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Rode NT1 5th generation: does the USB output work with iPad? [UPDATE: yes, it does]
Rode says it doesn't work with smartphones -- too little power -- but has anyone tried the NT1 5th generation with an iPad? (Background: the latest version of the NT1, which came out this spring, has onboard A/D conversion and dual outputs, XLR and USB.)
I'm buying my first real condenser mic and trying to decide between the Rode NT1 and the Audio-Technica AT4040. I have a decent interface (MOTU M2), so I don't need USB on the mic itself. But I am curious.
Comments
I just got the NT1 5th generation. Here's what happened when I plugged it directly into my iPad Pro 2021 11":
The results were the same when I used a powered hub (Kingston Nucleum).
I'm not disappointed: Rode gave me no reason to believe this would work as a USB microphone with iOS. It works fine the conventional way (microphone --> XLR cable --> mixer --> audio interface --> iPad).
I imagine this Rode model is going to be around for awhile, so it's possible that something will change to make it work with iPads in the future. (E.g., maybe Rode will write an iOS driver: that's possible with the current version of iOS, though I don't know any manufacturer that's doing it yet.)
In the meantime, this is where we are. Again, I'm not disappointed in the mic, and I don't feel the least bit grouchy toward Rode.
As far as I know the NT1 5th gen allows software control over the built-in ‘amplifier’ when connected over USB. Some hosts (Cubasis, AUM, LogicPro etc) allow the user to control the gain/input-level.
It might be that the input level is low when connected and needs to be bumped up a notch or two.
Whoa! That worked.
In AUM, I set the Rode as input. In settings, I checked the mic input level: it was zero. At 70%, I was speaking (not singing) into the Rode and getting peaks of -12dB. This was with the Rode plugged straight into my iPad Pro's USB-C port: no powered hub.
I haven't done any further testing, so nobody should consider this a review. But as of this writing, you can use this microphone's built-in interface on at least one iPad model, the Pro 2021 11".
Note: Rode includes a nice USB-C cable with a skinny head -- which you need, because there's not a lot of room where it plugs into the base of the microphone. However, there seems to be some polarity in the cable, even though USB-C heads are symmetrical. When I plugged the other end into my iPad, the Rode mic didn't register as a device. (I must have lucked out when I tested this last night, because if I had had this result at the beginning, I would have inferred that it just doesn't work with iOS.) I unplugged the USB-cable from my iPad, flipped the cable head over, and plugged it in again (with the "top" side now on the "bottom"). The iPad immediately recognized it as an input device. This kind of polarity with USB-C is not unusual, as I learned when I was reading reviews of USB-C hubs. If you have a USB-C device that the iPad can't see, try flipping the cable. No, you shouldn't need to do that. But what do you have to lose?
This morning I set up Logic and the Rode to record my acoustic guitar using the mic's built-in USB output. It worked smoothly and I got a nice sound on my first try, with no further processing.
For reasons that aren't interesting, I used an Amazon Basics USB-C cable. The cable fit, but getting it out was a little tricky: the Rode's USB port is buried somewhat deep in the mic's housing (about as deep as XLR pins are high), and the Amazon cable didn't have a lot of material to grip for pulling it out. That's not a criticism of the mic, just info for anyone who's working with this hardware.
Here's the product web page: https://rode.com/en-us/microphones/studio-condenser/nt1-5th-generation. Apparently there's an app that can customize the NT1's onboard DSP; I haven't tried it yet.
Thank you, @Samu, for suggesting that I check the input gain.
Curious about buying this mic to use with Logic Pro on Ipad Pro, thanks for sharing your experience so far!
What do you use as the output when you are recording with the Rode? As I understand, it only acts as audio in, and AFAIK iPadOS doesn't let you use multiple audio interfaces yet?
If this is a hijack then tell me and I'll delete! Anyone got recs for a cheap but semi-decent usb mic for an ipad 11" m1 pro? It'd be used to record rough vocal ideas and hopefully recording some usable takes for certain material. I've got a Logic desktop setup for my principal recording so this would be a handy option to have (and as such budget should suit!). TIA!
Samson Go Mic is very cheap and good value. You might need an adapter for the plug.
Nice! Thanks so much for the rec, will check it out.
For output, I'm using an audio dongle connected to my USB hub. iPadOS will let you use two devices, but only one at a time for output and one at a time for input. See also https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/55667/multiple-audio-i-o-with-logic-for-ipad
Did you test this also within AUM, so is it possible to set a different output-source?
Another question: does anyone know whether AUM is capable of 32bit float?
I'm interested in this mic, but I fear that it is not really useful in combination with iPadOS due to the audio-interface limitations outside of LogicPro.
Affirmative to both.
Really? So you can monitor the input e.g. via headphones in AUM!?
This doesn't work with my old Rode NT-USB afaik.
The device selection in AUM usually works without any issues when the USB-mic has no built-in head-phone jack.
(I can as an example monitor the iRig Mic HD thru the iPad's built-in speakers. If I had the iRig Mic HD2 which includes a headphone jack this would not be possible in AUM).
The problem arises when the connected devices can do both input and output and so far Logic Pro for iPad is the only host where one can freely select the input and output when multiple devices are connected at the same time.
Ahh right, thanks. I suspected something like this but couldn't test it, good to know.
Really a shame, that Apple doesn't enable other developers to use their multi-audio-solution 😠.
Minor update: built-in USB really makes this mic easy to use with an iPad. I’ve been using it to record simple videos with me and my acoustic guitar, exporting the audio to Logic Pro, adding some subtle synth touches, mastering the whole thing with the Logic defaults, and importing the result back into my videos.