Rode NTH100 - Detailed Headphone Review

[@askdrtk]

Update September 20, 2022. It has come to my attention that there have been reported failures of the earcup mounts at the locking band adjustment on these headphones. While I have not experienced this with my test set (not supplied by Rode, I purchased the headphones myself for this review), I also do not use these headphones daily. Given their recent release date, if you have experienced any issues with your headphones, I recommend contacting Rode as soon as possible. Rode is a respected manufacturer known for providing excellent customer service. This link will take you to the Rode support contact page: rode.com/en/support/contact

[@Narinjas]

They actually made a Life Time warranty for the locking system. (I guess it is cheaper to produce more, then to just fix that issue at the source.)

[@askdrtk]

Thanks for sharing the update! Rode will likely not get many back, but it would be nice to see a design update.

[@Narinjas]

@@askdrtk Sad to say, but, a crack already started to appear on the „problem part” of my Rode NTH-100 headphones, and I will soon have to send the headphones in warranty already, I hope in the future Rode could reinforce this locking mechanism casing.

[@askdrtk]

Sorry to hear that and I hope so too. I like what they are trying to do with the lock and it would be great if they can sort this out.

[@Narinjas]

@@askdrtk Headphones officially fully failed yesterday, today I sent the warranty return ticket to where I bought them from.

[@richh650]

Hello sir. I just happened to find your site as I was looking up the Rode's and you are a breath of fresh air. I love how you actually measured the headphones against the original signal so we could see the coloration that every headphone produces. This is so much better than just hearing someone who may be paid to say they sound good but without any facts to back their recommendations up. I am now subscribed and look forward to going through your videos sir. Please keep up the good work.

[@askdrtk]

Much appreciated and I'm glad to help out! Selecting audio gear can be a challenge when you are not always able to try things out before purchase. I try to provide interesting / helpful tutorials and reviews and I hope you enjoy them. Thanks for checking out my review and welcome aboard!

[@martinpmurphy]

Great to see a complete unbiased review. Too many of the very popular reviewers justify their opinions by using the phrase “to my ears they sound”. Using the binaural microphone with frequency analysis tells it as it is. I would love to hear your opinions on the Neumann NDH20.

[@askdrtk]

Much appreciated, I’m glad you found my approach helpful. Full reviews of both the 20 and 30 are coming soon.

[@SlenderHime]

Great and detail review, Congratulations for 1k subscribers! 👍

[@askdrtk]

Thanks! + I'm glad you enjoyed my latest headphone review.😄

[@gizzy2403]

Yeah, they're definitely missing on th top end & that's a deal breaker for me. Great & honest review👊🍻

[@askdrtk]

I'm generally pleased with Rode microphones, so I wanted to give these a go. Not for me either, but I'm glad there a options for everyone. Cheers!

[@ClaireMcHardy]

This video confirmed my issues with the Rode Headphones. My voice sounded way too good on them and that is a worrisome thing considering I usually have to EQ out that very area when editing my audio and with regards the treble frequencies. Also alarming to me considering there is allot of air info up there and also some sibilance and noise that could go undetected using these. All in all they were way more entertaining to use than I would have liked considering I wanted them for more critical listening and mixing. Could you suggest a better option? Awesome videos btw.

[@askdrtk]

Thanks and I'm glad my review helped out. I heard the same thing and agree with your assessment. While we "learn" the monitors and headphones for mixing, choosing a more neutral/accurate set of headphones or monitors definitely helps reveal things we might not otherwise hear and helps mixes translate across a wide range of playback devices. I consider this in the frame of HI-FI vs studio monitors/headphones. HI-FI speakers and headphones are generally voiced (with a few exceptions...ATC...) to provide a tone the manufacturer deems pleasing to listen to and often defines the "sound" of the brand. While I am not saying the NTH100 are HI-FI, they are, like many other "studio" headphones, voiced to sound pleasing or entertaining as you have said. For this reason, they are a great choice for many users, but those looking to master spoken word for podcasts or audio books will find things do not necessarily translate well imo. In this price range, I often recommend either the Audio Technica M40x or Sennehiser HD 400 Pro (a bit higher price) as both offer very honest reproduction when I compare them to my Genelec 8040 monitors, HD 600 headphones, and even my DT 880 pros, although the high end is somewhat boosted on the 880s. I find that when a mix or voiceover sounds balanced to my ears on either the M40x or HD 400 Pro, it generally translates well to a variety of playback sources. I will note that bass extension on the M40x is fine for most genres including spoken word, it is not ideal for EDM or HH bass-forward sources. Hope this helps out.

