Rode mics: what's the reason because people here mostly don't like 'em

[WunderBro Flo]

When I emailed them to ask if they know any available shock mount that would fit my rode classic, they asked for my address. two weeks later I received a shock mount from Australia for free. They are good people.

[AnthonyRochester]

Similar things happened to me, twice. New diaphragm for NT2, and new cage/basket for NTK. I think they only do this for people within Australia?

[zinzin]

i just posted my video for the rode rocks competition, watch it and gimmie feedback: "Calling My Name" John's Revolution - Rode Rocks Competition - YouTube

i used the rode nt2a for recording the vocals and the snare top on the song as well as the rode nt5 for recording the acoustic guitars.

[John T]

Hey there zinzin, good job. The video is very creative and your mix sounds good. I too have some Rode mics. I have some expensive mics and I also have an NT1 and an NT4. I don't care much for the NT4, I suppose I should try it on another project. I have also used there NTG3 for a video shoot with decent results. As has been said many times here, it all depends on the source you are recording. I know of an SM58 being taken for a vocal over a Telefunken 251. Just depends on what your doing and who or what you're recording. Anyway, good luck with the video.

[zinzin]

thanks john t!

[shobud]

Rode NT2000 -- great mic

Daniel Artuso Music | Listen for Free and Download

vovals on "You saved a life" and "You hold on to me" were done with it...
Of course my voice isn't so great...

Dan

[s.d.finley]

Lol! Rode classic II is like a $2k mic!
I have used an original classic and it was nice but not worth the $$$$ IMO.
Most of the other rodes I have heard, NT1, NT1a, the sdc, ntk and the nt1000, were all harsh to different degrees. Some were less , but not wonderful. Some were ok. 10 years ago there was a lot less in that price range unlike now lots of options. I dont spend $5k on mics, er or mic.

[s.d.finley]

Originally Posted by PDC

See there? Why do people have to throw in the "considering their cost" and "they are a little bright"? Why can't Rode beat this thing with taming the top end? They should. They do everything else well. They should nail the sound of these things so that they sound less harsh, bitey and bright.

Word!!

[ivansc]

Originally Posted by s.d.finley

Lol! Rode classic II is like a $2k mic!
I have used an original classic and it was nice but not worth the $$$$ IMO.
Most of the other rodes I have heard, NT1, NT1a, the sdc, ntk and the nt1000, were all harsh to different degrees. Some were less , but not wonderful. Some were ok. 10 years ago there was a lot less in that price range unlike now lots of options. I dont spend $5k on mics, er or mic.

There again, what mics DO you think are worth the price in the same price range as the original Classic?

P.S. I also enquired about a shockmount for my original (but four years old) Classic and received one of the current model, customised to fit the original Classic - within a couple of weeks, free of charge.

See Neumann doing that?

P.P.S. But I have to confess I DID not like my original early model RodeNT1 very much. Way to toppy as has been noted all over the net. I sold it to a friend and he loves it! Go figure....

Oh and regarding experience with other mics, I have to say that if money was no object I would either get a vintage 251 or a vintage C12. Both these mics do wonderful things to my voice. But the Rode Classic does a pretty damn good job too, but for about a tenth the price.
Horses for courses.... what else is there out there in the price range that is significantly better?

[ivansc]

Originally Posted by Storyville

And, if you damage or lose one of their proprietary cables you're shit out of luck. I woudn't recommend rode mics to my enemies, certainly not my friends. Mostly because of the cable thing.

Hopefully most of your friends and your enemies will realise how little you know about Rode mic leads.

Every Rode I have used, including my Classic, has a standard lead.
ALL the non-tube models use a normal XLR lead.
The multipin connector used on the tube mics is a bog standard connector and pinout.

[gehauser]

I have a great-sounding NT-1a that regularly beats out my AT4047 and SM7b on male vocals. FWIW.

[s.d.finley]

Originally Posted by ivansc

There again, what mics DO you think are worth the price in the same price range as the original Classic?

