 Now I know I've done a lot of USB microphone videos recently, so this is actually going to be the last one for a while, but I really wanted to cover this one since, aside from receiving a lot of requests, we've actually recently switched to Rode's modular lavalier system for these videos, and we're really liking that so far. On the subject of liking things, let your vote be heard with the like button below. If you want to see us try something a little different, where I take on another YouTuber in an iOS versus Android debate showdown, but with a twist, neither of us will know which side we'll be defending until we start. FreshBooks is the super simple invoicing solution that lets you get organized, save time, and get paid faster. Click on this spot right here to try it for free. So this is the NT-USB. I struggle with physical overviews of microphones because they're all pretty much the same, so I'll get this out of the way quickly so we can move on to what it actually sounds like. Included with your microphone, you'll find a leatherette carrying case, an iHeartRode sticker, a manual, the mic itself, a rubber-footed tripod-style stand, the mic itself, apparently I put that twice in my script, I'm not going to worry too much about that, on a standard threaded arm that allows tilt adjustments, the longest USB A to B cable that I think I have ever seen, like seriously, they list this as a selling point on the website, 20-foot USB cable, and finally, a really nice inclusion, a removable pop filter that's integrated right into the microphone design to prevent the microphone from being overloaded by sounds. It's something everyone using a mic on their desk should have, and yet most manufacturers not only don't include them in the box, but want an outrageous amount of money for them if you want a really nice-looking first-party solution. Diving into the mic itself a little deeper, at the front we find the grill for the condenser module. This is a side-address mic with a cardioid pickup pattern, which means it'll perform best up close and personal with the source, and you should speak at it like this, instead of into the end like a stage microphone. On the bottom is a USB interface, full-size B in this case, and on the right is a couple of dials that initially confused me. I was expecting one to be headphone monitoring volume for the latency-free 3.5mm headphone jack underneath it, this turned out to be correct, and the one above it to be microphone gain, but instead it's actually a mixer dial for system volume versus microphone monitoring volume, so you can decide how much of the music on your computer or whatever other sounds you're singing along with you hear, versus the sound of your own voice. A very nice touch. So then where is the gain knob? Great question! Rode actually uses an internal gain setting that they've determined is optimal, and you only adjust input levels with the software control on your system. Perhaps this gives someone out there a bit less control, but in my use, well, the fixed gain only had the positive impact of simplifying the experience. And how was that experience? Great question, I'm glad you asked. I've actually got an audio recording for this from my desk, so I don't need to say any of this stuff at all. I started with the NT-USB in its optimal podcasting or streaming position, directly in front of my keyboard where I was typing in the background, in about 20 centimeters from my mouth. And frankly, it performs admirably here. Compared now to the Blue Yeti Pro from this distance, the NT-USB does sound a touch more bass heavy and announcer-y, but thanks to a bit of extra sparkle in the highs, it doesn't suffer in terms of clarity. Looks like a strong contender so far. Throwing the Razer Siren Pro Elite into the mix now, we can see that background hums show up more strongly here compared to the other two, perhaps thanks to its additional emphasis on the mid-range. Now, starting with the NT-USB, it's time for the second recording location, next to the monitor and out of the way. This would be ideal for Skype calls or just general non-broadcast use. Background hum suppression is not as strong as the Blue Yeti Pro, which makes a big difference from this distance. It still sounds good, just not quite as good. As for the Siren Pro, that peak around the frequency of my voice and tendency to pick up more background noise hurts it here as usual. Finally, the Blue Yeti Pro rocks the competition when it comes to distance recording in a big way, and that's without leveraging any of its other pickup patterns. Although it should be noted that I stuck with cardioid on both the Yeti Pro and the Siren Pro, because I think the others are basically useless anyway. So that leads us pretty tidily into the conclusion. Does Rode have a winner on their hands? Yeah, I think they do. The astute among you may have noticed already, but the NT-USB has actually been fighting well above its weight class against mics that are $80 more expensive, making it a very attractive option, especially for beginner podcasters or streamers, since it lacks advanced features like multiple pickup patterns and XLR input, but includes a stand and pop filter, so you're ready to rock right out of the box. Speaking of rocking out of the box, it's out of the box thinking that if you call a mobile carrier, someone might actually pick up the phone instead of having an automated menu that you have to navigate through in order to actually speak to a human being, and that's what Ting does. So Ting is the mobile carrier that makes sense. That's their tagline. I think I'm supposed to say that. You pay only for what you use with the average Ting bill only being about $24 per month. What's cool is if that sounds appealing, but you're kind of sitting there going, well, hold on a second, because like I've got a bundle now and I pay this much and it seems like a pretty good deal, you can actually compare a Gates Ting by heading over to linus.ting.com linked in the video description to try out their savings calculator and see if you'll actually save money. If you're stuck in a contract, Ting will cover 25% of your cancellation fee up to $75, and if you sign up at our link, you'll also get $25 in service credit or towards a new device. So that's linus.ting.com. So thanks for watching, guys. If this video sucked, I think you know what to do, but if it was awesome, then get subscribed, hit the like button, or even consider supporting us by using our affiliate code to shop at Amazon, buying a cool t-shirt like this one, or even with a direct monthly contribution through the community forum. And now that you're done doing all that stuff, you're probably wondering what to watch next, so click that little button in the top right corner to check out Luke's video that he did... Whenever he did it. Wow, I guess that would have been... hold on a second. Ah, yes, I figured out what he did now. It was a video on the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 Ti G1 Gaming, a very high-speed GTX 980 Ti. Click there to find out more about it and go watch it or something.