Rode NT1-A Done Four Ways (stock, Flat 47, Antelope Edge Duo cap, Blue B8)

[SubSpec]

Comparing four Rode NT1-A's with different capsules:
- stock edge terminated
- Arienne Flat47
- Antelope Edge Duo capsule
- Blue B8





Why?
I bought a lot of NT1-A's for cheap, and with those of them that worked decided to load in some capsules I had on hand and test them side-by-side in the same type of mic. I tested them all side-by-side before swapping the capsules and confirmed they were all consistent (aside from a couple of them being center terminated and having an only slightly different FR).

Results

Fingerstyle guitar:
Stock (edge terminated)
View attachment fingerstyle-gtr - nt1a-stock-edge-term.wav

Arienne Flat47
View attachment fingerstyle-gtr - nt1a-arienne-flat47.wav

Antelope Edge Duo capsule
View attachment fingerstyle-gtr - nt1a-antelope-edge-duo.wav

Blue B8
View attachment fingerstyle-gtr - nt1a-blue-b8.wav

Strummed guitar:
Stock (edge terminated)
View attachment strummed - nt1a-stock-edge-term.wav

Arienne Flat47
View attachment strummed - nt1a-arienne-flat47.wav

Antelope Edge Duo capsule
View attachment strummed - nt1a-antelope-edge-duo.wav

Blue B8
View attachment strummed - nt1a-blue-b8.wav

Sung vocals:
Stock (edge terminated)
View attachment singing - nt1a-stock-edge-term.wav

Arienne Flat47
View attachment singing - nt1a-arienne-flat47.wav

Antelope Edge Duo capsule
View attachment singing - nt1a-antelope-edge-duo.wav

Blue B8
View attachment singing - nt1a-blue-b8.wav


Rapped vocals:
Stock (edge terminated)
View attachment rapping - nt1a-stock-edge-term.wav

Arienne Flat47
View attachment rapping - nt1a-arienne-flat47.wav

Antelope Edge Duo capsule
View attachment rapping - nt1a-antelope-edge-duo.wav

Blue B8
View attachment rapping - nt1a-blue-b8.wav

 

[k brown]

The best upgrade to that mic is to replace the poorly designed grille mesh with something much more open, especially at the bottom.

 

[LevinGuitar]

Here a quick test between original NT1 black and a chinese headbasket from Alibaba. Not so good test as yours since it was the same mic recorded before and after the headbasket change (not permanent, just the basket and aluminium foil body shielding), so there are quite big differences in performance, but still there can be noticed a difference. I have never done the mod since its something messy. So my recommendation is just to move to a NT1000/NT2A and try mods/capsules there.

 

[SubSpec]

Thanks for those suggestions. In this case I'm not so much looking for better, just experimenting with different.

I seem to be an odd one out on this opinion but I quite like the NT1-A, in spite of several obvious deficiencies. The body ringing being the biggest of those, and the stock capsule has a couple of annoying properties I don't love. But I had put the B8 in one some time back and found it maintained a very similar tone but eliminated the bits that annoyed me.

All the same, good to consider the headbasket for future experimentation. With as many of these sitting around as I have I'm sure I will experiment more in the future.

 

[ElSmurf]

But I had put the B8 in one some time back and found it maintained a very similar tone but eliminated the bits that annoyed me.

I'm liking the B8 in these clips.