RØDE NTH-100 headphones review: Outstanding headphones that lack one crucial feature

The best headphones for video editing deliver quality sound that is both clear and tonally neutral. That means they give equal weighting to bass, midrange, and treble frequencies, guaranteeing that you hear audio without unnecessary interference.

I reviewed the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones and found that they delivered unbelievable sound quality and outstanding ANC performance, but they weren't as neutral as I was looking for. That's no surprise, considering they're not a dedicated pair of professional headphones.

That's where the RØDE NTH-100 headphones come into play. They claim to produce "exceptional sonic performance and superior comfort", and having owned and used them for over a month now, I can tell you whether that's true or not.

RØDE NTH-100: Specifications

RØDE NTH-100: Design & Handling

From a design perspective, there's a lot going on with the RØDE NTH-100s. At a cursory glance, it's almost like there are too many components fighting for attention. Anyone who cares only about sound quality will be unlikely to care, but these headphones are as far from sleek minimalism as you can get.

In terms of materials, there's a mix of metal and plastic with Alcantara fabric at all contact points, namely the ears and the top of the head. RØDE is known for its gold dot branding, but that so briefly appears on the cups that I can only imagine that RØDE wanted to go seriously understated. Instead, they've plastered a massive ‘Ø’ on each earcup, which almost blends in save for its more reflective finish.

The earcups are covered with thick CoolTech gel cushions. With the lack of any ANC technology, these cushions help to isolate sound entering the ears. In terms of design, the cushions look exactly as you would expect. In terms of feel, the cool gel certainly takes a lot of getting used to and, on a cold day, isn't welcome. It does, however, come into its own when working in a hot office.

Weighing in at 350g, they're definitely on the heavier end of headphones. Having only just finished testing the Sony WH-1000XM5 (250g), I was surprised at how heavy they were. It wasn't a problem after a while of adjustment, but I certainly noticed it at the beginning.

Moving on to operation, the NTH-100 headphones feature one clamp on each side, which lets you adjust the fit accordingly. It's well-engineered and unlikely to fail, although I'm always slightly put off by moving parts and clamping mechanisms. That said, this is the price to pay and the risk to take for having adjustable headphones.

The final thing to say is that the only connectivity option is with the 2.4m cable that has a 3.5mm jack on one end and a twist-to-lock plug at the other. It's great to be able to remove the cable during transit, but the very fact that they are wired means I was averse to moving them around with me. They also don't fold down, so transporting them is a big no-no. These have been specifically designed to be used in one place, and you move them at your own peril.

RØDE NTH-100: Performance

The RØDE NTH-100 are headphones and very little more. They produce sound thanks to their 40mm drivers, but you won't find any other features such as ANC or wireless listening, and there's no sign of any AI. As a result, RØDE has focused all its efforts on delivering optimal sonic performance, but have they managed it?

In short, yes, they absolutely have. They've opted for a very neutral tone that masterfully balances bass and treble such that neither overpowers nor diminishes the other. This is ideal for sound monitoring. It's not to say that the overall performance is not punchy, but it's not unnecessarily so.

Sound is also clear and crisp, even in the trebles. Midtones are delivered with very little variation or timbre, which means any vocals may lack feeling at times.

All of this means you can absolutely trust what you're listening to. If there's a problem in your audio track, then you'll spot it rather than it getting covered up by boosted bass or treble. Rather than hiding anything, RØDE serves up exactly what's there.

The lack of ANC might concern some, but the sound is isolated by precision engineering. The closed-back design and earcup cushions keep enough background noise out, but if you're in a busy office, you're still going to hear some talking or noise.

These are outstanding headphones when you're zoned in on video editing, but if you like the flexibility to also answer calls without needing to remove your headphones, then that's not natively possible. You could buy an NTH-Mic accessory that can be attached to the NTH-100, but that's an additional cost and far from ideal.

Even though you're unlikely to want to transport these headphones, I was a little disappointed to see that they only came with a bag rather than a hard case. I would absolutely fear damaging them if I had to regularly take them on set to monitor audio.

RØDE NTH-100: Verdict

In a headphone market that is flooded with feature-rich options, the RØDE NTH-100 headphones are beautifully simple. Casting aside anything like ANC, wireless technology, or even a microphone, they focus solely on delivering accurate sound, and boy, do they manage it.

Video editors focusing on sound monitoring and editing will value the lack of boosted bass and treble, which can often lead to a soundscape that makes it hard to trust. They're not bad for casual music listening, but they come into their own in a professional studio.

If I could get what I want, then I would love to see them go wireless and adopt a foldable design. These two features would greatly increase and improve portability. meaning you could use them as easily in the studio as you could out on a shoot.

Check out alternative options in our guide to the best headphones for video editing, and also in our rundown of the best headsets