Rode NT-2A

I've been producing for the majority of my 30 years and i've had to work my way from the bottom to where I am now - two rungs from the bottom! I've worked on around 80 albums, tried a lot of gear... a reeeaaal lot of gear, come to think of it!!! And I get to try more every day.

My personal rig is a Mac Pro / Protools 8 setup with TL Audio 12 channel tube desk front end into a Digi 003 and Mackie 800R via optical input. I have various mic pre's, channel strips, EQ, etc, but my favorite bit of gear is the good old UA 610.

Aside from the Rode NT-2A, I also have a Rode Classic II and a pair of NT5's (and quite some more non-Rode microphone alternatives ;p) ... blah

The Rode NT-2A is a very good piece of kit, very good indeed. I've used a few in other locations, and have one myself. I use it as a vocal mic all the time - through a UA 610 in a dead room it'll be as good as anything. It's got less noise than a Neumann U87 (the supposed perfect vocal mic), a much higher headroom, you'll be less paranoid about breaking it or it getting stolen, and Rode's customer support is first class...

Sure, you can be the sucker that thinks they need to spend $3000 to get the perfect microphone (that was once me!), but honestly... if you can't pull a good sound out of this mic - it's not the mic at fault. A $3000 mic will only disappoint you.


I really like this mic, so I bothered to do something I wouldn't otherwise do - write a review.

I didn't give it a 10, because I also own Rode's Classic II - that thing is in a league of it's own.

Making music for 10+ years. I own a small studio and record with 2 - Delta 44 cards. I listen on Yamaha HS50M Monitors and have been recording for 5 years.

This mic is very versatile because it has the Figure 8, Cardioid, and Omni patterns. I use them all for different applications. I've used NT2A Mics on Vocals, acoustic, guitar cabs, drum overheads, all kinds of stuff. I'd say

Considering all mics priced around $300-$500, I'd have to say this is one of the greatest of them that I have used. Among other fantastic mics in this price range are the RE-20, the SM81 and SM7, the Cascade Fathead, the MD421, and the Blue Baby Bottle.

Pros: Versatile, sounds great, fantastic RODE support, very useful for all sorts of things, sturdy, high SPL, SUPER SUPER QUIET self noise, crisp, loud output, sounds great with most preamps, especially the RNP.

Cons: Heavy (you need a good mic stand to hold it up), bulky, odd mounting clip, works great for some things but not so great for others.

I would TOTALLY recommend this. Grab this and 2 - SM81 mics and you can get some of the best sounds imaginable for the price.

-Writing and producing music for 6 years.
-Mixing / Mastering / Recording

I would have to give this microphone a 10. For the price, it just cannot be beat. I have used more expensive microphones, but this mic is one of a kind. This mic I have used for vocals, horns of every sort, guitar cabs, acoustic guitar, strings of every sort, piano, and all kinds of instruments.

A stereo pair can do WONDERS for your sound, and hooked up to a nice tube preamp, you can make some gorgeous tones with this. I use these in spaced pairs and Blumein arrays for many instruments. Sounds great with the FMR RNP. I'd say invest in a very nice preamp to pump this mic up. If you get it and use generic preamps or cheaper models, you might not find it as special compared to if you run it through an RNP or a Great River or Focusrite or something of that nature---with those you can REALLY hear this mic for what it is.

I have played music for some time now.
Far less experienced in recording, though. I record straight into a DAW, listening through a set of k271 and some good stereos: usually choirs, acoustic music...

Very, very hyped multi-pattern condenser microphone.
I really like their NT5 model a lot, and this one seems like a large-diaphragm version of it.

I do like the NT2-A for some purposes, but certainly not for (individual) vocals. I can best describe this microphone as "neutral": it will add no individual character to the sound. Paired with the multiple patterns and its low noise, it's fantastic to pick up acoustic sources as they are, but it's not my first choice for lead vocals or to add a certain character to a sound.

I have been using it as a figure-of-eight in a MS array and it seems to work as desired - off-axis rejection is quite good. Probably good at the bridge of a nylon/steel string guitar. Still have to try it, though.

If you want a microphone to record acoustic sources or vocals without any coloration - not necessarily a good or bad thing - than this is a rather good and efficient microphone. But I would look elsewhere for a vocal microphone - I don't think it's as good as people say.

I am a proffesional Musician, I play guitar, and I'm also becomming very good at mixing and production recently. I'm using a PC to record, mix and produce my own music, I use Sonar 5 for everything I create.

