Rode M3 Reviews

Grand piano w/ Rode M3

I use these microphones for miking grand pianos (live situations). With the correct settings (EQ settings and panning of course) you will get an amazing sound!

For its money, it?s a very good choice.

You can also use this microphone for string instruments and sometimes I use it in large choirs as filling microphone, in the middle of the choir (as main microphones, I use AKG C3000 and Rode NTG-2).

Excellent affordable mic

I have a few of these in my studio and they are really great. I bought them to compare to the C1000s and they compare very favourably.

As with all Rode products, this feels and sounds like a more expensive mic than it is.

I use it for drum overheads, acoustic guitar, saxophone and even vocals and it has never let me down.

My advice to any studio owner is to have a few of these spare, lying around the studio.

For the price, you can't go wrong.

A versatile good mic.

I have been using this microphone for some years both in home-studio and live situations, recording and amplifying acoustic guitars, greek folk instruments (bouzouki, tzouras, baglamas), even voices.

Whatever you put in front of this mic, you will get a decent sound.

On live situation it does what it should. If phantom-power is not available, you can go with the battery.

I got a second one to start experimenting with XY/ORTF arrays and I got pretty interesting results.

If I have to find a drawback, I would say it is a bit heavy. For this reason, if you are looking for two low-price microphones especially suited for stereo-recording, go for Rode M5: beside the fact that they are sold in matched-pair, (this could be not-so-crucial for you) they are a way lighter than M3 and you could avoid some hassles with the mic-stand and the need for counterweights.

In summary, M3 is a sturdy, well-built, good mic.

At this price point, the M3 is a great product.

nice instrument mic.

You can put this in front of anything and get a detailed natural sound.

Can get a bit 'self noisey' if pushed.

I've used it(them) on acoustic instruments(loud and quiet) and guitar amps,as drum overheads/close mics and even on a bass amp with no need to touch eq ,Highly recommended for the money.

Versatile and sturdy mic for studio and live applications

In general Rode mics offer great value for money and are always of reasonable sound and build quality. The M3 model is very affordable, I have two that I use regularly in the studio and for live sound. Versatile and sturdy, they can even be used for vocals and they come with a switchable low cut filter and two pad settings. I'd recommend these mics to anyone looking for a usable and versatile unit on a budget. I think they are based on the AKG C1000, they certainly look similiar in size and shape. They also come with clips, windshields and a leather style pouch. Bargain!

great

Great mic at a great price. The sound is great as usual with Rode stuff cant beat it

Great Value

I use this and an M5 matched pair. This is such good value for the reults you can get. I've used this on Hi-Hat / Tambo / Acoustic guitars all with fantastic results.

Home recording microphone.

I bought this following reading favourable reviews. It's 48v phantom powered and can power from a battery or your desk can supply this. I want to use it in conjunction with a dynamic microphone to mix the signals, looking for a stereo image with a little "sparkle". I've used it for recording electric guitar with excellent results, easy. The switchable frequency filters work well and make some close-mic positioning easier - I notice that the audible "capture" changes with distance in a very "linear" (use-able) manner. I'm happy with it and I think it's good value for money. It's a good quality microphone, I look forward to using it in more detail, I'm sure it will do well with voices.

I love this mic!

I've used this mic for recording acoustic guitar with great results, vocals with the included pop filter are great, I've even used it live. Great sounding mic *almost* matches my Rode NT2a mic that's nearly 3x the price.

Compact reliable microphone

i bought the microphone to start recording at home and also for gigs. i used it for my classical guitar and it worked really well! the design and the material is also really compact and seems really strong

Excellent value for money

Sound:In short,it sounds wonderful.Frequency response is flat,while the mic is capturing all the little nuances of your instrument or voice.Allthoug small diaphragm condensers are especially good with guitars,I found out that this mic excels at vocals.It gives my voice a warm timbre without changing the core characteristics of the sound.As all condensers,m3 is prone to the proximity effect (though not as much as most other mics).Placement is also important,as it is with every directional mic.Roll-off switch helps a lot especially if closemicing the sound source.

Built quality:As most rode products,this mic is built like a tank.It has fallen to the ground quite a few times,without any consequences.The clamp that is provided with the mic seems unbreakable.

Overall:An absolutely wonderful mic for its money.Not much mire to add really.

Really nice instrument mic, very sturdy

I have to say, I really like this microphone. For a pretty cheap price it gives really clear, crisp acoustic guitar recordings. The full-metal casing feels very sturdy and safe, and the on/off/low-cut filter switch is great. It can be phantom powered but also powered by a 9V battery within the mic itself which is a fantastic feature I think, giving a bit more flexibility with the type of mixing desks and soundcards you can plug it into. It comes with a windshield too, which is useful. The only negative point is that the mic clip it came with is far too skinny for the mic, so much so that I had to actually unscrew the base of the mic to take it out after I had squeezed it into place.

Great all rounder, not perfect but a good option for cheeper setups

Could do with a mic pre amp to get the best out of it but the sound is definitely useable for song vocals on a budget.

The NT1-A package with the pop shield would be my first choice but this amp is handy enough for most routines including recording drums or guitar - 10 or - 20db option is useful as is the low pass filter which i have turned on most of the time for vocals. The option to self power from 9 volt battery is a plus if your not able to phantom power, a lot of mic for the money.

Good mic!

I tried the voice, acoustic and electric guitar, even my daughter's flute.

All in all its an excellent all around microphone, especially for the price.

(plastic case is included, description of the product is wrong)

Very sensitive

This is my favourite mic for recording acoustic guitar and drums, it's just perfect.

I used it a couple of times for vocals, on max it picks up sounds from the neighbours house lol.

Surprising quality, excellent price

Took delivery of a pair of these. Less than 5 days to deliver - excellent service.

The mics have great features - I do like the bass roll off which is essential when micing a choir. Very nice solid feel to the mics and the clip that comes with them is really well made.

Not come across any negatives with these mics yet - but at this price it would be hard to criticise.

Price for Quality is Exceptional

These mics are fantastic for the price. ?79 each for a small diameter capsule condenser mic is incredible. I've not been able to compare them to the AKG C1000 myself, but from other reviewers, they say the M3 has a better mid and low range, and the highs are not brash, like they supposedly are with the C1000.

I love the fact that a single 9v battery will provide phantom power for use in any situation. The mic clip seems indestructible and the zip pouch is perfect for storage. These will be great mics for stereo overheads, stereo guitar and horns. I'll be putting these in to heavy rotation!

Acoustic Guitar Recordings

I have a Zoom H4n in 4 channel mode using the on-board stereo condensers with a Rode M3 and Fishman pickup on my Martin D12X1AE plugged in to the combined XLR/TRS jacks.The balance between the pick-ups, the stereo mics and the Rode is perfect for acoustic guitar recording...enuff said!

My workhorse mic

Sounds so nice, very well made and sturdy. Comes in a nice case.

Lovely for vocals and acoustic instruments, not so good for close micing a loud guitar amp. The sound quality belies the great price as it is a very high quality mic.

Rode M3

I purchased two M3's and have had them for about 3 years now, we used them live as over head mic's for a 44 piece choir, they perform admirably, and can be pushed quite hard across with minimal EQ before they feedback.

We have also used them extensively for recording, the sound is warm with minimal colouration. A great mic at a great price.