RØDE NT-USB+ USB microphone: features and spec-based rating

RØDE’s NT-USB+ is a cardioid condenser USB microphone.

A USB microphone is a microphone you can plug straight into a computer by USB. You can start streaming or recording without an audio interface.

In this article we rate it on 4 criteria using only the specifications the manufacturer publishes, and show how it ranks among the 11 USB microphones we compare.

Disclosure: This site takes part in affiliate programs. Specifications are as of the date we checked them and can change.

Figure: SoundBounty

Summary

Among the 11 USB microphones, NT-USB+ is rank B. The ranks run S, A, B and C, and B is third from the top. Averaging the scores for each criterion (out of 5) gives 2.8.

Strengths

• Controls at hand (3 of 5, 4 points): You can control mute and volume at the microphone.

Things to keep in mind

• Switchable pickup patterns (1 pattern, 1 point): It has one pickup pattern.

Who it suits: judging from the specifications, it suits people who want to control mute and volume at the microphone.

Main features of NT-USB+

A studio capsule and preamp

This USB microphone combines a studio condenser capsule (a narrow cardioid) with RØDE’s low-noise preamp (the Revolution Preamp). It is said to suit vocals, narration, guitar and podcasts.

Sound shaping in free apps

From the free apps RØDE Connect, RØDE Central and RØDE Reporter you can use a compressor, a noise gate, a high-pass filter and APHEX’s Aural Exciter and Big Bottom. Settings can be saved in the microphone itself and remain when you unplug it.

A headphone jack, and support for smartphones and tablets

It has a headphone jack that lets you hear yourself without delay, with knobs for volume and mix (the balance between the microphone and the computer’s sound). It uses driverless USB (class compliant) and works not only with computers but also with iOS and Android smartphones and tablets (an iPhone with a Lightning connector needs a separately sold cable).

Video: “Features and Specifications of the NT-USB+” (official RØDE YouTube channel; narration in English) Watch on YouTube

Where it is useful

• Recording vocals or narration without an audio interface
• Recording on location with a smartphone or tablet
• Using the apps’ sound shaping to make your voice easier to hear in a stream

Rating by criterion

Recording detail: 3 / 5

How finely it can record the sound (the sampling rate).

NT-USB+: 24-bit/48 kHz. That is a standard rating among the products we compared.

Switchable pickup patterns: 1 / 5

How many pickup patterns (directions it listens in) you can choose from.

NT-USB+: 1 pattern. That is a modest rating among the products we compared. It has one pickup pattern.

Controls at hand: 4 / 5

How many controls you can operate at hand, such as mute, a gain knob and a headphone jack.

NT-USB+: 3 of 5. That is a high rating among the products we compared. You can control mute and volume at the microphone.

Range of connections: 3 / 5

How widely it connects: an XLR output, and whether it can be used with a smartphone.

NT-USB+: 1 of 2. That is a standard rating among the products we compared.

The gray marks in the figure below (the dotted line on the pentagon) show the average of the 11 products we compared. Price is not part of the score.

How we score (USB microphones)

Criterion	Basis	5 pt	4 pt	3 pt	2 pt	1 pt
Recording detail	Highest supported sampling rate	192 kHz	96 kHz	48 kHz	44.1 kHz	Lower
Switchable pickup patterns	Number of selectable pickup patterns	4 or more	3	2	—	1 (no switching)
Controls at hand	Mute, gain knob, headphone jack, headphone volume, mix control	4 to 5	3	2	1	None
Range of connections	XLR output and smartphone (iOS / Android) support	2	—	1	—	None

Scored only on the specifications published by the manufacturer. Price and accessories are not part of the score. USB microphones often do not publish the sensitivity or self-noise that ordinary microphones do, so they are compared on the things that make a difference when you plug straight into a computer: recording detail, switchable pickup patterns, controls at hand and range of connections. Smartphone support counts only where the manufacturer states iOS or Android compatibility. Weight is shown in the table for reference.

NT-USB+ connection and getting started

Connection	USB-C (directly to a computer, smartphone or tablet)
Power	Runs on USB power (5 V, 500 mA)
In the box	Tripod stand, ring mount, pop filter, USB-C cable SC29 and a cable-management plug
Other	Supported operating systems: macOS 10.14 or later, Windows 10 or later, iOS 14 or later and Android 11 or later. Recording is 24-bit/48 kHz

Checked on the manufacturer’s official pages on September 27, 2026.

Compared with other USB microphones

Click a heading to sort. On a phone, the table scrolls sideways.

Before you buy

• It connects straight to a computer by USB. You can start recording without an audio interface. It cannot connect by XLR, so if you plan to use an audio interface later, compare models that also support XLR.
• It records at up to 24-bit/48 kHz. For ordinary streaming and singing, 48 kHz is enough. A bigger number records in finer detail, but the files are larger.
• Controls at hand: headphone jack, headphone volume, mix control. Anything not on that list (gain, for example) is adjusted in software on the computer.

Read next

• ATR2100x-USB: features and rating (rank B)
• Blue Yeti: features and rating (rank B)
• MV7: features and rating (rank A)
• NT-USB Mini: features and rating (rank C)