[Review&QnA] Rode NT1KIT Cardioid Condenser Microphone Package
Musical Instruments > Microphones & Accessories > Microphones > Condenser Microphones > Vocal
[Review&QnA] Rode NT1KIT Cardioid Condenser Microphone Package
About this item
- Features a sound signature reminiscent of the famous microphones of old while at the same time exhibiting extremely low noise; Ultra-low noise, self-noise of only 4.5dB (A)
- The transducer is suspended inside the microphone using Rycote’s Lyre system, minimizing external vibrations at the capsule level
- Coated in a durable, military-grade ceramic layer to ensure an extremely hard wearing finish that is resistant to scratches or marks
Reviews
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
The black ceramic finish is cool to the touch and looks very sleek
I am a voice-over artist from the San Antonio area. I bought this microphone for my home studio where I record professional works, as well as practice. The first thing I noticed on this microphone was the build quality. Compared to previous Rode mics, the NT1 has a quality weight to it that really speaks for its durability. The black ceramic finish is cool to the touch and looks very sleek. Coupled with the SMR shock mount, the NT1 microphone is a sleek, sexy looking microphone that performs as well as it looks. The audio from this microphone is amazing, providing crisp and clear audio from any source you're recording. The Rode NT1 provides a unique sound; with bright highs, solids mids, and warm lows, it covers the whole spectrum and sounds very natural. My only two complaints both come from the new SMR shock mount. 1. The included pop filter, though very sleek, is not always effective. It does a fantastic job about 95% of the time, but occasionally some breath can get through, especially if you are doing an excited voice over. 2. The SMR shock mount is EXTREMELY effective and offers amazing external noise isolation. However, it lacks the ability to swivel left or right, which if you are trying to work in smaller quarters, may prove unwieldy. I myself have space to work with, so it really isn't a big issue, but it is something you should consider. I use this with the Rode swivel arm... Don't use other cheap brands for swivel mounts, this is an expensive mic, so treat it with TLC, lol.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Excellent vocal mic
Excellent vocal mic. Sturdy, great fit and finish. Comes with custom pop shield. I highly recommend Rode products, especially this mic. It's warmer, and does sound a bit more "vintage" then the NT-1A (another great mic). I've used this primarily for vocal and occasionally for mic'ing acoustic guitars. Make no mistake fellow home audio enthusiasts, TALENT makes and carries vocal tracks. If you're not a professional you don't need Neuman or other high-end mic's. This mic is very, very good and you will be pleased. Great range and even clean it sounds great. If you're recording for enjoyment, demos or even indie produced professional music, you will love this mic. It just works great and Rhode is a solid company. I highly recommend this vocal mic. Would buy again.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Great update to the original NT1
I've only done an initial test on this mic and it's response has been superb so far. The build quality is also excellent. A tip: if you search for "NT1" on Gearslutz and other audio/recording forums, you'll see a lot of comments that apply to the original NT1 that was introduced in 1990. By all accounts, this model, released in 2014, is quite different (read: better) than the original silver NT1. So if you solicit comments about this mic be sure to specify that you're talking about the "2014" or "black" version. Rode may have done themselves a disservice not to update the model number when they released this mic. Also: I found the SMR shock mount and pop filter that comes in this kit to be of excellent quality but a bit bulky and not especially versatile. So I'm using the ZRAMO TH106 Black Spider Universal Microphone Shock Mount Holder Adapter Clamp Clip for AT2020 USB PR40 RE20 AT4033a AT2050 Large Diameter Studio Condenser Mic Anti-Vibration Mic Holder shock mount and the Aokeo Professional Microphone Pop Filter Mask Shield, Dual Layered Wind Pop Screen With A Flexible 360° Gooseneck Clip Stabilizing Arm For Awesome Premium Recordings, Broadcasting, Streaming, Singing - both of which work great with the NT1.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Very Responsive
This is my 4th microphone purchase in 8 months. I have been doing vocal recordings of myself while using pre-recorded backing tracks. I can clearly hear the difference between my first "studio" microphone versus this one. I am by no means a sound engineer, but it is easy to detect a "warmer" sound from the Rode versus my other microphone. The $100.00 difference between the two, plus the larger diaphragm of the Rode made this a much more responsive mic.
The N1 Kit comes with the shock mount and pop filter. The pop-filter bracket is an awesome plus since you can pre-set the distance from the microphone which greatly reduces the "pop” sounds that you get when singing words that start with certain letters. They show the filter mounted in a different fashion in the picture, but in order to get the 6" distance that Rode recommends, I mounted it as seen in my attached photo. The filter is 5" from the mike, so I keep my face about 1" from the filter when I sing. Maybe I'm missing something, but it works well using it this way.
