-60D, Sound Devices MixPre, Rodecaster, Focusrite Scarlett, or any other XLR-input device cleanly and safely.

The "+" Matters: Phantom-to-Plug-in Power Down-Conversion Protects the Mic

Rode sells two versions of this adapter. The original VXLR is a passive signal-only passthrough — it converts the connector shape but does nothing to the power on the line. Plug a 3.5mm mic into the VXLR and engage 48V phantom on your interface, and you can damage the mic. The VXLR+ has a built-in voltage down-converter that takes whatever phantom voltage your XLR input is sending (12V, 24V, 48V) and outputs the 3-5V plug-in power that small Rode 3.5mm mics need. Plug in, engage phantom on your interface, and the mic works without any chance of overvolting the capsule. Buyers consistently flag this distinction in reviews: the + is the one to buy.

What the VXLR+ Lets Your Rode VideoMicro II or Lavalier II Actually Do

Most 3.5mm Rode mics are designed around camera workflows — they plug into a mirrorless camera's 3.5mm input and run off the camera's plug-in power. The VXLR+ unlocks the rest of the recording world. A VideoMicro II becomes a dialogue mic on a Rodecaster Pro II or a boom-style channel on a Zoom F8 field recorder. A Lavalier II becomes a usable channel on a Tascam DR-60D or a Sound Devices MixPre for indie filmmaking and documentary work. A VideoMic GO ends up on a podcast interface as a guest mic. The same 3.5mm mic you already own becomes a multi-purpose tool that works wherever the production goes.

Full Metal Body, In-Line Form Factor, No Cable to Coil

The VXLR+ is a self-contained adapter — 3.5mm female TRS at one end, 3-pin male XLR at the other, all in a full metal housing slightly larger than a standard XLR connector. There is no cable run between the two ends, no coil to manage, and no junction box to mount. It threads directly onto the mic, then accepts a standard XLR cable into the male XLR end. Build quality matches the rest of the Rode catalog — the same matte-black metal housing used on the company's professional XLR mics. Pocket-tough enough to live in a run-and-gun bag without padding.

Who the VXLR+ Is For: Indie Filmmakers, Field Recordists, Studio Hybrid Buyers

The VXLR+ is built for three specific buyers. The first is the indie filmmaker who shoots on a mirrorless camera but records location audio to a separate XLR field recorder — the VXLR+ lets the same 3.5mm shotgun feed both camera (for sync reference) and recorder (for picture). The second is the podcaster or streamer who already owns a 3.5mm mic and just bought a Rodecaster or an audio interface with XLR inputs — instead of buying a second mic, the VXLR+ adapts what they have. The third is the field-journalism or documentary buyer who needs the same wired 3.5mm lav to work both on a smartphone (via TRRS) and on a Sound Devices MixPre — the VXLR+ covers the XLR side without changing the mic.

Plug-and-Play: No Battery, No Charge Cycle, No DIP Switches

Solid-state passive electronics. There is nothing to set up, nothing to charge, nothing to update. Plug the 3.5mm end into the mic, plug the XLR end into your interface or recorder, engage phantom power, and the mic works. It draws its own operating voltage from the phantom feed on the line, down-converts it internally, and delivers it to the mic — every time, without intervention. For the buyer who wants a permanent in-line fix rather than a temporary workaround, the VXLR+ stays attached to the mic and travels with it.