Rode’s first pair of headphones offer a comfortable and balanced way to monitor audio

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

The NTH-100 are the first pair of headphones from the audio company.

The headphones are designed for audio and video productions. Compared to headphones made for casual listening, these deliver a flatter frequency response for more accurate mixing and monitoring.

The NTH-100 aims to take on some popular models used in productions. They are competitive in price, costing $149, and they have some unique features, highlighting that Rode knows what producers and audio editors need as they edit for long periods of time.

Photo by Andru Marino / The Verge

I was able to try out the NTH 100 over the past month and here are the features that stood out to me.

• CoolTech gel cushions with Alcantara fabric on the earcups and headband: These are surprisingly comfortable headphones to wear — more so than any of the headphones I mentioned previously. After a four-hour continuous session editing our podcast The Vergecast, there was little to no discomfort and they didn’t get too warm on my head (I would like to see how they feel after editing in my hot apartment this summer). Those are common issues with headphones like these, and I was pleasantly surprised with the NTH-100.
• FitLock headband locking system: There is a turn-lock mechanism on each side of the headphones to adjust, then lock the height of where each earcup rests on your head. I appreciate being able to wear these on and off throughout the week without having to adjust the headband each time — and not getting my hair caught in them while doing so.
• Dual-sided cable attachments: The NTH-100’s cable is removable, which is helpful for both repair and for swapping the length of headphone cables. But something novel that these offer is having the option to plug in the cable on either ear cup. I don’t see this very often on mixing headphones, and it’s been helpful when using these headphones in different setups. Rode includes a black 2.4 meter/7.8 foot cable but also sells cables of different colors (green, orange, pink, and blue) in 7.8 feet or 3.9 feet lengths to match the colored labels on Rode’s other audio products. Like many wired headphones, experiencing microphonics (the noise that travels into your ear from the cable rubbing against itself or your clothes) is typical, and you’ll find them in these headphones. If that kind of thing bothers you, I’d suggest testing them out first before you buy. At first, I noticed it a lot when using the NTH-100, but I have since gotten used to it, to a point where I almost forgot to write that in here.
• Unique design: The NTH-100s are sleek with the ear shape of the earcups and the subtle curves of the headband. Though these will be used a lot behind the scenes, Rode making sure they have a visual presence in the headphone space makes sense — when I watch video podcasters on YouTube, a lot are using Rode microphones and Rode’s audio mixer the Rodecaster Pro, but are always wearing Sony, Audio-Technica, or other brands of headphones. Rode is filling that gap to appeal to the creators who already trust products for their production work and who also may be looking for a different look to their headphones on video.

I have only been using them for a month, but they feel very durable. It's hard to test the claim that it ensures decades of use. There are no creaking or rattling parts that I noticed when using them, something that a lot of other headphones in this price range suffer from. The NTH-100s have a strong headband, but it may be a problem for some that they don't fold up at all. If you need more than one pair for a recording, you may have to leave a little extra room in your gearbag.

How do they sound? They sound better than most headphones. They aren't the ultimate mixing headphones that will make you want to ditch using mixing monitors, but they are great for a lot of production work. There isn't a sonic element that jumped out to me or surprised me when testing them out. When relying on them for mixing, nothing is of concern.

The NTH-100s are next to Sony's MDR-7506s, which are well regarded for their flat frequency response. Every model of headphones still requires my ears to adjust and analyze how they color sound to properly mix and EQ audio, and these are no different. I have started to prefer their response over my other headphones.

Photo by Andru Marino / The Verge

These stand out more for their comfortability than their sound. The NHT-100s are a competitor to the crowded headphones market. They offer small, but welcome features that others in the $150 price range do not, and feel comfortable to wear for long periods of time. If you're struggling with headphones fatigue in your production, or want a cool look for your video podcasts, the Rode NTH-100s may be a great upgrade from your current pair. They are my go-to headphones for long sessions of editing.