The ultimate microphone I would like to own has a price tag of roughly $3,000+, but after reading several reviews, the N1 was considered to be a very close competitor to the higher priced ones. You can buy with confidence and you will be greatly rewarded with top-shelf sound reproduction.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Rode NT1
Worth every penny. Amazing quality and clarity regardless of closed or open back headphones, great directly out of the box in general, pop filter it comes with has to be one of the best I've used. Plooms tank at least by 50-60% and at a perfect distance to from the mic to really make it of value more over. Though I have two major gripes, one being the shock mount is more or less a cup holder than it is a mount let alone shock resistant. It just sits in a hole and has the easiest time taking any vibration or anything. And the pop filter doesn't have the ability to be mounted to anything but that shock mount... Frankly too the shock mount just is solid plastic and looks "over production design" and not very practical. Especially coming from someone who uses boom arms and clamp stands, the mobility and angles the shock mount has are zero. Front and center or not at all. I like to speak into my mics at an angle to really avoid plooms, so it hits hard for me. Regardlessly, great pop filter, great mic. Bad mount. Definitely buy a real shock mount like I did. Works better.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Rode Mic is Not Good--It's Wonderful
I first bought a Neewer NW 700 with scissor stand. The capsule is mounted in the case on a hard plastic fitting that transmits the slightest touch. And it didn't sound great. So I bought a Mackie which looked similar and turns out to have been made in the same factory as the Neewer. The Mackie is supposed to have a "large diaphragm" but it doesn't (same internals as the Neewer). The capsule on the Mackie is held by a rubbery stand (less handling noise but still noisy). And like the Neewer, it didn't sound good either.
So I bought the more expensive Rode. Wow. There's no comparison. I'm using it for podcasts but it sounds like it would be great for anything. It's very well made (you could use it to defend yourself if necessary). The Rode has a true super cardiod pattern and picks up far less ambient noise so I don't have to shut of the HVAC. And the Rode has a wonderful warm sound with no unpleasantries anywhere in the spectrum. I don't even have to EQ this Rode to get the sound I want. It's clean and clear and preserves the bass in my voice without the muddiness.
I picked the Rode after listening to several YouTube channels that had really good audio and contacting the hosts and asking them what mic they used. In every case, it was a Rode. I now know why. You will not be disappointed.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Not inexpensive but a great mic for the money
I wanted a good, large-diaphragm condenser mic for recording the double reed instruments I play. After using it for the past several weeks, I can say I got a great mic. I really love this mic. It's really quiet (noise <5db). Response is dead flat out to about 12K with only a very slight fall off thereafter. It picks up the nuances in the sound-for good or bad; unfortunately, now, I can't blame the mic. ;-)) With other mics, I used to reach for some reverb; now, I just love the sound even if it's bone dry. The mic appears solidly built and is a bit heavy. The kit came with a great anti-shock mount and a very effective two layer metal pop filter that fits into the mount. The mic is not inexpensive but considering the quality, it's a bargain. For recording woodwinds, it's great. For voice or other instruments, or other applications, you may well end up preferring another condenser mic or a dynamic or ribbon mic, but at least give this one a try. You'll be pleasantly surprised (and it'll set you back a whole lot less that some other condensers or a ribbon mic).
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
The good things reviewers say are TRUE!
Wow! The good things they say about this mic are true. I'm upgrading from a Sterling Audio ST51and Sure SM58. I record my own music for fun. I don't have a premium mic preamp (iRig Pro) so i was concerned that the improvement would be negligible. I was mistaken and I'm SO glad. Instant clarity, consistency, and a true HiFi feel. The improved quality, even just recording vocals, affects the whole mix drastically. Mixing a song is easier and more satisfying. I'd read that tracks recorded with the NT1 are respond well to EQ and Compression.... why yes they do. VERY well. Extremely well.
This morning I sat in my car after recording the major track groups, with my laptop plugged into the aux input, so i can listen to real life audio system (what music get heard on most often) and also quickly compare to radio music. In 1/4 the time it usually takes to get satisfactory results i got the best mix i've ever done! Very straight forward. I'm shocked, thrilled, and rambling. When my wife listened to the mix she immediately said there's much more clarity and balance. This mic is GREAT. I'm gonna buy another when i save up the money so i can record in stereo..
PS. I recorded myself and my wife in one take with the NT1. We sing harmony, i play acoustic guitar, and she plays the cajon. It's a fun and surprisingly flexible and full sounding setup. We sounded better than i've ever heard recorded though the NT1.... smooth and transparent, yet the transients still had some punch. I've also got to say i'm super impressed with the iRig Pro. VERY satisfactory results.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Ok SOooo... RODE IS NOW MY ((GO TO))!!
