Rode introduced the original NT1 way back in 1991, and it’s been so successful that last year they released the fifth generation of this mic. Indeed, when I’m asked by musicians or aspiring engineers to advise on a first ‘proper mic on a budget’, it’s pretty much always been on my shortlist. I was recently sent the new NT1 Signature for review — this one is an all‑analogue affair with the usual XLR connector on the bottom, but it’s worth noting that there’s also a USB version with 32‑bit converters and some DSP on board (it also includes the XLR connector), and if you’re interested in reading about that one, check out Sam Inglis’ March 2023 review: www.soundonsound.com/reviews/rode-nt1-5th-gen
As well as a smart‑looking mic (available in silver or black), you get some nice accessories, and I was impressed with the quality of the included shockmount, which has a neat attachment for fitting the included pop filter. There’s an XLR cable included too, so you only need a mic stand and preamp/audio interface and you’re good to go.
Like its predecessors this NT1 is a cardioid‑only capacitor mic that features no additional pads or filters. But the lack of such ‘bells and whistles’ is by no means a sign of cheap quality. While the biggest evolution in the fifth‑generation NT1 is arguably the digital connectivity, there’s plenty more to commend this analogue‑only model too. For example, unlike many budget‑friendly mic companies, Rode design and build their mic capsules in‑house, and the capsule is a truly one‑sided design, rather than the common dual‑sided affair with the rear diaphragm disconnected. And, as Sam pointed out, the quoted self‑noise of 4dBA is very impressive. It should make the NT1 Signature a great option for dialogue and podcasts — since the voice is exposed a lot of the time, it can make you really appreciate a mic that doesn’t add unwanted noise!
I run a commercial recording studio, in which I record a large range of vocalists and instruments. If I’m evaluating high‑end mics, then, after a short period of testing to ensure they’re capable of delivering the goods for paying clients, I tend to throw them straight into use on real sessions. With more budget‑friendly options such as the NT1 I adopt a slightly different approach — not because I think the mic won’t be up to the job, but rather because many clients probably have an NT1 at home and in this setting they want/expect to see an expensive mic in front of them! Instead, I’ll rig the mic alongside my studio’s more established mics. This is a great way of broadly assessing the merits of a mic like this.
When compared with mics that often cost as much as 10 times the price of the Rode, the NT1 held its own very well.
How Does It Fare?
So how did the NT1 Signature fare on these sessions? The short answer is that when compared with mics that often cost as much as 10 times the price of the Rode, the NT1 held its own very well. On male vocals, in fact, I would have been quite happy to use the NT1 for the projects I was working on. I could hear some small differences in the lower registers of a voice, and the midrange felt a little ‘pinched’ on louder sections when compared to an expensive valve mic I was using, but in general the sound was good and there was certainly nothing problematic. I could hear a whisker more difference on female vocals: the NT1 felt slightly less ‘silky’ than my usual options, but again, I was sitting there specifically listening for small differences — it’s not the kind of thing that would hold anyone back if recording their music with the NT1.
When it came to instrument recording, I managed to try the mic out on a few different acoustic guitars, on an upright piano and as a mono drum ambience mic, and in each setting the NT1 Signature captured an accurate and nicely balanced picture of what was in front of it. In particular, when recording some delicate fingerpicked guitar acoustic guitar, the mic’s low self‑noise was evident — I was able to crank my preamp’s gain and capture all the detail I wanted.
As with its predecessors, then, the NT1 Signature is a good‑quality condenser mic, and while it offers no bells and whistles in terms of features, it does offer exceptional value for money. The fact you get both a good shockmount and a pop filter included in the price is icing on that cake. I’ve described some of the small differences that I could hear when comparing it with some very expensive mics that I use daily, but those differences are nothing like as great as you might assume, and as long as you have a decent audio interface and a basic grasp of mic technique, the NT1 is definitely capable of professional‑level recordings. It’s a great option for musicians who are beginning their journey into recording, but for small studios looking to pad out their existing mic collection this traditional ‘starter mic’ could be a surprisingly cost‑effective choice too.
Information
$159