Rode Capsule Patent

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Recording Engineer

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Joined
Jul 30, 2013
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1,311
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Sacramento, CA
Ran head into this tonight somehow:
https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/15/81/df/0c1ed818b02fae/US9549236.pdf

Points for anyone who knows which mic(s) it goes to. By the way, I have no idea.
 
This patent was written by someone REALLY good at the trade: Even after reading through it all twice, I still have no idea what they ACTUALLY patent with this paper..

/Jakob E.

 
"Invented by Senior Engineer and Technical Engineering Manager Luke Hamilton, the new patent allows Rode to manufacture microphone capsule backplates on high accuracy lathes, leading to a far more accurate and repeatable backplate, and improved acoustic and environmental performance. As a result, this new technology has paved the way to the creation of even better quality microphones and, unlike Rode’s competitors, the sub-micron tolerances of the capsule manufacture means that a ‘matched pair’ of microphones can be found from any two mics, rather than using a sequential pair by necessity. It is unique and revolutionary in the history of microphone manufacture.

The eureka moment occurred in November 2012, when Hamilton attended a machine tool show during conversations with Citizen Miyano Machinery about high accuracy lathes. The result was a tabbed backplate design – a world first. The new design allowed for the standardisation of the one-inch backplate range into a singular unit, so that these units could be flexibly used to work in conjunction with any configuration. The subsequent ‘cell’ of machines produced with Citizen Miyano Machinery is also a world-first in transducer design.

The first microphone sporting the new technology is Rode’s NT1 studio microphone. The upgraded technology allows for a significant lift in production, meaning the NT1 now sells with The Complete Studio Kit — with Rode’s all-new AI-1 audio interface — in record numbers. This process and partnership with Citizen is exclusive to Rode."
 
Just now noticed the video. Thanks! We still waiting for the TFM50 and NT49 and their apparently insane price? No reports on this now old, new NT1? Maybe I glosses over it years ago not realizing it’s not the same old NT1?
 
Much smoother response, balanced, even quieter. It holds up quite well here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnrXFC5Pyhs
 
Wow. The difference in those two mics is SLIGHT, but quite noticeable in the higher register. She sings in a lower register in the song and when she gets high on the Rode, it noticeably thins out. Unfortunately, she doesn't sing high on the u47 almost the entire time, but when she does it stays thick and full. This might be a sort of proximity effect that the Rode doesn't have. Surprised as how good the Rode sounds.

Ryan
 
There are measurements and lots of examples on audio test kitchen.

NT1 is not really voiced as u47, i am not sure why they shot it out against it, however it holds up well anyways. I can't think of any other mass produced mic for that price that can be used on just about anything.

Have in mind 10 year warranty, noise level, they claim any can be used as matched pair due to tight tolerances.
 
I suppose the my question would be what it’s weakest-link is? I’m my mind, at least in the past, good mods to Rode mics seemed to expose the weakness of the capsule. I wonder if this holds true with these newer Rode capsules.
 
I tend to use my Rode NT1 as a 'reference' mic for comparative tests with my own project mics.
I made this short clip to illustrate how the NT1 sounded against one of my RF bias mics, fitted with a cheap edge terminated Chinese capsule...  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn3NdObdzGU&t=4s

As with the NT1v. U47clip linked to above there was no processing.  I don;t think it holds up too badly...

So - as the U47 didn't sound too different to the NT1 - and my AMX10 doesn't sound too different from the NT1 - maybe my mic sounds quite like the U47?? .... OK, maybe not!...  :)
 
Recording Engineer said:
I suppose the my question would be what it’s weakest-link is? I’m my mind, at least in the past, good mods to Rode mics seemed to expose the weakness of the capsule. I wonder if this holds true with these newer Rode capsules.

Well, it's by no means "traditional" circuit. It's impedance balanced, while i've never had an issue with such mics some claim they have. Could be to the environment, country, preamps...

Smd, again we might argue about that.

The capsule is polarized with higher than usual voltages, one could experiment with lower voltages, but it would surely degrade s/n. I would actually test it with even higher voltages to see how quiet it can really be.

No pad.

I like the grille type actually as it has no reflective obstacles anywhere around the capsule, but i would like to test it with more open type, especially on the sides, and add a non reflective dome under it. 
 
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