P.S. I also enquired about a shockmount for my original (but four years old) Classic and received one of the current model, customised to fit the original Classic - within a couple of weeks, free of charge.

See Neumann doing that?

P.P.S. But I have to confess I DID not like my original early model RodeNT1 very much. Way to toppy as has been noted all over the net. I sold it to a friend and he loves it! Go figure....

Oh and regarding experience with other mics, I have to say that if money was no object I would either get a vintage 251 or a vintage C12. Both these mics do wonderful things to my voice. But the Rode Classic does a pretty damn good job too, but for about a tenth the price.
Horses for courses.... what else is there out there in the price range that is significantly better?

A mic I like better for less than a Classic II? Gefell UM70 and mv692 body. Kills just about everything. Sure its used and about half as much as the classic II. New? Just about any AT40XX series mic is less spitty IMO than the Rodes, barring the classic. Also new Gefell MT71S and multi pattern UM70S, each are less than the Rode Classic II.

Shockmount? I could give a rats ass about that! If the mic sounds like the Rodes I won't need a shock mount because I won't be using the mic. So thats kinda moot. However, that is very kind of Rode. Quality customer service does go along way, but not long enough if the sound of the mic comes up short.

[rocksure]

Originally Posted by Hyder boy

I have found that my NTK is really only good for front of kick, filling the roll of a 47 fet nicely. One in a while it does work on a vocal, but not to often. It has a NOS bugle boy tube that did smooth out the harshness.

Anyone else use the NTK for kick?

Yep I have used an NTK out front of kick with a sennheiser MD421 on the beater side. Worked really well.

[uncle duncan]

Another consideration about the low end Rode mics - NT1, NT2a - is that they're transformerless. Transformerless mics can be perceived as harsh sounding. Even a transformerless Gefell like the MT71s can sound a little harsh, depending on the context. The solution? Run them through a preamp with transformers.

An upside to the low end Rode design is that Microphone-Parts.com is now selling capsules for around $100 that you can (theoretically) swap out with no hassle. Their website says that these capsules will work fine in the Schoeps circuit Rode uses. Of course, as Jim Williams mentioned in his post, Rode has downgraded the build quality of their newer models, which means if you want to turn a Rode into a great mic, it might require a few upgrades in the circuit.

Since I've got too many LDC's, I'm having JJ Audio install a RK7 capsule in an old Rode NT2a. The RK7 is even darker than a regular 47 style capsule. If nothing else, it should make a great alternative to a ribbon mic, with the advantage of selectable patterns and a lot more gain.

[BrenJWC]

This may have been mentioned already, but the lead vocals on Paranoid Android were done in a live take using an NTK..

[Piranhadrum]

Rock the NT4 on OHDs for live shows, love it!

[burnt_rissole]

I have a k2 that sounds great on voice but terrible on complex sources. Tenors it comes alive whereas classical guitar is gets a buildup in the low mids that just sounds messy. As a room mic it's not bad though.

[zinzin]

Originally Posted by uncle duncan

Of course, as Jim Williams mentioned in his post, Rode has downgraded the build quality of their newer models

on what models? from which year on?

[zinzin]

i think the point is, NO mic is for universal use. if the rodes are to harsh for YOUR voice, it might be just right for YOUR voice. and the same goes for all the other mics around. overall i think the rodes are very well build, generally good sounding and almost unbeatable for the price.

[rocksure]

This is GS opinions are a dime a dozen.

You will find heaps of comments in threads by people that hate Neumann U87's, and many that say the TLM103 is a terrible mic.
Neumann KM84 are good but KM184 are not...and so on...
Then there are those that say that the AKG C414's are only any good if they are pre 1998 or so.
Add to this the ones that say that AT4050 are too boring
Then there's the AKG C451 is too bright brigade
and
The OKtava MK012 is too dark unless modded bunch
add to that the
The Shure sm81 is too flat
and so on...................

and if you have been on here a while you start to realize that you should.........

