RODE NT1

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Prism

Prism

New member
Greetings,
This is my first time on the board. I hope to learn a lot from this board. I am a member at likeastory.com, a filmmaking forum based on infopop's same message board system...anyway..
I was wondering how many folks here use the RODE NT1 and the Tascam 488 MKII? They are more in my price range. I have heard many good things about the NT1, but if anyone here has some recordings made with one, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks in advance,
Isaiah
 
I used a pair of NT-1s thru a dbx 386 digitally to CDR on a TASCAM CDRW-5000 on this piece, Dobro guitar/Stand-up bass/vocal.
Placement was crossed stereo micing @ ~3 ft.
http://members.home.net/drstawl/midi.html

In the mp3 gallery:

"Drunkenhearted Man"

BTW: IMO: for the money: The Rodes ROCK!
How about the classic for 5 bills? Guitar Satan is dangling that one in front of me right now.
 
Thanks for the prompt reply, drstawl. One more question for anyone:
Does anyone use the Behringer Virtualizer Pro? I've been told that it is better than the Alesis Quadraverb.. what is your evaluation?

Isaiah
 
I just got a NT1...and an ART mp tube preamp today. I must say, I don't understand all the hoop-la over these items. Sure, they seem like a decent match and record "fairly" clean, but I am not hearing any BIG sonic differences (even over a SM58..or even a 57)that will be obvious in a mix of contemporary music....talking vocals now. Maybe my ears are shot, but I really don't think so. The NT1 looks like a piece of plastic, so visually I was disappointed. The off axis freq. response is almost laughable...but..it is a high output mic, but I would expect that from this format microphone. Maybe I need to do some more critical recording before I pass such a judgement, but I really don't understand why so many people feel that they "have to" have a "studio" mic such as the NT1 to make good sounding recordings. And the ART mp...I am tending to believe it is more "jump on the bandwagon" advertising targeted at all the many, many, many home recordists now. To end my rant..I must say, there is a small difference...but it is extremely small. And..if you don't own a mic..or are justing wanting to add to the collection, I can see how the Rode would be a good choice given its inexpensive price, but I am not sure I would rather have two SM58's instead.
http://www.mp3.com/christopherharwood
 
Actually, part of my selection is often based on aesthetics. I despise ball mics, and the RODE NT1 is actually in my opinion, a nice looking mic. The NT2 would be a better choice, both for its looks and features, but I'm a low budget guy. I use two Optimus (Radio Shack) Low-Z condenser mics for stereo orchestra recordings, and they sound beautiful. A RODE NT1 would be an improvement despite some people's evaluation of it. The RS mics have lousy SPL handling, though, and I believe the NT1 can handle 135dB or more. Sounds just right for me. I don't have complex recordings in mind. Just something that can sound nice overall on the piano, guitar and voice. I also plan on getting 2 to 4 Shure SM57s. I LOVE those babies! :)

Isaiah
 
Well.... put it this way

on this BBS mixmkr is in quite a minority with his dislike of the Rode NT-1. Most people will tell you if you want a low budget condenser, NT-1 is the best choice.

I have one myself and I love it. I've compared it with my SM57 and I can hear the diff, although not gigantic. It is noticibly a better mic. Go for the NT-1. I love mine =)
 
Well I don't want to appear like that asshole with his sleeves rolled up and a 9V battery on his shoulder daring any challengers to knock it off but:
Come on and post some stuff with that sm57 or sm58 that gets as crisp as these Rodents and I'll get some religion. This is an order of magnitude difference in my ear.
 
Sabith...I agree..I seem to be in the minority with my opinions on the NT1. However, it is a disapointment to be so, as I feel that I must not be hearing "something" that appears to be so obvious to the many folks here. I feel that I have a good basic understanding about recording, have been doing it for a long time, but when it boils down to a finished product, with so much going on in a mix, sometimes I think the small nuances get lost and covered up. Concerning the NT1, with all the praises, I was expecting a bigger improvement over some of my other mics. I DO like the NT1, but maybe not so strongly as others have posted here. And... I was just really hoping to like it more. I don't use Radio shack mics, but rather have a lot of other middle level mics like EV's Shures, Sennheisers, AT's and a couple of Beyers. Let me be the first to say however that a lot of small improvements here and there CAN go a LONG way in improving the final product, but sometimes things can slip by (aka guitar amplfier buzzes, etc...which get covered over by the sheer roar of the track sometimes). I love recording, and I am not going to dismiss the NT1 so quickly..but maybe I was just hoping that it was going to be the solution to some of my vocal and instrumental mic choices. But, when I can use my Beyer M160 (highly regarded for string instruments) and not tell whether it was used or my $125 Audio Technica electrete condensor, I have mixed feelings...I bum because I CAN'T tell (nor my listeners)but then I am happy because my $75 Sm57 sounded great on acoustic guitar too (when most would probably think it would suck). So...?..I give up!! ?? thanks for letting me ramble.

Oh...and as far as the ART tube MP preamp...yeah nice little unit, but it "seems" to sound no better than the preamps in my little Alesis 24 board at my church, the preamps in my friends little Mackie mixers, and even an older Fender mixer I have at home. At 100 bucks a pop for the ART, that adds up especially if you want 10 or more of them compared to the cost of these little mixers.
 
drstwal..for fear of sounding like a Spam commercial, I had posted a link to my MP3.com site which had several songs on them using "cheapie" mics...but then again...maybe my sound recordings sound "cheapie".
 
