Rode NT-USB Mini Studio Quality USB Microphone

Description: Rode NT-USB Mini Studio Quality USB Microphone - Black Sweetwater.com Review: “Plug and Play Heaven Whenever I review a mic, I take into account ease of use, sound quality, and build quality (perceived durability). I also ask myself who the product is for and what part it plays in the market as a whole. In this case, the buyer is also given the option — take it! — of downloading a mic-specific software package, in this instance Rode Connect. The build quality is impressive, given the affordability of this condenser mic. The microphone comes with a proportionately small base, but unless you set the base on something to bring it up closer to head level, you will not optimize your recording experience. So, I bypassed that base entirely and attached the mic cage to a FrameWorks free-standing boom and adjusted the arm to the desired level; you could have as easily used a full-on boom arm like Rode's PSA-1 (I have one), but I wanted to try out the Mini and rode Connect post haste, and did not want to remove my Rode NT 1-A from its accustomed "throne." I needed to purchase a quality USB-C to USB-C cable, because the cable packaged with the Mini is USB-C to USB-A, and my M1 iMac is all USB-C. The Mini is fully plug and play: plug your USB-C end into the back of the Mini and the other end of your cable into a port on your computer. Also plug your headphones (I have a good quality closed-back Audio Technica set) into the back of the Mini and you will have zero-latency monitoring. Download Rode Connect software after updating the Mini's firmware. On your computer, go to System Preferences > Sound and select your microphone for both Input and Output. You are almost ready to record. After adding your Mini in Rode Connect — there are several excellent videos online that explain the basic functions of the software — begin recording! I would recommend that you try the various setting options in Rode Connect and find those that are most suitable for your voice; we're all different. The Noise Gate option works well enough, but it's an all-or-nothing Noise Gate and may cause you to lose some of the nuanced sound that you would get in, say, the Rodecaster Pro and its companion software: I've done side-by-side comparison with the Rodecaster Pro, and it's just not the same. The Connect software is minimalist and will not allow you to achieve the nuanced, smooth-as-butter sound of the Rodecaster Pro, but the Connect software is also free. 'Nuff said. Note, the Mini is a condenser microphone, so you will likely want to use the Noise Gate. When you do, the proximity effect with cross-axis delivery keeps those pesky plosives and extraneous noises to a minimum, even if you live next door to a rowdy bar (I do); the Mini also has its own built-in pop filter. I would also recommend using the Compressor while recording; it works very well. Unless you have a Rodecaster Pro, this is quite serviceable. The aural effects options are not necessary, but they may enhance your delivery, depending on the natural timbre of your voice. You can now directly export your recording to the basic hosting platforms; recordings are by default in .wav file format, but you can (and in most instances must !) select MP3 for export. What do you lose and what do you gain by using the Mini and Rode Connect? The Mini is a very good mic in its price range but I would not put it on par with a high quality large capsule condenser like the the NT 1-A; on the other hand, it's considerably less expensive. Also the Connect software offers few options for fine-tuning your recording and there is almost no post-production. The emphasis all the way is ease of use and demystifying the occasionally mysterious world of full-featured DAWs and post-production. For the seasoned sound engineer — which I most assuredly am not! — this will appear very limited; on the other hand, for the fledgling podcaster overwhelmed by the expense and sophistication of the tools of the trade, the Mini and Rode Connect offer a very affordable way to "get the message out," with the proviso that there are still rungs to ascend as one becomes more experienced. If you have a computer and a Mini, you can now podcast! The wall has come tumbling down, and your voice, crisp and clear, will be heard. At last!”

Price: 50 USD

Location: Greenwood, Indiana

End Time: 2025-01-18T05:25:57.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD