So I bought an old NT1 and its still super hyped in the high end. The ssses are crazy. I rang rode and they confirmed the NT1 is the same as the NT1A its just the old graph was deceptively smoothed out. I'm off to sell the rode and get a Roswell mic. Keep fighting the good fight!
Man, I know what you mean. The NT1 is still better than the NT1A, but honestly not by much. The Mini K87 will help you out immensely in that department. The K67x is fantastic too, but much more saturation. I personally love the saturation of the transformer, but I also really love the clean 87. I reviewed both of them, as you know. Cheers, Matty!
@@TheRecordist I'll learn eventually - Buy once cry once! Love the channel. Have some dt770 PRO on order also. Still can't find my samples of tide though 😅
Hey thanks very much! And yes, the NT1 would do fine for voiceover. In fact, many VO artists use the NT1 - or at least they get started on one. Just make sure it’s not the NT1a. Cheers from Canada!
Man, this was a weird one for me. I absolutely agree with the assessments of the mics based on this video. But. I have an NT1-A that I bought for pocket change ($27) and ended up swapping a Blue B8 capsule into. I have a real world project I use to (subjectively) evaluate every mic that comes through my hands and I'll be darned if the NT1-A swapped with the B8 did phenomenal there. The strange thing was that it revealed flaws in other mics I had tested when A/B'ing against it, an experience I hadn't had before with any other mics. Without the swap it had some things I didn't like but still wasn't terrible. So, when I landed a relatively cheap but excellent copy of an NT1 I was rather shocked that I greatly disliked it both with the stock capsule and with the B8 swapped in. Interestingly, swapping the original NT1-A capsule into the NT1 the result was little different than the NT1 stock. Anyway, I was shocked by the results I got, and now shocked to hear how opposite your results are compared to my experience with the two.
Hey there. That’s interesting. My experience with the NT1a is that on its own, it’s ok. Not bad. But in a mix, it’s almost impossible to work with. The highs have a sort of baked-in distortion that sounds bad. Swapping the capsule in there has fixed a lot of those issues, I’ve read. Many will swap a K47 style capsule and find the mic is great. I will say that it’s very quiet. As for the NT1, also not a stellar mic, but much better than the NT1a because it can take EQ better. It’s flatter - not flat, but flatter than the NT1a. I suppose a capsule swap with, say, a CK12 capsule may make it even better. Rode makes pretty crappy mics, if you ask me. The NTG3 is nice but not many others are good. Rodes are just everywhere. Once you sample really amazing microphones like the sE Electronics sE4400 or the T2, or the Austrian Audio OC18 or the Lauten Audio Atlantis, and you go back to Røde, you can see how awful their stock selves are. But like a lot in audio, it’s very subjective. Everyone has their own preferences. Thanks for the great comment! Very interesting indeed! Cheers!
Hahaha! I hate the NT1a. What a terrible mic for my voice (or any voice if you ask me). At least the NT1 is less harsh on my mid-heavy voice. My throatal sounds can punch a dude out with a 2K jab! Now, the Sphere U47 on my voice is like Kashmir with blended-in baby. Thanks for watching, Mark! -Nate
@@TheRecordist After your review I’m convinced the NT1a’s primary feature is it’s ability to separate buyers from their money, and possibly their dignity.
@@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff hahaha. It sure does suck. Unless RØDE sends me something they’re really proud of, I’m afraid this concludes my coverage of RØDE mics. I cannot buy another one for these videos. I bought the NT1 just to review it. The NT1a… well… it was issued to me with samples of Tide. 🤓
I've used my NT1A to record many songs and have to agree. Most of my vocals need pretty absurd amounts of de-essing, to the point where it sounds kind of artificial. It's usable depending on the source but not optimal
Hey thanks, Terrance! I’m not a huge RØDE fan, but the NT1 isn’t terrible. The NT1a is. Haha. Sorry. There are so many mics out there. First I would need to know what you plan on using it for, and then I would need to know your budget. Then I can recommend some mics for you. Let me know!
@@terrenceholden ok. Excellent. If your room is acoustically treated, you can go to an SE Electronics SE2200. It’s a step up from the NT1. It’s a great mic for a lower cost. Higher quality than that gets into a higher price range. Higher quality LDC mics are the SE Electronics T2 (which you can hear Andy Serkis use on The Hobbit audio book). Then you get into the Neumann TLM 102 and TLM 103. I personally LOVE the Universal Audio DLX Sphere and it’s little brother the LX (both are excellent choices for ALL the choices). A sleeper amazeballs mic at a medium high price is the Austrian Audio OC818. Seriously killer mic. Or the Sennheiser MKH 416 shotgun. Crazy good mic but expensive. Don’t bother with knockoffs. They’re never good. An SM7B is a great pick for podcasting and some voiceover. But that’s a dynamic mic that needs a lot of gain. Another great dynamic mic is the ElectroVoice RE20. These are high end dynamic which are cheaper than LDC mics but sound great. If your room has echo and reverb, these are the mics you will want. I’m not sure if your price range so I dropped a bunch of names for you to look up. I urge you to save or finance to get a higher quality mic if you’re intending on professional use. The reason is because you’ll end up buying another mic when you quickly outgrow a cheaper one. I wish I never spent money on the low priced mics, each promise to be THE mic that is cheap and sounds as good as the big guys, but none of them ever deliver on it. Ever. Your voice is key also. You need to find a mic that works well with your voice. For example, a Neumann U87 sounds bad on my voice. That’s the coveted $4000 mic. So maybe renting a few to test out before you commit might be the wisest choice. I hope I have helped you in some way!
That’s interesting but not surprising. Everyone has their own preferred sound. There’s no wrong answer for anyone. It also depends on the medium you used to play it on. Thanks for chiming in!
Great video! Although the content is extremely well done, I'm very distracted by your great lighting and studio. Excellent production value! Is it time for a studio tour video so you can brag about your equipment and gain a lot of cheap views? I think so!
Haha. Well thank you very much! It’s really a very low-end space. When we moved into this house, the basement wasn’t finished and I had to set up my studio right away to do some projects. I wasn’t able to finish it and now there’s no way I can stop doing projects in order to work on it. So I hung some bargain store curtains and lights and covered the room with moving blankets and filled it with soft furniture to treat the space for reverberations. I plan on doing corner by corner in the spring. Perhaps then I’ll do a tour. Haha. But I do appreciate the compliment!
@@TheRecordist Thanks for the response! As someone who recently started a RUclips channel and is about to make my first onscreen appearance (currently editing it now), I'm happy to hear that you don't need a lot of high-end materials to create a great looking studio, which mine currently is not. This video did encourage me to order a new lens with a f1.4 aperture so I can get a similar bokeh effect. RUclips has been a boon for camera and microphone businesses!
@@davidpikedesigns hey! That’s great! My earlier videos looked like shart. So don’t be too critical of yourself when editing your own footage of yourself. Everyone’s looks bad when compared to a year or two later-even if it looks good to you now. It’s a work in progress. I learned a lot about lighting and aperture and color while making these videos-and I have been doing videos for others for a number of years. I had never done them featuring myself and filmed by myself. So it was a curve. Back lighting is key to separate you from your background. It gives you this sharp edge. You don’t want it diffused or modified. Just straight direct lighting. If you look at my videos, you can see the back light at the top left which I MacGyvered to my unfinished ceiling. I use a Godox ML60 in a large Softbox with a grid at camera-right, and a cheap amazon reflector at camera left. The ML60 is pretty low powered, so I have it at 100% strength and my lens is a Sigma 30mm 1.4 prime lens. With the APSC sensor on my Canon M50, the 30mm lens works out to 45mm. And I have to keep the aperture on 1.4 to get enough light to keep the camera at 100 ISO. I plan on getting a brighter light at some point down the road. But I have zero wiggle room as far as going higher in F-stops without also having to go higher with ISO. And since the Godox light is very very white (5500) I set my white balance on my camera to 6200 to get a more tungsten feel. As far as the background, hahaha. They are two mismatched GREEN curtains. I have two small RGB lights sitting on top of each of my speaker monitors shining a blue light to make the background appear more blue (I was going for real originally). The rest is a dollar store flamingo and a strand of fairy lights. I hope any of this will help you!
