Rode M5 Compact 1/2" Condenser Microphone, Matched Pair & Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Gen) USB Audio Interface with Pro Tools | First

Since the outbreak of the pandemic our congregation has been worshiping via Zoom. Once we returned to our building, we chose to continue to include those who remained homebound to join us via that technology. However, our choir...which sounded fine to those gathered in the sanctuary...could not be heard at all.We purchased the Rode M5 Matched Pair mics in an attempt to solve that problem.When asked how it all sounded to those worshiping at home the universal reply was "Amazing!"We are most pleased.The mics look good, can easily be configured in different ways depending on choir size and location, and obviously transmit crisp and clear sound...even when using our rather old sound board and unique Zooming connection.These mics are exactly what we needed.

I purchased these in my efforts to mic the grand piano in my rehearsal room. Based on some A/B comparisons with more expensive options -- these little M5's seemed like a relatively inexpensive entry into this for me. After seeing a Røde video showing them off on a grand piano -- I purchased the matched pair along with the Røde bar for an ORTF setup on a single boom inside my piano. They did not disappoint. Presently running these into my Yamaha MG10XU board to record into my DAW. As some point, I will try these (perhaps on a high boom) to just record group in the room.

We're using these to mic a medium-size auditorium (~375 seats) to pick up the house sound during corporate singing. They work very well for this purpose, and have greatly improved the audio quality on our livestream. The mics did have a buzz, probably a 60Hz from being too close to a power cable somewhere in the wire routing, but I put both cables through a ferrite core and that knocked it out. Elna Magnetics P/N 0431176451 or 0431177081 should do the trick if you need one.

This was bought for a school. We used them for a pit orchestra for a play and for a choral concert that we were recording and streaming. They provided a great sound in both applications.

Upon reading review after review that these are a shocking value when compared to Schoeps and other professional grade microphones, I decided to give them a try. Had them on stands for about 10 minutes. I am not sure what the other folks are hearing, but the Rode M5 matched pair was not at all what I expected. Used them on strings during rehearsal, then pulled them down quickly before the show. Not a pleasant sound, not musical, and in no way a match for the Gefell M300s I replaced them with. Maybe in a quick and dirty session they would serve a purpose, but in a setting where musicality and smooth reproduction are the goal: nope, these won't do it.You may argue that the Gefell mics are much more costly, and you would be correct. Other reviewers compared these to Schoeps, which I have used for years and years, and I have to respectfully say, "Hell to the no."Signal chain was API 312 mic preamps with Sennhesier HD280 headphones. Nothing spectacular in the way of gear, but this revealed a jagged edge on the top end of these mics that was not acceptable.Bottom Line: even as a bargain, these are edgy.I've been looking for a bargain mic that is a pleasant surprise and have spent years (literally) testing out cheap-and-cheerful devices. This is the first review I have ever written about a microphone, but felt compelled as these mics are nowhere near the write-ups I have read about them. They do not, in any way, compare to "Mics that are five times the price." No, you get what you pay for.Positive Aspects: nice fit and finish, great packaging, good accessories and documentation. A well done product, just not musical in my opinion.Looking for a bargain that is a surprise? The Sterling Audio ST51 is a good value. Useful in a variety of situations: voice overs, strings, general purpose bargain. The 51 is useful when working with a client that may damage your gear while enthusiastically thrashing about. The Rodes could also serve that same purpose, but to be clear - these are no match for Schoeps, Gefell and other costly devices.

I have never heard of RØDE microphones before, but now I am glad that I did!They are "bright" sounding and perfect for over-head mic-ing of cymbals (which is what I am using them for). I can easily recommend them to anyone looking for a reasonably priced pair of overheads.

I've owned a few RODE microphones over the years and have appreciated that RODE has been a pioneer in manufacturing microphones that home studio enthusiasts can afford while still bringing quality products that continue to be manufactured in Australia rather than the dime a dozen mic factories of the far east.The M5's are a great value at $200/pair, sound very neutral, slightly warm, without the shrill high end that is apparent in many inexpensive microphones. I'm using them primarily to mic acoustic guitar in stereo and they sound phenomenal! Very clear and detailed, don't require too much mic preamp gain, and give a very honest and articulate representation of the source.These are a pair of microphones you can keep in your studio for a very long time, and with the 10 Year Warranty provided by RODE, it's peace of mind to know the company will stand behind their product.Cheers,Theo

Some of the best match pair small diaphragm condenser microphones.And value for money is great.

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.

OK, mics are very subjective and one man's meat is another man's poison, I guess. However, I personally found that when compared side by side to an SE Electronics SE7 that I use regularly, these sounded boxy, almost as though both the top and bottom end have been cut and the mids lifted a little. Having observed this with a very comparable mic in terms of both design and price point, I confirmed my findings when comparing the M5s to a range of other mics including Sennheiser, Rode and Deity, though all of these were considerably more expensive units. The M5s are quiet in terms of self-noise and give a nice clear sound, doubtless making them perfectly useful in many circumstances; but, to my uses at least, there are definitely better mics out there in this price range, the SE7 being one of them.

The first set I got from amazon one had a static noise/hiss on one of the microphones and the other after unplugging it for the 2nd time in testing the whole capsule ripped out of the body of the capsule after just shortly unpacking it new and my XLR cables were not tight enough to cause that kinda damage.The Second Set I got seem to have been fine out of the box but after using them recently for the 4th time I've noticed one microphone is louder than the other, tried diff XLR cables and XLR Ports and troubleshot for a solution but one microphone sounds fuller and louder and seems to pick up more low end making them terribly unbalanced for stereo work.Simply put These microphones honestly sound good and are superb value but the reliability and how easily they seem to fault shows a lot to how Rode is an already cheap microphone alternative and going even cheaper with Rode products shows coroner cutting in their production line which after two sets of these mics having been faulty when new.

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 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.