All user reviews for the Audio-Technica AT2020

Cardioid, large-diaphragm condenser mic.

OVERALL OPINION

I've been using it for four years. I use it in stereo with a Shure KSM137. To be honest, the value for money of the AT2020 is clearly better than that of the Shure, even if the Shure sounds better (obviously). The AT2020 can handle SPL better than the Shure.
To cut it short: The AT2020 is an excellent mic considering its price. I recommend it to anyone that wants to use it in a home studio, for example. Very versatile to record acoustic instruments (like guitar) or as ambient mic for small combos.

Features:

Typical application: proximity micing.
Cardioid polar pattern.
Maximum SPL: 144 dB.
Other Features:
Type: Permanently polarized condenser with fix loaded plate
Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Self-noise: 20 dB
Sensitivity: -37dB (@ 1 Pa)
Signal-to-noise ratio: 74dB (@ 1 Pa)
Dynamic range: 124 dB (@ 1 kHz)
Impedance: 100Ω
XLR male connector
Accessories included:
Threaded stand clamp
5/8'' - 3/8'' thread adapter

Used primarily to record ambiance and sometimes vocals (rap)

OVERALL OPINION

How long have you been using it?
I've had it for seven months but, to be honest, I don't use it much. I prefer my prodipe ST1 lanen, which has a better definition in the high end

Did you try any of other models before buying this one?
Behringer C1, Prodipe ST1 lanen, Tbone SC600.

Which feature do you like the most / the least?
Compared to other mics, it's awesome, but for the time being I prefer to work with my prodipe, which is less flat and corresponds better to the sound I'm looking for. The biggest criticism I can make is that it lacks a 100hz low-pass filter, or even a pad (-dB), but that's something you can adjust on the soundcard or preamp or even during mixdown.
But hey, it sounds fine.

How would you rate its value for money?
It isn't that expensive for an AudioTechnica. It's perfect if you are looking for a flat sound you can later process.

Based on your experience, would you buy this product again? ...
Yes, but not as a main mic, but rather as a backup mic.

The AT2020 by Audio technical is a very popular microphone now mainly because of the quality you will get for the price. That was the sole reason that I purchased it, I have heard it many times before I got it and read some really good reviews on it so I gave it a shot. I really like the way it sounded on my vocals and on some acoustic guitar recordings. The only issue was some voice types didn’t sound too well with it. There is another singer that I work closely with and he used it, it did not sound good on his voice so we didn’t even bother with EQ’ing or anything we just used a different microphone. I was not that disappointed at that because of the price. For this price, you cannot expect it to sound great with every voice and instrument.


OVERALL OPINION

This microphone is perfect for someone who records on the go or mainly from home. It works great in open spaces and does a good job of not picking up background noise when recording. I have used it for some small demo work in public places if I need to record a quick idea or even a voice over. It sounds good no matter where you use it at. Sometimes it does record a lot of “air” though; it will feel like there is a lot of space around your recording which I didn’t like too much. That had nothing to do with the background noise though.
This microphone comes with a cardioid pick up pattern so that is the reason for the minimal background noises. I was surprise that the AT2020 came with a stand too, it has a pivoting stand so you can move the mic around to the way you want it. But bottom line is, this microphone is not for a seasoned veteran when it comes to recording. It is for the small bedroom musician.

If you are even involved in a deathmatch on an alien world, and you have to choose just one microphone with which to bludgeon an alien creature into a green paste; the AT2020 is the one you should choose. It's heavy, it's quite sturdy, and it'll only cost you around a hundo to replace it - so it doesn't raise your blood pressure every time it comes out of the case. Build quality aside, if you are reading this you're probably wondering if the mic is any good. This is an excellent recording microphone, but it's not going to work as well for live performances. Get yourself a Shure SM58 for that. The mic does a good job of rejecting sounds coming from behind the mic - a good feature when you're trying to bring in as little extraneous noise as possible.

OVERALL OPINION

This is a great sounding entry level mic. To get the most out of this mic, you need to turn up the pre on your channel strip until you can hear yourself breathing in the cans, and step back so you are between 1 and 2 feet away from the mic. you have to keep a distance. use a pop filter if it helps you to remember. If you are right on top of the mic, even at lower gain levels, you will experience problems. This mic will pick up subtle nuances that you didn't even realize were present in the performance. It will also make you keenly aware of noise in the environment.

