They both have a polar pickup pattern hence pick the sound from a single direction. While most mics have a polar pattern that varies slightly with frequency, these two are no different.

Headphone monitoring – Using the USB-C output frees up the 3.5mm output so you can plug your headphones in and monitor your audio while recording. You can even control the headphone volume using the variable gain control, which has more than enough output on tap for any type of headphone, even ones with very high impedance.

The Wireless GO II gives you a built-in display and more hands-on control of your audio, as well as a pair of transmitters, while the Wireless ME is a more streamlined, easy-to-use solution for quickly capturing professional wireless audio. To use the USB-C output to connect to a Lightning-equipped iOS device, you will need the RØDE SC15 cable.

Survival without latency-free monitoring and no internal headphone jack

Read more about rode NT1 here.

The RØDE VideoMic GO II, VideoMic Me-C and VideoMic Me-L are good options if you’re looking for a great-sounding solution that’s very easy to use. These super-compact microphones plug into any smartphone with an included cable (VideoMic GO II) or directly via USB-C (Me-C) or Lightning (Me-L) port. They are directional microphones, meaning they focus on what they are pointed at while minimising surrounding sounds, and they mount directly onto the phone with no additional equipment required.

Power Options

Engaging this will send the audio from your mic directly to your headphones so you can hear yourself talk as well. A mic is only as good as its components, and the RØDE NT1’s design makes it arguably even greater than the sum of its parts. Secure your microphone onto your mic stand and plug in your XLR cable, then plug the other end of the XLR into the input marked ‘1’ on the back of the unit. There are also some microphones with a TRRS output that are designed to plug directly into a smartphone, such as the smartLav+ or VideoMic NTG.

While speaking into the microphone at a natural level (not whispering or yelling), adjust your gain up or down until your level is hovering around the area with two green bars on the level meter. A crucial factor to consider is the importance of monitoring your audio while recording. The last thing you want is to do is make a lengthy video or podcast, only to realise afterward that your levels were too high or too low, or that your microphone wasn’t recording at all.

They also allow you to monitor your audio via the 3.5mm output on the back of the microphone, which is a simple but hugely important feature (more on this below). Despite that innovation, I was very surprised to see (and have RØDE confirm for me) that the NT1 5th Generation does not have any headphone output at all.

RØDE offers a number of incredible USB microphones that will elevate your audio significantly and are ideal for everything from video calls to making a podcast and recording music at home. The NT-USB+, NT-USB Mini, Podcaster, VideoMic GO II and VideoMic NTG are all great options. They are super easy to use and don’t require any additional software or drivers to run – simply plug it into your computer, select it as both your input and output device in your audio preferences and you’re ready to go. For decades, audio professionals have been taught about the importance of latency free monitoring. There is a reason why all traditional AM/FM radio hosts have used headphones where they not only hear themselves latency free, together with jingles, music or remote callers. Can you survive recording yourself and then just playing the recording later? Yes, you can, but depending upon the duration of the recording, you might discover an issue and have to repeat the recording later.

The user must accept that in two of the three modes, there will be no latency-free monitoring. RØDE’s own alternative microphones (in some cases, combined with a third-party interface or mixer) can sometimes be a better value proposition than the NT1-5G. It basically comes down to how often the user expects to be using each of the three options, and whether it is essential to have latency-free monitoring during recording or live broadcasting her/himself. Introduced in the palindromic year of 1991, the NT1 was RØDE’s debut microphone – the first in a long line of products that have reshaped the way creators across every discipline captures audio. Over the last three decades, RØDE states that the NT1 has continued to be the best-selling studio condenser worldwide, beloved for its warm, classic sound signature and incredible versatility.

Using the touchscreen, select ‘Microphone’ from these options and select the RØDE microphone you are using. If your mic doesn’t appear in this list, select either ‘Dynamic’ or ‘Condenser’. If you’re unsure what type of mic you’re using, contact us at /rode.com/support/contact. With most smartphone manufacturers moving away from utilising 3.5mm audio connections, the easiest way to connect a microphone to your device is via its USB-C or Lightning port. Using an external microphone is the single best way to improve your smartphone audio.