RØDEM5 Compact Half InchSmall-diaphragm Condenser Microphone (Matched Pair) for Music Production and Instrument Recording, Wired

I've owned a matched pair of NT55s before which I chose to sell to buy a LDC and always regretted as cheaper SDCs never came close (especially where it came to noise) UNTIL I got these M5s. Not as flat a sound to my ears - brighter than I remember the NT55s being but for acoustic guitars that's welcome for me. They certainly sound like mics with a character to add more colour than perhaps the NT55s would. Given the price comparison being these are roughly a THIRD pretty amazing and just blow all the cheaper SDCs I've tried (AKG Perception, Samson et al) out of the water.

When comparing these mics to a pair of Neumann 184's - recording acoustic guitars - the Rode TF - 5's were clearly preferable. The recordings were not sitting in a mix, just the guitars on their own. Both are good mics, and the Neumann's are detailed especially in the mid, but the Rode's had a more rounded bottom end, were more 3 dimensional sounding, more like the guitar in the room, more flattering and more pleasant to listen too.Have yet to try them in a mix. But for the Amazon price these TF's are better than the very good Neumann SDC's

Pros:Impressive sensitivityGood clear highs and controlled low and mid-rangeSmall, light, easily portable and easy to set up on a range of standsVery quiet, almost no hissCons:Can sound a bit thin and brightQuite directionally sensitive, need careful positioning to capture the full range of audioExtremely sensitive to wind and plosive noiseI've had these in my studio for about a year now, and I'm generally very happy with them. They have an excellent frequency response and with a little bit of EQ tweaking they can sound as good as most full-size studio mics.One major advantage is they are very light and portable, so easy to throw into a bag as part of a mobile-studio kitThey are extremely sensitive to wind noise, so must be used with a deadcat / wind-muffler in all but the most controlled environments. I bought a set of the following and they work very well, and have the added benefit of making recordings sound a bit richer in the midrange as well: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07XNQFL2DThey are classed as having a cardioid pickup pattern, but I would say they are actually somewhere between cardioid and super-cardioid, as they are pretty directionally sensitive. The high-end response drops off noticeably if they are not pointed directly at the source. This can sometimes be an advantage though, and also helps with stereo imaging when they are used as a pair.I've used mine for recording instruments, vocals and on outdoor location recordings, and have had great results on them all.

After a lot of research and ‘trial and error’ process I found these brilliant microphones that can capture the sound of an istrument that’s one of the hardest to record: gong!I tried other makes and types none of those were as good as these! They have a wide frequency response which is a must when recording gongs. I have these 2 connected to a mixer in a home studio environment. The gain needs slight adjustment on the mixer when taking the sound higher by a crescendo during gong playing in order to avoid clipping.I’m happy with these mics the sound quality is brilliant with no self noise.

I have to say, this is greatest disappointment in terms of price - quality.I own Rode NT5 and now, I thought I will step up my game by buying TF5.Noisy - Noisy - Noisy ....In fact Rode TF5 generate more self noise than my old NT5! Yes, I am not misspelling here!I have set NT5 and TF5 next to each other and set same gain on both at the same recorder.NT5 still quiet as always, but TF5 hissing the heck out of it like an angry snake.So I thought to gain match them - TF5 is more sensitive so I have turned down the gain a little to match them both.Well the noise slightly went away, but still more hissy than NT5!!!!This is ridiculous because Rode NT5 is £270 and TF5 is £1150 , Just WOW!I have made a recording and compared both. Really the differences are slightly noticable for me as sound engineer of 15 years. But listener it will never be aware of "better sound" - yeah, it might be slightly warmer, but really nothing worth extra cash....Additional info is that my Rode TF5 arrived in unsealed box ( just cardboard with a lot of open spaces for humidity enter the box and therefore the mics. Mics were unwrapped too. This might be affecting performance too IMHO.I have no idea, but it feels like I have received a return from someone else and now TFs5 are back on the way to AMAZON :/Also manufacturers packaging looks like it took plenty bashing before reaching me....

The Rode M5 SP does not come with a nice carrying box like some competitors. There you go, the only bad thing I could find with my new purchase.As far as their sound, very nice for this price, little self noise, good response across the range, and very clear. I have tried them in a wide variety of circumstances and they just work.

Using them as an overhead for drums, they comfortably capture all the qualities my ears do.They sound really good point blank, the price is a bonus.Comes with a little booklet that I thought would be a nice touch for a beginner as well.Great all round pair, would absolutely recommend. (Final thought they really do sound like little siblings to NT5's, but they do a very similar level of job there.)

I have used these in multiple scenarios ranging from acoustic guitar, drums and Piano (ORTF) recordings and find them to be neutral with a little top end brightness. Work great with the Rode stereo bar and are light enough to avoid stand sag when mounting on a long boom. Not quite a good or as flexible as the Rode NT5 (which offers different capsules and pickup patterns) and you might not use it for major productions, but this is an incredibly useful matched pair that can be used in a lot of different situations.