Let me start off by saying this is a very good condenser mic. It's affordable and the sound it reproduces is nothing short of amazing, especially since most USB mics on the market are known for having a bad sound.

This mic only comes in 1 color (black) which I don't have a problem with. It would be nice to see in a few other colors such as silver and maybe red or even a chrome mesh.

The AT2020 comes with a USB cable as well as a small table top mic stand. It would be nice if it came with a wind screen, but for the price you can't expect many bells and whistles.

OVERALL OPINION

What I like most about this usb mic is that it reproduce accurately which is something I can't say for other usb mics out there. What I don't like is fact you can't do any freq cuts on the mic nor does it have any pattern selections but again it's a simple $100.00 Cardioid mic. It not many bells and whistles (I'm spoiled and picky).

I personally think the mic is well worth the $100 it's priced at. I'd charge a little more for it, somewhere between $100-150 would sufficient in my mind.

I've tried other usb mics before but was never impressed with the audio quality. When I stumbled upon the audio technica I had to get it, the company is known for creating quality products -So this was a no brainer for me.

If I had to make the choice again I'd strongly pick this mic over many others (including some powered condenser mics).


Few tips – This mic is sensitive and will pick up your computer noise, so it best to use it in an isolated recording area. If you have a pop filter use it, if you don't get one they are very cheap these days.

I've found this mic to perform well when recording the following

Male/female vocals
Acoustic Guitar
Drum Sets
Stringed instruments
Wind Instruments

It's a very versatile mic

The AT2020 is the kind of a mic that you would want to have if you are mainly recording from home. Because its very affordable and it will get the job done and decent. It will not give you great quality from home and you cant expect to get great quality unless you are willing to spend great money which most people if they are recording from home don’t have. One great thing about it is that if you use it in a small space it will perform to the best of its ability and it does a great job of not picking up a lot of surrounding or background noise that’s unwanted inyour music.


OVERALL OPINION


The mic is very well built and can take a few drops, believe me because I have dropped it several times and nothing has happened to it this far. When purchasing this mic they tell you it can be used for vocals or for instruments but to me just leave the instruments out for now. If you have to record with instruments using this mic then that’s fine but if you can afford to get a different mic for your instruments do that. Because the AT2020’s best perfomance comes from vocals and not instrument recording.

You will love the frequency respons of this mic, it is very dynamic and has the ability to take a wide range. it’s a mic that you will probably used a lot from home and it will last you a very very long time and you wont have to upgrade unless you want better quality but the AT2020 will suit you just right for now. Do not try to use this mic in a large space or a large studio. It just doesn’t perform as well in that situation. Try to keep it in a 1010 room or smaller in your home. Avoid bigger rooms (living rooms etc..)

The Audio Technica AT 2020 is a cardioid pattern condenser microphone, that is fairly affordable and very versatile. I've used it for mic'ing guitar amps, acoustic guitar, and vocals, and it has excelled in all of those applications. It is very solid and rugged, and comes with it's own mounting piece, which makes it easy to screw on an off the mic stand. It also fits standard mic shock mounts, although it does not ship with one. The cardioid pattern (in which the back of the mic rejects the most sound) makes it the most useful for the most applications; it can be directed at a specific sound source, but it can also record a large room, large range environment.

I find that condenser mics in general excel in recording, but are too sensitive for live purposes, and this mic is no exception. No way could I use this instead of my Shure SM58 for live vocals.

The sound quality is very transparent and clear. On vocals, there are simply no artifacts, as the only processing I usually do is roll off some lows and add compression. Much better than my ribbon mic, which tends to be too dark for vocals. The highs on the AT 2020 are not harsh at all, as they sound very natural.

The AT 2020 does not work too well on extremely loud sources, such as bass guitar speakers or cranked guitar amps. I was not able to set the gain low enough in some of these cases, and we had to turn the volume down on the amplifiers.

OVERALL OPINION

Overall, this is a great general purpose, cardioid condenser microphone that any starting musician should consider. Very durable, very transparent sound, from a reputable microphone company. This mic has lasted me several years, and I never had the need to replace it. You won't be disappointed!

Large Diaphragm Condenser, requires P48, very smooth sound.