[@ClaireMcHardy]

@@askdrtk thank you for your detailed response. I already have a pair of Denon AH-D7000 headphones that have an extremely entertaining U shape for the most fun listening experience. I am looking for closed back as I have a dynamic microphone pointed at my mouth and don't want to leak too much sound into the mic while streaming. So with money not being an option what would you say is the go to closed back headphone that lets you know the score. I was between the DT770 - Austrian audio HI60- audio technica M40 modded , AKG 361 and 371 series and Shure 840s. Appreciate your time. I highly recommend getting the 371 and 361 for testing. Allot of folks are considering these as superior to the Rode cans.

[@askdrtk]

My pleasure. In my review of the K361 kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3u1l6WPmcaLaNk I found them to be very accurate in this price range. Spoken word is somewhat underemphasized above 8kHz, so sibilance can go unnoticed, but they are otherwise a great choice. AKG spent all the money on the sound for both the 361 and 371, so build quality is only fair imo - likely ok if not being tossed around a studio and being constantly adjusted by different listeners. The DT770 (250 ohm) over emphasize the high end and I have found they sound overly presence boosted in the studio, however they do provide excellent sound isolation. I recently reviewed the new 840A kzbin.info/www/bejne/fInCaZSKaNOla9E and found them to sound scooped and to have an over boost above 10k for spoken word. I haven't tried the H160 so I cannot be certain, however I have been told by a few users that they underemphasize low frequencies. Again, I would have to test them but the danger is of course in thickening up spoken word too much which would then not translate well on other playback devices, especially HI-FI / consumer headphones that already tend to overemphasize bass. Not sure which mod you are considering, but the M40x with ZMF cowhides help tame the high end and smooth out the bass but can be uncomfortable for long sessions. Beyond that, the K361 are likely the best value, but I would be careful with underemphasized sibilance. The M40X however will provide the widest translation across playback devices imo.

[@TheKlangSeven]

I have a giant head so it explains my exotic question Is the height adjustment higher or equal to akg k371? Literally only these akgs and sennheisers fit my head lol! Thanks for the great reviews

[@ROMANOVTUT]

Hi, great review, tell me which headphones I should get in the same price range

[@askdrtk]

Thanks! It really depends on what you need them for and whether or not sound leakage or privacy are considerations. Let me know and I will provide a few recommendations.

[@moemoee012]

Hello sir. Thank you so much for your detailed review!!! I found your videos are so helpful. Currently, I am considering between Shure 840a - AKG K371 - Rode NTH-100. The purpose I want to use the headphone for is to recording song at home which means I will sing with a beat. The music genre I usually sing are ballad, lo-fi, pop, some KPop with upbeat songs or sometimes EDM. Do you have any suggestion sir? Thank you so much for replying me!!

[@krovatkin70]

Great review, thank you!

[@daniannaci3258]

When I went back into live location recording this past spring ( I originally gave it up 30 years ago - I wasn’t hauling a Pioneer RT-909 reel-to-reel to gigs ANY more 😅), I needed a set of closed back headphones for quick monitoring and these Rode headphones were a welcome relief from the Sony MDR-7506 I was recommended to purchase. The screech was painful, but the Sony did have great bass, better than the Rode’s. In the 6 months I have used the Rode headphones, I found them pleasant and comfortable, but honestly, I generally prefer the sound of my Koss PortaPros. For serious post-production, I need to resort to my high end rig, a Luxman L-590AxII Class A amplifier and a properly sited pair of Bowers and Wilkins 805 D3 speakers. For unamplified instruments and voices in an appropriate acoustic, it’s the only way to go.

[@askdrtk]

When I think about the convenience we have with today's digital boards and portable recorders, we are pretty fortunate, although there is a certain "magic" to analog and in particular reel-to-reel that I still love (I have a Revox A77 mkiv in my listening room - it's great and is never going away, but I wouldn't want to carry it to gigs lol...) I agree 100% on the monitors, I have used many high-end headphones, some with remarkable imaging and soundstage (for headphones), but nothing compares to a good set of speakers positioned correctly in a well treated space.

[@daniannaci3258]

@@askdrtk Well spoken by a gentleman with real experience-and good ears. Thanks!

[@david02129]

I think the thing i'm most surprised by is that sound quality from the binaural capsules. That sounded like it wasn't even recorded from the headphones.

