Updated and improved since its first release in 1991, the NT1 is a modern classic loved by musicians and content creators alike. Does the latest version offer even more value for money?
It’s not uncommon for microphones to enjoy long-term success. Classic studio mics like the Neumann U47 can trace their history back to the 1940s and others even further. What’s less common is for more modern designs to enjoy such sustained popularity, perhaps because there are already so many classics readily available. The new Rode NT1 5th Generation is an update to a mic which bucks those trends, first released in 1991 and gradually improved over the years. There are big changes for this latest iteration, but the overall concept remains the same: high-quality sound at a sensible price.
Rode claim that the NT1 is the world’s most popular studio microphone, and we’ve no reason to doubt them. Priced at under £250, the NT1 has always held its own against mics costing significantly more. Opening the 5th Gen box, you’re presented with a six-metre XLR cable (plus Rode’s Blue Ring to tighten up the XLR connection), SM6 shock mount with integrated pop filter, the mic itself and a protective dust cover. The telltale sign that the NT1 has been heavily redesigned is the inclusion of a three-metre USB-C cable, reflecting the fact that the 5th Gen model is now equipped with what Rode call Dual Connect. Whereas previous versions of the mic were traditional analogue designs with a simple XLR connection to your interface or pre-amp, the 5th Gen has an on-board interface, converting the analogue signal to digital and allowing you to hook directly into a computer or compatible mobile device over USB, avoiding the need for an interface or pre-amp.
The design of the 5th Gen model, available in silver or black, is no great departure from the previous model, slightly tweaked around the base but otherwise recognisably part of the same family. Using it in analogue mode is also much the same as before, requiring 48V phantom power from your interface or pre-amp and delivering a clear, precise, low-noise sound ideal for vocals and most instruments. Hooking up via USB is when things start to get a bit different, specifically in terms of the options Rode’s software brings to the table. The free Rode Central and Rode Connect apps are the two options. The former is designed for use alongside your choice of DAW software for recording music, while the latter is aimed at podcast recording, allowing you to connect up to four mics to a computer and mix and record your conversation in the software.
The big shift to a digital connection has some knock-on effects in terms of how you can use the NT1. The first is that the Rode software gives you control over the digital signal processing (DSP) options on board the mic. Packed into the mic itself, a high-gain Revolution pre-amp and high-resolution audio interface are teamed with Aphex audio processing, meaning that you can dial in effects like filtering, compression and Aphex’s classic Aural Exciter. The benefit here is that you can process the sound directly within the mic, so that the sound leaving the USB port is how you want it the moment it hits your computer.
The other big advantage of the digital approach is that Rode have built the 5th Gen with a 32-bit float digital output, a fairly complex technical approach which means that the output is effectively impossible to distort. Traditionally, setting the levels when recording with mics is one of the most important aspects of sound engineering, ensuring that levels are high enough that they give you a good signal-to-noise ratio but not so high that louder sounds ‘clip’ and distort. The ‘unclippable’ design of the NT1 completely eliminates this fear, allowing you to focus on the performance rather than worrying about levels.
The NT1’s biggest selling point was always the fact that Rode somehow managed to bring high-end sound to an affordable price point. Even before you take inflation into account, the 5th Gen is actually cheaper than the original was back in the 90s, making it even more of a bargain. Boosted high-frequency response makes the 5th Gen slightly brighter than previous models, but not to the point of sounding harsh. With the evolution of the design over the years, the NT1 remains a fantastic choice for studio use, streaming, podcasting and voiceover recording. With a ten-year warranty and the reassurance of Rode’s reputation for durability, it’s a mic which should stand the test of time. In 2023, the NT1 is better than ever. Here’s to many more decades of success.
Greg Scarth
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