Well, like I said...I'm an amateur with practically no budget. I don't want to use all dynamic mics, and frankly the NT1 is just what I've been looking for. Maybe some day when I'm an experienced engineer, I'll be a better judge of quality, but until then, the NT1 sounds like a great mic...and for $189, it's probably the best in its price range.

Isaiah
 
mixmkr... mic an acoustic guitar with the NT1 and an SM57. Without any EQ or effects you WILL here a HUGE difference... if you don't then you either have a shit monitoring setup or are have really bad ears.
 
well..I have done as suggested. I recorded various objects..ac gtr, tambourine, voice, triangle, etc. I set a SM57 and the NT1 right next to each other and recorded the sound source simultaneous with each mic. The SM57 went thru my Mackie and then into my computer (via GINA analog inputs). The Rode NT1 went directly to the ART MP and then to the GINA. I routed each mic to separate tracks in CoolEdit Pro. Yes...I could hear a difference, but it was VERY small. NOT the HUGE difference that is alluded to. (who knows...?.maybe my SM57's are very crispy sounding or my sole NT1 is lacking in high end). The NT1 did sound a "tad" fuller, but by boosting the SM57 around 300 hrtz by just a little, the results where narrowed even more. I was then able to A/B the results on playback, and I set the volume the same, etc. AND I only used EQ on the playback and never boosted or cut more than 2-3 dB. My playback system is a pair of JBL4311's, Urie 813 time aligns, and a small pair or Auratones. I use a Alesis RA100 on the JBL's and Auratones and a Crown DC300 on the 813's. No room EQ. I am not trying to create an uproar, but just trying to solve this mystery. I am a graduate of Berklee College of music, went thru their recording program and had 8 semesters of ear training. I have also been recording for 20+ years and this one really has me stumped. I hear things like the difference between a Mackie and a SSL board, a 2" analog machine and Cooledit on a home PC as MUCH larger differences. But, even in a pro setup, hearing the difference WITHOUT a side by side comparison, I felt it hard to tell the difference between some mics...like a MD421 or a SM57 on drums, for instance. I would like to offer a short MP3 of this test to anyone, or an invite to my MP3.com page to review any work. (sorry to not post this on the MP3 link..but feel this is too related). I feel like maybe I am beating a dead horse on this subject, but sometimes I think people want to hear something that they think they should...rather than what actually is there.
http://www.mp3.com/christopherharwood
 
I would seriously consider taking the NT1 back to the store where you got it from and show them the small difference between it and the SM57. There really should be much more than a just a "tad fuller" sound with the NT1.
 
RE seems absent, but wouldn't he normally warn about capsule consistency in situations like this :D.
 
pglewis:

Thanks for the look-out. Yes, I think there are plenty of people who don't realize there can be drastic differences from capsule to capsule of the same model. This is what you get with lower-end mics. This just makes it that much more all important to hear what you are considering buying, before-hand; and as if it isn't important enough when buying a lot more expensive and more consistent mics.

And yeah I've been abent. Been real busy lately.

"Thanks for noticing"

-Eeyore
 
well...I think back to the store is in order then. I live in rural Kentucky so I buy all my stuff VIA mail order since the closest music store that would carry this type of gear is about 100 miles away in Nashville. I think the ART MP is also going back...the clip LED doesn't seem to work and the lack of other features (like a friggin on/off switch) are a couple reasons for that decision. However, I think I will try another mic (different brand maybe) and see what gives. Actually, I have yet to really find a store in Nashville where you can critically listen to stuff, but of course there are plenty of stores there. Anyone have any suggestions for a store that they like there?
 
mixmkr: check with mp3.com!
They've got you on a merry-go-round to nowhere. You enter your name and they find
a matching artist, but when you click on that artist you get a blank page. I'd complain.
Hey: I already am complaining... :)
And maybe the problem with your NT-1/SM-57 comparisons is that damn Art Tube Pre. I've heard a lot of people tell me that they ain't all that, though Sonusman loves them.
 
Yeah, I would definitely suggest the same comparison with both mic's going through the Mackie. I haven't heard the ART unit, but I know there's a HUGE difference between the pre's in my Meek VC3 and my Mackie. They both work well in different situations, but there is NO way you could run different mic's through each and hope to get an accurate comparison.
 
drstawl...
some people have told me that when they use Netscape Navigator, they have had problems on MP3.com. Is that what you use? Did the hyperlink not work?
http://www.mp3.com/christopherharwood

People using Internet Explorer have not seem to had any problems however.

Kbudokon...
thanks for the feedback (no pun intended). yeah..I have tried to keep all parameters the same in comparisions, but was trying to include the ART tube MP also in one instance.(Basically hoping to have one chain being much superior over the other audio chain) I am beginning to believe I have some sub-standard products for the various reasons I have "whined" about earlier. Thanks for all the input, btw. This is a really good forum.
 
prism.. you managed to surf all the way from the the video side of cyberspace to visit us on the audio side? your a daring man.. i started with digital audio and im slowly getting my feet wet in digital video..i just recently started poking my head around at likeastory , i think we exchanged wisdom in a post once or twice..

the rode nt1 is a great mic.. most home recordists will agree.. ive often thought of using it on a boom , if you buy one and use it for this purpose let me know how it works out..

- eddie -
 
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