@@TheRecordist Thank you so much for taking the time to provide a detailed breakdown and the encouraging words. I really appreciate it! I wanted to get everything perfect first (as does everyone), but I also want to get videos out, so I decided that it will have to be a learning process. I think my audio is fine, which seems to be the most important part, so the video quality will just need to gradually improve, and your tips will certainly help. Congrats on hitting (and exceeding) the 1K subscriber threshold. You've earned it. Also, the comedy bits work great with your videos as well, so keep it up! Thanks again!
you really made me hate my rode nt1-a , in my country i can't buy things online so i should buy them from stores and i knew the nt1 is better but the nt1 wasn't available and it still not , i just wanna just the mic for yt gaming channel to have a good audio but ofc it dosen't matter to be the highest level of audio quality so what do u think if i now try to treat my room can i have a good useble audio on it or i should buy sm7b or something like it
i think this video is not for me cuz the rode nt1-a is a great mic for reagulr people (not pro voice overs) and if i truned the audio of the video a little i can't hear any difference but if i turned it up alot i can hear some difference , tbh it dosen't matter for me but thank you anyway for making this vid
Hey. Haha. Microphones are a totally subjective preference in most cases - unless they are actually faulty or really really bad. I’m just not a fan of the NT1a and I’ve made it a running joke on my channel that I hate it. Sort of like Seinfeld and Newman. Haha. But honestly, for most people it’s just fine. As to your question about getting an SM7B, well, if treating your room is cheaper or easier than upgrading your mic, then that’s the way you should go. But if it’s cheaper to get an SM57 and a pop filter, then go that route. It’s not necessary that you need the SM7B. The SM57 will reject the room noise just as much. And it’s only $100 USD. You can also use the 57 for all kinds of things in the future, and it’ll last longer than you or I will. Haha. Good for thought. Cheers!
oh ok that's a good idea , tbh treating my room it not easy and may be impossible cuz my home near a street so it's a good idea to keep using my nt1-a sometimes and buy sm57 side of it.. thx
Haha. Yep. It’s a constant battle with that mic. I always have such a hard time sitting it in a mix. I’m unnecessarily harsh on the NT1a but it’s unnecessarily harsh on me. Haha. Thanks for watching!
Hey there! I'm really impressed by your videos and the amazing quality of your content. As a fellow audio enthusiast, I'm curious about your thoughts on some microphones. What's your take on the Aston Origin, the NT1 Signature, and the NT1 5th Generation? Your insights would be super helpful for anyone considering these mics. Keep up the great work!
The NT1 is a decent starter mic. The NT1a is terrible. If I were you, I’d start with the sE Electronics sE4100. One of the best sounding mics at that price point. Hope this helps!
Hey there! I'm really impressed by your videos and the amazing quality of your content. As a fellow audio enthusiast, I'm curious about your thoughts on some microphones. What's your take on the Aston Origin, the NT1 Signature, and the NT1 5th Generation? Your insights would be super helpful for anyone considering these mics. Keep up the great work!
Hey! Thanks so much! The Aston is a good little mic that many people really enjoy. I think it’s great. I have not personally had experience with the NT1 signature and 5th generation mics, so I can’t really comment. And Røde isn’t interested in working with me at the present time. Perhaps it’s my vilifying the NT1a? Haha. Perhaps in the future!
The nt1a is not only bright but it's slightly v shaped You can hear the big lows and metallic highs but where are the mids? Idk The nt1 on the other hand is more neutral, it's warmer and smoother but doesn't sacrifice anything It has powerful bass, strong mids (maybe a little bit more than flat' and smooth silky highs)
The NT1a is my nemesis. I’ve decided to make it the villain of my channel. Occasionally, I will make a comment about how much I hate that mic. And Røde can take it. They’re massive and a great many of their products are junk. But the NT1 and the NTG3 are fabulous. I’m a big fan of the NT1. And you’re right about your assessment. Cheers!
Although I'll likely never get either of these mics, if I WERE to choose one, I'd probably go with the NT1 solely because its hi-freq isn't too.. what I call "stingy" which is when it's too high. After all these years I've been learning to notice certain details in audio, I've began to strive more for a "beefier" more full sound rather than what the untrained ear would consider "clearer"(when the hi-frequencies are so intense, they pierce your eardrums).
Yep! You nailed it. That’s how I would describe the NT1a. It hurts. And try mixing with it. It’s a nightmare. It’s easy for more seasoned audio people like us to recognize this and know how bad it is, but a lot of new people fall for the hype and buy this thing because marketing. The NT1 between the two isn’t bad. I mean, it’s not bad for the price. You can grab an NT1 for $200 sometimes brand new. It’s way easier to mix with that than the NT1a. It can take EQ a lot better. So I thought I’d make a video comparing both so others can hear the difference. If you must go with RØDE, and you haven’t a lot to spend, this will be the better choice. If RØDE can do better, then I’d like to see it. I enjoyed their NTG3. But that’s about it. Thanks for watching!
Hi legend! I currently have AT2020 and I use it to record rap in my room without booth, only sound screen. Do you think NT1 would be a major step up or do you have any other recommendation?
Haha. Hey man! The AT2020 is a nice mic. One of the nicest cheap mics around. Many many people use it and love it. The NT1 is much quieter, but for music, it’s not really a problem. If it were me, and I wanted to upgrade, I’d save for an excellent mid level mic like the Lauten Audio LA-320 or an sE Electronics sE4400 or a Shure KSM32. Finally, I want to make sure you mean the NT1 and not the NT1a, because the NT1a is a pile of shart. Haha. Hope this helps!
Love the videos, robin williams vibes!!! I've had a stereo pair of Rode NT1s for a while and they sound amazing on instruments (piano, jazz drums, guitar) For songs with that "chill acoustic" vibe the NT1 as vocal and guitar mic is perfect It captures more room tone than other condensers, adds a unique sound to the mix And for any EQ situation it can handle it well, very smooth response. So with that, my choice is the NT1 :)
Hey thanks so much! I really appreciate the comment! Indeed. Between the two I would definitely always choose the NT1. It’s a very very good entry level mic. One can do a hell of a lot worse for equal or even more money. It kicks the ass of the Lewitt 440 Pure and several other similarly priced mics. But the NT1a is garbage. It just is. Thanks for watching!
Lol hello again. I just searched for Rode NT1 (5th) for Field Recording use... and saw your Video popping up. So another comment from me. I searched for it because it´s low self noise and this could be good for recording quiet field recording
Hey! Yes. The NT1 is great for field recording. The low self noise is fantastic for this application. However, wind protection will probably cost more than the mics. Haha. Unless you contrived something yourself. But they are great for quiet ambiences for sure!
You've just completely convinced me that i need better headphones. I can barely ear a difference and i've tried. The barely would tilt the scale toward the NT1 but it's really not by much.
Hey Kai! Indeed, good headphones are important, but like anything else, you might like the high-end sizzle of the NT1a when others don’t. I just played it back as streamed from RUclips and I could still hear the glaring difference-but I’m using a pair of Sony MDR-7506 headphones. I think good cans are key… in more ways than one. 😉
Probably 10 years ago, I first got the AKGC214, that was supposedly considered the best one in its price range. Oh, what a misinfo! Everything criticized about the NT1A is present 100x more with the C214: Unnatural, exaggerated, synthetic trebles. It sounded so cheap that, however the EQ was set, getting comfortable with it was strictly impossible. Some further hours trying wouldve made me vomit. Nothing left but to return it. Through trial and error I chose the NT1 kit & didn't expect anything from that more or less entry-level-mic, but It immediately went obvious that the AKGC214 & the NT1 are even more than worlds apart (fortunately in my case). It's not just the black exterior that fits well with the Vsynth GT('s voice processor) where its mostly plugged in ever since then. If only I'd grabbed it staight away...
That’s awesome! Yes, the NT1 is a fine mic. Really much better than one might think. Very flat and almost velvety. The 214 is famous for sucking. Haha. Thanks for the comment!
I have a red substance dripping out of my ears after listening to the NT1A. I own an NT1 and I don't want to buy your NT1A, ha, ha! You should be ashamed of yourself for owning it. End of transmission.
