Just bought the rode video mic. Incredible quality
Compared to the camera mic, of course. Each incremental improvement will seem "incredible" until you get used to it.
Thank you for the post. If I mix them on the set, can I still remix them in post? As in, two channels being recorded onto two separate tracks?
So far, at least, you are only recording one (1) sound source, so what multiple sources are you mixing in post? If you are a one-man-band sound crew you would set one channel lower than the other as a safety against sudden transients; after all, you can't mix and boom at the same time, which is not an issue for a real sound team.
I have another question for you. Why do you want to invest so much in prosumer/professional sound gear? Are you planning on becoming a professional production sound mixer or opening a commercial production company? Otherwise, IMHO, you are wasting your money. Who is going to swing the boom and run the mixer/recorder for you? Booming and running professional equipment requires knowledge and a high degree of skill. Just because you own it doesn't mean that your sound will reflect your audio investment; it may, in fact, sound worse than the more forgiving prosumer/consumer products. If you go the prosumer route - $1k to $2k - you may save some money if you do a lot of shooting; otherwise you should very seriously consider hiring a professional to do your sound. A professional production sound mixer, even an ambitious up-and-comer, will have knowledge, skills and experience far superior to your own. The ambitious up-and-comer will have a decent sound kit, and an long-time pro will have gear you can't even begin to afford.
BTW, just the accessories for the high end gear will set you back another $2k.
If you are not going to be using it every day (or at least on a very regular basis) it is probably not a wise investment.
This guy easily has about $10k slung around his neck.
This sound cart, if you include the stuff you can't see, probably goes for well over $50k.