Best RODE for vocals

Which is best for vocals?

  • NT-3

    Votes: 7 2.9%

  • NT-1

    Votes: 45 18.8%

  • NT-2

    Votes: 30 12.6%

  • NT-1000

    Votes: 26 10.9%

  • NTK

    Votes: 131 54.8%
  • Total voters
    239
Tyler is back at it again?
Jesus, does this kid ever stop?
First he's going around looking for free beats, begging, and making up all sorts of lies about studio's his "boy" owns, and ALLLLL the gear he owns (in excess of $20,000 I believe he once said), and now this?

Get the fuck out of here.
 
So this thread is revived after almost one year...

Don't know what a starved plate tube mic is. However, I bought a better tube for the NTK, some Siemens. Then I posted A and B before/after tube change, and no one could tell the difference. Another $100 wasted. Someone said that the NTK wasn't a real tube mic, and that's why there was no audible difference. Is that what you refer to?

Anyway, I like it better now, though it does need EQ to sound good on my voice.
 
Rode ntk

Honestly i dont really know what im talking about beyond what ive heard. But im definitely not putting down users of any mic... real tube or no. Im just wondering because id like to know for when i go to buy a tube mic. I know that real tube preamps sound alot better than the presonus tube pre kind, so i am curious to know what "real" tube mics sound like compared to others. I heard the studio projects t3 was a real tube mic, but i just heard it somewhere online so who knows. One of my favorite musicians of all time recorded his tunes on an 8 track reel to reel with an ok mixer and just an sm58 and some cheap audio technica condenser it sounds fantastic. I dont know if everyone in the recording world would appreciate it, or appreciate those mics he used, but the record sounds huge enough to blow my mind. Its all in the songs/arranging and theres no escaping that fact. What else blows my mind is how 500-600 bucks doesnt even get you a real tube mic i guess.
 
The NTK is not what is referred to as starved plate. The RODE tubes mics are class A devices. Interesting that no one seemed to mention that a wider variable on the mic's performance is the singer's voice. I would never recommend the NTK on a female vox. I happen to love what the NTK does for my baritone voice. Which brings me to the next question....

Since this thread has been kicking around for a while, RODE has put out some new designs. The Classic II is still the flagship tube RODE and I am wondering if anyone has done a side-by-side comparison with it and the NTK. Also now I see the K2 being offered. Anyone had a chance to compare with the NTK? Thanks.
 
Tukkis said:
Which one would be a more all round mic for vocals, pianos, violins and acoustic guitars

Tukkis
Click to expand...
I have tried or owned almost every RODE mic (except that new weird one with knobs on it...).

I bought the Rode classic II after putting it up against a bunch of other mics, not a shootout, but just because i always put up about 4 or 5 really nice mics when i am about to record a singer i have never recorded... Experience gets me in the ballpark usually, but then i will throw up a few random mics just to GAIN experience, and possible get a new favorite for that singer...
I had a telefunken U47 longbody, a U87, a U67, a C12vr custom, a BK5, and something else weird up there, maybe an SM7 or an RE20... This was years ago. It was for a male rock vocal, like... Jawbox.. It was for a shiner record. Anyway: The Rode classic made it on to almost every track on the record, except a few where the 87 was actually more flattering to the key/delivery/vowel sounds in the chorus...etc.

Pretty amazing! The 47 and the 67 didnt even make it on the record, except as mono ambient drum mics in the room!

I still use the classic these days, under certain circumstances it just totally rocks.
 
I always hear great things about the K2. It seems like its versital enough to be a great vocal mic, and also a good workhorse mic.
 
I've used 3 of the Rode mics in the poll as well as one that isn't there, the K2... I like the K2...for deeper male vocals and some instruments. For female and male tenor vocals I prefer my TLM-103...
 
None of the above. The best Rode mics for vocals would be the Classic II, original Calssic and the K2 (plus it's FET sibling).
 
Now that some times has passed. Anyone made an A/B comparison between NTK and K2?

I have heard the K2 should be better, but also that it has the same problem with the treble (some distorsion or whatever).
 
If I were going to spend at least $500 on a mic to be used as an all purpose mic, I'd go ahead at keep saving till I had $1200 then go by a Neumann TLM-193. That way you won't be looking to save another $500 to buy another mike within a year when you find out your Rode doesn't give you that Neumann sound that you hear on most pro recordings.
 
rode nt2a or ntk?

