I've been building my home studio for a few years, and as my capabilities grow, so does the need for better gear. Sweetwater has been a go-to supply house. During a recording session at another studio last month, I heard a tube condenser (an entry-level brand) used for the first time, and was completely won over by the sound of my voice through a tube mic. I began my search a Sweetwater and found this Rode NTK at a very affordable price, and used it in a recording session the same day I received it. This mic picked up a silkier quality in my voice that I had not heard from my other condensers or ribbons. This will be one of my mics of choice for as long as I own it.

So to those that think the mic is too bright, tinny, etc. No. It's not. The mic has a bit of a presence boost around 5-6k and another around 10-12k that gives it some nice air, by no means is this overdone or hyped in any way. You want over done high end, try some of the MXL mics or a Neumann TLM103. This mic sings on piano, acoustic guitar. Sounds great as a drum room mic and its fantastic as a vocal mic. The mic's been around for over 20 years now. The build quality is punching WAY above its price point. There's a reason this mic wasn't discontinued or even updated. They got it right the first time.

Out of the box, this $600 RODE tube mic sounded like me without extra EQ or processing often needed with other mics. I use this mic in sound booth 'C' for lengthier projects such as narrations, video sound tracks and e-learning. In contrast, I use the RODE Broadcaster mic in VO booth 'A' for quick turn around projects such as radio/TV commercials, IVR prompts, short VO scripts etc. because it has a nearly identical sound without added EQ and processing. I recommend the RODE NTK Tube mic as a "go-to" mic for new and experienced voice over talent who want a clean, professional quality sound from a $600 microphone! It might also be a great mic for male vocals if you're looking to capture the true sound of your voice without coloring!

I have owned the NTK for about 7 years. I found that it was very hot and a touch brittle. I swapped out the tube that was in it for a New Old Stock Mullard from the 60's. It lowered the gain and smoothed it right out. Today I received a warm 251 from Sweetwater and compared the two side by side into an audient pre. They are very similar on my voice, (haven't tried it on anything else yet) although the warm 251 was a touch smoother on the top end.

As a professional recording artist and record producer, I have a private studio with very high end gear. In terms of microphones this means: NEUMANN M149 TUBE, AEA R84, and so forth, to give you a quick idea. Artists come to me from industry centers such as New York, to get my vision and recording experience with real instruments and voice and also because of my vintage and state of the art outboard equipment and recording room acoustics. Given this context. I have the choice of using what I like and what is actually great, and not hyped products that are not made to excel but to meet price point requirements and profit margins exclusively. The Rode NTK is one of the first microphones I bought, when Rode was starting out. I tested it alongside the Neumann U87ai, and the Rode had a superior high end register devoid of hash compared to the U87, which was superior in the low mids. The U87 can't be beat for that in it's league for numerous reasons. The Rode is wonderfully smooth and silky mic. in the highs and lows. It's however, a smiley curve microphone. Great for bass guitar, kick drum, electric guitars/amps that are a bit too midrange-heavy when recorded. It also is brilliant on cymbals,bells, triangle, soprano voice, chimes... I recommend changing the stock tube and getting a British PM brand tube. The stock tube that came with mine was a ghastly sovtek. It was like putting monster truck tires on a Alfa-Romeo: harsh,hashy,stiff and distorted!...Rode probably thinks that the NTK mic won't be used by discerning clients anyway and the cost of a good tube would increase the price just enough to make it a bit more costly...which would discourage the amateur client or aspiring engineer unwilling or currently incapable of spending very much... Summary: Killer specialty mic for professional studios. Caveat: No midrange response to speak off compared to high end mics. Conclusion: Fantastic specialty microphone ( bass and high mids/highs only) at a ridiculously affordable price!...

At the time of this review, I've owned this mic for just over 13 years and have had it as a permanent resident on my desktop scissor boom for the last 9 years. I've spent many years obsessing over the best mics for voiceover, and have always come back to this one even after taking the plunge on a gently-used Neumann TLM103. Just as an example; there was a time when I would audition with my Røde (paired with a Presonus Eureka) and then complete the job with my Neumann (paired with an Avalon 737), but on more than one occasion, I've had clients complain that they liked the sound of the audition better! I have since sold the Avalon, and I use my NTK daily while the Neumann sits lonely in its box. I had to replace the factory tube 2 years ago (bought a Telefunken tube) and, nothing against the factory tube, but I've fallen in love with this mic all over again. For VO, this mic is warm and silky smooth, yet crisp and accurate. Be sure to warm it up for at least 15 minutes before getting started, and you'll love it too. For enhanced performance, get the SM6 shock mount and pop filter.

