I'm no expert, but...

I've worked in front of several microphones on five studio projects in four different studios. I am a baritone vocalist (a crooner after the style of Bing Crosby & Jim Reeves) and have used an A/T 4033, Lawson 251, and my personal favorite, the Shure KSM-44. I bought this microphone and a Shure KSM-44 for tracking my background vocalists in my home (portable) studio and I am really impressed by the sound of this Rode mic. I used it for tracking the alto background vocalist and, especially for the price, I don't think you could do better. In the studio where I tracked my vocals for my latest project, he is using a matched pair of the NT1-A's to mic the grand piano, and is very happy with them.

Superb Sound!

There are many microphones on the market that are in the "Great" category as far as their recording quality, but, most recording equipment out their is designed for musicians and singers that have a background noise (the music) that helps to hide either internal noise from the mic itself or eternal or ambient noises. Because I am recorded my voice only, for audio book narration or voice over work, I do not have that "extra" noise, nor do I want it in my recording. After trying combinations of several microphones in the under $200 price range and several preamp/audio interfaces, I was referred to the Rode NT1A by my Sweetwater sales engineer. Not only did he take considerable time to converse with me about what my needs were, what products were available, and how these compared with what I had already in hand, he also gave me solid advice on products that were not even on my radar. One of those products was the NT1A.

This microphone, from Rode Microphones, not only came with a shock mount, mounting hardware, a dust cover, and premium XLR cable, but, it also came with a built in POP shield, or popper stopper, as Peter Freedman from Rode called it. This large diaphragm condenser mic is advertised with as one of the lowest self noise microphones in the world, and, my sound engineer recommended it for in studio quiet work. I initially had difficulty getting my hands on this setup because everyone had it on back order. Sweetwater was able to get it to me quickly as soon as the orders came in from Australia.

I found this product to be of outstanding quality, sturdy construction, sufficiently equipped, and, when I coupled it with a Presonus Audiobox USB interface, I was able to achieve the quietest sound yet. I am very impressed with the performance of the Rode NT1A for audio book recording and voice over work in a home studio and I highly recommend not only the Rode NT1A microphone, but also highly recommend Sweetwater as my audio equipment supplier!!

It's Great !

This is my very first microphone & i think its great !
I've been doing some recording of my own & i compared it to the recordings that i do at a professional studio & they sound the same ! Great quality ! I think the instructional DVD should have more & probably better tips though.

Very Impressed

I'm no super pro recording guy but I know what I like and what I don't. I bought this mic for my wife to use since she's the singer and I am mainly the guy who does the behind the scenes stuff. I really like this mic. Although I bought it for her and it does a wonderful job bringing her vocals to life even in our untreated living room, I found that this also does an excellent job when micing my acoustic guitar and also for doing screencast tutorials. The fact that it includes everything but a stand is also really and makes it great for those just starting out or experimenting. There is no doubt in my mind that their are better mics available but so far I am very impressed with this one. I would recommend buying a high quality mic stand. I bought a cheaper one and if I try to place the mic in non standard positions the stand doesn't hold tight enough to support the mics weight. Either way though if you are just starting out and need a good multi purpose all around mic then this is a good buy.

Great Microphone

This is a great mic. i cant beleive that is so cheap like that.

Awesome mic

this is a stellar mic. it is made of quality components and delivers superior sound. the tone is fantastic and you get a very true representation of whatever you are recording (for better or worse :) ).
the shock mount and pop filter are both high quality and the xlr is very nice as well. The mic seems very sturdy and was an excellent purchase.

Rode NT-1a

Awesome for the price. Super clean, with meticulous sound through the onboard preamp on our Tascam neo. I couldnt imagine how it would sound thru a high dollar tube preamp.
Once again, Sweetwater comes thru fast, Well packed and quick to follow up on their product. This is a fantastic mic with all of the quality hardware included for any and every stage of experience. Great price! Whoopee!
Sweetwater is a class act to deal with everytime I have used them. Customer service is equivalent to the old Mom and Pop stores of Yore which I miss so much. They are very knowledgable about their products vs the applications in which the product would be best for.

Rode NT1-A

This microphone is one of the few microphones that can stand up against the more expensive microphones with a warm sound. It delivers audio very well at all frequencies. I primarily use it has a second microphone to the Neumann TLM 102 to record saxophones, but I know it is a great vocal microphone also. As tracks are recorded and mixed, I rarely boost the bass or treble frequencies.

It's got rugged casing with a dual mesh screen covering a large diaphragm. The cardioid "heart shaped" polar pattern records clearly only from one direction, but gives other options when recording in different direction patterns. I especially like the idea that it does not require cranking my preamps to get a strong usable signal. Great value for the money! The package includes a Shock Mount, Pop Shield, XLR Cable, Dust Cover, and DVD. This takes the value of the package over the top!!!

