While RØDE is well-known for its microphones and audio equipment, the Australian company released the RØDE NTH-100, its first pair of headphones, in the spring of 2022. This was followed by the RØDE NTH-100M variant, which have a detachable boom mic (that you can also purchase separately), in early 2023. These closed-back over-ears are designed for professional use, like mixing and monitoring audio, but can also be used for gaming thanks to the addition of a boom mic. They also fall close in price to other similarly designed headphones like the AKG K371 and the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. The manufacturer advertises that their custom-matched dynamic drivers create an accurate sound with low distortion, but do they live up to the hype?
Our Verdict
The RØDE NTH-100 are satisfactory for neutral sound. They have a warm, round overall sound profile that delivers a bit of extra boom to mixes. For closed-backs, their bass lacks a bit of thump and rumble, though. Vocals and instruments are also recessed in mixes, so they sound weak, while sibilants like cymbals are veiled. That said, some people may still prefer the mellowness of the mids and treble, especially if you're using these cans for long mixing sessions, as this underemphasis can help reduce ear fatigue over time. That said, they have difficulty creating an out-of-head and spacious passive soundstage, although it's partially due to their closed-back design.
- Comfortable and well-built design.
- Detachable 1/8" TRS cable.
- Prone to inconsistencies in bass delivery.
- Distortion present at high volumes.
The RØDE NTH-100 are poor for commute and travel. While they're well-built and comfortable, they have a bulky design that can't fold into a more compact form, and their soft carrying pouch won't protect them from impact or water damage. Their wired design can also pose a snagging hazard. Since the cable's connector locks into the ear cup's port, if it gets caught on something, the headphones can be pulled off of your head. The headphones also can't passively block out the low rumble of bus and plane engines.
- Comfortable and well-built design.
- Poor noise isolation performance.
- Bulky and can fall off of your head with moderate movement.
The RØDE NTH-100 are disappointing for sports and fitness. They're not designed for this purpose as they can fall off your head with moderate movement. While their audio cable is detachable, it locks into place, so the headphones can be pulled off of your head if the cable snags something.
- Comfortable and well-built design.
- Prone to inconsistencies in bass delivery.
- Bulky and can fall off of your head with moderate movement.
The RØDE NTH-100 are sub-par for office use. Unfortunately, they struggle to block out ambient chatter and lack a microphone, so you can't answer or take calls with them. They also leak a bit of audio at high volumes, which may bother others around you. On the upside, they have a comfortable and well-built fit, so you won't feel fatigued if you wear them for long periods.
- Comfortable and well-built design.
- Prone to inconsistencies in bass delivery.
- Poor noise isolation performance.
The RØDE NTH-100 are wired headphones, and you can't use them wirelessly.
The RØDE NTH-100 are decent for wired gaming. Their warm sound profile can help bring out sound effects like footsteps while you game. They also have a comfortable fit suitable for long gaming marathons. However, they are prone to inconsistencies in bass delivery due to fit, seal, and position, so it's important to take the time to adjust them to your head to ensure a more consistent sound. If you have the original model, you can purchase the NTH-Mic separately or pick up the NTH-100M, which come with the boom mic. This mic ensures that your voice sounds clear and natural, though it has some trouble separating speech from noise, which can be annoying if you game in a noisy environment.
- Comfortable and well-built design.
- Excellent recording quality.
- Prone to inconsistencies in bass delivery.
- Mediocre noise handling.
The RØDE NTH-100M are fair for phone calls. The 'M' model comes with a boom microphone, but if you have the original model, you can also purchase the NTH-Mic separately. This mic offers excellent recording quality, so your voice sounds crystal clear. However, the mic has trouble separating speech from noise, and while your voice never gets completely lost in background sound, it's still annoying to hear.
- Excellent recording quality.
- Mediocre noise handling.
Changelog
- Updated May 17, 2024: The Differences Between Variants and Build Quality sections have been updated to acknowledge the issue and solutions the manufacturer offers regarding the headphones' locking mechanism breaking.
- Updated Apr 15, 2024: We re-checked our sound results to see if we could find out more about our unit's channel imbalance. We noticed a tester error in the process, which affected our results. We have retested all sound tests, and you can read more about the issue (and solution) in our Sound Profile test.
- Updated May 16, 2023: We've retested these headphones using the NTH-Mic. All of the Microphone tests have changed, and we have updated our review. We've also updated Wired, PC Compatibility, PlayStation Compatibility, and Xbox Compatibility to reflect their performance.
- Updated Apr 19, 2023: We've updated our review to reflect the RØDE NTH-100M, which are the same headphones as the RØDE NTH-100, but come with a detachable boom mic. You can find more information on this model in the Differences Between Sizes And Variants section. We will be testing the boom microphone's performance in the near future.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The RØDE NTH-100 come in two variants, which have the same 'Black' color scheme: the original NTH-100 and the NTH-100M. The only differences are that the 100M model come with the following: a detachable boom mic called the NTH-Mic, as well as a 1/8" TRRS cable and a Y splitter cable. While we originally tested the NTH-100 model, and you can see our model's label here, you can also purchase the boom mic separately and add it to your pre-existing NTH-100 model. As a result, we purchased the NTH-Mic and tested it in this review. Additionally, the original release of the NTH-100M and NTH-100 have a smaller screw on the inside facing part of each headband locking mechanism, which has since been revised to a larger-sized screw meant to reduce the possibility of the plastic vice-like mechanism from cracking.
If you encounter another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The RØDE NTH-100 are professional headphones designed with mixing and monitoring in mind. They're often compared to the AKG K371 and the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x as they occupy the low-to-mid end price point and are closed-back over-ears. Unfortunately, they don't sound as neutral as their competitors and are prone to more distortion at high volumes. The RØDE have good build quality, thanks to their mixed plastic and metal materials, and a comfortable fit suitable for long listening sessions. You can also purchase a variant with a detachable boom mic if you want to use them for gaming or purchase the boom mic separately to add to your setup.
Check out our recommendations for the best studio headphones for mixing and recording, the best podcast headphones, and the best headphones for music.
The Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO are better over-ears for neutral sound than the RØDE NTH-100M. The Beyerdynamic are better built, deliver audio more consistently across different re-seats, and have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their passive soundstage is more immersive. They also block out more ambient noise passively. However, the RØDE have a detachable audio cable, and the '100M' model come with a detachable mic if you want to use them for gaming.
The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x are better headphones for balanced sound than the RØDE NTH-100M. The Audio-Technica are better-built and deliver audio more consistently across different reseats. They also leak less audio at high volumes and can block out a bit more ambient noise. However, the RØDE come with a detachable boom mic for wired gaming.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
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