I did the unthinkable and sold the record! First verse was used with the Neumann U87, second verse was
used with the NTK, only very sensitive professional ears could tell a very very very slight difference. WOW!

I have owned this mic for about 7 years now, having purchased it from Sweetwater, as a recommendation,I have been in audio since 1988, and have been exposed to many top of the line vintage mic's - I have relied on the NTK day in and day out , year after year- it is my go to microphone for silky vocals, and beautiful warm acoustic guitar. I am proud to have it not only in my mic collection, but front and center. This mic can hold its own with any mic, and I mean any. Every inch is sonic and construction quality. I also find the power supply rock solid, and it is housed in a steel chassis. There is NOTHING flimsy or lightweight about this mic. I would suggest a studio mic stand for it. Number one, it deserves it, and number two, this mic is not exactly a fly weight device. You can use a regular stage mic stand, but I would suggest putting sand bags on the legs. Frankly, I do not know how they are able to sell this mic for its asking price, it would be a bargain at twice or three times its price. One final note: The mic holder that comes with it, is equal in quality. From its sonic perfection to the physical construction, this will become your "go to" mic,

I do podcasting and I'm getting into audiobook narration and I was looking for a microphone that balanced performance and cost. While a mic that runs upwards of $500 might not seem "cheap" to some, I consider it a steal considering how high prices can get for condensers.

I tried a bunch of different microphones in my home studio to see what would work best. I tried out the NT1A and NT2 from Rode, Electro-Voice RE20, Sennheiser MD421, Audio-Technica BP40, SE2200, and the Shure SM7B. I wanted a good sampling of microphones that are considered the "standard" in many reviews, and that came in at the expensive but still reasonable for a home studio price point.

I tested the microphones by hooking them through an Apollo Twin Solo Thunderbolt and recorded into Audacity (I know, I know, but I wanted to simulate typical podcast situations. Trust me, this mic also sounds amazing in Audition.) So my setup is decent and gets the job done but isn't exactly a whizz bang professional studio situation.

Out of all of those the NTK was the clear winner. I love this microphone and the sound I get from it. Obviously results will vary based on your voice and setup, but when I did a direct comparison of all of the mics this had the best sound out of the box. It's so good that I've stopped trying to add EQ to my narration because the sound is great just with what the microphone provides.

There are only two negatives that I've found with this mic, and even then they're not negatives so much as the price of using a tube condenser.

The first is that it definitely needs at least a half hour to warm up. I can hear a distinct difference between the sound when I've just turned it on versus letting it sit for a little while. It's not a huge problem, but it means you have to think about when you're recording and set it up ahead of time.

The second is that it's very sensitive. This is not a microphone for a noisy room. The same sensitivity that makes it great for noise work also makes it very unforgiving, so if your home studio is in a kitchen or next to an air conditioner this might not be the mic for you. My home studio is in a converted closet with enough sound dampening that it's not an issue, but this is not a mic for a room with lots of ambient noise.

Really those two quibbles are weaknesses that come from this mic's greatest strengths. I recorded all of these mics and then had friends do a blind listen test and the NTK was the winner hands down. I haven't compared it to a u87 because I'm not at a place where I can justify spending that kind of money, but for a mid-range microphone that doesn't cost as much as a car you can't go wrong with this guy.

This microphone has a warm, silky and extremely clean sound, there is no doubt that voices can compete with much more expensive microphones, I'm delighted with him.

I've owned this mic for over 10 years. This mic has found a special place in my studio. I've used it on vocals, drums, and acoustic guitars with impressive results. The tube gives this mic its unique character and provides a wealth of warmth to recordings. Rode has built a workhorse and this mic has lasted the test of time. This mic has been bumped and banged and still works just like the day I pulled it from the case. I'm very pleased with this mic and I recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable and dependable condenser microphone.

