Rode NT-4

I use this mic to record live shows by rock bands for demos and/or performance feed back so I was looking for a mic that could accurately capture the bands sound, good or bad. I have not been disappointed with the NT-4. The recordings sound very close to the performance. I do not have a recording background but have been an audiophile for 30+ years so I feel like I know what sounds good.

For playback I use modified Klipsch Forte speakers with Dalquist 12" subs driven by Naim Audio power equipment. I recorded a show recently where the PA system included 2 of the largest subs I ever seen in a small (300 person venue)that shook the entire building and the NT 4 captured that incredibily well. Impressive for a small condensor mic! The mids are very natural and do a good job on vocals although most PA systems do not reproduce vocals well. If I am recording for a demo and need clear vocals I plug a 2nd RH-910 minidisc recorder into the PA mixing board and record the vocal mic feeds directly and mix them in to the mic recording to make the vocals pop.

Rode NT-4 is a small condenser stereo microphone with the condensors set in an xy pattern. Just point it at the sound source, hit record and set your levels. VERY SIMPLE!!!! I love the portability of this set up. The Rode NT-4 comes with a mic cable with a 1/8" stereo jack that I plug straight into a Sony RH-910 minidisc recorder. I chose this recorder because it is small, and can record 1 hour and 35 minutes of 16 bit PCM 44100khz audio which is CD quality. And the Sony unit is smaller than a deck of cards! When you are recording a show full of college students, believe me the smaller your set up is the better! The only other thing I have to carry is a mic stand. The NT-4 can be powered internally with a 9 volt battery so phantom power is not required. I have used this setup to record near the stage and far away. I can say without hesitation that however the band sounds where the mic is placed is what you will hear in the recording and this is all I can ask for!!!
For any of you thinking of doing the same thing I have found the best recording set up is to point the mic at the center stage, and high enough to be over the crowds head. Don't worry about crowd noise. Believe it or not the crowd noise make the recording sound more exciting unless you have a gabby drunk directly below the mic! Most important is to try to locate the mic so the PA speakers are not in the direct sound field of the mic if possible. This usually means you need to be fairly close to the stage which is not always possible. Sometimes I have gotten away with asking the sound man to point the PA speakers "out" slightly. Just try to keep the mic from looking directly down the throat of the PA speakers horns. And get a 2nd Sony recorder and record the PA board mix. Mixing in the vocals to the mic recording does make a HUGE difference!

I gave this mic a rating of 9 because nothing is perfect. But this is pretty close! Especially for the price!

I've been recording for 10 years, graduate of Full Sail and currently work in media production for the advertising department of a cable company. I record to computer-based DAW systems and I monitor on a variety of different setups, based on the type of production I am doing.

The Rode NT4 does what it set out to do. It is a fixed X/Y stereo small diaphragm condenser microphone consisting of the same capsule as the NT5. It has worked for me in almost every situation I have used it on. Side by side comparison of the NT4 and a matched pair of AKG 451s revealed a very similiar response. I was impressed with this mic from the beginning.

I have recently experienced a problem with the mic where one side of it has severly degraded in quality and output level. I contacted Rode and they said they would repair the microphone at no cost, so I am very pleased with their service. I would definitely recommend the NT-4 to anyone who is looking for a solid stereo microphone on a budget.