Hey Guys, Today we are going to talk about the difference between Rode nt1 vs nt1a microphone.
When the rode nt1 was first released it generated a lot of hype. The rode nt1 had some pretty advanced features for its time and all at a very decent price, but rode’s latest model of microphone, the nt1a has arrived and people are wondering: “What’s the difference?”.
To understand why rode decided to release an upgraded version of such a highly regarded microphone we need to look at rode’s history and what rode nt1 offers us, the users.
In rode’s early years there was only one rode product to offer: The rode video mic pro. This microphone provided great sound quality and had a very reasonable price tag, which meant that rode was the only rode product available.
This soon changed when rode released its rode nt1 microphone range, this provided rode with some stiff competition against other manufacturers, so they introduced their own rode mv1 video mic. People were very happy with rode’s decision to release a handheld microphone and rode seemed to be going in the right direction.
This is a comparison of Rode NT1 vs NT1a. Both are condenser microphones intended for voice recording ranging from studios to home studios.
Designed in Australia, the Rode NT1 was released in 2007 while the NT1a was officially announced by the company in March 2013. The two models are exactly the same in both function and design, the only difference is the NT1a has a different type of packaging to comply with environmental standards.
The main features of Nt1 and Nt1a microphones are:
- Their small-diaphragm measuring just 16 mm in diameter
- Microphone accessories including stand clamp, pop shield, pouch, windshield and XLR cable
- Internal shock mounting to reduce external vibrations
Their best application is recording vocals, acoustic guitars and drums. They are also used to record instruments like piano, strings, brass etc.
They can be connected to both personal computers (PC) and Apple Macintosh (MAC) via the 3-pin XLR connector. No drivers or software is required for either model making them very easy to plug and play.
The Rode NT1 and NT1a are noticeably similar in design, each featuring a 16 mm gold-sputtered diaphragm with a cardioid polar pattern. The microphones have an impressive frequency response from 20Hz to 20kHz, very low self-noise of 5db (A) and a maximum sound pressure level of 137dB SPL. They also have a high sensitivity as low as 2.7 mV/Pa and output impedance of 100 Ohms, making them compatible with most preamps, mixers or audio interfaces without requiring phantom power.
The NT1a is packaged in a plastic-cased carry case which includes the microphone itself, a detachable plastic pop shield, furry windshield, stand clamp and XLR cable. While the NT1 comes with all these accessories except for the XLR cable.
The frequency response of both microphones is flat with little deviation from the centre curve, however, they do have some proximity effect. According to Rode, “the microphone’s polar pattern is tighter and has a slightly stronger bass response than the standard NT1.”
Both microphones have a rolled-off high end at 4dB (A) and roll off naturally starting at around 150Hz to reduce any noise. The NT1 is priced higher than the NT1a, selling as opposed. They are both available from most of the major retailers including amazon.com, musiciansfriend.com and guitarcenter.com
While it is neither a night nor day difference between these two models, the NT1a has a slightly stronger bass response than the standard NT1 with its tighter polar pattern (Cardioid) and lower self-noise of 5db (A). But if you are using your microphone inside a home studio or recording vocals, both microphones would perform equally well.
So the choice between the two really boils down to price and packaging which can be found here. The NT1a costs slightly higher but comes with a carry case. So it’s up to you what works best for you. No matter which model you get both are solid choices for your microphone collection.
However, rode realized that they were neglecting their rode nt1 range and decided to release an updated version. This new microphone, the rode nt1a was announced in early 2015 and rode fans everywhere rejoiced at rode’s decision to improve one of their best microphones.
What makes rode so interested in improving its already successful rode nt1?
Rode Nt1 vs Nt1a
One of the main reasons rode decided to upgrade its rode nt1 microphone was because they wanted to continue their aggressive push into video production. rode realized that the rode nt1 was a highly regarded audio tool for people who do audio recording, therefore they felt it could open up rode technology to new audiences.
Rode nt1 was already a great audio tool but rode felt that they could improve the rode nt1 by adding in some new features whilst keeping its high-quality status. And rode were right about this! The rode nt1a didn’t add many new features but instead refined what was already there and improved the rode nt1’s overall capabilities.
The rode nt1a has almost the same chassis as rode nt1, the only difference being that rode has upgraded some of its components.
The audio quality is still just as great but rode has also added in a low cut function, which can be very useful in certain situations (for example if the rode nt1a were hooked up to a boom pole). rode also improved the shock mount in order to keep rode nt1a’s handling noise and vibration levels incredibly low.
As well as this rode added in a headphone output on rode nt1a in order for users to monitor their audio with ease. This is another useful feature (although it has been put on the backburner rode nt1), especially if you are trying to set up rode nt1a quickly.
Rode rode nt1a also comes with a hard case, which is something that the rode nt1 didn’t come with when it was first released. This can be very helpful if you’re recording in a studio and need rode nt1a to travel with you.
Thank you so much for reading the rode nt1 vs nt1a article! I hope it was helpful to anyone who reads this article wanting to check out more reviews on microphones, MIC STUFF.
For Rode NTA1 Review Click Here
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