Based on the price, I was prepared to receive a pale imitation of a Neumann $3,000 microphone, even though the reviews were excellent. I was wrong. This mic is simply fantastic. Not only is it precise and immaculate, but the singer I'm recording (a loud soprano) can't over-modulate it (with proper technique of course); and it carries her vocal dynamics perfectly. I want another one!

This is a superb LDC(tube) mic, especially at the more recent price(orig was around $700). Like all Rode products, very well and durably constructed.

Fantastic for mid and highend sources. Was recording some Brasilian tropical bird whistles the other day and the NTK reproduced the sound superbly, beyond what I would have expected--they really sang. Real good for vocals as well, IMO, and also low end sources that are not high SPL.

Some guys are into changing out the tube, but I dont think you have to, it's fine as is.

Deep, rich sounding mic. I don't particularly desire a more expensive LCD mic at this point, the NTK serves my purposes, quite well, and the good thing about Rode is you often get the 5 year warranty.

I also have the Rode NT2-A, which is probably more all purpose than the NTK, but for richness and depth, the NTK is definitely a click or 2 above.

I put this mic six inches away from the 12th fret on my Taylor GA5 and heard the most brilliant steel string tone. The perfect balance of wood and metal. As I slid my fingers from fret to fret, the sound was crisp and alive.
When I sang vocals into it the lows were super beautiful. Although I was converting the audio with a digital interface, when I played back the track I felt the mic sounded like it was recorded straight to tape.
I recorded "Sarah" on soundcloud only using the Rode NTK, you must buy this if you are an aspiring acoustic artist

First thanks to Joe Milne for putting on to the NTK. I was looking for a mic that sounds like the voice you hear in your head and have a warm tone to it. Plus it has that sizzle on the top end. This was a hard decision because it was my first big amount of money spent on a mic. But, I am feeling this mic. Rode makes great mica and they are upgradable. For the price it will quickly become your go to mic.

I purchased a much higher priced mic for vocals from Sweetwater. Their service is always great. I tried different NOS tubes in it.I tried recording different locations,filters and instruments. Finally, I sold it and bought this mic. Took the poorly made chinese tube out of the mic and put in a NOS 6922 Mullard. It sounds phenomenal for my vocals, and male voices in general. The cheap chinese tube misleads you on the sound of this mic. Take it out, throw it over your shoulder and spend your money on a good tube.

excellent vocal mic.

I love this Mic, and for the longest time was all I used for my vocals. Like about all tube mics, it gives that good warm tone to the sound. I think this model is a good one for the fact it is crisp, and sounds very professional... However, since todays new trend is home recording, my criticism would be... you might want a nice little vocal booth for this baby. It picks up a good amount for room that some higher end vocal mics don't, at least thats something I noticed while compressing a vocal recorded with it. Before my I stepped up into a better studio, I was using this in a bedroom sized room, and doing vocals without a booth... very clean vocals, but when I would go to compress... the room sound got loud. If you have a vocal booth, and are looking for something amazing for a low price, I say get it. It's very good quality.

I won't spend a lot of time discussing what a great mic this is. The praise it has earned is very well-deserved, and it's an outstanding sound for the price.

What I really want to address is how unbelievable the tech support and warranty have been on this mic. I was fortunate enough to by my NTK when the company was still offering the 10 year warranty, which I'm not sure they still do. But after purchasing the mic, I was concerned by a loose input jack on the power supply that would occasionally cut the signal from the mic. It didn't impede the mic's functionality very badly, but I wanted to make sure this problem wasn't a risk for damaging the mic. When I called Rode's support line, I didn't just talk to someone in a call center, I spoke with an actual engineer from the repair shop. After learning that the problem wasn't going to damage the mic, I continued to use the unit until the jack finally gave out completely about a year later. I had to send the mic in for the repair, and assumed it would be at least a month before I was able to use the mic again. But Rode had my mic fixed and returned in two weeks exactly, which in the world of instrument repair is almost unheard of--especially since the mic had to be shipped from CO to CA and back. The only cost to me was $10 for shipping.

I was understandably frustrated for receiving a defective unit, but Rode has more than made up for it with their outstanding dedication to customer service. In this day and age, many companies offer no warranties of any kind and/or little to no support for their products. Rode, however, have proven themselves to be different. This is a fantastic mic for a great price, backed by outstanding support.