I agree with the opinion on the NT1-A. As someone who used one it has this remarkable ability to capture my mouth noises in a way I reckon the NT1 just doesn't. To my ears, neither sound harsh on your voice, but because I know that the NT1-A can sound harsh on some voices (and I have heard recordings of other people in .wav form) I know the NT1 is a much safer bet. The low self noise is fantastic for beginners, as it doesn't add any perceptible noise to an imperfect environment. Anyone struggling with the NT1 price needs to stretch their budget by any means possible. Just don't get takeaway this week, don't go out for drinks that one time or live a bit more frugal for a week. It's really worth it and the NT1 will require far less work to make it sound good. You'll also save in the long run because you won't need to upgrade it at all, unless of course you like looking at a Neumann badge.
hey batman thank you for your videos i love them 🤘the second thing i want to say i think you will love the Audio-Technica AT875R shoutgun microphone hope you are doing good ^_^
I had an NT1-A when I was new to recording and I never really loved it. Could never explain why either. I don't have it anymore, and I really liked the sound of the NT1 in this video. Also hunk of shart made me actually laugh out loud
Thanks for this shoot out, Time Pres! I love your cheeky, geeky vibe as always. I got a used Rode NT2000 last year at what appears to be a pretty good price, based on ads I've seen recently on K*j*j* . I can't find very much about it on the Tube. Have you ever used this model?
Hey Barry. I have not used this mic before. But I have heard really good things about it. The people who like it REALLY like it. It’s definitely a Swiss Army mic with the polar patterns. I’d say you got yourself a decent mic! Thanks for watching!
Hi...I´m Robin. Usually I don´t admit to being Robin but since you are Batman, I´m begrudgingly...Robin. I´m not a fan of RØDE at all..exept the stuidio desk mic stands. RØDE Mics don´t sound bad but all the stuff I have bought from RØDE over the years didn´t last...exept for the Mic Stands. It all seems to be cheaply made, flimsy stuff and all right for the money I guess, but, at least in my humble opinion. But, I just don´t like that kind of hit and miss approach RØDE seems to be taking. Even the sound quality and the sturdiness of their lapel-mics...or the lack thereof...most of the RØDE gear I bought, had to be replaced far to quickly to be bought again. I stick with gear I know to be and to sound great. EV, Neumann, Sennheiser and the like. I have even got a AT 4040 and that´s been a workhorse in the studio for years without fail. My oldest Mic is a vintage C414 and that´s a grand Mic. the NT1 sounds dull, the 1A just simply afwul and the NT1 I used to have got worse and worse over the three years I had it. RØDE may make great gear, but I´m not buying any of their stuff anymore...or use it, for that matter...exept the Mic stands obviously.
Hi Robin! I couldn’t agree more. I’m not a fan of RØDE at all for most things. But between the NT1 and the NT1a, the NT1 is miles better. It is rather dark, which is probably why I like it-and when I say “like it”, I mean to say that it’s my favorite of the RØDE mics that I’ve tried. Maybe the NTG3 is pretty good too. I always have to remember that for a lot of people, a Neumann, or AGK 414 (never mind a vintage one), or even higher end Sennheisers are just out of reach. But that doesn’t mean that they can’t make great music or great podcasts or videos with cheaper gear. As a mic snob (and I am… don’t let my videos fool you haha) I would tend to gravitate to much better mics like the 414 or the Austrian Audio OC-818 or the Neumann TLM-49 and on and on. But when you’ve very little money, but still want to be creative, there are options for you, and the NT1 is one of them. They at least can take EQ, while the NT1a can’t. And I agree. Don’t ever buy a RØDE lav. Haha. They’re awful. Thanks for watching my videos and for always commenting!
And thank you for always answering back. It's not always about the gear, although I do have an opinion on most of the gear you review since I have or at least have had experience with a lot of the of the gear you use.
@@knorke3642 hey no problem! For me it’s ALWAYS about the gear. Haha. But seriously, I’m glad you comment! I try to acquire some lower end stuff both because it’s more accessible to more people, and also because I’m un-wealthy haha. Maybe one day I can have an audio snobbery channel! Woo hoo!
I was listening while walking and not looking at the screen (with bose qc35ii headphones) and couldn’t tell you were switching between two mics. Even after you said it, I couldn’t tell. Until I watched the second half of the vid with my eyeballs and then could magically hear some small difference. Probably a combination of headphones made for good noise cancelling in noisy environments rather than good audio quality, the the fact I only became an audio nerd yesterday when I found your channel and started watching all your vids. I’d be interested in seeing you review some Deity gear! I watch a lot of camera RUclips, vids by people with major gas for cameras and lenses but who aren’t by any means audio experts. In that scene there are basically 3 types of microphone - Rode, Deity, and “anything else”
Hey Jimi! Thanks for watching my videos! Haha. “No highs. No lows. Must be Bose!” That’s what all of us Home Theater Product Experts at Future Shop used to say back in the day. The Bose won’t reveal the highs like true reference headphones will. There is a definite difference in the harsh highs on the NT1a. Haha. I have reviewed some Deity products-or at least one. I did one review (the Deity D3 Pro) and I did another video on how to get a Deity S-Mic 2 to sound like a Sennheiser 416. I own both mics. I have yet to do a proper review on the Deity S-Mic 2. I should get on that, but I have to get through all this gear that was sent to me first.
I have no idea. I haven’t had the chance to test it out. I generally dislike USB mics because it’s cheap A/D conversion, but it does have XLR, so I do wonder.
@@TheRecordist ah top en français 😁 vive les sous titres en traduction automatique sur RUclips. Notre éducation nationale est complètement à l'ouest pour notre apprentissage des langues étrangères donc en vieillissant si on ne fait pas une immersion de plusieurs années dans un pays ça devient de plus en plus compliqué 😅. Je viens de me commander le Nt1 juste après ta vidéo car il faut le dire le son est flagrant. J'ai adoré ton humour ! Merci pour ce super moment !!!!
@@margauxs7406 Hahaha. Merci beaucoup! Je sais que vous apprécierez vraiment le NT1. C'est un bien meilleur microphone ! Merci pour les merveilleux compliments!
if you know how to control siblance through mic positioning, the NT one A is way better for vocals because it provides that brightness that the NT one cannot provide
Hey. Of course, everyone has different tastes and if you like the NT1a, then that’s great! But have you ever tried to mix with it? Yes, turning the mic slightly off axis will reduce the sibilance somewhat, but having to do that is an indication that it’s just not a great mic (for the price). With the NT1 on my voice, I can just add a little 12K and 7K sparkle in post and can work with that a lot easier. But again, that just my own experience. And the NT1 isn’t a great mic either. I just find it better than the NT1a. Thanks for the comment!
Hi Batman, what a great video again; completely you! And I go for the NT1 if I would ever buy a RØDE microphone (but I wouldn't; after this review I neither do like both of them (at this moment....). But the NT1a surely would not do it for me; it sounds a bit like a fish can to me. And that is so great about your video's; I can really experience how these mics sound and I get more picky every time you bring out another video. I was glad that you put out another video in just one week! Last weekend I bought a Zoom h1n and brought it back this weekend; the display was rotated a few degrees. I was able to buy a very nice secondhand Zoom h4n for exactly the same price but did not do it because I did not trust the preamps would be better than the ones on the Zoom h1n. Question to Batman: Can you confirm that? Besides that I discovered that the inputs on the Zoom h4n are not meant to be used for line input also, which is something that I am looking for (so I can also use them for my keyboard). I repeat: Love your content man!
Hey thanks, Roland! I have a new video released every Monday. I’m not a RØDE fan at all. Even for the mobile recording gear. However, out of all their mics, only NT1 has been surprising-and mostly because I expected it to sound like the NT1a. I do like the NTG3 but that’s about it. The thing about cheap mics is that they’re not easy to mix. They need work in post and that’s not ideal. You always want the best possible sound going in. But if you can only afford one, and that’s either the NT1 or NT1a, then go for the NT1. RØDE is everywhere. Easy to attain. And for some countries, likely the only one that’s decent in a low price range. So I make my videos with that in mind. As far as the H4n, if it’s an original H4n then it’s junk. Very noisy preamps. Not good. The new H4n Pros have the same preamps as the H5 and H6-which are not the best but way better than the original H4n. The H1n has very similar preamps to the H5 but maybe a tad worse. The trick though, is to never go above 5.5 on the input gain on any of them. You’ll do better boosting it in post. Because just about 5.5, all kinds of noise starts. That’s a quick tip. Cheers!