[@askdrtk]

That was my goal - to allow viewers to experience the headphones in as close a way to wearing them as possible. The MKE2s are expensive, but I decided that if I was going to evaluate headphone response I needed the most accurate solution I could create. Between the capsules, ears, adding rubberized coating to the inside of the head (to stop resonance) and then filling it with sand, I built a binaural microphone that provides accurate, repeatable results. While it doesn't have highly extended frequency response, it measures frequencies between 20-20000Hz at +- 3dB in an environment simulating the effect of wearing the headphones. I will be using it for more than headphones in the future and I even shot some footage as I built it that I may make into a build video or segment at some point.

[@DanStormVO]

I could tell there were missing frequencies with the spoken word test straight away. Its a real shame since my main thig is voice acting.

[@davenoneya6821]

I subscribed. What is the best headphones for voice over? Thx

[@askdrtk]

When choosing headphones for voiceover, there are three main points to consider. Sound isolation (to avoid microphone bleed), comfort for long recording sessions, and accurate audio reproduction so you can be confident as to how your voice is being picked up by the mic. I actually consider isolation to be most important as it is nearly impossible to recover a recording with excessive mic bleed. Closed-back headphones are the clear choice here. While closed-back headphones are generally not as comfortable as open or semi open-back headphones, some are more comfortable than others. I recommend using an over-ear design with sufficient room for you ears not to feel cramped. Finally in terms of audio reproduction, headphones with good clarity in the vocal frequencies are key with low and high end extension being less important. This is especially important so as to not require excessive volume levels for your to hear yourself which again reduces mic bleed. You will likely prefer the way your voice sounds on one pair of headphones more than on others. This is important for voice acting as it inspires confidence and therefore a better performance. In the under $300 USD range, a few options that are very mid-forward include the Sony MDR-7506, AKG K361, and Sennheiser HD300 Pro. If you prefer a thicker sound, the Sennheiser HD 280 pro, Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro, and Shure SRH 840A are good choices. If you are willing to sacrifice some comfort in return for excellent audio monitoring while recording, the Audio-Technica ATH-M40X is an excellent choice. Finally, if you are prepared to increase the budget, the Neumann NDH 20 offer an outstanding combination of isolation, comfort, and clear accurate audio reproduction for your voice. Sorry I didn't provide only on e choice, but I hope this helps out! Any of these recommendations will work well depending on the price you would like to stay around.

[@odetojamie]

i just got thse and instantly returned them the bass was jice but everything else sounded bad... do u think id get more our of dt770s my current daily drivers are hyperx cloud alphas

[@NoarSoul]

Thank you very much for your review :) I was very close to buying these, but after seeing that the sound is not as accurate as wished for mixing, I am back to being indecisive between these and the Sennheiser HD 300 pro. I'd love to hear your thoughts on those. Would you be able to recommend one above the other for tracking, recording and mixing when not able to access the big monitors? :)

[@askdrtk]

Glad to help out! The 300 pro have very nice midrange and highs with only a slightly hyped bass, but not enough to be an issue for mixing. The 300 pro are also excellent for tracking as isolation, particularly in high frequencies is excellent…far superior to the 280s which have been popular for a long time. When compared to the NTH 100, mids on the 300 pro provide improved detail which will definitely be beneficial for mixing. The NTH 100 have some good things going for them with materials and build quality being superior to what I would expect in their price range, but for your use case, the 300 pro would be my recommendation. Hope this helps out!

[@NoarSoul]

@@askdrtk it did! Thanks so much! ☺️

[@miraanpunjabi]

whats the best closed back headphone for mixing and music production in the same range that you recommend? I use the hd 400 pro and bought the beyerdynamics 770 it immediately fatigued my ears so i retured it , please advise. thanks

[@askdrtk]

I highly recommend the Audio-Technica M40x in this price range. The 40x have a natural sound signature that help create mixes that translate well to a wide range of playback devices.

[@fiddlix]

My biggest bear with the NTH-100s is the fact that the locking mechanism is flawed. Mine exploded on me after owning them for less than 6mo. It is well documented. Buyer beware is all I say..!

[@chrissan6015]

Technica m50x vs rode nth 100? Making a purchase soon. Thanks! For video editing btw

[@askdrtk]

Glad to help out! I find the NTH 100 to be more comfortable for long editing sessions, however the M50x are more accurate. This will be particularly noticeable with spoken word, where the 100s will sound scooped in the mids compared to the 50s. Between the two, for video editing with content including an overall mix of spoken word, music, and sound effects, the M50x will help ensure your audio translates better across a wide variety of playback devices and would therefore be my choice.