Take forum opinions with a pinch of salt because if we believed everyones' ideas on here we would all be skitzoes or as fickle as the wind swaying from one to the other.

I personally don't care if half the people on here dislike Rode mics, or U87's for that matter, because I have found great uses for both, and will continue to do so.
I love the K2 and the NTK, I think the NT2A is great value..I don't like the NT1000...but these are only my opinions and my experiences, and the next guy might think I have that back to front..who knows!

[PlatinumMix]

I know this is an old thread, but I have to say, I find the Rode bashing on here puzzling as well. I love my NT2-A and find it to be a top notch performer especially when run through a nice preamp. I haven't found it to be harsh or thin. I haven't really used the NT1-A but I understand that this is a very different sounding mic. The NT2-A has performed very well for me on male and female mics as well as for voiceovers. I also have a Neumann TLM 102 and a matched pair of SE 2200s and the Rode gets the most use out of these choices. I agree with Sound on Sound Rode NT2A. Also, it was voted 'World's Best Studio Microphone", by a panel of 80 people from the world's leading audio and music press, at the Frankfurt Music Messa '06. Not sure why the GS community paints all Rode mics with the same brush, but I have used all the expensive toys and love many of them, but am not looking to sell my NT2-A any time soon.

[MickeyMassacre]

I think by the time you get to the more expensive(and pleasant) Rode mics, at their own price points there are better mics to be had.

Rode NT2000 costs $599. I would much rather a Shure KSM32 for the same price, or a Mojave MA201fet for $100 more.

[rocksure]

Originally Posted by MickeyMassacre

I think by the time you get to the more expensive(and pleasant) Rode mics, at their own price points there are better mics to be had.

Rode NT2000 costs $599. I would much rather a Shure KSM32 for the same price, or a Mojave MA201fet for $100 more.

I haven't used an NT2000 so can't comment on that one. I don't like the NT1000. However, I disagree that when it comes to mics like the NTK or K2 that other similarly priced mics are necessarily "better".....they are just "different". For it's price the NT2A is also a good mic.

[Dysanfel]

I love my NT2. I have had great results with it. But it is getting old. I plan to send it to Mike Joly for some TLC very soon.

[Jim Williams]

Have him check the polarization voltage, it was set too high in the original NT-2's. It should be set to +60 volts DC.

[shaneoconnor]

I use an nt1 often. It is a perfectly decent mic. It doesn't provide the same qualities that an e47 would but that is to be expected. I would have two in a mic closet if I were to outfit a new facility.

[Tone Laborer]

Originally Posted by rocksure

You will find heaps of comments in threads by people that hate Neumann U87's, and many that say the TLM103 is a terrible mic.
Neumann KM84 are good but KM184 are not...and so on...
Then there are those that say that the AKG C414's are only any good if they are pre 1998 or so.
Add to this the ones that say that AT4050 are too boring
Then there's the AKG C451 is too bright brigade
and
The OKtava MK012 is too dark unless modded bunch
add to that the
The Shure sm81 is too flat
and so on...................

Funny and so true. You left out Peluso, though.

[pan60]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

Have him check the polarization voltage, it was set too high in the original NT-2's. It should be set to +60 volts DC.

I should check the one here. Never really done much for me. It is one of the originals I believe.
I'll dig it out and see just what it is. Maybe a tweak would make it a mic I could use, and that would be a good thing!

[NYCruiser]

I have a couple of NT2a's that I like a lot on some sources.

They do a great job on acoustic guitar when used in Omni mode.

[pan60]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

The original k-67 style capsules have a large lift in the top end, the mic does sound shrill stock. The circuits were designed to be flat to 50k hz. There are a pair of 470 pf Wima FKP-2 caps that set the hf roll-off. Change those to 5600 pf and that smooths out the response and it sounds very useful that way.

: )
I'll be looking into to that.
Sounds like this might just end up being a good useful mic for me with some basic tweaks.
thanks
Jim!