Rode NT1 - for my voice?

WEBCYAN

WEBCYAN

New member
I need a mic for vocals.
Obviously the mic selection should be based more on the individual singing than anything else.
So... given that...

My voice is rather similar to Maynard J Keenan's. (dont look at me avatar...hehe). Anyway, I dont copy his style or anything its just that my voice has a veery similar tone. Very warm, rich, with emphasis on the chest voice even when singing really high notes.

so...is the NT1 a good buy for me? Ive read reviews for it and out of about 100 reviews I read 100 of them were HUGE fans of the mic. I was just wondering if you all think this thing will work for me.
 
There doesn't seem to be a lot of love for the NT1 around here, the drift is most towards Marshalls and Studio Projects in that price range.
 
philboyd studge said:
There doesn't seem to be a lot of love for the NT1 around here, the drift is most towards Marshalls and Studio Projects in that price range.
Click to expand...

..or the NT1000
 
Hate to say it, but a more resonant, male chest voice will probably sound more flattering on the Studio Projects C1 or the v67.
 
ill look into those 2. if their batter and cheaper might as well get it. :)

can anyone post an mp3 link to a song that has been recorded with either mic?

thanks.
 
No problem webcyan.That's why they make apples and oranges.Everybody gets to choose!But the NT1 isn't even as smooth or warm as the V67.Its very toppy.Some call it "air" and some call it "harsh".Studio Projects is set to release their B1 real soon.If you hang on a week or two you will have another option in the mix.
Tom
 
I doubt it's still available, but Bruce (aka Bluebear) had a link a while back that compared the Studio Projects C1 to a Rode NT2. It was a real interesting comparison. The song he used was "comfortably numb" by Pink Floyd. It was an excellent choice, since there is a distinct difference in vocal style from the verse to chorus.

What I noticed (and Bruce pretty much agreed - imagine that) was that the verse sounded better with the C1 and the chorus sounded better with the NT2. Now I don't know how familiar you are with that tune, but the verse (sung by Roger Waters) is sung much lower. What I noticed is that for a lower, chest voice, the C1 really brought out a lot of aggressiveness, and very obviously flattered his voice and sounded more focused on those parts.

The chorus, on the other hand, is sung higher and with a lighter, less-aggressive style (David Gilmour). For this, the NT2 sounded much better, because it just seems to respond better to higher singing from 2nd/1st Tenor on up. It has a bit more hype in the higher frequencies, and this really helped out for that kind of vocal.

My experience with both mics continues to support this theory. If I were to record what someone considered a "chest voice" I would grab a C1 or a v67. If Neil Diamond were to drop in to my "studio", that would be my mic. :) If the dude from Crash Test Dummies were to come by . . . mmm hmmm . . . by all freakin' means the C1 would be used. And to my ears the v67 is the exact same mic, only the C1 is smoother and more polished.
 
I've recorded very high quality male vocals through a Rode NT1 and a Studio Projects C1. I tend to prefer the C1 but there is no denying that the Rode NT1 is a good mic.

I've also heard some very nice vocals through an Audio Technica AT 3035.

I've yet to hear something I'd put out that was tracked through an MXL v67.
 
I use both the C1 and NT2 extensively and find actually the C1 to be great very often on tenory singers while the NT2 is great at focusing a big baritone kind of voice so it sits in the mix better. It also brings out the presence (a 3.5k-4.5k sparkle) on lower voices. It can be too honky on tenors where the C1 doesnt honk and gives tenors an openess and bigness that is flattering (i.e. that they lack in real life :) ).
Thats not to say I havent used the C1 on a bass vox and an NT2 on tenor. Im in the midst of a CD right now with these 2 guys one who is a tenor who sounds like he has posters of the backstreet boys all over his wall and the other who is a deep baritone. The tenor sounds ok but kinda plain on the C1 but much brighter and more defined and interesting with the NT2.
 
i couldnt download it.

the thing is my voice is not just "chest voice" dominated. My whole vocal style is veery varied.

This is going to upset some of you, but...what mic does Maynard James Keenan use?

Im not asking so that I can copy him. Its just that my voice is the EXACT tone as his. That doesnt mean my vocal delivery or any of the other stuff is, but my voice just naturally has the same tone.
so...
 
I doubt it's still available, but Bruce (aka Bluebear) had a link a while back that compared the Studio Projects C1 to a Rode NT2
Click to expand...

i've tried in vain to find this thread..anyone?

thanks...
 
I would suggest that you figure out how much you want to spend, and what the rest of your gear budget is, and try to work within it to get the results that work for your voice.

Some suggestions: Studio Projects C1, Marshall V67, Rode NTK, Neumann TLM103 or U87, AKG C12, Shure SM7. Also, your preamp is fairly important.

Trying to get what Maynard has is only going to illustrate to you how much less you sound like him than you think, and how large the gulf between a wealthy rock star and a normal person is.
 
well this is beyond frusterating.
I can seriously find people who both think the NT1 or any other mic for that matter, is the best thing on the earth, or the worst thing on the earth. And I have people who only sing country saying this mic is good, and others saying that a certain mic is good, but only on rainy days. Someone else suggested a mic and posted a recording using it and it was incredibly tinny and NOT warm at all... etc...

i give up. theyre all good AND they all suck. ahhh!!!!!!!
 
My expectation is that the soon to be released (unleashed!?)
Studio Projects TB-1 tube microphone will be giving the Rode
NTK a real run not only for the money-for sound quality too!
It's supposed to be about $300 street price BTW.
 
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