Good choral mics

The Rode NT1-A mics replaced a Studio Projects SP-4 set for choral recording using a single-point setup. I knew the Rodes were quiet, but I was worried about whether they would capture the details as well as the small-diaphragm SPs did. Not only did they capture the vocal detail and character, but their quietness also revealed even more detail -- particularly in the sets with chorus and string quintet and vocal soloist with string quintet. They weren't fussy, either. Plus the mic mounts are of high quality. (I haven't used the pop screen yet.)

Amazing!

In the past 6 years I have been through tons of microphones and preamps. I have had a MXL 990, Audio-Technica AT2020, AKG Perception 400, Neumann TLM 102, & finally The Rode NT1-A. As far as preamps, I have had the M Audio Buddy, M Audio Mobile Pre, M Audio Fast Track Pro, M Audio Firewire Solo, M Audio Profire 610, & the TC Electronic Desktop Konnekt 6. After having all of this equipment, The Rode NT1-A and the TC Electronic Desktop Konnekt 6 have produced the best recordings I have ever had. The M Audio Profire 610 cost $500 when I bought it and the Neumann TLM 102 cost $700 when I bought it. The Rode NT1-A cost $230 and the TC Electronics Desktop Konnekt 6 cost me $200. This cost me less than half of the amount of the expensive equipment that I had and I have better recordings out of the Rode NT1-A and TC Electronics Desktop Konnekt 6. I can say this because I have Auralex studiofoam set up in a closet and I did have the SE Electronics Reflexion Filter when I was using the Neumann TLM 102 and M Audio Profire 610. I have a small closet filled with Auralex studiofoam, with an NT1-A, and my Desktop Konnket 6, and I' am more than happy with them. GO OUT AND BUY THE EQUIPMENT I HAVE AND TEST IT! I GUARANTEE YOU WILL BE EXCITED WHEN YOU HEAR THE QUALITY! This will save the time and money for the people who are new to home recording and make the people who have wasted money on other equipment more than happy. I suggest taking a intro to audio class for learning how to mix if you are new. It will help you understand the concepts, tools, how & why specific tools are used for mixing and mastering. After that you can learn on your own. It's all about practice. Have fun!

Amazing mic, amazing service.

Maybe I'm a little biased - the only mic I've had before now is a standard SM58 (i'm 17, just getting started). But this microphone is absolutely fantastic in my opinion. Not only was I blown away by the microphone - Sweetwater's customer service was incredible. Within 15 minutes of completing the order, a real person called me to make sure the order was correct, told me who my official sweetwater rep would be since this was my first purchase with sweetwater, and made sure I had no other questions before moving on. I received the package in 4 days when the expected arrival time was 5-10 days. And, to top it all off, what did I find at the very top when I opened the package?

Laffy Taffy, smarties, and a bit-o-honey. It was delicious.(:

Rode is embarrassing the competition!

There are few things in this world that offer value. But when I hear the word value, I often think of "average". So I put off buying this mic for a while having been seduced by Neumann, AKG, etc. This mic takes value and slams it on it's face! The sound is celestial to say the LEAST! Even before I used it, I marveled at the SM6 Shock Mount for like and hour! I was expecting it to be a plastic nightmare, but yes folks, it's SOLID metal and the hottest design I've seen in years! Marry this mic to a great Pre, and you'll never say Neumann again! Rode is running circles around everyone right now! I'm buying another before the price inflates!

Great Mic for the Price!

Great mic, warm, clear, crisp sounding vocals, clean sounding guitar. Nice! Wonderful mic for the price=)

great mic

Best mic I've ever owned. Great sound quality. Proud owner.

Great Mic....

My Producer said "night and day vs. my old vocal mic" Shure M-58....
Love my new condenser mic...!

This Mic Takes Care of Business

The title says it all. Great quality and a really attractive price. I've always known that Rode makes a good product but I'm always shocked by how good it actually is. Great frequency response, well represented vocals or guitars or just about anything else you throw at it. Most recently I ran an ADR session using this mic and was very satisfied with the results.

NT1-A for acoustic Guitars

I bought this mic for recording acoustic guitars, and so far, I really love it. I have noticed it has some very interesting characteristics. Compared to other large diaphragm condensers, this one seems pretty focused on what is in front of it. Which is great in my situation, as it doesn't seem to pick up all the house noises. It also seems to boost a bit in the high frequencies which gives it an air quality to my guitars. I usually boost this range, but with this mic, I haven't found a need to.

Get Creative

I am using the mics for live theater. I know WHAT? But the specs make them work great, high gain before feedback and no noise (hum,hiss,ect) even being place right next to the high voltage light bars!
My subjects are 6 to 8 feet from the mics the sound is clear and reminds me of the "recorded before a studio audience" sitcoms of the 1970s. Very flexible mics, built tough. Dont be to "engineer" to try these mics for some "out of the box" apps. I did and have no regrets.

Got two!