My music suite is only a few years old and I'm still getting it fleshed out in terms of - what works best with what, and how to do this or that. So my previous mic is a (BLUE YETI usb) mic, and it IS a good mic!! It's really big & heavy but I recorded my whole first audiobook with it. Well next time around, I wanna add in some bells & whistles and may want my own Youtube show, so I'll do THAT show on the Yeti, which means I need another mic for my Audiobooks & vocal work... so that Mic has gotta be TOP SHELF!!! I did WEEKS & MONTHS of research, watched TONNSSS of Microphone shootouts on Youtube, and this NT1 pretty much rocked the house EVERY TIME!! So I got it.... but didn't realize that with the screen filter & stabilizer installed, this thing is WAYYY HEAVIER than my Yeti! No way my little cheap mic stand will support this thing, so I needed a new stand FAST!! I couldn't even HOLD it while recording, it's just too cumbersome - (probably because it's not MEANT to be HELD with all that equipment on it lol.. Duh!) So I got the official RODE stand, got it mounted, and OMG... THIS THING IS A FRIGGIN MASTERPIECE WHEN ALL OF IT'S COMPONENTS ARE INSTALLED & WORKING TOGETHER!! It's VISUALLY STUNNING..... and it SOUNDS - ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!! So I got a 100% FULL ON RODE MIC-RIG now, and it's one of my lil treasures in my studio. 😍
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
I have a lots of very expensive mic like U47 U67 and U87 but...
I have a lots of very expensive mic like U47 U67 and U87 and I don,t want to say Rode NT1KIT is better than those, but I easily can use this mic in very close same rang of quality in different situation like Voice-over, Piano sound recording, percussion or most of String Instruments. You can easily match pair two of Rode NT1 for a professional stereo recording.
Also I need to say most of the time the atmosphere of sound and filling is more important of technical quality of sound. May be you got an audio file with almost zero noise but not enough warm sound or be to much flat .
Question & Answer
Question :
Will using one of these be good at recording an acoustic grand piano?
Answer :
This microphone is good for recording pianos and almost any acoustic instruments. For upright pianos, do not put condenser microphones like this in the piano. Put mic. around the player. You will get better result if you remove both top and bottom plate of the piano, so that strings expose. For grand pianos, put mic. around the top end of the open top plate and a few feet away from the piano.
Question :
there was the original nt1 a long while ago, then the nt1-a, then another nt1. which nt1 is this ... the first or second of its name? :-)
Answer :
I have two of the old NT1s. They look like they were made for Soviet military use and are nearly indestructible. You can find a used one for $100 or less and I highly recommend going that avenue to save money and get the same result.
Question :
Can the Nt1 act as a boom mic of sorts? (hook straight up to camera/camera mounted, portable, pickup more than a few noises?)
Answer :
The NT1 should not be used as a boom mic. It would cause more problems as a boom mic than is probably worth it. As a studio mic, it has a directional pickup pattern, but the pattern is much more sensitive on its vertical axis. Peter Freedman from RODE made a video on using studio microphones here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOy0EglZPRY. Although he is displaying the NT1-A instead of the NT1, the concept is the same for both. The Rode NTG-2 (as already mentioned) is designed as a shotgun/booming mic.
Question :
Would I need to use Audacity to edit out noise with this mic?
Answer :
That depends on what you mean. If you mean self noise (electrical noise made by the mic itself.) No. It is an incredibly quiet mic. But it is also a very sensitive one, so if you are not in a quiet environment, it will pick up background noise.
Question :
If purchased here, is the factory warrany void?
Answer :
Can I still return mine if I bought it in May 2020? I wasn’t getting good sound with my Snowball so I bought this mic. It still sounded sensitive so I built a sound proof room. I didn’t use it for the 6 months that took. And when it started doing it again I couldn’t find this recorded in my purchases. Finally I found the email. Please let me know.
Perhaps it’s user error, but I need help. This is a big purchase.
Question :
How can I listen to myself through my headphones when I sing/speak into the mic?
Answer :
You need an audio interface and then configure the interface inputs and outputs, there are hundreds of videos in youtube to help you out.
Question :
What's the best way to connect the rode nt1kit to a mac to record directly to the computer?
Answer :
Using an Interface, there's a bunch out there, the FocusRite interfaces are pretty good and have decent prices Focusrite solo is a good starting point for personal use and it's just 100 bucks
Question :
How do I turn on phantom power on the Ai-1?
Answer :
If I understand the question, you’re looking to turn on the phantom power on the microphone itself (NTa-1)? That comes from the pre-amp or channel strip/pre-amp and usually is a button marked Phantom Power. The mic cable from the pre-amp to the mic transmits the power. I apologize if I have misunderstood.
Question :
Is the nt1 kit being offered through amazon prime being sold by an authorized retailer? two reasons: 1) valid 10 yr warranty 2) no counterfeits
Answer :
Amazon is not an authorized dealer.
Question :
does it come with the rectangular pop filter?
Answer :
Well, I'm not too sure what you mean by (Rectangular Pop Filter), but it DOES come with a ROUND "pop filter" and the "rectangular Shock mount". It LOOKS SUPER IMPRESSIVE when it's all setup, but if I'm 100% honest.... if you bump that mic stand while recording, that shock mount is still gonna transmit ALL that noise right into the recording, because you're using such a BEAUTIFUL & SENSITIVE PRO-LEVEL MICROPHONE!! You can't make it NOT hear a bump lol.. But I don't care, I still love mine and would buy it again if I had to! :-)
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