Samson C03U vs. RODE NT1-A
This video is a quality comparison between the Samson C03U and Rode NT1-A microphones. Mark, AKA Akumaryu, begins the review by giving some background on his Samson C03U, which he had been using for four years. Despite finding it to be a relatively great microphone, it is lacking in picking up the low-end of his voice. Because of this, between 1:47 and 2:00, he shows how he's forced to talk across the windscreen, rather than directly into it, to avoid picking up popping and hissing from hard consonants and deeper speaking.
The "sweet spot", as he refers to it, is found at an approximately 45-degree angle to the microphone. To further show this, he performs a voice acting piece in an angry voice, beginning at 2:45 and ending at the three minute mark. He then explains how the C03U does not seem to pick up the lower vocal spectrum, which he reached when he did the "angry" demonstration. At 3:25, he demonstrates a "high" voice; the microphone picks up fine, as there is less of a deep-end to filter out.
At 3:49, the test of the NT1-A begins.
He explains how the NT1-A is much more effective at picking up both the low-end and high-end of his voice. He demonstrates this by performing by performing a circle test, beginning at 4:38. In this test, Mark hums at a steady pitch and moves his head in a circle around the front of the NT1-A. The reason for this is to show the range of the microphone, further shown between 5:07 and 5:20, where Mark speaks in a low voice and then a high voice, without changing position. He explains how that there really is no "sweet spot", and he does not particularly have to worry about the microphone neglecting any qualities of his voice, or popping and hissing on hard consonants.
At 5:43, Mark repeats the "angry" voice demo, as a reference point to the C03U. To wrap of the video, Mark asks the viewers to tell him what they think about the sound quality in comparison between the C03U and NT1-A.
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David Mellor
David Mellor is CEO and Course Director of Audio Masterclass. David has designed courses in audio education and training since 1986 and is the publisher and principal writer of Adventures In Audio.
@ManSeekingChrist: This is hilarious haha
@KingOfTings1: i'm just a rapper tf is this
@D40Oz1: I could swear he has the c01u on Omni! because that mic does NOT sound that flat! only in Omni will mics sound like that
@ErkanHaschichovic replies to @D40Oz1: Yeah and the buzz is awful
@D40Oz1 replies to @D40Oz1: oops mean c03u haha but yea man i dont understand maybe his is a lemon
@ErkanHaschichovic replies to @D40Oz1: yup
@kevinheydenrych5150: To be honest, whilst I do acknowledge that the NT1 has a wider frequency range, I am not sure if I don't prefer the C3 in the mid range.
@AlimkhanOV_A: Too much noise, is not it?
@SHambient: First of all, take the damn wind screen off your mic, second of all, learn to edit audio better and maybe that'd solve your "deep pitch problem" you think your samsung is having. And lastly, try recording in a smaller, more compact room. Oh and, if ya arent using wavepad, ya might wanna do that. I use a samsung co3u and get great quality with all my voices, even the deep ones.
@unusedchannel5064 replies to @SHambient: *samson. But I get what you mean. Is there perhaps any suggestions you could give to edit audio better? Something that would perhaps help other people out if they are having a similar problem.
Just want to know as I'm thinking of buying a new mic soon :)
@SHambient replies to @SHambient: ProfKranc I would say you should also make sure your audio levels stay between +12 decibels and -12 decibels when recording in wavepad. Speaking of which, do you use wavepad?
@merciadragon9425: I am currently using the Samson C03U and whilst I recently purchased this I am not entirely satisfied. It's as if it's missing out some aspects of my voice. I was considering the Røde NT1A. I am just uncertain with listening this particular clip. I would certainly welcome any feedback. I guess the best thing would be to audition a microphone but I don't know where to go near to where I'm living which is in Hinckley UK where I could do this. I want to use it for voice work not singing but some samples of singing which I've heard particularly that of a female voice makes the NT1A fantastic microphone.
@undercontr: Damn man. You can't compare Samson and Rode. Rode always win.
@superpunx2599 replies to @undercontr: Not true, you only get what you pay for and a Samson Cl8 Studio mic is would have been a fair comparison. This is comparing a USB model Samson that costs less than half of the Rode.
@ElectronFunCom: Is there something wrong with my ears or is the RODE NT1-A a little noisy? Maybe it has something to do with the compression on YouTube, but I can hear the noise while you speak quite clearly.
