Rode Classic II

Paul White evaluates Rode's reincarnated Tube Classic microphone to see whether technical progress has compromised the sound or improved it.

After enjoying a few years of celebrity with their Classic switchable‑pattern tube mic, the designers at Rode decided it was time to upgrade it by fitting a brand‑new, edge‑terminated one‑inch capsule and tweaking the electronics for lower noise. The appearance of the revised mic is pretty much as I remember from the original, though the shockmount is now included rather than being an optional accessory. The tube at the heart of this mic is a GE6072 twin‑triode valve, the same as in the original Classic, even though this tube is no longer in production — Rode have apparently managed to hoard a considerable number, so finding spares won't be a problem.

Like all other tube mics, the Classic II has its own mains power supply (updated from the original), which also doubles as a remote control where you can adjust the polar pattern, switch in a high‑pass filter (with two different roll‑off characteristics) and either a 10dB or 20dB pad. The front‑panel graphics are clear and the old Bakelite pointer knobs have been retained from the original, along with the blue power LED. A hefty multi‑pin cable is included, which locks the mic to the power supply, and a regular XLR socket provides the audio feed to the console (because the mic has its own PSU, you don't need phantom power). Everything comes in a neat aluminium flightcase lined with sculpted foam, and unlike some manufacturers' packaging, you get enough space to put the things back in the box once you've taken them out!

Classic Design

The Classic II is built into a very solid‑looking, nickel‑plated brass housing where an extremely tough, dual‑layer protective basket keeps the capsule safe as well as screening out RF interference. The capsule is supported by a resilient moulded mount similar in appearance to the system used in Rode's NTV model. The ultra‑thin diaphragm is of gold‑sputtered mylar film with an edge termination which, Rode claim, produces a less coloured sound than the original centre‑electrode design. A custom‑designed Jensen transformer completes the audio path.

A gold‑plated stud on one side of the mic shows which is the 'business' side, and a screw‑locking ring on the cable connector secures the mic to its shockmount. The polar pattern can be switched in nine steps (from the PSU box) to provide omni, cardioid, or figure‑of‑eight patterns, as well as the intermediate wider and narrower cardioid settings.

Checking out the spec sheet shows the Classic II to have the same sensitivity (13mV/Pa) as the Classic, while the frequency response is nominally 20Hz to 20kHz (within +/‑3dB) with a smooth presence lift centred at around 12kHz. The presence rise is most strongly defined in omni mode, but because of the high centre frequency of the boost and the gentle nature of the curve, the sound has an open, airy quality rather than a harsh presence. A noise figure of better than 22dBA is quoted (rather better than for the original Classic) and the maximum permissible SPL is 130dB — both typical figures for this class of microphone.

This is one of those mics that helps make the most of a singer's voice and places the vocal track squarely at the front of the soundstage.

Impression

As with most traditional large‑diaphragm mics, the Rode Classic was in the business of flattery rather than honesty, but the secret of its success lay in its ability to sound perfectly natural, even when lying through its teeth! The revised Classic II has a very similar character, which might best be described as big, warm and open, though the improved noise performance is worthwhile. On vocals, you can get all the warmth and intimacy you need, but without the congestion that sometimes afflicts mics when set to a cardioid pattern. The presence lift in the 'air' band gives the sound an upfront, detailed quality, balanced nicely by a hint of valve 'thickness' down at the chest‑resonance frequencies.

The Classic II is beautifully engineered, looks stunning and sounds like a top‑league studio tube microphone. Its main application is obviously vocals, but it also works fine as a general‑purpose instrument mic when recording anything from acoustic guitar to brass. This is one of those mics that helps make the most of a singer's voice and places the vocal track squarely at the front of the soundstage. If you can only afford one really good large‑diaphragm mic that has to sound good on everything, and you want the tube sound, this model deserves to come very close to the top of your shortlist, regardless of what price range you're looking at.