[@Matus0919]

I have used the m40x for about 3 years and recently got the nth 100, I have to admit that the m40x are more comfortable, the rode ones feel heavier, I love rode very much but I have to stick to my m40s for recording and listening to music, I will use the rode just for mixing

[@askdrtk]

I agree, the nth 100 are heavier than I prefer. M40x are still among my top choices... Audio-Technica made them a bit "too good" for the price.

[@venom-ee2kn]

Hi, i'm looking for headphones for general use like music, youtube ect. Budget is £50, do you have any recommendations. Ive looked at these Rode and some others but sometimes it's too pricey. Any help is appreciated.

[@askdrtk]

It would be worth checking out the Superlux 681, OneOdio Monitor 60, and Audio-Techinica M40x. All should be around your price point and each performed above its price in my testing. I hope this help out!

[@venom-ee2kn]

@@askdrtk Thank you for the reply and help, it's was very helpul in selecting new headphones.

[@clickbaitpro]

Hey man! I was really hoping that this will be at-least on par with M50x but look like they're not. What do you think which are best closed back headphones for mixing music? M50x or K371 or something else? And I highly appreciate the review of these headphones. Thanks!

[@askdrtk]

Hey there and thanks for the question! Both the K371 and M50x are great choices in a closed back design for mixing. The K371 tend to slightly underrepresent the 2-5kHz range, but nothing you wouldn't adjust to over time. The M50x are superior if you are mixing bass heavy program material (Hip Hop, etc) and their sonic accuracy for mixing is very good, especially in this price range. DT770 Pro are popular, but I find they overemphasize the 3-5kHz range and can become fatiguing for longer sessions. DT880 Pro are very accurate in this price range, but they are semi-open back and may not be an option. I normally use DT 880 Pro and HD600 for mixing, but if I need sound isolation, I grab the M50x. Hope this helps out!

[@clickbaitpro]

@@askdrtk Thanks for the answer man! Most of the time I mix on studio monitors and finally to polish my mixes, I grab my DT990 Pros. It really exaggerates the mistakes but I just can't use them for longer periods of time because of treble heavy sound and it's open back so I've to turn them up to compensate. I will go with M50x for closed back.

[@askdrtk]

I hear you on the 990s, they do reveal mistakes, but man are they fatiguing... (I had to stop using them a while back). I have a set of Genelec 8040B in the studio that I really like for mixing. I mostly use headphones for checking mixes and working when I can't be in the studio. That said, M50x are a really nice addition to mixing with studio monitors, especially for checking very low bass extension (kick, sub bass on HH and some RnB). I'm sure you'll enjoy them.

[@Abdulaziz-cy7lf]

would you recommended me to buy it if i'm new to the mixing or there is a better choice at the same price?

[@askdrtk]

The three most important characteristics for mixing headphones are accuracy, comfort, and to a lesser extent isolation depending on whether or not there is enough background noise in your space to interfere with hearing the subtleties in the mix. The NTH100 are very comfortable and provide good isolation, however they are not quite as accurate as the Audio Technica M40x or AKG K361 in this price range. That said, the NTH100 have superior built quality to the K361 and are more comfortable vs the M40x. As you mix on headphones, as is with studio monitors, you will learn their frequency and transient response, and so as long as you are able to check your mixes on a variety of other playback devices (phones, car, HIFI) any of the three options I have provided will work well. The NTH100 offer great overall value in this price range and I believe they would serve your purpose. I hope this helps out!

[@Abdulaziz-cy7lf]

@@askdrtk Thanks for your reply, but I am confused between it and the m50x, so I want you to give my advice between them if you can

[@askdrtk]

The M50x have deeper more powerful bass response vs the other options I mentioned which can be helpful if you are working with EDM, HH, and RnB. They are a great alternative when it isn't practical to have a sub in your mixing space. If you mix bass heavy genres, the M50x are a very popular choice.

[@Abdulaziz-cy7lf]

@@askdrtk thank you so much you helped me a lot

[@jasper_north]

Hi there. I have my guitar plugged into an amp and now I need a headset to plug in so that I can practice silently. What headset do you recommend? Thank you

[@askdrtk]

Hello and Great Question! For practicing (and tracking) guitar I would choose the Audio Technica m50x. They will provide accurate sound across the full range produced by guitars at everything from low to high listening levels and from clean to distortion, reverb, etc.... The accurate response will be great for practice as they will reveal exactly what you are playing (your technique) without any under or over emphasis. Many like the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro, but I find they actually overemphasize some presence frequencies which is not ideal for your application. If you are ok with some sound escaping from the headphones, the DT 880 Pro (semi open back) are also excellent for practicing. Hope this helps out.