@c130avn: heavy gate on those mics
@elijahl.9059: This shit is a joke, right? He's not really like this, right? God damn. Best advice, for mic in this class, the new 2014 revamped RODE NT1 is very nice.
@CRKPXL: Dayum so good, i totaly believed @2:55^^
@anibalz76: Errorrr!! GATE ACTIVE! COMPRESSOR... !
@soraku5488: Samson C03U is better, because I have it :D
@rrrrakanoooo: what is best ?Samson C03U orRODE NT1-A
@shawnbrady8358: mmm ur other mic doesn't pick up background noise like the nt1a. you sacrifice on both.
@16lintique: While using C03U, are you monitoring your sound realtime? Because I'm having problems monitoring my voice through a headset, and I'm getting a considerable amount of delay. How did you fix that? Thanks. :)
@AMasonPARealtor: shity
@D40Oz1: naahh ive had the 120 and 220 ... actually i also had the discontinued 200 :P but then i got a c414 ( over a grand mic ) amazing i tell ya. but sold it and got another mic lol, honestly id say buy the sharpest mic and use multple pop filers or put a shirt over your mic and it will sound proffesional quality after a mix
@williamvargas3485: buy an AKG condenser mic. best mic you can go for in the 200 range.
@DefiantStevo: Ha ha!
@D40Oz1: wow the samson co3u is amazing sounding just not the hiss in the background, although it sounds good when mixed in with music, im actually using an AT4040 and debating on buying a co1 XLR version because i miss how that mic sounds like quality
@jorgecash50: All hos voices sound exactly alike!!! Lol
@jamiefnc3835: you don't need that cover on the mic if you got the pop filter, your losing sound quality with that foam cover on the mic.
@TheTeddyBearHamstar: 4:50 Who got the lawnmower out? xD
@KidKapamTv: Yo What Mic Would You Recomend For Around $300? Please Help!!!!!!!
@squeezemypimple: Great...That's a fun presentaton...I prefer the Rode..(Only because I've just ordered one though)...lol
@SanderHolmer: do you even know what you're doing??
@EmillionWayz: Pretty cool voice acting! ;)
@IfartdAndPoopCameOut: pussy
@IfartdAndPoopCameOut: your the one watching this and kissing your gay cousin
@IfartdAndPoopCameOut: look whos talking
@OdeckDaria: can you tell me what audio interface did u use on that?
@Akumaryu: No I did not.
@OdeckDaria: question did you edit that voice before uploading ?
@attorneyonwheels: Its very obvious that the microphone is noise gating. Great microphone, anyways.
@Akumaryu: Pretty sure it was just a normal mic stand with an extended arm.
@DennisZocktLP: i meen did you use a normals stand with 3 legs or a micarm ? cause i want to by the chord ccu1 and i dont know if a normal stand with 3 legs is enough ! :D
@Akumaryu: I don't honestly know what mic stand I was using. I don't even use the same one now. Honestly, mics stands aren't that particular. They're pretty universal. As long as it works, that's good enough for me. XD
@DennisZocktLP: what for a mic stand do you use ? a fast answer would be nice ! :)
@MrInternet69: good video! Man, why so many dislikes?
@JassiAmazingg: drakeee??
@MrRoundel: Good test of the mic's. Thanks. I can hear that the lows are more clearly represented in the Rode. It sounds good to me. Too bad that I already have the C03U. Actually, it's o.k. for my purposes.
@bravoatacama: noise reduction fail xD, thanks 4 the video :)
@YOUNGFRENZY1: Great actor !
@MrDjfrere: 4:37 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
@CocktaiLMolotovX: fuck this video
@morganlikesmusic: sounds like a Noise Gate.
@kingJamesBrownBeats: samson c03u for sell check out my channel
@bichitopompidu: esta rompiendo en los agudos con el rode... acabo de comprar uno y no lo probe gritando
@Subparanon: He's using a noise gate. Every time he talks it un-mutes the mic. The noise you hear is the background noise that is there in the recording that gets muted between words. From the sound of that particular noise I'd say it's a noisy mic pre-amp and possibly some aliasing as a result of low bitrate. 16bits is only enough if you saturate the signal, if you aren't getting close to 0db you are losing so much bit resolution which results in a noisy signal when normalized.