The Rode NT2-A is a multi pattern condenser mic, with cardiod, figure of eight, and omni modes, as well as a high pass filter and a volume switch, for working with louder sources. I was originally considering the NT2000 over this one, but couldn't see the advantage of having the moveable polar patterns, so I went for this in the end. I chose this mic because I heard some clips on the wesite and was blown away with it's unique sonic character, and I loved the sound of it. It also has only -7dB of self noise!!! but sonically I think these things aren't that far off Neumanns, I personally prefer it, you can get any sound out of it too! from natural sounding violins to rock vocals, it's a very neutral sounding/pure voiced mic, similar to a Neumann U87, it adds air and character, I've never found it to be harsh at all. It's always warm sounding whatever you use it on! It's the only condenser mic I currently own, the only other one(s) I'm considering buying is the Rode NT5 pair, and a Neumann TML103, but this Rode is absolutley the best value mic out there! at the moment, buy it!

5 Years Recording Experience
Korg D-1600 Multitrack Recorder
Shure SM-58
Shure SM-57
Rode NT-2A
Klotz
EBMM Steve Morse Signature Guitar
Korg TR-61
Washburn SemiAc.Guitar

It is a condenser microphone;multipattern feature. I have experimented with this mike more than anything else of my gear. It is perfect for recording vocals and acoustic instruments. Yet, I only tried miking an ac. gtr.

The results are very good, both vocals and instruments. It has a warmer tone than the K-2, which is of course a subjective judgement, that depends on personal taste.

Don't forget about the signal chain. The better your whole equipment gets the more Rode will respond.

Not suitable for gigs of course.

I am a composer/songwriter/guitarist and that's what I specialise in. However my production skills have improved hugely over the last 5 years or so.

My current setup is A Roland VS2000 DAW workstation, KRK V6 monitors on Brenell (sand filled) speaker stands.

I am lucky enough to be able to mix in an acoustically dead room, in a loft in an unknown destination. My studio is far from amateur, I am a proffesional producer.

The Rode NT2-A is a 3 pattern condenser microphone, with Cardiod, Bi-directional, and Omnidirectional polar patterns. It represents a true inner beauty in looks and in sound, with features not normally found on a mic this cheap! It has a very sturdy, solid and professional look about it and all the switches you need are on the front. The
NT2-a feautures a high pass filter (bass cut), polar pattern and a pad switch. Bass cut is -40Hz, flat or -80Hz. Pad Switch is 0dB, -10dB or -5dB. I have used the NT2-A on Acoustic guitars, Xaphoon (a cross between a saxaphone and clarinet!), vocals and percussion. Now I'm not joking when I say this! when I sat down and listened to the acoustic guitar track I was blown away!!! the sound is just SO PURE, Natural, smooth, flattering and presicley accurate all in one. If there is a fly in the room, it will pick it up! it's that sensitive to noise. This is the only mic even over Neumann's! that can get the sound of my acoustic guitar EXACTLY how it sounds in real life. Now vocals, Imagine a Neumann classic 50's/60's mic sound, with a hint of exciter! that's it in one. After doing over 6 months research into mics, I decided that this was the one for me, even over the Neumann U87 equivalent, which I found to be 'too pure' and 'lifeless' I used to own a Behringer B2, which is a simlar type of mic but far more agressive sounding! esp in the high frequencies. I'd recommend this mic to anyone on a budget who wants to get a sound that'll make even David Bowie cry.

Been semi-professional musician for about 5 years. Recording primarily vocals for commercial pop-music. Recording in a homestudio into a DAW.

Condensor mic with 3 polar patterns. Using the mic on vocal recording, chose it because it has a very good reputation and Craig David recorded his first hit album with the NT2. The NT2a has the reputation of sounding much better than the NT2. The mic is very neutral and is (in my opinion) a big step up for all those out there who are still using the "cheap chinese condenser" league. Compared to a Studio Projects C1, this mic sounds very neutral and not as harsh - simply good.
I also compared it to a Brauner Phantom C and this one comes very close to the professional sound you know from Neumann and Brauner.
I would say for the money (~300 EUR) this is a really nice deal.
To sum up: Very neutral and enjoyable vocal sound - where other cheap mics sound just a little too harsh and sibilant, this one just sounds balanced and pleasant. Thumbs up for Rode.

I've been making music since 35 years. I have a home studio but I've been working in professional studio's as well.
At home I make arrangements and I record them with midi instruments and real instruments and voices in Cubase.

I compared the NT2a with NT 2 en Nt1a:
The Nt1a sounded the darkest. In the middle frequenties it sounded a littlebit empty. It was a very quiet mike.

Nt2a was very neutral. In comparison with Nt1 is had less low, but sounded clearer in middle and high frequencies. With EQ, you could easily ad the "dark sound" of the NT1. Also with EQ you could almost add the high frequencies of the Nt2, but not 100%.
Nt2a is more quiet than Nt2.


Nt 2 sounded a littlebit less low than Nt2a. Nt2 gave more high. Recorded instruments sounded nice! Voices sounded sometimes a bit harshy.