RODE NT1-A or STUIO PROJECTS B1?

[RiccaLee]

im a newbie and finding a inexpensive microphone and i have set my eyes on rode nt1-a and studio projects b1 but i dont know how to choose between them. can anyone help? thanks a whole lot

 

[moresound]

Out of the two choices given, I would go for the Rode.
And welcome to the forums Riccalee.

 

[kendallking]

i use a rode nt1-a and for the price it is amazing! for $325 it is a great mic, the sound quality is professional. i definantly recommend!

 

[dogn4u]

Rode. Another option in this price range is the Blue Baby Bottle, which I also own. Don't forget, you will not get the full available performance out of either of these without a preamp. If you must have it now and are "budget-challenged", anything from ART is a good bet for a $100-300 pre. The non-digital tube TPS is rugged, dependable, and sounds good. Bellari makes a small one in that range. One of the nicest pres out there is the Grace 101. $5-600 new, but you might find a used one for $3-400 on ebay. Not very often, though - Grace owners tend to keep them. I have a two-channel Langevin solid state pre which I love. I went with solid state because I like the FET sound on mikes. This pre is clean, open and deep sounding, and has a ton of crisp, clean headroom. I highly recommend it, tho it does cost about $2000 new.

Good luck and welcome

Rudi

 

[kid klash]

I too own both, and both of them are worth owning.

What are you planning to use your new condenser mic and preamp for?

The reason that I ask is to get a feel for the direction to point you in. Is it mainly for vocals? If so, will it mainly be for a male vocal or female vocal? High voice or low voice? Or are you looking for an "all around" type of mic that you can use on vocals and instruments? And what about your budget? Are you trying to scrape buy as cheaply as possible or do you have a stash of cash in your sock drawer?

IMHO, both mics are good sounding mics. I tend to use my NT-1 mainly for vocals, and my B-1's for lots of things, including vocals, overheads, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, etc.

 

[stonepiano]

I have been using my Rode NT1 for about 7 years now. Still works like a champ. highly recommended.

 

[Supercreep]

I think the NT1-A is a steaming pile of shit.

Having used both mics, I find the B1 to be less expensive, sturdier, and more capable.

I still use a pair of B1s. My NT1-A sits in the drawer gathering dust.

For vocals, the money is nearly enough for a new EV RE-20, which is a spectacular dynamic mic. I use it for vocals almost exclusively.

 

[Supercreep]

i use a rode nt1-a and for the price it is amazing! for $325 it is a great mic, the sound quality is professional. i definantly recommend!

For $50 it is not a great mic.

For vocals, try the MXL V67-G for $100. Better than the Rode in every way.

 

[RiccaLee]

:d

thanks for your help
i will be using it for vocals mainly, for myself>< im a girl with a high pitch. as i have a limited budget so i will very possibly be using it for instruments too.

Rode. Another option in this price range is the Blue Baby Bottle, which I also own. Don't forget, you will not get the full available performance out of either of these without a preamp. If you must have it now and are "budget-challenged", anything from ART is a good bet for a $100-300 pre. The non-digital tube TPS is rugged, dependable, and sounds good. Bellari makes a small one in that range. One of the nicest pres out there is the Grace 101. $5-600 new, but you might find a used one for $3-400 on ebay. Not very often, though - Grace owners tend to keep them. I have a two-channel Langevin solid state pre which I love. I went with solid state because I like the FET sound on mikes. This pre is clean, open and deep sounding, and has a ton of crisp, clean headroom. I highly recommend it, tho it does cost about $2000 new.

Good luck and welcome

Rudi

 

[kid klash]

thanks for your help
i will be using it for vocals mainly, for myself>< im a girl with a high pitch. as i have a limited budget so i will very possibly be using it for instruments too.

Thanks - good to know what type of voice the mic will be used with, as well as other things the mic would be used for.

For a "high" female voice, I'd go with the Studio Projects B1, because the NT-1A is a bright-sounding mic, moreso than the B1, and I doubt you'd want to emphasize the high frequencies even more. The B1 is fairly neutral and natural sounding, and works well with acoustic instruments (guitar, most brass, drums and percussion), and is very reasonably priced. They're well-built too, and PMI Audio (the people that designed and sell the B1) provide excellent service in the event that you ever need to have the mic repaired.