rode nt5 matched pair

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:46 pm

i know this topic has probably been done before but...
...i'm in the market for a set of small diaphram condensor mics to work as overheads/acoustic guitar/etc and looking to get a pair.
are the rode nt5's a good starting point? if not, can i get any suggestions on other mics in this price range that'll do just as well? thanks.
-tom

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:02 pm

yes

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 8:37 am

I have a pair of NT5's and they do OK. They are not as smooth on the top end as a Shure SM81 or an AT AT4041, but they are a pretty good deal. I would suggest that you might look on auction sites for those 2 others. As overheads, the NT5's are a bit harsher than the others, and I don't like them on hi-hats particularly, but they do well on stringed instruments, and they do stereo distance mic'ing on choirs and such pretty nicely.

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 11:40 am

I bought a pair of NT5s recently as my first pair of SDCs. Made a huge improvement in my recordings of acoustic guitar, and I do like them as overheads. (But I've noticed that I tend to like a lot of sounds that some think of as harsh. Might be just my taste and/or defect in my almost 50 year old ears.) While I like the NT5s, I'm definitely looking to a better pair of SDCs some time in the future. You might take Moonbabys advice and go for the SM81s or AT4041s, but the NT5s are good mics at the price and I think they are going to be useful even if I get a better pair.

So I guess this is the long version of Sticker's answer: Yes.

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 2:09 pm

great. thanks. i'm looking in to both the SM81's and 4041's now too. does anyone know if they come in a stereo pair or if they are just sold as single mics?

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 3:11 pm

I don't believe that either one is sold as a stereo pair, but you might consult their respective websites to make sure. Speaking strictly from personal experience (I have 2 of both of these mics, as well as the pair of NT5s), mine are anything BUT matched pairs, but I've never had any issues with that. In fact, I bought the AT4041s a couple of years apart on e-Bay and really like them as a pair. But you DO have to be careful when buying used mics off of e-Bay, so there is the advantage of "peace of mind" when buying a new pair of the Rodes.

Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 3:31 am

good budget mic's I have used them on many different sources.
They also handle a suprising amount of SPL in live applications.

( my pair seem well matched )

Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 6:24 pm

Also check out the NT55's... They come with a HPF, pad, and alternative (Omni?) capsule

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