NT1 : A must-have for any studio

As far as I'm conserned there's no reason NOT to buy RODE NT-1 if you're building a recording setup. Relatively flat frequency response gives it more flexibility than it's same-price-range counterparts and the kit has everything to get you started apart from an interface and a mic stand.

The mic itself has a nice weight to it and gives off the impression of being quite durable, further implied by 10-year warranty provided by RODE. I love the matte black finish on it: it looks (and sounds!) a lot more expensive than it actually is. After setting it up, I did a couple recordings of my own voice and I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear because of how good it made me sound after AT3035 and Blue Yeti. Despite being the quietest cardioid mic on the market, it's quite sensitive to the detail in my voice and I didn't need to EQ out as many harsh frequencies as I used to before. At the same time that flat freq response I mentioned allows me to do more adjustments in post.

If you're like me and choosing between Aston Origin, NT-1 and AKG C214 I'd just like to say: they're all going to be great, but if you go for the neutral-looking RODE, you won't regret it. I'd give it a 5/5 in every regard if it had a pad, but even in its current form NT-1 is just something you shouldn't miss out on.