@@TheRecordist Thank you very much. That is exactly the information I needed 👍🙏-> The Zoom h4n is junk. And if I buy extra gear I only want quality stuff and because of that I also have my eyes set on a Mixpre 😍 besides a a Zoom h1n and some mics that I will really fall in love in. And what good news it is that I can enjoy your art every monday 😊
Just a few seconds in, I liked the NT1 better, for the reasons you later stated. It is (to my ear) noticeably better. But, the NT1a isn’t terrible. It just isn’t as good.
Yes. I agree. Noticeably better. But I really dislike the NT1a for the reasons I listed. The better quality mics one uses, the more the shortcomings of the cheaper mics stand out. Before long, you can really tell. Even the NT1 is cheap sounding. But it’s the best LDC that RØDE makes, in my opinion. If you had to choose between them, the NT1 wins for sure. Thanks for watching!
@@TheRecordist it is a good bit more expensive, but for a large condenser would you recommend the Slate ML-1? A little more than twice the price, but allegedly super versatile. I had my eye on an Advance Audio CM414, but the Slate is making me think twice.
@@64RRussell hmm. Well, my experience with the Slate physical products is so-so. I did review the Slate ML-2 mics and I gave them a favorable review because of how cheap they are. It’s a lot of options for a cheap SDC mic. But the ML-1 is a lot more expensive. There’s some quality control issues with the Slate products, I hear, so sometimes you can get a lemon. As far as emulations go, it’s ok but nothing like the Townsend Labs L22 / Universal Audio DLX. But the price is much higher for that one compared to the Slate. I’m not sure. The Slate seems cool but is also very cheaply made. For that price I might have gone to a Shure KSM32 or even an SE Electronics 2300. But if you need the emulations, it’s better than the cheapest ones. I hope this helps in some way. Haha.
@@64RRussell I don’t mean to discourage you from the ML-1. If you can snag one during one of their many insane sales, then it’s probably a good buy. The emulation mics have come a long way. I recently bought the Townsend Labs Sphere mic and it’s amazing but it’s a lot of money. A lot. I got it on a sale and it was $1600 (Canadian). I’m just saying if you’re going to spent like $1000 (Canadian) on a Slate ML-1 for the emulations, then why not go for the king for a little more. That’s all. But if you get a good sale on the ML-1 (sometimes they’re $400) then go for it. The alternative mic that is around the same price as the Slate but worlds better is the Universal Audio LX. This is a great mic, and the little brother of the DLX (the Townsend mic that I have that’s been rebranded as the DLX). Hope I’ve clarified and given you some options.
Congratulations on a highly amusing, yet slightly mental video. I'm now off to buy the NT1... Also future me is getting it for 150 British Pounds. Keep up the great work. You've successfully entertained an English person for over 13 minutes. 🙂 (Subbed)
@@TheRecordist I'm looking at this too but I noticed it's listed as a Rode NT1 signature series and it's way cheaper. Have you had any experience with this signature series model?
@@RandallFlores86 hey there. I’m afraid I do not have any experience with the signature series. I’ve contacted Røde about checking out some of their other stuff, but they’re not interested in working with me. Was it something I said? Most definitely. You might want to check with Podcastage. I’m not sure if he’s reviewed that one. Sorry I couldn’t have been more help.
@@RandallFlores86 The Signature Series is the same as the 5th gen one but without the USB connectivity. According to Rode it has the same frequency response as the "Normal" 4th gen one (there's a video up in rode's youtube channel). Some people claim it's a bit brighter than the old one, but whichever is the case it's not nearly as ear fatiguing as the NT1A
I never liked the NT1. Which is why I own two NT1A. At the time when I purchased them the NT1A was less than half the price, so a very easy choice. The NT1A has character, the NT1 does not - it just sounds a little dull. All in my hum... in my hum... uh, in my opinion. (I can't even pretend to be hum.. the next letter seems to be missing on my key..... my key..... I give up). ........ By the way, the 4.5 dBa of the NT1 is quieter than the 5 dBa of the NT1A, isn't it?
Haha. Well to each their own. The NT1a is generally hated by audio pros because the high end is distorted. It can’t be EQ’d out. It’s just cheap sounding. But a lot of people are enamored by the harsh high end because at first listen, it sounds like a mic with a lot of presence. The sibilance is ultra pronounced too. It sits badly in a mix. However, if you have a stereo set of them for ambience recording, they’re fantastic. But if I was to bring out my full audio snobbery, I would say both mics are cheap sounding-with the NT1 less so. But that’s just my own opinion. I thought the NT1A was quieter than the NT1.
@@skakdosmer AKG 414 XLS or an older 414 B ULS, UA DLX, Neumann U87AI, Austrian Audio OC18 or OC818, Neumann TLM 49, Neumann BCM 104, etc. to name a few. Haha
@@YabaBana well, yes. Sort of. The sE Electronics sE4100 is $350 when full price, but sometimes goes on sale for less than $300. Best mic in that price point that I’ve ever heard.
So I bought an old NT1 and its still super hyped in the high end. The ssses are crazy. I rang rode and they confirmed the NT1 is the same as the NT1A its just the old graph was deceptively smoothed out. I'm off to sell the rode and get a Roswell mic. Keep fighting the good fight!
Man, I know what you mean. The NT1 is still better than the NT1A, but honestly not by much. The Mini K87 will help you out immensely in that department.
The K67x is fantastic too, but much more saturation. I personally love the saturation of the transformer, but I also really love the clean 87. I reviewed both of them, as you know.
Cheers, Matty!
@@TheRecordist I'll learn eventually - Buy once cry once! Love the channel. Have some dt770 PRO on order also.
Still can't find my samples of tide though 😅
I loved the video! Very funny and informative. Would you recommend NT1 for voiceover? A big hug from now on, directly from Brazil.
Hey thanks very much!
And yes, the NT1 would do fine for voiceover. In fact, many VO artists use the NT1 - or at least they get started on one. Just make sure it’s not the NT1a.
Cheers from Canada!
Man, this was a weird one for me. I absolutely agree with the assessments of the mics based on this video. But. I have an NT1-A that I bought for pocket change ($27) and ended up swapping a Blue B8 capsule into. I have a real world project I use to (subjectively) evaluate every mic that comes through my hands and I'll be darned if the NT1-A swapped with the B8 did phenomenal there. The strange thing was that it revealed flaws in other mics I had tested when A/B'ing against it, an experience I hadn't had before with any other mics. Without the swap it had some things I didn't like but still wasn't terrible. So, when I landed a relatively cheap but excellent copy of an NT1 I was rather shocked that I greatly disliked it both with the stock capsule and with the B8 swapped in. Interestingly, swapping the original NT1-A capsule into the NT1 the result was little different than the NT1 stock. Anyway, I was shocked by the results I got, and now shocked to hear how opposite your results are compared to my experience with the two.
Hey there. That’s interesting. My experience with the NT1a is that on its own, it’s ok. Not bad. But in a mix, it’s almost impossible to work with. The highs have a sort of baked-in distortion that sounds bad. Swapping the capsule in there has fixed a lot of those issues, I’ve read. Many will swap a K47 style capsule and find the mic is great.
I will say that it’s very quiet.
As for the NT1, also not a stellar mic, but much better than the NT1a because it can take EQ better. It’s flatter - not flat, but flatter than the NT1a. I suppose a capsule swap with, say, a CK12 capsule may make it even better.
Rode makes pretty crappy mics, if you ask me. The NTG3 is nice but not many others are good.
Rodes are just everywhere. Once you sample really amazing microphones like the sE Electronics sE4400 or the T2, or the Austrian Audio OC18 or the Lauten Audio Atlantis, and you go back to Røde, you can see how awful their stock selves are.
But like a lot in audio, it’s very subjective. Everyone has their own preferences.
Thanks for the great comment! Very interesting indeed! Cheers!
