For around $230, you can get the RØDE NT1 5th Generation, which will serve you well whether you’re into studio music production, vocal recording, or podcasting. So why should you even care about the $1,909 Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone? Like always, I have to be honest. Beyond my research skills, my only other qualification for writing about USB microphones (yes, the Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone captures spatial audio over a single USB-C cable) is my obsession with synth-pop. Looking at you, Depeche Mode.
Apple’s array geometry and ambisonic encoding filters
“Apple licensed their array geometry and the ambisonic encoding filters, we did the engineering and design,” says Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO.
To understand how Blackmagic Design and Apple ended up here, let’s go back to 2024, when the companies collaborated on the Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive camera. That was when Mr. Petty heard high-resolution spatial audio capture for the first time and, as he put it, “it was like hearing an acoustic reality.”
Connect the Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone to a computer to record and mix in real time with Fairlight Live, or plug the mic into an iPhone and record through the Blackmagic Camera app.
Other features include:
- Professional 7th-order ambisonic recording for immersive spatial audio
- 108 digital MEMS microphones that capture the entire sound field
- Flush-mounted microphones set into a solid, faceted body
- Rugged metal construction built for professional use
- Compact design that fits on top of a camera
Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone vs. RØDE NT1 5th Generation
One USB-C connection handles both power and audio, so you get high-quality recording without extra gear. That’s all the Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone and RØDE NT1 5th Generation have in common.
The NT1 is a versatile studio microphone for everything from home recording to professional studios. It’s something I’d hand to my singer, songwriter, and guitarist great-uncle, who spent the 1990s producing music in a studio and the last 25 years recording at home. The Blackmagic, on the other hand, is designed for immersive audio production. I can imagine it being put to good use in the third season of Severance. Just think of the atmosphere surrounding Harmony Cobel.
Grigor Baklajyan is a copywriter covering technology at Gadget Flow. His contributions include product reviews, buying guides, how-to articles, and more.