@ixyzyxi: How was the latency with the samson mic? Some people seem to have issues
@OfficialHaywire: What kind of stand is it attached to?
@Akumaryu: Combination of bad settings at the time and youtube's uncanny ability to compress the hell out of every sound.
@l0wbtry: What makes that buzziness/noise to your sound everytime u speak ?
@bestrolledLz: @c0nfu53d you do realize that the pop filter doesn't actually do anything to the sound right? It was developed purely to get the musicians to stand further from the mic when singing
@Flaypod: 5:43 Ashton Kutcher voice
@Harrysound: I preffer the Co3u actually the rode has more pops and actually sounds more compressed like a radio station.You sound like an NPC in some japanese role playing game haha
@darklord6505l: I think that high noise floor makes both mics sound terrible.
@westside_films: Are u using a gate to silence the crappy noise? ..You are in a noissy room, and other thing...you are using too much gain, when u yell, the signal gets saturated,,,
@wildmansolow2: u suck
@mahlithebest: I notice this too dude... you have a similar range to me... I'm a rapper and I used to use a Samson C01U and I noticed it didn't pick up the depth in my voice... especially after compression and E.Q.... The Samson's have very good build quality though and I would recommend them for people on a low budget..
@ariapro7: @youngcertified11 haha yeah, my bro needs 3 :P
@SacRoScz: everytime, when you speaking, your mic produces noise... What about SE reflection filter and 0 latency sound card, like Steinberg CI2+? Sorry dude, this is afwull
@renzmiclat: rode nt1 a is better than that fuckin samson haha.. i use rode and it has a verry nice and verry good quality haha un like the samson, its sound like in the bathroom even u have a vocal booth .. I vOTE for RODE NT1a
@dirhamesmeria: vgccfthmvcikb
@hirskdubbi: when u do the angry thing u sound like ashton kutcher
@Brotelho: This ain't 'Chocolate Rain'.... Awkward :s
@TowerandPower001: @ElKQEDA PUTANG INA MO!
@roman14032: useing the windscreen and the popfilter is a bad,bad, move. to argue about it,while complaining about your sound is...............................i'm trying to be diplomatic here willfull ingnorance
@TowerandPower001: NT1A is much Clear and Warm,
@Akumaryu: @c0nfu53d I use the windscreen to protect from A) Sharp gusts of air, B) Contact damage in the event that it gets bumped. I move my mic around a bit, so I like to keep it protected. The pop filter is used to protect the mic from the plosives that the human mouth naturally produces. I also do a lot of yelling and screaming, and I have a tendency to spit. That sometimes finds its way around the pop filter, and I'd like to keep spit out of my mic.
@c0nfu53d: @Akumaryu Same difference. They both protect against the same thing, but the wind screen is normally used for dynamic mics, such as an SM58. I can certainly tell you that the pop filter with the wind screen is completely unnecessary. They are pretty much both used for the same purpose, though with different types of microphones. If you have a setup for a pop filter with a condenser mic, why would you use a windscreen? I ask this out of curiosity. It is unnecessary. The NT1A isn't a dynamic.
@Akumaryu: @c0nfu53d I'm actually only using one pop screen. The other is a wind screen. They do two different things. Either way, everyone has specific ways in which they record. What might work for you may not work for other people. And just the same, what works for me might not work for other people. Also, as to the sound quality, this video was the first time I'd ever used the mic (8 months ago), so my settings have changed since to find the optimum set up.
@c0nfu53d: @Akumaryu I didn't say you don't deserve to get hired, of course. But using two pop filters in a row does actually ruin the purity of the sound.
@c0nfu53d: @TheShadowKind Agreed. Anyone who's wondering, you can spend an extra $100 or so and get a mic (the NT1A) that's 3x better than the C03U (with a decent preamp, and if you've got even mediocre skills with audio engineering). I know for sure that the NT1A sounds much, much warmer and silker at the high end (sometimes it's a bit too bright cuz it runs a little hot, so get a preamp with a -20db pad on it and make sure it also has phantom power).
@Akumaryu: @c0nfu53d Well, that's your opinion. My setup gets me hired. Thanks for the watch. :)
@c0nfu53d: Why would you put the windscreen over the actual mic, as well as talking through the pop filter? Using both at the same time is ruining the purity of the sound signature. The pop filter alone is good enough. It sounds like you're using some lame ambiance sound filter preset. Also take off the windscreen, and use the pop filter only. No need for both. My NT1A sounds way, way better... maybe your preamp is thin. I dunno. NT1A is a much better deal, anyway.