Man, Jareth does some fine work. That NT1a has that lovely icepick to your eardrum quality. Can we get Billy Mumy to banish it to the cornfield?
Hahaha! I hate the NT1a. What a terrible mic for my voice (or any voice if you ask me). At least the NT1 is less harsh on my mid-heavy voice. My throatal sounds can punch a dude out with a 2K jab!
Now, the Sphere U47 on my voice is like Kashmir with blended-in baby.
Thanks for watching, Mark!
-Nate
@@TheRecordist After your review I’m convinced the NT1a’s primary feature is it’s ability to separate buyers from their money, and possibly their dignity.
@@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff hahaha. It sure does suck. Unless RØDE sends me something they’re really proud of, I’m afraid this concludes my coverage of RØDE mics. I cannot buy another one for these videos. I bought the NT1 just to review it. The NT1a… well… it was issued to me with samples of Tide. 🤓
@@TheRecordist 🤣🤣
I've used my NT1A to record many songs and have to agree. Most of my vocals need pretty absurd amounts of de-essing, to the point where it sounds kind of artificial. It's usable depending on the source but not optimal
Yep. I know exactly what you mean!
Love your videos (and I have a NT1A lol). No worries, I can take the dose of reality. What condenser mic would be a step up from the NT1?
Hey thanks, Terrance! I’m not a huge RØDE fan, but the NT1 isn’t terrible. The NT1a is. Haha. Sorry.
There are so many mics out there. First I would need to know what you plan on using it for, and then I would need to know your budget. Then I can recommend some mics for you. Let me know!
@@TheRecordist Podcasting and voice overs in a studio.
@@terrenceholden ok. Excellent. If your room is acoustically treated, you can go to an SE Electronics SE2200. It’s a step up from the NT1. It’s a great mic for a lower cost. Higher quality than that gets into a higher price range.
Higher quality LDC mics are the SE Electronics T2 (which you can hear Andy Serkis use on The Hobbit audio book). Then you get into the Neumann TLM 102 and TLM 103. I personally LOVE the Universal Audio DLX Sphere and it’s little brother the LX (both are excellent choices for ALL the choices).
A sleeper amazeballs mic at a medium high price is the Austrian Audio OC818. Seriously killer mic.
Or the Sennheiser MKH 416 shotgun. Crazy good mic but expensive. Don’t bother with knockoffs. They’re never good.
An SM7B is a great pick for podcasting and some voiceover. But that’s a dynamic mic that needs a lot of gain. Another great dynamic mic is the ElectroVoice RE20. These are high end dynamic which are cheaper than LDC mics but sound great. If your room has echo and reverb, these are the mics you will want.
I’m not sure if your price range so I dropped a bunch of names for you to look up.
I urge you to save or finance to get a higher quality mic if you’re intending on professional use. The reason is because you’ll end up buying another mic when you quickly outgrow a cheaper one. I wish I never spent money on the low priced mics, each promise to be THE mic that is cheap and sounds as good as the big guys, but none of them ever deliver on it. Ever.
Your voice is key also. You need to find a mic that works well with your voice. For example, a Neumann U87 sounds bad on my voice. That’s the coveted $4000 mic. So maybe renting a few to test out before you commit might be the wisest choice.
I hope I have helped you in some way!
Weird. I hated the blue mic all the way, and loved the red one, specially on the clean guitar. Blue to me sounded bad quality and sandy.
That’s interesting but not surprising. Everyone has their own preferred sound. There’s no wrong answer for anyone. It also depends on the medium you used to play it on. Thanks for chiming in!
@@TheRecordist Adi-2 DAC, HD820 headphones, from a Macbook M1 Air.
I loved your presentation and sense humor. Cheers.
@@lastcall9998 whoa. Well that’s some top notch gear, man! And thanks so much for the compliment! Cheers!
Great video! Although the content is extremely well done, I'm very distracted by your great lighting and studio. Excellent production value! Is it time for a studio tour video so you can brag about your equipment and gain a lot of cheap views? I think so!
Haha. Well thank you very much! It’s really a very low-end space. When we moved into this house, the basement wasn’t finished and I had to set up my studio right away to do some projects. I wasn’t able to finish it and now there’s no way I can stop doing projects in order to work on it. So I hung some bargain store curtains and lights and covered the room with moving blankets and filled it with soft furniture to treat the space for reverberations. I plan on doing corner by corner in the spring. Perhaps then I’ll do a tour. Haha. But I do appreciate the compliment!
@@TheRecordist Thanks for the response! As someone who recently started a RUclips channel and is about to make my first onscreen appearance (currently editing it now), I'm happy to hear that you don't need a lot of high-end materials to create a great looking studio, which mine currently is not. This video did encourage me to order a new lens with a f1.4 aperture so I can get a similar bokeh effect. RUclips has been a boon for camera and microphone businesses!
@@davidpikedesigns hey! That’s great! My earlier videos looked like shart. So don’t be too critical of yourself when editing your own footage of yourself. Everyone’s looks bad when compared to a year or two later-even if it looks good to you now. It’s a work in progress. I learned a lot about lighting and aperture and color while making these videos-and I have been doing videos for others for a number of years. I had never done them featuring myself and filmed by myself. So it was a curve.
Back lighting is key to separate you from your background. It gives you this sharp edge. You don’t want it diffused or modified. Just straight direct lighting. If you look at my videos, you can see the back light at the top left which I MacGyvered to my unfinished ceiling.
I use a Godox ML60 in a large Softbox with a grid at camera-right, and a cheap amazon reflector at camera left.
The ML60 is pretty low powered, so I have it at 100% strength and my lens is a Sigma 30mm 1.4 prime lens. With the APSC sensor on my Canon M50, the 30mm lens works out to 45mm. And I have to keep the aperture on 1.4 to get enough light to keep the camera at 100 ISO. I plan on getting a brighter light at some point down the road. But I have zero wiggle room as far as going higher in F-stops without also having to go higher with ISO.
And since the Godox light is very very white (5500) I set my white balance on my camera to 6200 to get a more tungsten feel.
As far as the background, hahaha. They are two mismatched GREEN curtains. I have two small RGB lights sitting on top of each of my speaker monitors shining a blue light to make the background appear more blue (I was going for real originally). The rest is a dollar store flamingo and a strand of fairy lights.
I hope any of this will help you!
@@TheRecordist Thank you so much for taking the time to provide a detailed breakdown and the encouraging words. I really appreciate it! I wanted to get everything perfect first (as does everyone), but I also want to get videos out, so I decided that it will have to be a learning process. I think my audio is fine, which seems to be the most important part, so the video quality will just need to gradually improve, and your tips will certainly help. Congrats on hitting (and exceeding) the 1K subscriber threshold. You've earned it. Also, the comedy bits work great with your videos as well, so keep it up! Thanks again!
Awesome video. This will help me evolve my music game. Thank you..
Thanks so much! Cheers!
you really made me hate my rode nt1-a , in my country i can't buy things online so i should buy them from stores and i knew the nt1 is better but the nt1 wasn't available and it still not , i just wanna just the mic for yt gaming channel to have a good audio but ofc it dosen't matter to be the highest level of audio quality so what do u think if i now try to treat my room can i have a good useble audio on it or i should buy sm7b or something like it
i think this video is not for me cuz the rode nt1-a is a great mic for reagulr people (not pro voice overs) and if i truned the audio of the video a little i can't hear any difference but if i turned it up alot i can hear some difference , tbh it dosen't matter for me but thank you anyway for making this vid
Hey. Haha. Microphones are a totally subjective preference in most cases - unless they are actually faulty or really really bad.
I’m just not a fan of the NT1a and I’ve made it a running joke on my channel that I hate it. Sort of like Seinfeld and Newman. Haha.
But honestly, for most people it’s just fine.
As to your question about getting an SM7B, well, if treating your room is cheaper or easier than upgrading your mic, then that’s the way you should go. But if it’s cheaper to get an SM57 and a pop filter, then go that route. It’s not necessary that you need the SM7B. The SM57 will reject the room noise just as much. And it’s only $100 USD. You can also use the 57 for all kinds of things in the future, and it’ll last longer than you or I will. Haha.
