Podcast Microphone Battle: Rode NT-USB Mini vs Rode Podmic USB

Hey there, podcasters and audio enthusiasts, I’ve got an exciting episode lined up for you today. We'll be diving into the battle of the microphones - the Rode NT USB Mini versus the Rode PodMic USB/XLR.
Why bother with this showdown you may ask. I wanted to test whether there was enough of a difference between the Rode NT-USB Mini which is a significantly cheaper microphone to the new Rode PodMic. New podcasters are often concerned with budget, so I decided to put these two head-to-head and let you listen to the results.
The Contenders
At the time of this recording, the Rode NT USB Mini has already established itself as a favourite among our clients due to its portability and ease of use. It's compact and comes with a magnetic stand, making it perfect for travellers and content creators on the go. On the other hand, the Rode PodMic USB/XLR is relatively new to the market, and we're eager to see how it stacks up against the NT USB Mini.
The Test
To ensure a fair comparison, I've recorded the same phrase with both microphones using a Rode PSA1 Plus boom arm, so the microphones are the same distance to my mouth. I have not performed any post-production frequency equalisation and only boosted the levels to achieve a similar loudness. The key areas we'll be focusing on are plosives, high frequencies, and overall sound quality.
The Showdown
In the audio demonstration, I invite you to listen carefully with your headphones or quality speakers to hear the differences. Firstly, the Rode NT USB Mini impressed me with how similar it sounded to the Rode PodMic USB, but I found the plosives to be quite distracting. Rode advises that the Rode NT-USB Mini does have an in-built pop filter within the casing, but I found this to not really cut the mustard.
High-Frequency Comparison
Moving on to the high frequencies, I noticed that the Rode NT USB Mini sounded a bit more digital in its response, and there was more presence of sibilance in the audio. This means the S's and other similar sounds were a tad sharper. On the other hand, the Rode PodMic USB/XLR demonstrated a warmer sound with a bit more depth in the bass. The PodMic's audio felt fuller and less sibilant compared to its counterpart.
Final Thoughts
Both microphones perform exceptionally well, especially when used with USB as the input source. However, if I had to pick a winner, the Rode PodMic USB/XLR edges out slightly due to its excellent pop-filtering capabilities and warmer, more balanced sound. For podcasters seeking a versatile and dependable microphone, the PodMic should be a top contender.
The fact that the PodMic also has XLR capabilities, will future-proof your recording experience and allow for more versatility in the long term.
Remember, the right microphone can make a world of difference in your audio content creation journey. Stay tuned for more exciting episodes, and until next time, keep creating great content and happy podcasting!
CHAPTER MARKERS:
00:00:00 Introduction: Overview of the Rode NT USB Mini and Rode PodMic USB/XLR
00:00:21 Rode NT USB Mini Description: Features, Portability, and Recommendation
00:00:44 Distance Testing Introduction: Microphone positioning and preparations
00:01:19 Microphones Side by Side: A visual comparison
00:03:19 RØDE PodMic USB & Screen Test: Testing the sound
00:03:30 Demonstration Introduction: Preparing for the actual sound tests
00:04:08 Sound Tests: Different phrases and numbers tested
00:04:48 Comparison & Analysis: Differences, popping, and plosives
00:05:41 Pop Filter Discussion: Pop filter benefits and recommendations
00:06:19 Sound Quality Analysis: High frequencies, warmth, fullness, and sibilance
00:07:25 USB vs XLR Input: The difference between USB and XLR, cable issues
00:08:54 Final Recommendations: Which microphone to choose and why
00:09:14 Conclusion: Final thoughts, requests for comments, and sign off
GEAR WE USE TO PRODUCE THIS VIDEO:
Rode PodMic:
amzn.to/3Opq86q
Rode NTUSB Mini:
amzn.to/4bji4Om
Rode SC19 Cable:
www.rode.com/accessories/sc19
Satechi Hub:
amzn.to/4bhuDtD
Rode Boom Arm:
amzn.to/3ucZSW9
XLR Cables:
amzn.to/3SJyIje
Focusrite Clarett+:
amzn.to/3UpqrSM
Sony ZV E10:
amzn.to/483Gfxw
Elgato Camlink:
amzn.to/4bjgYCe
Aputure Amaran 200d LED Video Light:
amzn.to/4bhFXGe
Aputure Light Box Mini:
amzn.to/3u55T7m