I need to buy a mic for studio vocals... I heard the nt1a and it sounded pretty cool to me (for that price!!) and from that moment on I became interested in Rode. I can spend 500$ for a microphone and I don't know what to choose: NT2A or the NTK ?
I do not have experience in recording and I do not understand a simple fact: ... I already own an analog mixer Soundcraft (16 channels) with 8 microphone imput channels... why do I need a mic preamplifier if I already have 8 of them integrated in the mixer? Sounds better with a special microphone preamplificator? And if a I need to buy one, which sounds best for Rode at a reasonable price? thanks
paul, romania
 
Either is a good choice within the budget if you want a condensor.

I like the NTK over the NT2A, but that is because I prefer the sound of the NTK, which is a bit warmer IMO. The NT2A is a bit sharper, and would be my choice for a VO, but not for vocals

As for the mic preamp vs. mixer. Again, it depends on what you want to do and how much you want to spend. I like the preamps in the onyx line from Mackie, but not in most other mixers. I almost always find myself going back to my Universal Audio and Avalon preamps anytime I do a vocal/vo session. Its a dedicated device, and quite frankly, the sound is more pleasing to me. Additionally it gives me more options with my setup.

For the guy at home who wants a $1000 or less setup, use a mixer. If you want true broadcast quality, spend a little extra and get a quality preamp.
 
Ntv

hey ya'll i have a rode NTV and i think it sounds awesome on vocal. with the right mic technique the Rode picks up just enough of the the room reflections and i "warm" as ever. I love the mic it's a bit old and has no pad or filters but it sounds great. Reminds me of the clarity of john lennons vocals on "plastic ono band." soory to name drop :rolleyes:
 
I have an NT2-A which I like a lot. Way better than the AT4047 I used before, and the sonic differences to a Gefell M930 I had a while back are tiny -- and it has different patterns and a pad (-5dB and -10dB). The -5dB is the one I use a LOT. Why can't other mics have a -5dB pad? Its very versatile. IMHO. The different patterns are a wonderful tool; I often use the figure 8 (and sometimes the omni) to open up the sound a bit with great results. I got the NT2-A from GC for $325.- new. I had the choice between a GT66 and the NT2-A (same price at GC) and I am glad I bought the Rode.
 
I am a huge Rode fan, and have owned most of them. I admit I haven't used a Classic tube model, but have either tried or now own the rest. I currently own a NT1-A, NT2-A and a K2. I previously had the NT1000 and NT2000 also.The NT1000 is a "slight" improvement over the NT1-A, however the NT2000 and NT2-A are virtually identical except for the infinitely adjustable pattern and frequency rolloff adjustment on the 2000. The NT2-A and NT2000 and K2 all use their highly prized HF-1 capsule. I would certainly say that the NT2-A offers most of the advantage needed as it has the multple pattern choice and bass rolloff switching. This, I feel can all be very important for a good vocal mic. I find the NT1-A is drop dead quiet and makes a superb acoustic guitar mic to say the least. Frankly on my voice it also does a fine job.

However the K2 is my new sweetheart. It is so darn sweet all around. An astouding dynamic range, also very quiet indeed with a mid and high end hard to put into words, suffice it to say sweet with air. Perhaps the most impressive thing I've found with nearly all of the Rode's I've worked with is their utter absence of self noise. Unlike just about any of it's competitors they are head and shoulders above in this regard. I like a mic that doesn't present it's own noise into the signal chain. There are precious few others that can offer this. I also enjoy the general clarity with which they produce upper mids and highs without sounding harsh (on my setup anyway). Mr. Freedman has indeed done himself proud in my estimation.. :D
 
Just bought ONYX preamps and a Røde NT 2000. Wee what a major stepup. Didnt take much to step up though from Old Mackie 1202 mixer preamps and a (fullprice) 180 USD Generis Condensator mic.
I dont even know much about mic tecniques.
We just hung it up and off we sang.
Amazing result - right out of the box.
And no need for that noisegate plugin no more. Its so quiet.
Its great to have the breathing sound back. Noisegates tends to kill that.
 
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