I love this mic because it sounds AMAZING! It can take a beating from loud guitar or vocals and it delivers a smooth warm tube sound to your mix. Outstanding mic, if you want to sound legit....buy this bad boy! ;)

I've used this mic for about 5 years! I have been blown away ever since. I record rnb & pop vox on it, but will say its also great for acoustic guitars too. I use it with the presonus Eureka preamp. Great combo & the Heart of my Studio
James.

If you think this mic has too much high end, every recording chain has some sort of eq. If you say it's no good, you don't know how to use it. If you just don't care for the sound (flavor), then that's ok. But for the money, it's an awesome tool.

I don't have a huge budget so I can't always get the mics I want. I admit I settled for this but I'm glad I did. This thing is warm and fuzzy all over. It really brings out the personality of the voice. Every detail is there, crisp and airy but still full-body. And when you push it, it pushes back perfectly. I highly recommend the NTK.

simply awesome mic! very warm and soothing. Tube is definitely a great way to go for vocals. For those of you wondering if a mic in this price range can handle it, stop searching! Just get it.

The NTK got a little too much high end edge. The mic's output is a little too much in the 6khz and 12 khz range, which gives the mic kind of a tinny sound. With the use of a good preamp like an Avalon VT737 the sound can be normalized resulting in a pretty good vocal sound without alot of sibillance. These days ,It seems like alot of the less expensive condensers do have much more treble than what's needed. On a positive note the mic is wonderfully built allowing easy access of the twin triode vacuum tube simply by unscrewing the bottom half of the mic. Overall for 500 dollars it's not too bad a tube mic for vocals.

This is one warm, sizzling microphone. It oozes sensuality in the right hands like no other microphone. In my huge arsenal of 25 years of microphones, I constantly come back to this one when I want to bring out that intimate sound ...

Lets just say ... on the outside ... it may be metal ... but inside ... it just blows in your ear.

I was amazed by the clarity and warmth of the NTK.Lets be honest, most well known microphone brands trade on their name.I have auditioned most brands out there, and can say with the greatest of confidence that you dont have to spend $7000 to get a good sound.

This mic has replaced my Shure condenser for almost all my voice work. I do a lot of spoken word production which requires an intelligible mic with a distinct presence. The NTK has both. My production now stacks up better on-air against the bigger studios. I also record rock and folk vocals and again, the Rode does very well in these applications. I use the Rode through an Aphex 207 pre, an ART Pro VLA compressor, and then an Aphex 204 Exciter (w/big-bottom) before the Presonus Firebox takes it to digital. A little tweaking has enabled me to manage the high end fizzle associated with the NTK and proximity effects are very workable with this design. If you need a quality vocal mic and can't afford a Neumann, this is an excellent and affordable alternative.

I don't really use this mic for vocals much, but It makes a fantastic mic for drum overheads(I've got two), Guitar and Bass cabinets. Great all-round mic for studios on a budget.

Tube Mic on a budget. Great for adding some warmth to project studio recording. Worked well on vocals and acoustic guitar. Might have rated it higher, but I don't have too much mic experience. But I got the sounds I wanted out of this mic, and that's good enough for me. Let's hear it for Rode!

I bought an NTK back in 2003, not too long after they were released. I had read several great reviews, and it seemed like a good purchase for $499. I can honestly say that all the hype that surrounded this mic was well deserved. I have used it on female and male vocals with great success. It can get overly sibilant, but with careful placement this can be mitigated. I have also used the NTK on acoustic guitar in a pinch, and hand percussion.

Last year, I purchased a second NTK for use on drum overheads. I love the sound. Again, placement is critical (but when is it not?). Surprisingly, the two NTKs are matched pretty well, considering they were produced several years apart. Interestingly, the first NTK I bought had the serial number written on it with a marker, and now they actually have it printed on the casing, which is much better, since that marker wiped off quickly under normal use.

One more thing: let these mics warm up for at least an hour. They just sound better.

Overall, a great buy. Highly reccommended.

Another great mic by Rode. This company continues to surprise me with their affordable great sounding microphones.

This mic may not fit every singer, but it will sound fantastic on most. If your looking for 1 decent mic for vocals and don't want to break the bank check out this mic first. If your looking to expand your collection with a tube mic this is a perfect addition.

just a beautiful sound I just love it, it sounds so warm and smooth and this mic is just "wow" it will open up your eyes and ears.