Rode Nt5 vs Rode M5 (acoustic guitar) (pt.1)

A shootout between the Rode NT5 and Rode M5.
Gear:
Takamine acoustic guitar.
Mic's positioned approx. 8" from where the neck joins the body.
Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 audio interface.
Protools 12.

No compression, EQ or any other alteration has been made to the audio recordings.

High quality headphones or studio monitors recommended.

Like, comment and subscribe.
Thanks for watching.

[FreakinOutOnAudio]

Good clear recordings, right to the point, no 10 minutes of rambling beforehand. You are a legend of youtube, a master of shootouts.

[StarOasis]

By far the best test ever. No talking, no hyping things up just the facts along with frequency analyzer. thanks pal, 👍

[JTWilde]

Finally an in tune guitar and frequency read out! Subscribing now! Thanks

[ProjectOverseer]

They sounded very similar & familiar. The M5 has a slightly fuller bass which you can see on the frequency graph. The noise floor is slightly lower too, though you won't hear or see that in this test. I own matched pairs of both, and once you add to a mix and EQ and other forms of processing, any differences vanish.
The M5 works nicely with the NT1 too (new model)
The NT5 used as a pair in an audiophile recording will sound a little better in the upper mids.

[aze]

Thanks very much for the comparison. A very helpful comparison. From what I heard, I like the NT5 better - and I'm looking to record classical guitar.

[JoeAtClaricast]

Really great comparison, thanks.

I use NT5s. I prefer them, they have more body, but it's good to know that there is a more affordable option that still sounds great.

[loicibanez]

Most usefull video ever to compare microphones. Both are good, therefore NT5 is really impressive.

[Grvkadu]

best review style...no nonsense at all. If Possible could you review lewitt lct 040 vs lewitt 140

[yolhanson]

A very useful comparison. I've got four M5's, two NT5's, an NT1000, an NT3, and love them all. (Rode man, most definitely).

[prod.ouilele]

I think Nt5 sounds better and more detailed, I find the m5 a bit annoying on the guitar it's more messy and highlights some harsh and resonant frequencies

[MeneerHerculePoirot]

The NT5 is cleaner and more immediate, but the M5's lack can be made up by pulling the mids slightly, boosting the treble, bass and a touch of compression.

EDIT: Always use the pair option for M5s as well.

[ojtamcos]

Thanx for that comparison. It was very useful for me.

[BigBadWolf..............]

Nt 5 is warmer and fuller. It might be less neutral but that depends on the preamp in this recording.

[sekanuel]

Flatter response on the M5, for sure, also more dinamics. More presence on the NT5 and a bit more details. On both sides, nothing you cannot fix with EQ.

[gcvrsa]

The NT5 sounds *so* much better, the difference is night and day. So much more transparent, full, and natural sounding.

[haldumille]

I use a pair of NT5 's, and also use an NT3 and an NTK. I guess you could say I'm a fan. I get everything I want and need from these mics. I also use 3 or 4 really good mic pre's as well. There are so many mic manufacturers out there. I'm glad I found mine.

[LiamGaughan]

I think they are close enough to make the M5 a worthwhile purchase, especially for a pair. I have a pair of NT55s that I use which I love. Were the mics side by side for the guitar or were they moved into the exact same clip, angle, distance? That would explain the difference in bottom end, if one mic was closer to the sound hole? Honestly in a mix I wouldn't expect a big difference. I know a lot of my acoustic work ends up in a dense mix, so the bottom gets rolled off a little anyway.

[calebe]

Were the comparison files recorded simultaneously?
I noticed some differences, but I'm wondering if the M5 got some kind of rumbling frequencies that cut out the definition or if you just played some parts slightly different?

[ynschannel_]

Nt5 is much more balanced, it's worth a bit more of money. I can hear a mid resonance in the M5 a bit ugly and sounds harder I have them and now I see I should spend a bit more of money on the NT5.

[joepulvirenti]

The Rode M5 sounds much more open and brighter than the NT5 I Can see the justice in the price difference.