RØDE NT2-A Versatile Large-diaphragm Condenser Microphone with Switchable Polar Pattern, Pad and High-pass Filter for Vocal and Instrument Recording

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El NT2-A es un micrófono de condensador de estudio de diafragma grande muy versátil diseñado para ofrecer calidad de audio totalmente nítida y flexibilidad en la misma medida. Con una atenuación de tres posiciones (0 dB, –5 dB, –10 dB), filtro de paso alto (plano, 40 Hz, 80 Hz) y control de patrón polar (cardioide, omnidireccional, figura de 8), puede adaptarse de forma sencilla a cualquier situación de grabación en el estudio. El NT2-A dispone de una cápsula de condensador cardioide doble de 1 pulgada con pulverización de oro, con soporte antivibraciones interno, y proporciona un ruido propio ultrabajo y respuesta en toda la gama de frecuencias, evocando el carácter suave y sedoso de los legendarios micrófonos de los años 50 y 60. Características principales:• Micrófono de condensador de estudio de gran diafragma multipatrón.

The NT2 seemed a little more sensitive than my other large-diaphragm models, and the transformerless design certainly translated into a more detailed sound at the high-frequency end of the spectrum. A switch on the mic body enabled either a high-pass filter, or a -10dB pad, or neither. The HPF is reportedly noisy, due to the way it is implemented. As for sound quality - the recording is a little better I heard only at the Neumann microphones and old ribbon microphones - but it is another price category... The cable and pop filter that cames in set are okay! Very convenient when everything is sold in one set. It offers 3 polar patterns (cardioid, figure of 8, and omnidirectional), and the option of a high pass filter either at 40Hz, or 80Hz. The microphone also has a toggle for its inbuilt passive attenuation device, which serves as overload protection when recording loud audio. So, onto the review. The NT2A does exactly what I wanted. My vocals sound great with this mic. I’m guessing that it boosts a little to give some presence and so it’s not dead flat, but it’s a very musical sound. It’s also very very quiet and does not introduce any noise into the recording. I can really crank the gain and record at a distance from the mic and there is no hiss at all which makes it very easy to use. MY aim in buying this was to get something that I would not need to upgrade, and I think I have succeeded. I don’t think I’m going to need to change this unless I win the lottery and equipment envy gets the better of me.The Rode NT2 was a large-diaphragm FET condenser. The most common version of the NT2 used a transformerless circuit adapted from the Schoeps design by Jim Williams, The NT1 and NT2 were companion microphones with similar circuits and similar sound; the primary difference was that the NT2 had an Omni/Cardioid polar pattern switch. The mic’s pad and HPF features are built on a small round PCB with the switches. The image at right identifies the capsule wire connection points. The dual‑pressure gradient capsule is around 25mm in diameter, and utilises the familiar gold‑plated membrane. Unusually for a relatively low‑cost mic, the circuitry is transformerless, which helps to maintain the mic's fast transient response (see below). It's also evident that the designers are audiophiles, as each component has been selected not only on the basis of its electrical properties, but also for the best subjective sound. On top of this, the internal connectors (and the output XLR pins) are gold‑plated and coated with an antioxidant, and even the printed circuit boards are coated with Conformal, which I'm told protects against corrosion. The Rode NT2-A is a large-diaphragm condenser microphone released in 2010. This microphone is an upgrade on the Rode NT2, released in 1992, which was marketed upon release as a technological upgrade to previous microphones while remaining true to the tones of microphones of the ’50s and ’60s. A while ago when I worked in a studio I borrowed a number of different mics, AKG 414, Neumann U87 and did some A/B testing on my voice to see which worked best. A Shure SM58 in this context was the equal of everything else and that is what I normally use, live and for recording.

I have studied almost every test and review of Rode NT2-A before buying it. In my opinion, this is a best choice for this price range, at least in 2015. I was thinking about buying AT 4040 but Rode NT2-A had several advantages: I also cut slightly at 500Hz as my tests were conducted facing a noisy window, therefore I recorded close to the mic to maximize signal level and minimize noise by using less gain. This left me with a bit too much warmth in the mids due to the frequency response peak. For customers in outlying areas of the country, the price of the Extended Warranty may be marginally higher, due to the potential for higher collection and redelivery transport costs.It is worth mentioning how the NT2-A works when paired with different preamps. For this test, I have used the Yamaha D-PRE, and Focusrite Analogue preamps found in the Steinberg UR22mkii, and the Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 2 nd gen respectively. The transient response, while being less audible on vocals than a drum kit for instance, still colors sound profiles. Due to the softer transient and prolonged decay, the sound has a smoother character. The Rode NT2-A is the only microphone you'll ever need. You’re guaranteed total flexibility thanks to the inclusion of three polar patterns. Each one provides the ideal choice for recording vocals, instruments, strings, percussion, and so much more.