@c0nfu53d: Uhh... of course the NT1A beats the C03U. The C03U is very lackluster. It's great for the price, but other than that... but the NT1A is a wayyy better deal.
@NelsonCartierGaming: samson is better
@Akumaryu: @AlexisGuietteRecords Well, hind-sight is 20-20. But my studio is partially sound-treated, so the noise doesn't normally get above -50 dB anyway (something I've learned since putting up this video). The noise is really only as loud as you want it to be, since you can always adjust your recording volume and treat the area you're recording in to cancel out any unwanted sound.
@AlexisGuiette: @Akumaryu That's a little stupid.. 'cause I wanted to know how hard the noice is when you don't speak..
@Akumaryu: @AlexisGuietteRecords I didn't do any editing, really. The sound cuts out because of the settings on the program I was recording with. I had it cutting off any noise below -50 dB. I don't really use that setting anymore, though.
@AlexisGuiette: Hey I have a question ! I really like your video. Did you cut out the sounds when you weren't talking? It look like a lot of cuts?
@juggalo450: @Akumaryu another way is so you can hear the music and what you said hear what you sound like so you can begain to lace it down
@BF1GUN: @Akumaryu Thanks for the explanation and for taking the time to reply
@BF1GUN: @Akumaryu Thanks for the explanation and for taking the time to reply.
@Akumaryu: @BF1GUN Well, the first reason would be so that there are no feedback issues. I wear headphones so I can hear myself the way my microphone is "hearing" it. Your voice doesn't sound the same to other people and on audio equipment as it does in your head when you talk, so listening to your voice live and while you speak is a great way to hear what you sound like. If you use speakers, there's a strong chance that you're mic will also pic up what your speakers are playing. That would be bad. XD
@BF1GUN: Thanks for the review. It sounded to me as though there was a lot more popping with the Rode. Glad you like it though. One question - why do recording artists use headphones when recording as opposed to listening to themselves through speakers?
@Akumaryu: @shocktk That hiss is the microphone picking up the other computer in the studio, which is normally off when I record. I have, since this video, also been able to adjust the compression and frequency cutoff of the microphone when I record, and it definitely compliments my voice much better than the Samson did. Thank you for sharing your opinion, though. :)
@Akumaryu: @remixg2k You are correct in stating that it differs from person to person. And as I said in the video, my Samson served me well for four years. But as my range broadened and the types of roles I played began to vary significantly from where it had been previously, I needed a mic that allowed me to use that lower spectrum more. That is the reason why I chose to move to the Rode. It works better for me with a wider range of characters and types of voices. Thanks for the comment! :D
@shocktk: Samson is clear and punchy. Rode is very warm (bit too warm on the low end) and has a permenant hiss. I'd go for the Samson for a professional-ish sound because it sounds a lot clearer. That's just my opinion anyway
@TheInuyashaFan917: I recently purchased the Samson C01U Mic, which I think is a really good Mic, but it didnt really reach my expectations in sound quality wise, so I returned it and bought the Samson C03U Microphone. I personally think its a good Mic. I am a voice over actor for anime, I do voice overs on youtube (I have some vocie overs on my channel, but with my old headset mic). Do you think the C03U is good for anime voice overs? Thanks!
@Akumaryu: @jackmulop Works for singing, too. I'm not much of a singer, so I don't really know if the Rode is the best choice or not for that kind of thing. Mic's are a bit difficult as each one will treat different people's voices differently. It's all really a matter of experimentation.
@jackmulop: can you use this for recording singers? like people singing music? or is it just for voiceovers??
@Akumaryu: @yourwhiteshadow I am a working-yet-still-new voice actor, and I have done some anime work. Thank you for the compliment! I also agree that the RODE suits my voice much better than the Samson. Thanks for watching and sharing your input. :D
@yourwhiteshadow: that last line made me want to watch an anime. do you do a lot of anime voice overs?also, the rode sounds better imo, your voice sounds brighter and more rich throughout the spectrum.
@johnydubz: mark why you hiding behind the popshield lol
@Dzyro: good work;)