[@KOJI_7]

I can’t believe that you don’t have 1k+ subscribers already because your content is top-notch. Thanks for this comparison!

[@bambymedia]

Glad you liked the review! We're a very new channel, so we're working towards the 1k and beyond!

[@KOJI_7]

@@bambymedia goodluck, you'll get em in no time :D

[@johnSBandit247]

Hands down best intro line I've heard any KZbin say.

[@bambymedia]

Hahaha “Welcome to my face”. 😎 I like it too!

[@madness8556]

Congratulations on your excellent KZbin videos. As a fellow Aussie, I love hearing a local person doing reviews and not only is your content fabulous, you have a great voice and presentation style. I do radio preproduction where we pre-record our weekly community radio program. I'm after the best mic for the work that we do and I think you've convinced me to spend the extra and get the Podmic over the NTusb when doing work d4ry🎉from the Rodecaster Pro 2. Keep up the great work!

[@bambymedia]

Oh yay! Hello fellow Aussie. It's always s nice hearing from Aussies on here. If you're using the Rodecaster Pro 2 - the Rode PodMic will suit that very nicely. We have one of those too that we use in our other studio, and they're a match made in heaven together. More costly, but more professional and less mucking around in the long run!

[@madness8556]

@@bambymedia I run a community radio program on 3ZZZ and the combination of Rodecaster Pro 2, a pair of Procaster mics as well as a pair of Podmic USB mics going into my imac running Logic and Protools to produce and edit the final product is awesome! Listeners can't believe that they're listening to shows produced in my home study that's not even acoustically treated! 😃 I'm going to give the Podmic USB a good workout using Rode Connect software when I'm not near the Rodecaster Pro. Keep up the great work!

[@remektekmedia6641]

It is important to mention the (free) RØDE software for controlling these mics. E.g. RØDE Connect or RØDE Unify. These are very similar, however, the important distinction is with the mics. The NT USB Mini has only an ON/OFF choice for the various DSP functions, such as Noise Gate, Aural Exciter, etc., whereas the PodMic USB offers degrees of adjustments via circular sliders. Another feature is that the PodMic USB will not only retain these settings, but it does its processing WITHIN the mic itself. This means that it is not using the computer's CPU, and you can even move it to another device (PC, or iPhone) and have the same processing. The NT USB-Mini doesn't do that as far as I know.

[@bambymedia]

Thanks Paul! We have another video coming out specifically on the software actually. It was too much to put it all into the battle I thought, and felt like more of a separate vid for a more specialised audience. Keen to know that you're interested in that information too, and will definitely have a deep dive on the software soon!

[@karenash]

Super helpful! thank you

[@bambymedia]

You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@huntrrams]

Thanks for this!

[@bambymedia]

You’re welcome!

[@CharlotteKanStudio]

Thank you for the review! It's such a struggle to find reviews with female voices out there so I was really glad to find yours. As another poster mentioned it would have been nice to have you speak into the mini longer for a better comparison. I always like when a reviewer does part of the test blind, so you have to guess which mic they are speaking into :) I hope you will make more reviews in the future.

[@bambymedia]

Thanks! I totally agree and will absolutely do that for future reviews. I’ve got quite a few in the pipeline and will definitely do more competitive testing. I like the idea of the blind option too. That sounds fun! Stay tuned. Thanks for watching. 😬

[@already443]

thanks for sharing about your experience

[@bambymedia]

My pleasure! Glad it helped.

