Rode NT2?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Uladine
  • Start date Start date
Uladine

Uladine

New member
Well musicians Friend screwed up and I'm not getting my Groove Tubes mic, so I'm back to looking for a vocal mic again. I don't want to spend more than about $400, and I've heard that the Rode NT2 is pretty baddass and it meets my price requirements. What say ye? Should I go for it or a different mic? Please no replies like "you should get this mic, even though its $700". I really don't want to spend more than $400 right now because I have many bills to pay and I'm going to have to work over time or weekends to buy any mic at all. Thanks. :D
 
I bought one of these and quite frankly, I was disappointed. I found this mic too shrill for my tastes, and I could never seem to get a decent vocal sound out of it. Of course many people will disagree, but this is my $0.02c.

I don't have one myself, but I might suggest you take Bear's advice and consider the AT 4033--many people LOVE that mic.
 
The NT2 is a great microphone...I own one myself...but there are several in your price range that may be better, depending on what you're looking to do with the microphone. Will it be used just for vocals, or what else? What kind of sound do you want to get out of it?

-Duardo
 
Just to let you know, I never tried the NT2 on anything but vocals, so you may have better luck with something like ac. guitar...
 
The NT2 is what it is. It has a noticeable hype to it, and that is it's signature. But as opposed to being shrill or harsh, it does it in a way that is actually very pleasing on certain vocalists . . . and it's very nice on most accoustic guitars. It isn't the mic you want for all things, though. I have found that it does sound somewhat shrill on an overly-siblant voice. I've also found it all but un-usable as a drum overhead, as it tends to over-hype the hi-hat in a way I don't like.

I suppose it probably sounds like I don't like it. :) Actually, I think it is amazing on just the right application, but certainly not for everything.
 
I'll agree with chessrock. It is a gem in some circumstances. If at all possible try out a bunch of different mics and see what catches your ear. Which GT mic were you looking to get? I have a AM-11 that I dig a lot on my voice.

-jhe
 
I have found it varies greatly between vocalists (duh!)... one singer I work with sounds great thru the C1, another sounds horrible thru it and the 4033 but sounds "right" with the NT2...

Between the C1, 4033, and the NT2 - one of them usually does the trick.....!

Bruce
 
I have one. I've used it on:

* female vocals (generally alto, more mumbly and deep than airy or nasally)
* male vox, a tenor with a certain gravelly rasp, kind of a "pretty" voice for lack of better description coming to mind right now
* acoustic guitar
* acoustic piano (conservatory upright)
* room mic for djembe drum, conga, and bongos

Excels at:

* female vocals mentioned above
* acoustic guitar
* room mic for djembe/conga/bongos

Acceptable at:
* male vox mentioned above (I did have to EQ a bit @ about 1.3K if remembering correctly, because that "hype" did something bizarre with the rasp ... but it also smoothed out his voice in other areas and so overall I would say it definitely worked)
* room mic on piano if also using other mics

Unnacceptable at:
* lone mic on piano

Keep in mind I generally don't have a lot of experience and so you should probably take my opinions with a pound of salt. For me, the 4033 did not work at all; when I tried it on my voice, it sounded hyped, whereas the NT2 sounded natural (but flattering). So I would think, if you tried the NT2 and it didn't work for you, perhaps the 4033 would. Warped logic, sure, but maybe having some validity...
 
Really good description, Geekgirl.

I think I just figured out what it is about that mic. You know how when you sing, certain frequencies will resonate and react with your environment? Maybe you're singing in your house, and all of a sudden you hit a note that resonates in a way that makes your water pipes or your stove "ring" . . . and it sounds cool?

Well, if your voice resides within certain frequencies, you will make "something" resonate in that mic (NT2) that just sounds out of this world. There's something "signature" about it. I found that when I sung in to it, I'd hear it on only a few words or notes I'd hit . . . whereas with some others I've recorded, I get it a lot more. That's why it's such a hit or miss, in my opinion.
 
Back atcha, Chess. That's a really good description of the mic's characteristic.

So I'd like to add, Uladine, if you're getting this mic mainly for YOU to sing thru, it's pretty easy because you can audition mics in the store. Usually they don't let you take 'em home because it's some sort of health-code violation to have you spitting into the mic, but curiously enough they let you do it in the store ...

But I guess some mics -- like maybe Marshal V93, V67, Studio Projects C1, C3 -- might be hard to come by in your standard Guitar Satan/Martian Music/Sam Sawdust types of places (ah, I'm not dissin', they're all good stores from my experience). And the Marshalls are much cheaper, too. Maybe you can find someone who lives near you and has one that you can demo?

BTW, you can probably find an NT2 for about $300 used. If you try in a store and like, you can then hunt one down that way ... 4033s should be knocking around on the used market too.
 
Another choice

I have the 4033 and it works great on many vocals,etc.
I also was looking for an additional mic around $300 or so because I don't like the way the 4033 sounds on my voice . After auditioning a bunch of mics I chose the CAD E100
(or E200 if you want multi pattern) It is very flattering and clear through the upper mids without sounding sibilant on the high end. You can get them new for about $299 or used on ebay for about $175.
tmix
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. I've been checking out the AT4033 because I think my friend's dad may have one or something similar. I wonder if there is a way that I could borrow it?
 
Didn't someone on this board say that their Behringer B2 was almost an exact rip-off of the NT2? Just with some QC issues?
 
The B2 and NT2 are both the same with the exception of the looks outside. all of the stuff inside are the same.

Tons of companies put out the same mics, ever seen the nady scm900, Its also the same as the audix, and many other cheap mics out there. Hell the mxl 2001 is almost indistinguishable.
 
hey yall how do you think the TB-1 would compare? i've heard nothing but good stuff about it and its only $299...
on ebay that was a deal on the ntk..$380..
 
I am not a Behringer fan, but I had really great results with the B2 though, and especially for the price, I dare to recommend that one.
 
hey c7sus.

It's not a "Reverse R&D" department, it's a "Reverse Engineering Department" :p

Mark
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top