[@jasper_north]

@@askdrtk Thank you very very much. Great answer!!!

[@tacanacy]

What's the black thing in the bag with the 1/4" adapter and colorful rings?

[@askdrtk]

Since these headphones have a cable connection on both earcups but the cable only needs to connect to one, they include a rubber plug for sealing the cable socket on the side not being used. This is generally meant to prevent damage as well as dust / dirt from entering the unused socket, although it also can have a small impact on acoustic performance if the socket is left open...(very small impact).

[@tacanacy]

​@@askdrtk I looked into it, and DIY-Audio-Heaven measured channel imbalance without the plug. DMS on The Headphone Show also said that there was channel imbalance without the plug. That explains why I have had multiple NTH-100 headphones with channel imbalance. Unfortunately, I don't have the plug.

[@askdrtk]

Yes, there absolutely can be imbalance, especially with bass-heavy content and it will be more noticeable as listening levels increase. RODE may be able to send you a replacement plug, or a DIY solution would be to get some silicone (black is available) and then squeeze some out into a bead slightly larger than the port onto some wax paper. Once the bead has set, press it into the port as a substitute plug. I know this is a bit of a hack, but it is better than having to deal with the imbalance. Hope this helps out.

[@hedgeearthridge6807]

I love Rode's mics so it's really exciting that they've made some headphones! Definitely seem much better than DT770 to me, for the price. I would much rather have some scooped treble than an awful 4kHz spike that just drains my soul and hurts my ears. The comfort looks fantastic; as great as Shure SRH440 sounds, they are like a torture device, I can't wear them for more than 5 minutes, so that's definitely a huge plus for these. Definitely not perfect and Rode should hopefully do better next time, but for a first attempt it seems really promising! Ive seen MUCH worse tonal balance for much higher prices.

[@askdrtk]

I agree, Rode did a really good job with this entry into headphones! There is a lot of value at this price. Like anything, there is room for improvement, but anyone can do far worse than picking up a set of NTH 100s... I will have a review (with frequency analysis) for the 770s coming, but I have a few other compelling options I want to share first. Thanks for checking out my review!

[@jopar3292]

WITH the brainwavez HARD velour pads the AKG 371 are very good for editing and even some mastering. They are certainly reliable in that audio work from editing up to mastering I perform with them is what I hear later on when reviewing or checking the work. Quite a feat for a headphone at this price range! I think the sell the Rode as a 'pro' use headphone with missing info from the top is inexcusable TBH. Maybe that is ok for your average tik tokker ?

[@askdrtk]

Thanks for sharing the tip on the brainwaves hard velour pads! Rode makes some very good gear, but they could have done better IMO with the NTH-100. It will be interesting to see if they make another attempt at headphones…

[@V1lkas]

i ordered them, and for my not audiophile ears they are bad in sound, bass is nah, tremble is also not so good, mid is fine, i really still prefer my fiio jt1 and DT770p. But i need to tell that theyre very nice premium build, very comfy and nice looking. i refund them.

[@Poludioskroz]

How big are the earpads,measures please HxWxD?

[@askdrtk]

They are shaped to the profile of an ear. Measuring my set, the outside dimensions are 98x75x21mm and the inside dimensions are 59x40x21mm at the widest points. Hope this helps out!

[@Poludioskroz]

@@askdrtk Thank you!

[@ebinrock]

Any suggestions for alternatives?

[@askdrtk]

It really depends what you plan to use them for. Casual listening, music production, voiceover / podcast, etc… If it is music, genre is also a consideration. Let me know what you are looking for and I will share a few options.

[@vkusno_prodano]

🙂🙂🙂👍

[@askdrtk]

Glad you enjoyed it!😄

[@UberSynth]

❗️ WARNING ❗️ Don’t buy these headphones. They break VERY EASY on the opposite side of the locking knob. It’s just thin plastic holding the cup to the headband and it snaps easy. It’s happened to a lot of customers.

[@askdrtk]

Thanks for sharing. I've heard a few similar reports and pinned a comment.

[@michaelhoward4020]

I purchased these cans and they are horrible! My impression is listening to these cans is like listening to music though a blanket between my ears and the drivers in the headphones. Bottom line for me is horrible sound!