NT1-A vs. AKG 420 (First Big Purchase)

M

MarkHinojosa

New Enthusiast
So maybe the title was a little misleading. It is my first big purchase but it not going to necessarily be an expensive one.

I am currently using the perception 120 and she is a good lil' mic, but alas, it is time to upgrade.

I am in the market for a microphone without breaking the bank, and the two that I have landed upon are the:

RODE NT1-A

or the

AKG Perception 420

(Also the Blue Spark is also in that price range)

The trouble is I have read up on both of these but I still do not feel as if I can make an accurate decision.

Ergo, I turn to you FP! Would anyone be able to make a recommendation as to which might be better. Even if it is outside of these two MICs. It would be very much appreciated!

**Side note** I will be using the MIC to record male and female vocalists as well as acoustic guitar.
 
You might get more help in the recording section with this question. I've got a NT1a and it is fine for the price with M/F vocals and acoustics. Not popular with pro's but is popular with budget studios. Never used the AKG one but should be ok too.
 
The AKG can be used as a figure eight and omni, where as the Rode is a fixed cardioid. Ideally you should try them out. Ask your seller about a trial. I've had experience with LDCs from AKG and found them pretty good in the low end and lower mids but never used them to record vocals as such. The rode is a common choice but I might go for the AKG. They both rank as pretty similar looking at specs.

My friend just got the NT1-A and it sounds good. Crisp, "quiet," decent response, a little bit sharp but clear. Maybe the AKG is a little better at capturing bass but that's just my educated guess, don't hold me to that. Happy shopping.
 
I've used that AKG and I was happy with the results. Lost Profit is correct, the Rode is fixed. AKG is decent for "Bedroom studios" and lower budget studios so I'd say go with them.
 
Hey guys, so I really appreciate all the advice, I actually went out and bought the P 420 from AKG. And I could not be more ecstatic. Cheers!
 
I was thinking about picking up the NT1, but I've never heard of Rode so I'm thinking about going with the blue spark. (i'll admit, I'm definitely a brand name whore :S) does anyone have any comments?
 
I'd say that if you're going to spend more than $100 on a condenser microphone, you should stack up $1000 and then look at your options. A $200 or $300 condenser won't sound noticeably better than a $100 one, but your wallet will feel noticeably lighter.

Or, go with a pricier dynamic mic like the Shure SM7B or the Electro-Voice EV20. The SM7B is especially popular for rappers. Wanna hear how it sounds? Listen to any song on Michael Jackson's "Thriller" album.
 
Just incase you haven't picked a mic I thought I'd share some good reviews on both that I found

Rode Nt 1 Reviews


Akg 420 Reviews

Me personally I like the sound of the Rode better but that's just me..

Another thing you way want to consider (not sure if this has been mentioned yet) us investing is a good preamp (i'd go on ebay for them)
 
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