Good for thought. Cheers!
oh ok that's a good idea , tbh treating my room it not easy and may be impossible cuz my home near a street so it's a good idea to keep using my nt1-a sometimes and buy sm57 side of it.. thx
by the way u are a lovely and funny man :)
@@heeeeey1121 you’re very welcome!
I have an nt1a but i do feel like im fighting the s’ more than i could be
Haha. Yep. It’s a constant battle with that mic. I always have such a hard time sitting it in a mix. I’m unnecessarily harsh on the NT1a but it’s unnecessarily harsh on me. Haha. Thanks for watching!
@@TheRecordist totally agree, im starting to think its gonna be worth just grabbing an nt1 and saving myself some hours on mixing lol
@@TheRecordistdo you get credit if i use your link?
@@yungnilli I think the NT1 is a much better mic. And yes! I do get credit if you use my link. Thank you!
@@TheRecordist 🙏🙏
Hey there! I'm really impressed by your videos and the amazing quality of your content. As a fellow audio enthusiast, I'm curious about your thoughts on some microphones. What's your take on the Aston Origin, the NT1 Signature, and the NT1 5th Generation? Your insights would be super helpful for anyone considering these mics. Keep up the great work!
I want to do voicover, should i go for the nt1? It's also way cheaper than the nt1a for some reasons.
The NT1 is a decent starter mic. The NT1a is terrible.
If I were you, I’d start with the sE Electronics sE4100. One of the best sounding mics at that price point.
Hope this helps!
@@TheRecordist Thank you so much! Unfortunately i don't know much about microphones so i will check the one you mentioned for sure :).
Hey there! I'm really impressed by your videos and the amazing quality of your content. As a fellow audio enthusiast, I'm curious about your thoughts on some microphones. What's your take on the Aston Origin, the NT1 Signature, and the NT1 5th Generation? Your insights would be super helpful for anyone considering these mics. Keep up the great work!
Hey! Thanks so much! The Aston is a good little mic that many people really enjoy. I think it’s great. I have not personally had experience with the NT1 signature and 5th generation mics, so I can’t really comment. And Røde isn’t interested in working with me at the present time. Perhaps it’s my vilifying the NT1a? Haha.
Perhaps in the future!
@@TheRecordist haha I can totally see that re Rode! Thank you so much for your response. Really appreciate it :)
@@YTHalilo haha. Hey no worries! Cheers!
Having a bass voice I like the nt1a
Then that’s your mic! If it works for you then that’s all that matters!
The nt1a is not only bright but it's slightly v shaped
You can hear the big lows and metallic highs but where are the mids? Idk
The nt1 on the other hand is more neutral, it's warmer and smoother but doesn't sacrifice anything
It has powerful bass, strong mids (maybe a little bit more than flat' and smooth silky highs)
The NT1a is my nemesis. I’ve decided to make it the villain of my channel. Occasionally, I will make a comment about how much I hate that mic. And Røde can take it. They’re massive and a great many of their products are junk. But the NT1 and the NTG3 are fabulous.
I’m a big fan of the NT1. And you’re right about your assessment. Cheers!
Although I'll likely never get either of these mics, if I WERE to choose one, I'd probably go with the NT1 solely because its hi-freq isn't too.. what I call "stingy" which is when it's too high. After all these years I've been learning to notice certain details in audio, I've began to strive more for a "beefier" more full sound rather than what the untrained ear would consider "clearer"(when the hi-frequencies are so intense, they pierce your eardrums).
Yep! You nailed it. That’s how I would describe the NT1a. It hurts. And try mixing with it. It’s a nightmare.
It’s easy for more seasoned audio people like us to recognize this and know how bad it is, but a lot of new people fall for the hype and buy this thing because marketing. The NT1 between the two isn’t bad. I mean, it’s not bad for the price. You can grab an NT1 for $200 sometimes brand new. It’s way easier to mix with that than the NT1a. It can take EQ a lot better.
So I thought I’d make a video comparing both so others can hear the difference. If you must go with RØDE, and you haven’t a lot to spend, this will be the better choice.
If RØDE can do better, then I’d like to see it. I enjoyed their NTG3. But that’s about it.
Thanks for watching!
Hi legend!
I currently have AT2020 and I use it to record rap in my room without booth, only sound screen. Do you think NT1 would be a major step up or do you have any other recommendation?
Haha. Hey man! The AT2020 is a nice mic. One of the nicest cheap mics around. Many many people use it and love it.
The NT1 is much quieter, but for music, it’s not really a problem. If it were me, and I wanted to upgrade, I’d save for an excellent mid level mic like the Lauten Audio LA-320 or an sE Electronics sE4400 or a Shure KSM32.
Finally, I want to make sure you mean the NT1 and not the NT1a, because the NT1a is a pile of shart. Haha.
Hope this helps!
Love the videos, robin williams vibes!!!
I've had a stereo pair of Rode NT1s for a while and they sound amazing on instruments (piano, jazz drums, guitar)
For songs with that "chill acoustic" vibe the NT1 as vocal and guitar mic is perfect
It captures more room tone than other condensers, adds a unique sound to the mix
And for any EQ situation it can handle it well, very smooth response. So with that, my choice is the NT1 :)
Hey thanks so much! I really appreciate the comment!
Indeed. Between the two I would definitely always choose the NT1. It’s a very very good entry level mic. One can do a hell of a lot worse for equal or even more money. It kicks the ass of the Lewitt 440 Pure and several other similarly priced mics. But the NT1a is garbage. It just is.
Thanks for watching!
Your 100% on point, the NT-1A should be discontinued - PERIOD.
Werd! ✊🏻🤓
Lol hello again. I just searched for Rode NT1 (5th) for Field Recording use... and saw your Video popping up. So another comment from me. I searched for it because it´s low self noise and this could be good for recording quiet field recording
Hey! Yes. The NT1 is great for field recording. The low self noise is fantastic for this application. However, wind protection will probably cost more than the mics. Haha. Unless you contrived something yourself. But they are great for quiet ambiences for sure!
You've just completely convinced me that i need better headphones. I can barely ear a difference and i've tried. The barely would tilt the scale toward the NT1 but it's really not by much.
Hey Kai! Indeed, good headphones are important, but like anything else, you might like the high-end sizzle of the NT1a when others don’t. I just played it back as streamed from RUclips and I could still hear the glaring difference-but I’m using a pair of Sony MDR-7506 headphones. I think good cans are key… in more ways than one. 😉
Probably 10 years ago, I first got the AKGC214, that was supposedly considered the best one in its price range. Oh, what a misinfo! Everything criticized about the NT1A is present 100x more with the C214: Unnatural, exaggerated, synthetic trebles. It sounded so cheap that, however the EQ was set, getting comfortable with it was strictly impossible. Some further hours trying wouldve made me vomit. Nothing left but to return it. Through trial and error I chose the NT1 kit & didn't expect anything from that more or less entry-level-mic, but It immediately went obvious that the AKGC214 & the NT1 are even more than worlds apart (fortunately in my case). It's not just the black exterior that fits well with the Vsynth GT('s voice processor) where its mostly plugged in ever since then. If only I'd grabbed it staight away...
That’s awesome! Yes, the NT1 is a fine mic. Really much better than one might think. Very flat and almost velvety.
The 214 is famous for sucking. Haha.
Thanks for the comment!
RØDE NT1 all the way. Love these videos 😁👍
Between them? Agreed! A much better mic! And thanks for watching!
Hearing you go from the nt1a straight to the nt1 with your voice settled it for me.
I don't even see the debate lol
The NT1 is blatantly better
I fully agree! In fact, I’ve made the NT1a the villain of my channel. Hahaha. Cheers!
I have a red substance dripping out of my ears after listening to the NT1A. I own an NT1 and I don't want to buy your NT1A, ha, ha! You should be ashamed of yourself for owning it. End of transmission.
Hahahahahaha! Like I said, it was issued to me with samples of Tide! Hahahaha.
I agree with the opinion on the NT1-A. As someone who used one it has this remarkable ability to capture my mouth noises in a way I reckon the NT1 just doesn't. To my ears, neither sound harsh on your voice, but because I know that the NT1-A can sound harsh on some voices (and I have heard recordings of other people in .wav form) I know the NT1 is a much safer bet. The low self noise is fantastic for beginners, as it doesn't add any perceptible noise to an imperfect environment.
