Connect RØDE NT1-A to PC (USB & jack) - how it works

This manual shows you how to properly connect your RØDE NT1-A to the PC via USB and jack plug. The RØDE NT1-A is one of the most popular studio microphones on the market and actually only has one XLR connector, but that's not a problem.

Connect RØDE NT1-A to the PC using a jack plug

The RØDE NT1-A is a dynamic microphone that requires phantom power of 48 volts. So nothing works without electricity. If you want to use your microphone, you need a device that supplies this voltage. We recommend a mixer, such as the Behringer XENYX 802, which we also use in this article. We will show you the exact assembly again in detail in the picture gallery at the bottom of the page.

First set up your NT1-A correctly. As a rule, a microphone spider is mounted on an arm or tripod, into which the microphone is subsequently clamped.
Then use an XLR cable to connect your microphone to the mixer. To do this, plug one side of the cable from below into your NT1-A and the other side into the XLR port of your mixer at the top left.
Then you need a special jack cable that has a 3.5 mm jack plug (stereo) on one side and two 6.3 mm jack plugs (mono) on the other side. Plug the two large mono plugs into the mixer at the top right of the "MAIN OUT" section. Insert the white connector at the top ("L") and the red connector below ("R").
Then plug your mixer power supply into an electrical outlet.
To activate phantom power, press the small black button under which "PHANTOM" is written. This is located directly above the volume LEDs. Attention: Never pull the plug of your mixer while the phantom power is still activated. The microphone is severely damaged by the voltage drop. Always turn off phantom power first by pressing the button again, and then disconnect your mixer.
Then insert the 3.5 mm jack plug into a free microphone socket on your computer. On many PCs, this has a pink border.
Finally, a window should pop up on your computer where you can choose to have a microphone input.

Connect RØDE NT1-A to the PC via USB

The whole thing looks a bit more complicated if you want to connect your NT1-A to your computer via USB. But this is how you get it:

Again, it is advisable to sit on a mixer. For example, the Behringer XENYX Q802USB can also transmit the audio signals via USB cable. This also provides phantom power of 48 volts.
If you don't want to spend that much money, you can also invest in a Behringer ZB791 UMC22. This small device also provides the right phantom power and can be easily connected via USB. However, you only have one XLR connector and very few functions. But it is enough for a microphone at home.
Tip: A good alternative to the NT1-A is the RØDE NT-USB, which is a microphone with a USB connection, as well as integrated volume controls and a connection for headphones.

On the next page you will find our Audacity tutorial with instructions on how to record and cut audio files.