Rode NT-1A vs BLUE mics?

sat159p1 · 10th March 2010

I'm completing home studio and need two GOOD (but budget) microphones. And studio profile will be warm/vintage recording, mostly alt.rock - indie - recorded on tape.

I wanted to buy 2 condenser microphones for different situations (male/female vocal & guitar amp). I thought about

Blue Bluebird (extended HF)
Blue Baby Bottle (extended lows and mids)

..but I have a chance to buy pair of Rode NT-1A mics for some less.

Which one will be better? Does Rode and Blue comes from China mfg?

Lifted · 10th March 2010

What's your budget?

Blue Baby Bottle is a better microphone for voice applications, compared to Blue Bluebird.

Rode NT1-a and Blue Baby Bottle would be a good pick, for a different tone flavor.

Also good picks for tone difference in your price range.

SM7B + Rode NT1A

SM7B + Blue Baby Bottle

Bluebird is a good microphone for acoustical projects, not the best for vocals.

P.S. I'm absolute in LOVE with SM7B for vocals. No harshness, presence boost switch, full, smooth sound. Great microphone. Much better than the other 3 condensers mentioned. This will give you warm, and "rock" sound that has been used in recording by System of Down, Metallica, Michael Jackson's Thriller, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Incubus. (All of them used this mic for lead vocals).

Honestly once you'll buy it you will not part ways with it, it will be the go to mic for screaming vocals, even soft vocal, this is the easiest microphone to EQ I have ever worked with.

BUT having a good condenser is a must for vocal/acoustic applications.

For Rock I would go with SM7B and Blue Baby Bottle.

Blue Baby Bottle is brighter than SM7B, much more sensitive than SM7B (since it's a condenser) and darker than Rode NT1-A as Rode is on the bright side of things.

sat159p1 · 11th March 2010

Thanks, that really helped me!

BTW, is Rode a rebranding company (for far east equipment) or do the make on their own?

10th March 2010	#1
sat159p1 Gear addict Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Europe Posts: 464 Thread Starter	Rode NT-1A vs BLUE mics? I'm completing home studio and need two GOOD (but budget) microphones. And studio profile will be warm/vintage recording, mostly alt.rock - indie - recorded on tape. I wanted to buy 2 condenser microphones for different situations (male/female vocal & guitar amp). I thought about Blue Bluebird (extended HF) Blue Baby Bottle (extended lows and mids) ..but I have a chance to buy pair of Rode NT-1A mics for some less. Which one will be better? Does Rode and Blue comes from China mfg? __________________ "This is Gearslutz, it's all about paying for sht you can hardly hear, don't really need and few other people actually care about.*"

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10th March 2010	#2
Lifted Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,243	What's your budget? Blue Baby Bottle is a better microphone for voice applications, compared to Blue Bluebird. Rode NT1-a and Blue Baby Bottle would be a good pick, for a different tone flavor. Also good picks for tone difference in your price range. SM7B + Rode NT1A SM7B + Blue Baby Bottle Bluebird is a good microphone for acoustical projects, not the best for vocals. P.S. I'm absolute in LOVE with SM7B for vocals. No harshness, presence boost switch, full, smooth sound. Great microphone. Much better than the other 3 condensers mentioned. This will give you warm, and "rock" sound that has been used in recording by System of Down, Metallica, Michael Jackson's Thriller, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Incubus. (All of them used this mic for lead vocals). Honestly once you'll buy it you will not part ways with it, it will be the go to mic for screaming vocals, even soft vocal, this is the easiest microphone to EQ I have ever worked with. BUT having a good condenser is a must for vocal/acoustic applications. For Rock I would go with SM7B and Blue Baby Bottle. Blue Baby Bottle is brighter than SM7B, much more sensitive than SM7B (since it's a condenser) and darker than Rode NT1-A as Rode is on the bright side of things.

11th March 2010	#3
sat159p1 Gear addict Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Europe Posts: 464 Thread Starter	Thanks, that really helped me! BTW, is Rode a rebranding company (for far east equipment) or do the make on their own?