First of all, the $149 Røde NTH-100 headphones are very well designed and don't look like any other headphones out there, particularly in this very competitive segment, where they will challenge the new Sennheiser HD 400 PRO (and even the popular HD 560S), the AKG K371, or the Austrian Audio HI-X series professional headphones, just to mention the more recent contenders. Of course many potential users for the Røde NTH-100 will be comparing with classics in the field, such as the Audio-Technica ATH-M50X, beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro, Shure SRH840, Sony MDR-7506, and all the other countless MI-branded headphones from PreSonus, Mackie, Tascam, or Roland that are found in many musician home studios (and costing half the price).
Røde seems to have looked carefully at the market and while te created a relatively affordable product - still totally made in its state-of-the-art facilities in Sydney, Australia - it didn't compromise on the essential choices, such as materials, and didn't aim to be the cheapest. That's a lesson that Røde learned from the competitive microphone market, where it does pay to address the volume market in the most popular categories where price is critical, but also pays to address the "pros" with products that focus on very high quality and robustness, even if that means costing a bit more.
The new Røde NTH-100 headphones have a very good sonic performance for its price, superior comfort as mentioned, and are professional circumaural headphones that will fit perfectly all forms of content creation, including mixing, audio and video production, location recording, podcasting and streaming. The custom-matched 40mm dynamic drivers deliver an accurate frequency response that will fit well monitoring and mixing, ensuring the right amount of detail and bass definition, while remaining very natural sounding. As Røde explains, the NTH-100's drivers are based around a custom voice coil with a four-layer ultra-high-tension aluminum alloy as its core, which is coupled to an ultra-stiff triple-layer Mylar diaphragm and neodymium magnet.
The choice of Alcantara microfiber material (with the touch of suede) for the earcups and headband cushions are a great choice for long sessions. Those are complemented with very nice-fitting CoolTech earcups that do reduce wearing fatigue and provide very good isolation, while the fully adjustable headband with a unique FitLok locking system are a very distinctive feature that will be appreciated over time.
Comparatively with other manufacturers, Røde also knows very well how to deal with product launches, even during global pandemic times, and made sure that the new headphones are released precisely one month after all the first samples were sent for reviewers. This enables audioXpress to include a complete review, written by Brent Butterworth, in its next printed issue (June 2022), while being able to offer detailed impressions with this announcement.
More Impressions
Our team has been using the Røde NTH-100 for a while. We have connected the headphones to all sorts of sources and can attest to the validity of the design. As Brent Butterworth says in his review, "the $149 Røde NTH-100 headphones might be a little late to the pandemic “party,” but it’s a sure thing that the millions of new content creators will be needing to upgrade and expand their gear as their skills (and with any luck, their revenue) increase." And after learning about new headphones from Røde, it's almost certain that many will do it.
Our team found the headphones very comfortable, with the original contoured "triangular" earcups fitting small, large and unusual sets of ears alike. Compared with many other headphones, including some of the models previously mentioned, the tight size probably also helps in getting more listening consistency. While we normally might like the leather feel better on the earpads, the truth is that the Alcantara earpads don’t warm up the ears so much and certainly don’t make us sweat, even during intense practice sessions.
As Damien Wilson, Røde's CEO, says confidently, "We developed these headphones from the ground up with avid attention to every detail and an obsession with perfection, and we are incredibly proud of the outcome. It is with absolute confidence that I say the NTH-100s are the best in their class. If you’re a creator looking for your first headphones or a seasoned professional still on the hunt for the perfect cans, your search is over.”
The headphones characteristics are certainly enhanced by the unique contoured earcups, with an ergonomic design that has been precision-engineered to not only be extremely comfortable but also acoustically optimal, eliminating standing modes and frequency resonances for a more immersive listening experience. The earcups also feature high-density memory foam for excellent noise isolation. The NTH-100s will also sound as defined and linear as many open-backs - and audioXpress compared with the Sennheiser HD 560S which we found to be a very close match - but with all the advantages of closed-backs, including superior passive attenuation of external noise and no issues with spill when working in close proximity to a microphone.
Alcantara on the earpads and headband feels luxurious and is supremely soft to the touch and highly breathable, enhancing the sensory experience, while the CoolTech gel underneath absorbs and dissipates heat, actively cooling the head and ears to significantly reduce wearing fatigue. This is invaluable in lengthy recording sessions. In addition, the headband is fully adjustable, with the innovative FitLok locking system allowing the headphones to have the same exact fit every time we put them on.
Each pair comes with a high-quality 2.4m (7′10″) straight black cable that is lightweight and unobtrusive, with 1.2m (3′11″) and colored variants (pink, green, orange and blue) available separately. Also included are a storage pouch, a 3.5mm to 1/4” adaptor for use with professional audio equipment (screw-on), and a set of colored ID rings for easy cable identification (these are matched to the channel colors of the RødeCaster Pro and Røde Connect).
The Inside Details
"When creating the NTH-100s, “good enough” was never good enough. From the beginning, we set out to make a pair of headphones that, in addition to looking, sounding and feeling incredible, was also supremely tough. Every decision regarding design elements, materials and construction details was made to ensure the highest level of reliability and durability, with a rigorous testing process validating each choice we made," Røde shares about the development.
"The stainless spring steel headband was tested under extreme pressure over 20,000 times (equating to roughly 25 years of daily use) to ensure it will never wear out. Every component was made to last, right down to the wire that links the earcups. These are rated to withstand over 25kg of force, so if it gets snagged on something in your bag, it will not stretch or break. The cable and earcup sockets are rated to 12kg, and the bayonet connector is made from a slightly softer material than the socket, so if the cable gets pulled in extremis, it’s the (user- replaceable) connector that deforms, not the headphones themselves."
"We used robotic technology to pull, bend, tug, rotate and stretch the final construction of the headphones thousands of times to ensure they will withstand decades of use and still look and sound flawless. The NTH-100s were also put through several environmental testing procedures for durability assurance in a wide variety of potential scenarios – everything from climate and water tests to drop and abrasion tests. They passed with flying colors," the company adds.
The Røde NTH-100 headphones were designed to become iconic and seem to be extremely durable and resistant, exactly as they need to be. All important components are also user-replaceable and can be taken off and swapped out in seconds. Every pair of NTH-100s is backed by a 2-year warranty and Røde's deservedly well-regarded support service.
Røde is still officially called Røde Microphones, but it becomes obvious why in recent years the company increasingly only uses Røde in all its materials. As part of the Freedman Group, with APHEX, Event and SoundField brands, Røde is now even more firmly established in the audio industry with any other major manufacturer of headphones. That's a great start.
We firmly believe these headphones will be very successful for the intended market and probably beyond.
www.rode.com