Anyone struggling with the NT1 price needs to stretch their budget by any means possible. Just don't get takeaway this week, don't go out for drinks that one time or live a bit more frugal for a week. It's really worth it and the NT1 will require far less work to make it sound good. You'll also save in the long run because you won't need to upgrade it at all, unless of course you like looking at a Neumann badge.
Well said, Mark! I couldn’t agree more!
hey batman thank you for your videos i love them 🤘the second thing i want to say i think you will love the Audio-Technica AT875R shoutgun microphone
hope you are doing good ^_^
I’m doing well, thanks! And I appreciate you watching the videos! I have never tried the AT875R, but now I’m curious. Thanks!
I had an NT1-A when I was new to recording and I never really loved it. Could never explain why either. I don't have it anymore, and I really liked the sound of the NT1 in this video. Also hunk of shart made me actually laugh out loud
Hahaha. Awesome! Yes the NT1 is maybe magnitudes better than the NT1a if you ask me.
Thanks for this shoot out, Time Pres! I love your cheeky, geeky vibe as always. I got a used Rode NT2000 last year at what appears to be a pretty good price, based on ads I've seen recently on K*j*j* . I can't find very much about it on the Tube. Have you ever used this model?
Hey Barry. I have not used this mic before. But I have heard really good things about it. The people who like it REALLY like it. It’s definitely a Swiss Army mic with the polar patterns. I’d say you got yourself a decent mic! Thanks for watching!
Looks like they're releasing the NT1 5G in the next few days. Hope you can do a comparison with that in the near future.
Yes. I’ve contacted them about getting one to review. Let’s see what they say! Thanks for watching!
@@TheRecordist I binged your other videos while cooking today. Great content and I can't wait to see more!
@@t0nyxgq hey thanks so much! I really appreciate you doing that! More on the way! Cheers!
4 G is better.
Hi...I´m Robin. Usually I don´t admit to being Robin but since you are Batman, I´m begrudgingly...Robin. I´m not a fan of RØDE at all..exept the stuidio desk mic stands. RØDE Mics don´t sound bad but all the stuff I have bought from RØDE over the years didn´t last...exept for the Mic Stands. It all seems to be cheaply made, flimsy stuff and all right for the money I guess, but, at least in my humble opinion. But, I just don´t like that kind of hit and miss approach RØDE seems to be taking. Even the sound quality and the sturdiness of their lapel-mics...or the lack thereof...most of the RØDE gear I bought, had to be replaced far to quickly to be bought again. I stick with gear I know to be and to sound great. EV, Neumann, Sennheiser and the like. I have even got a AT 4040 and that´s been a workhorse in the studio for years without fail. My oldest Mic is a vintage C414 and that´s a grand Mic. the NT1 sounds dull, the 1A just simply afwul and the NT1 I used to have got worse and worse over the three years I had it. RØDE may make great gear, but I´m not buying any of their stuff anymore...or use it, for that matter...exept the Mic stands obviously.
Hi Robin! I couldn’t agree more. I’m not a fan of RØDE at all for most things. But between the NT1 and the NT1a, the NT1 is miles better. It is rather dark, which is probably why I like it-and when I say “like it”, I mean to say that it’s my favorite of the RØDE mics that I’ve tried. Maybe the NTG3 is pretty good too.
I always have to remember that for a lot of people, a Neumann, or AGK 414 (never mind a vintage one), or even higher end Sennheisers are just out of reach. But that doesn’t mean that they can’t make great music or great podcasts or videos with cheaper gear.
As a mic snob (and I am… don’t let my videos fool you haha) I would tend to gravitate to much better mics like the 414 or the Austrian Audio OC-818 or the Neumann TLM-49 and on and on. But when you’ve very little money, but still want to be creative, there are options for you, and the NT1 is one of them. They at least can take EQ, while the NT1a can’t.
And I agree. Don’t ever buy a RØDE lav. Haha. They’re awful.
Thanks for watching my videos and for always commenting!
And thank you for always answering back. It's not always about the gear, although I do have an opinion on most of the gear you review since I have or at least have had experience with a lot of the of the gear you use.
@@knorke3642 hey no problem! For me it’s ALWAYS about the gear. Haha. But seriously, I’m glad you comment! I try to acquire some lower end stuff both because it’s more accessible to more people, and also because I’m un-wealthy haha. Maybe one day I can have an audio snobbery channel! Woo hoo!
thanks for this, what is your opinion on the 5th generation NT1? just as good with a bit of extra features?
Hey. I’m not sure. I’ve never tried it. I have low expectations due to it being a USB mic as well as an XLR one, but I hear good things.
I was listening while walking and not looking at the screen (with bose qc35ii headphones) and couldn’t tell you were switching between two mics. Even after you said it, I couldn’t tell. Until I watched the second half of the vid with my eyeballs and then could magically hear some small difference. Probably a combination of headphones made for good noise cancelling in noisy environments rather than good audio quality, the the fact I only became an audio nerd yesterday when I found your channel and started watching all your vids.
I’d be interested in seeing you review some Deity gear! I watch a lot of camera RUclips, vids by people with major gas for cameras and lenses but who aren’t by any means audio experts. In that scene there are basically 3 types of microphone - Rode, Deity, and “anything else”
Hey Jimi! Thanks for watching my videos! Haha.
“No highs. No lows. Must be Bose!”
That’s what all of us Home Theater Product Experts at Future Shop used to say back in the day. The Bose won’t reveal the highs like true reference headphones will. There is a definite difference in the harsh highs on the NT1a. Haha.
I have reviewed some Deity products-or at least one. I did one review (the Deity D3 Pro) and I did another video on how to get a Deity S-Mic 2 to sound like a Sennheiser 416. I own both mics.
I have yet to do a proper review on the Deity S-Mic 2. I should get on that, but I have to get through all this gear that was sent to me first.
@@TheRecordist oops I hadn’t spotted your deity reviews, my apologies! I’ll check em out
@@JimiCanRead no worries! Cheers!
6:10 I Thought I Was Glitched.🤣
Hahahahaha
There's a fifth generation NT1 now. How does that compare? More expensive, only 4 dBa self noise.
Does both XLR and USB
I have no idea. I haven’t had the chance to test it out. I generally dislike USB mics because it’s cheap A/D conversion, but it does have XLR, so I do wonder.
Also, any self noise below 13 is perfectly fine for general applications. It’s quiet field recording that it may be problematic. But even then.
Super ! Merci beaucoup j'ai adoré ta vidéo. I'm ok Nt1 is better ! Thank you from France 😁
Bonjour! Merci d'avoir regardé! Salutations du Canada!
@@TheRecordist ah top en français 😁 vive les sous titres en traduction automatique sur RUclips. Notre éducation nationale est complètement à l'ouest pour notre apprentissage des langues étrangères donc en vieillissant si on ne fait pas une immersion de plusieurs années dans un pays ça devient de plus en plus compliqué 😅. Je viens de me commander le Nt1 juste après ta vidéo car il faut le dire le son est flagrant. J'ai adoré ton humour ! Merci pour ce super moment !!!!
@@margauxs7406 Hahaha. Merci beaucoup! Je sais que vous apprécierez vraiment le NT1. C'est un bien meilleur microphone ! Merci pour les merveilleux compliments!
NT1.
Agreed!
if you know how to control siblance through mic positioning, the NT one A is way better for vocals because it provides that brightness that the NT one cannot provide
Hey. Of course, everyone has different tastes and if you like the NT1a, then that’s great!
But have you ever tried to mix with it?
Yes, turning the mic slightly off axis will reduce the sibilance somewhat, but having to do that is an indication that it’s just not a great mic (for the price).
With the NT1 on my voice, I can just add a little 12K and 7K sparkle in post and can work with that a lot easier. But again, that just my own experience. And the NT1 isn’t a great mic either. I just find it better than the NT1a.
Thanks for the comment!