Really, really great mic for the price. Very detailed, a little on the harsh side in the upper frequencies for me, but nothing that can't be managed with EQ. I purchased a stereo pair and use them all the time on acoustic guitars, vocals, horns, and whatever I might have need. Sturdy build, low floor noise, excellent mic for the price!

Outshines the Competition

Excellent Mic. I bought this based upon a friends recommendation to record some scratch tracks for upcoming demos. After working with it, I found it to be very smooth and clean. I now use it for most recordings and highly recommend it to my recording customers. Once they hear the sound (I do use a tube preamp) they are blown away. This mic sounds more like the $2000 - $2500 price range of microphones. You should buy this. I did .... and bought a second! It will be in my mic locker for years to come.

Amazing!

Before getting a Rode NT1-A, I had a Samson CO1U USB Microphone. The Samson wasn't all that bad, but having to use noise reduction on my recordings became a pain, especially since it reduced my recording quality. Eventually I got tired of it and decided to try out a Rode NT1-A, and my goodness, the quality is amazing! I use little to no noise reduction, and it still sounds amazing. No nasty feedback--at all!

I'll definitely be keeping this one for a long, LONG time!

Works Great

I'm impressed with the sensitivity.

Best mic in it's price range

When a fellow Engineer recommended this mic to me I had no real expectations. I was surprised at the level of quality this mic delivers. Very nice for vocals...highly recommended for those with a small mic budget-you won't be disappointed.

Great mic for the money

Tested this mic in my dad's pro studio and compared it to much more expensive AKG mic, and the Rode held up quite well. I even felt the Rode had less room noise than the AKG. Definitely a great mic for the cost.

Great Mic!

Our band is delighted with this product ... for the cost, it would be hard to beat! We've received plenty of positive comments from our audiences about the clarity of our fiddle and vocals.

NT1A

I think this mic is a phenom for instruments, acoustic guitar was awesome. Female vocal was also pretty awesome, clean, some make vocals are great on it if they are higher pitched. My rich baritone voice is not very warm on it though. Every one I record on it sounds great, the only one I don't like on it is me. I want to try a Neumann U47 or something to see if it's just in my head or is it really that good. I expect a warmer sound on me, more "Shocking warmth" but never quite satisfied.

My mic pre is the blue tube from presonus with a groovetube in place of the tube. I want to get the Presonus ADL600 or avalon AD2022 to see if the quality of the NT1a improves...Using a 192 delta audiophile card from m-audio and nuendos 4.

Great Mic

This is a great multi-purpose mic for any engineer. The sound is highly detailed and transparent. This mic made my guitar shine, even while connected to my lower end mic pres. Sounds good on everything I have tried it on so far...drum overheads, acoustic guitar, vocals. For the price you cant beat it. If you are in the market for an all-purpose, affordable mic, look no further.

It has its good points...

- Sound quality: This mic has some outstanding features--it has a wide frequency range and extremely low noise. Recording my vocals tend to sound too bright dead on. When turned 45 degrees or more, it takes the edge off an produces a more neutral tone. I tend to hear this same brightness on other's vocal tracks as well. There are plenty of mods available for this mic and that's likely d/t the fact that the circuitry produces so little noise.

To me it seems to sound brighter than the published graph would indicate which has been suggested is d/t time domain response issues caused by the head basket.

- Reliability / Durability: This mic is definitely lighter and doesn't feel as solid as my Blue Spark. I'm sure that d/t being made of aluminum. I haven't had any troubles with it however. It's build quality is closer to my old Samson C01(which isn't bad either). It comes with a very good shock mount, pop filter, and mic socks that allow you to leave it on the stand and not get dusty. It's very well thought out. The carrying bag is not a rugged way to protect these for transport however. For the home studio person, this isn't an issue.

- Would you buy this again if it were stolen?: Maybe... I like this mic b/c it's about as quiet as a good preamp and it does sound great many times. It just isn't my go to mic. I imagine I'd miss it if it were gone at times.

- Features that stand out: The low noise and the wide frequency response!

- What I don't like: The general brightness/harshness on axis.

- Similar products used: Blue Spark and Samson C01

This mic has some nice features and is definitely useful, but the sibilant brightness needs tamed for my vocals in general.

Dont be fooled!

its an OK mic.... i really hate it, but have heard worse. i have a bunch of tracks that were recorded with this mic and the sibilance ("S" sounds) are horrible! distorted and pain inducing! and the singer wasn't shouting or singing in a high vol. its really muddy too. using the Waves PAZ analyzer u can see that it has a boost in mid freqz 400-650 and everything else goes downward from there... then the peak in the 8KHz freq (sibilance). Signal flow was from the mic to a Digi 003 control surface. I have had better quality from a MXL and a M-audio Fast Track interface!... now... i don't know how would this perform with a quality Channel Strip or preamp, but if u have the money to buy a channel strip, probably best to buy another mic... AKG C series with avalon preamps are phenomenal!