Rode is packaging the NTH-100 headphones with a headset microphone for broadcast, streaming, and other voice operations and calling it the NTH-100M.
There is virtually no difference between last year’s NTH-100s and the new $189 NTH-100M outside of the new removable boom microphone and the required TRRS cable for allowing devices to utilize the microphone, but it’s a welcome addition to the crowded headphone space.
One feature from the NTH-100s that stood out among other media production headphones was the dual-sided cable attachments, which could be plugged into either the right or left ear cup. The clever modularity here allows those same cable ports to accept the boom mic attachment and new TRRS cable, so users of the NTH-100 only need to buy those accessories (which cost $69) instead of a completely new unit to upgrade.
Rode says the mic attachment “delivers broadcast-grade audio and is optimized for superior plosive rejection.” In my experience, the microphone’s quality is a great option for voice calls, gaming, and livestreaming and would even be a sufficient choice for some podcasting solutions. There are little to no plosives in the recordings I’ve done with this headset, and overall, it sounds way better than most gaming headset microphones I’ve heard.
The explosion of live streaming and podcasting has inspired a fleet of audio gear designed for that category of users over the past few years, and the upgraded NTH-100M headphones are the latest addition to that market. Rode introduced a gaming product line last October and is following a trend of other headphone companies leaning into the headset mic design. Already this year, we’ve seen Audio-Technica announce that the popular ATH-M50s have a model with a built-in microphone, as well as audiophile favorite Audeze making its own gaming headset.
