NTH-100 headphones

[ajay_m]

This must be costing Rode a fortune. So, my NTH100s, which have only been used by me in the studio, had a failed fitlock plastic fitting which cracked.

Rode have put a lifetime warranty on these headphones, so I sent them into HHB for repair. I just sent the headphones and kept the cables etc, figuring that the plastic bracket would be replaced.

Instead I got sent a brand new complete set of headphones with cables. Now looking at the replacements, the plastic fittings look identical, although apparently there are models with redesigned fittings, but, incredibly, Rode aren't replacing units with these. So it's highly likely the replacement units will fail the same way.

I've immediately put some 10mm aluminium self-adhesive tape over the plastic fittings - it looks nice and neat - to hopefully take some of the stress off before they also crack - I mean, it's great that they're being replaced but I'm down £12 postage (as I bought them at the original £130 price point so I insured them in transit).

Now there's no doubt that at the current street price of only about half what I paid these are just incredible headphones - you simply cannot come close in terms of sound quality at £75 odd -and as I said Rode have put a lifetime warranty on them, so - fingers crossed - with the aluminium tape over the fittings I'm hoping the stress on them is going to be alleviated. And you really can't fault Rode's response here - this is terrific customer support, so if they did fail, I'd certainly put in another warranty claim, they are simply the best headphones I've ever owned and I missed them terribly for the week I was without them.

[tea for two]

Which styles songs instrumentals are you mixing mastering on Nth100 Ajay.

::

I handed over in person to a grammy winning mastering engineer an albuume I mixed on elcheapo Superlux Evo HD681 deejay headphones semi open. Mastering engineer was happy with the mix happy to master it. I couldn't quite stretch to the quote for the whole albuume was a mix of pseudo orchestral, hard rock, ambient, folky, edm.

Since then 2020/21 when I returned to museek making I purchased AKG K702 K712, AudioTechnica ATH R70x, Beyer DT880, Philips X2hr, Rode Nth100, Senny HD25-II, Senny HD560s cousin of HD600, Shure1440.
None of them given me the overall balance for the diferent styles i do from bass beatz heevee to ambient, rock, acoustic orchestral instruments. Only my elcheapo Superlux Evo HD681 has my desert island 'phones.
This could be due to my gammy ears weirrdd shaped head though lol.
Other headphones I had have better stereo imaging better soundstage better accuracy in different areas more revealing in different areas.

[ajay_m]

I'm not doing EDM stuff and I use them to listen to music as well as mixing. I find a lot of headphones (and indeed speakers) have a hyped response both at the bass end and in the upper mid frequencies which sounds impressive on first listen but like a pack of pringles, eventually the excessive seasoning becomes a bit much.
My reference standard for speakers was always the high end British speakers eg from B&W where the overriding goal is absolute neutrality and I find this with the Rodes, they are neutral, leaning perhaps slightly to a warm sound but they are superb for bringing out detail
Have a listen to Steely Dan's "Aja" and you really get the intricate dynamics of Steve Gadd's passionate drumming conveyed precisely.
They are also pretty comfortable to wear for extended periods without your ears feeling they've been trapped in a vice.

[adrian_k]

I really like using mine. My initial
mixes are checked on Genelec 1029a + sub, Yamaha grotbox computer speakers, and headphones. I’m finding that the NTHs sound very close to my monitors but unsurprisingly with more clarity in the bass. Very comfy to wear as well.

[GilesAnt]

Mine broke too in exactly the same way after very limited use. The plastic bracket or whatever you call it, does seem to be a weak link. A shame because they sound really nice.

[adrian_k]

I await my broken plastic moment with an air of resigned interest. So is it the locking mechanism for the cable that snaps?

[ajay_m]

Yes, the little plastic bracket is under continuous tension when the lock is engaged. Then when you wear the headphones, the outward pressure on the bracket increases. Eventually it cracks. Apparently Rode have redesigned it but my replacement headphones, at least, do not appear to have the redesigned bracket.
I am hoping that by putting some 10mm self-adhesive aluminium tape over the bracket (it looks quite tidy), the tape will take some of the strain at the front curved bit (which is where it will probably crack if it does).

[shufflebeat]

Note to self - buy 1/2” m6 nuts/bolts and medium repair washers.

[adrian_k]

Ok I’ve ordered the nuts, bolts, washers, gorilla tape and welding gear.

I must be being a bit thicker than usual though because I can’t see a plastic bracket on mine. The cable goes into a hole in the body of the earphone, push it home then a quarter turn to the right locks it. It all seems pretty sturdy.

[GilesAnt]

It's the locking mechanism that allows you to adjust the headband to suit your head. Each side can be adjusted, and then the position is locked into place by the plastic thingy when you give it a quarter turn. The plastic thingy is the bit that breaks - one either side.

[adrian_k]

Ah - many thanks.