I have been a musician/guitar player for 18 years and an audio engineer for five years. I graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a BS in Recording Industry Management with a focus in Production and Technology. I am also in a punk/funk/cross-genre band from Chattanooga, TN called Opposite Box (for fans of Fishbone and Incubus).

The studio I work at (Threedogsstudio.org) acquired a used AT 2020 from Craigslist about a month ago for about $100. We're in the process of building a bigger, more diverse mic locker so whenever we find a microphone for a decent price, we purchase it and try it out. If we don't like it, we sell it.

<a href="http://www.myspace.com/oppositebox">http://www.myspace.com/oppositebox</a>

The AT2020 has a boost in the upper frequencies, but is still very smooth. A small dip in the low end makes it perfect for clean vocal styles (pop/rock, rock, etc.) or if you're looking for a smooth jazz/RandB sax sound. This is a really great mic if you're looking for an LDC that will take the edge off of a harsh instrument.

The AT2020 isn't very multipurpose. If you want smooth, it's a good vocal mic and a good sax mic, but it's not an 'all genres' kind of mic. Also, if your singer or source is bassy, the final product will be muddy and less clear. This mic is really good for takng the harshness out of bright sources, but if you have a midrangey or bassy source, your best bet would be to choose a brighter microphone.

The AT2020 is a very solid, sturdy microphone. Cosmetically, it's a beautiful microphone that is sleek and to the point. Functionally, it is Large Diaphragm, side-address condenser microphone. Because of its size, it's not a mic you can jam between cymbal stands (not that you'd want to), so it's really best suited for single source miking (or maybe room mics if you have a bright, reflective room).

Bottom Line: This is a great mic to have your locker, but this shouldn't be the ONLY mic in your locker. If you work in a setting where you deal with several different genres, you will definitely want a few more options. However, if you record your own band, try this mic out. If it works and makes your singer sound good, you won't need to go out and blow hundreds or thousands of dollars on different mics.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

For detailed specifications, see the website audio technica.

We regret only the absence of a switch and-10dB low cut, but at this price, it already.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for one month, I particularly like the transparency of sound, enhancing the top end without being garish, where a real presence (impresionnat for that price).

You just have to watch out for sibilant, very (too?) Present, so do not use on ssssifflantes voice too.

I will soon test it on a piano, I hope to get good results.
A quality / price ratio impresionant, a good choice for a micro visibly robust.

I do not put that 9 because of sibilants, which therefore can not provide a totally flexible use.

In any case, the votes of men (at least on mine), and although I use it with an entry-level preamp is to happiness!

PS: for a static, it does not pick up too much ambient noise, which is logical because the capsule is not a big one capsule '. So by using home-studio is ideal.

Condenser mic.
A mic for all occasions, as long as you have a good preamp behind it. Very (or even too) clean sound, so pay attention to sibilants and HF, which can be hard to get rid of during mixdown. But let's be clear, for $120 you really get your money's worth. It's very simple: To have something really better you have to spend three times as much. It lacks a low-cut and a pad, but if you have a good preamp or mixer, you already have everything you need, so such features are useless for someone who has outboard gear. It has to do with the price, I think, because the manufacturer launched the same mic with filter and pad with a higher price tag.

OVERALL OPINION

I've used it for about a year in my home studio and I'm satisfied with it. Yes, I compared ii to many others, but it was the flattest and most versatile in its price range. You really have to go to the next price range to notice a difference that justifies the investment. Granted, it's certainly not a Neumann!

Continuation:
I used it this week in post-production to record a Japanese female voice. It was perfect. The production thought it was a high-end mic. Almost no background noise and a nice precision in the high frequencies to give presence to the voice off. I can confirm this mic can even be used for broadcast without the slightest problem.

CHARACTERISTICS for I leave you to read the manufacturer's website or an opinion.

8 / 10 because the price for what you are really low quality and good value for money.

OVERALL OPINION

Reu there are two big weeks,
Test taking direct voice, but rather neutral according SETTING THE miking it is possible to gain some color.
Then before a test lamp and a marshall amp guitar gibson menace, and more j'tais qu'tonn sound. The sound is really close to the sound of the amp. Trs grip in the bass as in the acute effect of feedback from the amp clean trs (ADI test with an sm57 and quite dcu).

The report price is really great quality. For that price, hard to beat.