Hi Batman, what a great video again; completely you! And I go for the NT1 if I would ever buy a RØDE microphone (but I wouldn't; after this review I neither do like both of them (at this moment....). But the NT1a surely would not do it for me; it sounds a bit like a fish can to me. And that is so great about your video's; I can really experience how these mics sound and I get more picky every time you bring out another video. I was glad that you put out another video in just one week!
Last weekend I bought a Zoom h1n and brought it back this weekend; the display was rotated a few degrees. I was able to buy a very nice secondhand Zoom h4n for exactly the same price but did not do it because I did not trust the preamps would be better than the ones on the Zoom h1n. Question to Batman: Can you confirm that?
Besides that I discovered that the inputs on the Zoom h4n are not meant to be used for line input also, which is something that I am looking for (so I can also use them for my keyboard).
I repeat: Love your content man!
Hey thanks, Roland! I have a new video released every Monday.
I’m not a RØDE fan at all. Even for the mobile recording gear. However, out of all their mics, only NT1 has been surprising-and mostly because I expected it to sound like the NT1a.
I do like the NTG3 but that’s about it.
The thing about cheap mics is that they’re not easy to mix. They need work in post and that’s not ideal. You always want the best possible sound going in. But if you can only afford one, and that’s either the NT1 or NT1a, then go for the NT1. RØDE is everywhere. Easy to attain. And for some countries, likely the only one that’s decent in a low price range.
So I make my videos with that in mind.
As far as the H4n, if it’s an original H4n then it’s junk. Very noisy preamps. Not good. The new H4n Pros have the same preamps as the H5 and H6-which are not the best but way better than the original H4n. The H1n has very similar preamps to the H5 but maybe a tad worse. The trick though, is to never go above 5.5 on the input gain on any of them. You’ll do better boosting it in post. Because just about 5.5, all kinds of noise starts.
That’s a quick tip. Cheers!
@@TheRecordist Thank you very much. That is exactly the information I needed 👍🙏-> The Zoom h4n is junk. And if I buy extra gear I only want quality stuff and because of that I also have my eyes set on a Mixpre 😍 besides a a Zoom h1n and some mics that I will really fall in love in.
And what good news it is that I can enjoy your art every monday 😊
@@rolandberendonck3900 thanks so much!
Just a few seconds in, I liked the NT1 better, for the reasons you later stated. It is (to my ear) noticeably better. But, the NT1a isn’t terrible. It just isn’t as good.
Yes. I agree. Noticeably better. But I really dislike the NT1a for the reasons I listed. The better quality mics one uses, the more the shortcomings of the cheaper mics stand out. Before long, you can really tell. Even the NT1 is cheap sounding. But it’s the best LDC that RØDE makes, in my opinion. If you had to choose between them, the NT1 wins for sure. Thanks for watching!
@@TheRecordist it is a good bit more expensive, but for a large condenser would you recommend the Slate ML-1? A little more than twice the price, but allegedly super versatile. I had my eye on an Advance Audio CM414, but the Slate is making me think twice.
@@64RRussell hmm. Well, my experience with the Slate physical products is so-so. I did review the Slate ML-2 mics and I gave them a favorable review because of how cheap they are. It’s a lot of options for a cheap SDC mic. But the ML-1 is a lot more expensive. There’s some quality control issues with the Slate products, I hear, so sometimes you can get a lemon. As far as emulations go, it’s ok but nothing like the Townsend Labs L22 / Universal Audio DLX. But the price is much higher for that one compared to the Slate.
I’m not sure. The Slate seems cool but is also very cheaply made. For that price I might have gone to a Shure KSM32 or even an SE Electronics 2300. But if you need the emulations, it’s better than the cheapest ones.
I hope this helps in some way. Haha.
@@64RRussell I don’t mean to discourage you from the ML-1. If you can snag one during one of their many insane sales, then it’s probably a good buy. The emulation mics have come a long way.
I recently bought the Townsend Labs Sphere mic and it’s amazing but it’s a lot of money. A lot. I got it on a sale and it was $1600 (Canadian).
I’m just saying if you’re going to spent like $1000 (Canadian) on a Slate ML-1 for the emulations, then why not go for the king for a little more. That’s all. But if you get a good sale on the ML-1 (sometimes they’re $400) then go for it.
The alternative mic that is around the same price as the Slate but worlds better is the Universal Audio LX. This is a great mic, and the little brother of the DLX (the Townsend mic that I have that’s been rebranded as the DLX).
Hope I’ve clarified and given you some options.
Congratulations on a highly amusing, yet slightly mental video. I'm now off to buy the NT1... Also future me is getting it for 150 British Pounds. Keep up the great work. You've successfully entertained an English person for over 13 minutes. 🙂 (Subbed)
Hahaha. Wonderful! Thanks for the kind words! The NT1 is a great mic. Just be sure it’s not the NT1a. Haha.
Thanks for watching! Cheers!
@@TheRecordist I'm looking at this too but I noticed it's listed as a Rode NT1 signature series and it's way cheaper. Have you had any experience with this signature series model?
@@RandallFlores86 hey there. I’m afraid I do not have any experience with the signature series. I’ve contacted Røde about checking out some of their other stuff, but they’re not interested in working with me. Was it something I said? Most definitely.
You might want to check with Podcastage. I’m not sure if he’s reviewed that one. Sorry I couldn’t have been more help.
@@RandallFlores86 The Signature Series is the same as the 5th gen one but without the USB connectivity. According to Rode it has the same frequency response as the "Normal" 4th gen one (there's a video up in rode's youtube channel). Some people claim it's a bit brighter than the old one, but whichever is the case it's not nearly as ear fatiguing as the NT1A
@@abananainspace I've seen some video comparisons and it does seem to be brighter.
I never liked the NT1. Which is why I own two NT1A. At the time when I purchased them the NT1A was less than half the price, so a very easy choice. The NT1A has character, the NT1 does not - it just sounds a little dull. All in my hum... in my hum... uh, in my opinion. (I can't even pretend to be hum.. the next letter seems to be missing on my key..... my key..... I give up).
........
By the way, the 4.5 dBa of the NT1 is quieter than the 5 dBa of the NT1A, isn't it?
Haha. Well to each their own. The NT1a is generally hated by audio pros because the high end is distorted. It can’t be EQ’d out. It’s just cheap sounding. But a lot of people are enamored by the harsh high end because at first listen, it sounds like a mic with a lot of presence. The sibilance is ultra pronounced too. It sits badly in a mix.
However, if you have a stereo set of them for ambience recording, they’re fantastic.
But if I was to bring out my full audio snobbery, I would say both mics are cheap sounding-with the NT1 less so. But that’s just my own opinion.
I thought the NT1A was quieter than the NT1.
@@TheRecordist I don't have a matched pair, because at the time that was as expensive as three single mics. So I just bought two single mics.
@@TheRecordist by the way, which large diaphragm condensers do not sound cheap, then - in your opinion?
@@skakdosmer they’re probably so incredibly close to each other that you’d never tell they’re not a matched pair.
@@skakdosmer AKG 414 XLS or an older 414 B ULS, UA DLX, Neumann U87AI, Austrian Audio OC18 or OC818, Neumann TLM 49, Neumann BCM 104, etc. to name a few. Haha
You still selling the NT1A?
Unfortunately no. Haha. I gave it to my son.
😭@@TheRecordist
Nt 1 the best ❤
I’m not sure it’s the best ever, but it’s definitely better than the NT1a. Haha
@@TheRecordist Is there a microphone for $200 to $300 that is better than this?
@@YabaBana well, yes. Sort of. The sE Electronics sE4100 is $350 when full price, but sometimes goes on sale for less than $300. Best mic in that price point that I’ve ever heard.
Sold? ... Love the video .. honestly ...LOVE IT !
Hahaha. No. I still have it. And thanks very much! Cheers!
well done for geting to the point with 3 days waiting
Thanks!
I have 2 NT1000 and 2 NTIA1A use on ham radio use @@TheRecordist
NT1 is better.
Agreed!
🤦 *Promo SM*
What do you mean?
"Promosm"
Hi there. What do you mean?
I would love to hear your comparison between nt1 vs nt1 5 gen vs nt1-a. Thank you for your work!
I would love to do a comparison, but Røde isn’t interested in sending me any products for review. Perhaps one day! Cheers!