[tea for two]

There was a person last month selling a repaired with metal parts nth100 on a well known auction site £60.
I already had senny 25-II which as is known is rugged. Mebe I should have purrchased this repaired nth100 as they are more comfortable than senny 25-II aslo senny boomy bass on certain genres whereas nth100 handles bottom better in this aspect. I returned my nth100 after a week of having them might still pick up another.

[tea for two]

Nth100 arrived 2nd time I purchased.
Seller already done metal nut repair on the broken plastic headband fitlock : seen in pic far left.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-H7Lzj ... p=drivesdk

Felt pads on underneath earcups of Nth100 has a different sound to removing felt pads. Pic shows Nth100 felt pads removed.

::

Caveats aboot headshape earshape position of ears.

Beethoven 7th 2nd movement my go to reference.

Compared to my other closed back Sennheiser HD25-II.

Overall sound :
wouldn't expected this my Senny Hd25-II sounds somewhat metallic compared to Rode Nth100 on Orchestral instruments, Nth100 more natural sounding;
noticeable more on some ambient style Synth sounds Hd25-II has a metallic harshness graininess to my ears;
upper mids highs Hd25-II more prominent, in comparison Nth100 with felt pads on can sound somewhat boxy, yet felt pads removed the upper mids highs represented far better closer to Hd25-II,
bass Hd25-II pushes the bass more forward which means it is some way hyped which is a reason it is preferred by DJs;
overall Hd25-II more forward sounding.

Soundstage : Nth100 more depth to the placements of instruments than Hd25-II.

Stereo imaging : aboot the same.

Sound isolation : Nth100 with its earcups kind of shaped as ear for me compared to Hd25-II.

Comfort : Hd25-II a lot lighter 140g without cable, Nth100 350g without cable; Nth100 more comfortable around my ears due to its ear cups yet lot heavier could be an issue for some if wearing 1hr or more.

Durability : Hd25-I some folk had them 2decades, Hd25-II same standard; whereas Nth100 broken headband fitlock on some batches.

::

My elcheapo Superlux Evo hd681 (not standard hd681) deejay semi open headphones white in the pic, I first purchased during first year of lockdown, sits somewhere in between Hd25-II and Nth100 without felt pads for Orchestral :
which to me Superlux Evo is just as capable as Hd25-II and Nth100 for Orchestral.

Superlux Evo shines in hearing 4 different Bass sounds together acoustic Double Bass, electric Bass Guitar, Synth Bass 80s electro, Synth Bass 90s trance all at the same time in a tune im mixing :
whereas Hd25-II turns this into woolly mushy, Nth100 with felt pads on also wolly mushy, yet Nth100 without felt pads far clearer although not quite as clear as Superlux Evo.
My K702 is fine with these 4 different bass as is my Shure1440 open backs though both can't represent the bass level compared to Evo.

Hearing an involved Rock tune with heevee Drums, heevee Electric Guitars, Organs, Acoustic Guitar, deep Bass Guitar I did : Superlux Evo is more accurate repsentation of sounds better balance of sounds compared to Hd25-II, Nth100 felt pads on sounds really boxy, yet without felt pads sounds superb my preference.

::

In summary :
Nth100 my choice for Rock Hard Rock, Grunge, Metal and Metal variations.
Nth100 is my poormans £1K Focal Clear MG monster on these styles.

Shure Srh1440 openback my choice for Orchestral, Choral, Acoustic, Blues, Folk, Jazz, Soul, Motown, Prog, World, Classic 70s Electronica, Ambient, New Age.
Shure1440 is my poormans £2K Hifiman He1000se superb for these styles.

Superlux Evo Hd681 my choice for Beatz Bass heevee.
Evo is my poormans £1K Audeze LcdX killer for these styles.

On location forests nature my Shure440 closedback not in pic.
I might try Beyer Dt1350 liked by Bob and 0VU.

::

Overall the headphone that can do all these styles well enuff is
elcheapo Superlux Evo Hd681 semi open deejay £30 white in pic.
I even prefer Evo to Akg K702 K712, Audiotechnica AthR70x, Sennheiser Hd598 Hd599 Hd560s all these I purchased.
Evo is my desert island headphones.

::

Listening on Audient iD4 mk2 headphone out one of the best under £400 interfaces for headphone out according to measurements from Julian Krause.

[shufflebeat]

Nice 'splore and summary.

I would worry about this, though:

On location forests nature my Shure440 closedback not in pic.

If you (pl) think the NTH100's are fragile, just wait 'til you sit on the Shures, they're both fragile and a PITA to fix, in my experience involving a visit to eBay to bid on the unbroken half of someone else's Shures.

On the bright side, the 440 and the 840 are both vulnerable to breakage and mutually compatible, doubling your chances of finding a match.

[tea for two]

I been treating my Shure440 with kid gloves lol after reading your post on them on an earlier 'phones thread.
440 stereo imaging is better to my ears than Hd25-II, prolly main reason I keep 440 as I can locate sounds more readily outdoors on 440.