[@shaolincharles]

I love your content!

[@bambymedia]

Thanks so much! There is so much more goodness to come. I'm enjoying making videos!

[@bengorki]

Thanks for video

[@bambymedia]

No problem! Thanks for watching!

[@nindawatanil]

Video is gud. Can u pls share the link of rode boom arm

[@rickonmic]

Please do the Podmic USB vs the RodeX XCM-50. It's the USB Mini plus DSP.

[@brigadierwilliamwildebeest1112]

New subscriber here. A bit off topic please 🙏 . I got a Rode NT USB+ for doing voiceovers on short explainer videos on my KZbin channel, and I was thinking I should have gone for the Podmic due to its advanced DSP options(my home office is not the best treated studio😐). Please, what’s your take on dynamic vs condenser microphones when it comes to doing voiceovers?

[@bambymedia]

Great question and thanks for subscribing to our channel. Dynamic microphones (such as the Rode PodMic) are better for environments where you can't "control" the room as much. In your case, that sounds like it might be the case if your room isn't treated specifically for voiceover work. Dynamic microphones are more "directional" than condenser microphones (depending on the polar pattern of the mic). The Rode NT-USB+ is a great microphone and one we recommend to a lot of our podcasting clients because the frequency response and depth is very nice, but it does pickup more background noise than the Rode PodMic. I would suggest for voiceover work if you're using the Rode NT-USB+ that you grab a small isolation booth and a microphone stand. Like this one: amzn.to/3Lu6bdm You don't necessarily need to buy a new microphone - you can use the isolator to "treat"/"control" your recording environment. If you are planning on recording video though where you are on screen - it will be a bit tricky to record the video with an isolator in front of you. Hehehe! Let me know how you go! Happy to answer questions.

[@brigadierwilliamwildebeest1112]

​@@bambymedia , thank you for such a detailed response. I am leaning towards getting the isolation booth because I am too shy to be on camera. Thanks again 🙂

[@DanielPetre]

Oooh Bamby.. you got the new PSA1 arm.. so nice.. not like my old dusty PSA1..

[@bambymedia]

😂 haha I have the PSA1+ and the PSA1. They’re both great and essentially the same except for a bit of extra noise that the PSA1 has on movement. Should I review their squeaking levels? Hehe. 😜 just a 5 min video of me squeaking both boom arms into a microphone. 🤩

[@madness8556]

​@@bambymedialove your good old fashioned sarcastic Aussie sense of humour. 😃😃😃 I'm looking forward to a 30 minute video comparing how each one squeeks! 😜

[@gavintucker8942]

Is the Rode Podmic a dynamic? I recently bought the NT USB mini and I'm not crazy about it.

[@bambymedia]

Yep the rode podmic usb/xlr is a dynamic microphone. It rejects a lot of the sound around you and handles volume fluctuation better too. NT-USB mini is a great little mic for a smaller budget but it is a condenser microphone so it requires a little bit more of a "controlled" environment to get it sounding right.

[@realmattjc]

Great video. Gained a new sub from me 👏👏

[@bambymedia]

Yay! Thanks so much. I’ve got more battles coming up soon. Let me know if you have any mics you’ve been eager to hear. I’ve got quite the list.

[@realmattjc]

@@bambymediaI think you’ve convinced me to get the Podmic usb already. You’re a terrible influence 🤣🤣

[@VishalBharti]

Just a sugesstion , this was a comparison video , Right? then why you just put the audio of rode nt usb mini for 10 second and recorded the whole video of 9:37 with the podmic usb, should have done 50-50 , anyways , your judgement was amazing

[@bambymedia]

That’s actually a really fair point! I’ll do that for my next comparison video coming out soon! Thanks for the good idea. Have you got any microphones you’d like to see me battle? I’m thinking the Shure MV7 vs the Podmic would be a good one as they both have XLR and USB. Open to other mics you’d like to see me review!

