Which mic - Stellar X2 or Rode NT1?

  • Thread starter Thread starter mjbphotos
  • Start date Start date
mjbphotos

mjbphotos

Moderator
As my trusty old AKG P220 has been having occasional issues due to humidity (solved by keeping it in a ziploc with desiccant packs), I thought it might be time to start shopping for a new LDC.
Occasional female voice recording, but mostly my voice and acoustic guitar work.

I was eying the Rode NT1 'kit' (shockmount and pop filter included), but then came across the Stellar X2 Vintage last night for the same price: https://homerecording.com/bbs/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=27

Of course, I need to wait for my next stimulus check.... Which would you choose?
 
I have no experience with the Stellar X2. Indedd, I had not heard of them until you mentioned them.

However, I have spent a lot of time with the Rode NT1 (old and new). While the earlier NT1 mikes attracted some criticism for being overly bright, the newer black one is vastly different, having been re-engineered and made entirely in Australia. I have no hesitation in recommending it as aquiet, high quality, versatile and smooth sounding mike.
 
I recently purchased the TZ Stellar X2. Not the vintage model. I like it. It's smooth and pretty flat. Still rich tone. Hardly had to touch it with EQ. I'll probably purchase the Stellar X2 vintage soon.
 
I've never heard any TZ mics, so I can't comment on their sound. I have the NT1 (new black style) and its one of my main mics. It sounds really nice on acoustic guitar, and seems to work well with my voice. The very low noise level is also great.
 
Well, I see TZ just released an X3, which tells me that there were enough 'issues' with the X2, they had to do some changes. Think I'll go with the Rode, except no reliable dealers seem to have them in stock right now. Amazon has it shown from one questionable (going by name) seller for $30 more than everyone else.
 
Musicians Friend says it is in stock and ready to ship. I know that Rode specifically mentions on their website about buying from unauthorized sites on Amazon. Buying from an approved site gets you the 10 year warranty when you register.
 
TalismanRich said:
Musicians Friend says it is in stock and ready to ship. I know that Rode specifically mentions on their website about buying from unauthorized sites on Amazon. Buying from an approved site gets you the 10 year warranty when you register.
Click to expand...

Thanks, interesting, as Guitar Center didn't show in stock, and they ship from the same warehouses. Will check it out.

Edited to add:

Hmmm. Seems like Rode has changed their shockmount and pop filter on the NT1. I don't like the look of it at all, and the pop filter is barely adjustable now. American Musical shows the old style in stock.
 
Last edited:
mjbphotos said:
Thanks, interesting, as Guitar Center didn't show in stock, and they ship from the same warehouses. Will check it out.

Edited to add:

Hmmm. Seems like Rode has changed their shockmount and pop filter on the NT1. I don't like the look of it at all, and the pop filter is barely adjustable now. American Musical shows the old style in stock.
Click to expand...
ZZounds.com, one place I use fairly often, shows them in stock as well, and the picture on the website looks like the old style, if I'm understanding what you're describing. However, I would not go by the website photo, because the warehouse might have something different, and I'd guess you won't find a person at the 800 # that can actually tell you what's in the box.

P.S. I've usually been able to get a discount of some kind by calling ZZounds - but that was before all of this craziness with everyone trying to get on the internet and supply chain issues. They were always good about price matching, too.
 
You're right - and I wonder if some of these online sites have not updated their photos yet, as ZZounds shows the new style in the kit that includes an interface.

So, with little choice, I ordered the new style from Guitar Center (I have a decent pop filter I can use anyway), and have to assume that their new style shockmount is better (technically) than the old one.
But why GC? Of all the online places (and I called), none of them could process through payment to 2 different CCs - I had a Mastercard gift card with an amount on it I wanted to use first. And to make it better, my 20% GC 'coupon' worked. No one really likes GC, but they do make it easy to work with them. Same thing happened when I bought my Taylor there several years ago - I got the $100 off coupon, was able to use 2 separate GC gift cards + my credit card for the balance.
 
That's a good thing to be able to use the gift cards. These days, you never know if they'll be good 6 months from now. As for the 20% GC coupon, I just used my MF coupon last night. I wanted to pick up a second AKG P170 SDC mic. Its a mic that I think sounds pretty nicely balanced. $83 delivered with tax worked for me.

I have seen the new version of the NT1 mount. I prefer the older Rycote mount with the integrated pop filter. It doesn't sag or have problems with the bands getting flipped off. I've got other elastic band mounts and a couple of pop filters if I ever wanted to use one. In the end, though, as long as it works, that's fine with me.
 
TalismanRich said:
I prefer the older Rycote mount with the integrated pop filter. It doesn't sag or have problems with the bands getting flipped off. I've got other elastic band mounts and a couple of pop filters if I ever wanted to use one. In the end, though, as long as it works, that's fine with me.
Click to expand...

It's curious that here, when you buy the new NT1, you get the new pop filter, but if you buy it as a kit with the Rode interface, you get the Rycote mount. I'm not sure why Rode has done that. But I agree with your conclusing statement: "as long as it works, that's fine with me".
 
Update: Rode NT1 Kit arrived today (no interface kit). Old-style shockmount and pop filter. :D
 
Rode. Like the brand. Owned an NTK, and NT3 in the past. Very good pieces of kit.
 
yep

I like the Black NT1, it is a good all-rounder.
I have 3 of them!

2 of them sound close enough to use as a stereo pair (with some slight volume leveling) but one sounds very different... with a huge boost in the low end... I kept it because I could use it in front of my drum kit for a room mic and works great because the self noise is low and I can boost the snot out of it without bringing up self noise.

I tend to go nuts with buying microphones... sigh...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top