Shootout of my Large Diaphragm Condensers

[Chad Johnson]

So how do you rank these? I know the best/worst to me are obvious, but the 2 in the middle of my ranking are neck in neck. 4 Mics. I recorded them at 10db gain, but level matched them in post so louder won't read as better.

Mic 1 Rode NT2000
Mic 2 Audio-technica AT4050
Mic 3 Rode NT1
Mic 4 M-Audio Sputnik

[Rick Reineke]

Based on the clips here, Chad's voice though the MOTU pre and A/D converter :

NT-1: I do not like the high-end .. at all.
AT4050: It's usable I guess.
M-Audio Sputnik: Smooth high-end and nice mid-range clarity, but contains some mild plosives. (which could be controlled by a stocking type pop filter. or surgically tweaked in post)
The NT2000 would be my top pick.. for today at least.

Surprise! Based on my experience with other M-Audio products, I thought the Sputnik would be dead last.

[Chad Johnson]

I was pretty close, and did have a pop filter. I should have been a bit more back.

I have been really happy with the Sputnik as my main VO mic. I like the tube sparkle it give me. The NT1 - crap IMO. It was a really close tossup between the nT2000 and the AT4050 for me. I think I like the smoothness of the NT2000 over the slight extra sparkle of the 4050. Which is surprising. I was ready for it to be
1 - Sputnik
2 - 4050
3 - NT2000
4 - NT1

but instead for me its:
1 - NT2000
2 - 4050
3 - Sputnik
4 - NT1

Interesting.