[@VishalBharti]

@@bambymedia can you have a look a viper seiren mini , it's same size as nt usb mini , it's just 50 usd, both their form factor is same, but the price difference is double. and yes "I’m thinking the Shure MV7 vs the Podmic would be a good one as they both have XLR and USB. " this would be also a nice comparision

[@ChichiManoToons]

Please advice me i need mic for voice over plz suggest me rode nt mini usb vs dynamic mic with motu m2 interface which is best.

[@bambymedia]

For voiceover work, I would recommend the Rode PodMic (dynamic mic) which has XLR connection that can connect to the Motu m2. You'll have a better quality sound and more level control for your setting!

[@some.random.dude.]

The thing that I don't get is can't we just make a video to use it? Do we have to use it with another device just recording our voice? I mean do we need to have 1 video 1 microphone recorder?

[@bambymedia]

You can record your video and your microphone at the same time with the one piece of software/hardware. Is that what you mean? You've got a few options there depending on what microphone and camera you're using. But you can connect your camera/webcam to the same software/hardware as the microphone and then record it altogether for sure. If you're just starting out, I'd recommend using Descript to record yourself with your camera and your microphone as it's a really simple way to get started. Descript: www.descript.com?lmref=oXvi0Q

[@some.random.dude.]

@@bambymedia thank you 🙏

[@aqhmedicine.754kviews2]

Gajab

[@arunkumarsaini4754]

I want to buy a microphone which mic has crystal clear sound and good noise cancellation?? 1-blue yeti 2-akg lyra 3-senneheiser profile 4-rode mini usb Please tell me

[@bambymedia]

We haven't personally tried the Lyra or the Profile. The Blue Yeti picks up a lot of background sound and I would not recommend that microphone. The Rode NT-USB Mini we've had a lot of success with for crystal clear sound and background noise reflection. So that would be my recommendation. But I can't comment on number 2 and 3 as we haven't personally used them.

[@madness8556]

​@@bambymediaI have a Blue Yeti and it's given me fabulous results for radio preproduction and voice over work. I also like its polar pattern options and that it has a dedicated mute switch on the mic itself unlike the Rode mics. However, it's now certainly showing its age and the company needs to update it, starting with usb C connectivity. I now use a Rodecaster Pro 2 with Procaster mics and it is obviously a big step up from when I used the Blue Yeti on its own. I'm now getting a Podmic USB when I'm not in the studio and need to record something. Keep up your fabulous work.

[@user-kl6on3hl7r]

Can you plz tell me . That rode nt usb mini - is it good for voice over in audio stories If someone have warm and deep voice ?

[@bambymedia]

The Rode NT-USB Mini will be fine for a warm and deep voice - it won't enhance too much of the "bass" in your voice (which is good because you've got enough bass on your own). This microphone will be fine for that context, as long as you control the environment that you're recording in. Soft furnishings in the room, sound proofing if possible. Cushions/pillows etc to reduce echo/reverb. This microphone needs to be nice and close to your mouth to get the best outcome and that "close" sound that you'll be after for audio stories/voiceover work. I would absolutely recommend that you purchase a boom arm so that you can get the microphone close to your mouth. I would also recommend that you purchase a pop filter as the Rode NT-USB mini doesn't have a great inbuilt pop filter as I mentioned in this video. Rode Boom Arm: amzn.to/44YV0QM and the pop filter: amzn.to/4648BHV Hope that helps!

[@user-kl6on3hl7r]

@@bambymedia Thank you soo much for this information 😊 .

[@bambymedia]

You're welcome!@@user-kl6on3hl7r

[@SweAussie]

Why not compare the Podmic USB with the NT-USB+ ?

[@bambymedia]

We wanted to first compare two microphones that were quite different price points. The NT-USB Mini is only about AU$130 vs Podmic AU$340. But we have the NT-USB+ review vs challenge coming! Let us know if you've got any other microphones you're interested in hearing in a VS battle.