Condenser microphone for making mixed
guitar; OH; piano sax, vocals ....

OVERALL OPINION

I have for some days

strength: very sensitive so no need of force to gain less of breath, very good frequency response I find it quite right, and then physically beautiful

I essey the JM27 Joe Meek; Oktava mk012; AKG C451 in overhead (because originally I took it for her)

value for money out of the ordinary frankly awesome!

this choice I would do without the experience that microphone is in a word AWESOME

What kind of microphone? (Song, sound, mixed ..)
Singing

What technology? (Electret, condenser ...)
Capacitor

OVERALL OPINION

How long have you use it?
few days

What is the particular feature you like best and least?
The sensitivity and neutrality is really good.
as critics say a little lower pti atention to SIFL!
but you get used and it fits

Have you tried many other models before acqurir?
Unfortunately I had not tested dynamic microphones, and with it the micro is night and day.

How do you report qualitprix?
amazing for $ 100 Canadian (+ or-70euro) nine

Exprience with, you will do again this choice? ...
of course!

What kind of microphone? (Song, sound, mixed ..)
sound recording

What technology? (Electret, condenser ...)
capacitor

OVERALL OPINION

How long have you use it?
2 days

What is the particular feature you like best and least?
The sound is clear that trs is a voice (women, men), a guitar or bass.
The sibilants are unfortunately Submitted trs. The output level may be higher.

Have you tried many other models before acqurir?
Neumann, AT4040, C414, C214, ...

How do you report qualitprix?
Trs trs good: there is no concession on quality but on the "options": no high-pass or pad on the microphone.

Exprience with, you will do again this choice? ...
Without hsiter: I had no room in the budget for more than 200 micro and it satisfies me!

I use this microphone for voice taken rap to 90%

OVERALL OPINION

I have since the 2020 AT 2007

This is the first micro I have and I know of no other except the U87 used previously.

The +:

Easy to use
Requires no special knowledge

The -:

Lack slightly acute

The value for money is excellent at € 100, to start this is very much

With the experience I would do this choice

ACCOUNT TO GET WORK DONE WITH THIS MICRO:

http://www.myspace.com/theproduktorz - watch the two clips, voice catches were made with the AT 2020

FC the previous categories

OVERALL OPINION

<ul class="ul">

How long have you use it?

</ul>

2 years now

<ul>

Have you tried many other models before buying it?

</ul>

No

<ul>

What is so special that you like most and least?

</ul>

Price as all those who have but the fact that it is cardioid only and therefore use home studio in a room is not soundproof, it will not pick up all the sounds around

<ul>

How would you rate the quality / price?

</ul>

EXCELLENT

<ul>

With experience, you do again this choice?

</ul>

I do not think there is better for that price

A friend took mk2 studio projects in the same price range and test the audio technica come out better.

I had a couple mindprint trio for the Class A preamp which gives a good marriage

Nothing special. Just a cardioid condenser. Probably best kept in the studio. AT says it's an all purpose condenser. Obviously it's a budget mic.

OVERALL OPINION

I was in a Sam Ash last year browsing around. I know a few of the staff there pretty well and they take care of me. I started talking to a guy about condensers and said I was in the market for a good cardioid. I needed something to pair with an sm57 for micing electric in my studio. He recommended I do a shootout right in the store. We ended up trying about 12 different mics. Some up to $1500. I got a PRS CE22, played it through a Mesa electrodyne and miced up the speaker with an SM57. We went through the heard pairing condensers with it. Eventually we narrowed it down to 2. The 2020 and a U87. Now obviously the U87 is massively more expensive. I won't lie, I think it sounded a little better than the 2020. But can you guess which one I bought? Yeah.

Since then I've used the 2020 extensively for cab micing. What I like to do is put 1 or 2 57's close to the cone area, and then put a 2020 about a foot or 2 back for ambience. It works great this way. I found the 2020 is good for acoustic guitar if you pair it with something like an sm81, oddly enough. It has a full sound that never gets bassy. For the price I think it's a pretty sweet mic. To me, it doesn't sound great with a lot of things. On vocals it's meh. Can't be used on drums. But when paired with another really good mic it can shine. Check it out. It's not a lot of money so it's not a total loss if you don't care for it. But I promise you will find SOME use for it. It just takes the right situation.

The AT2020 is a solid medium diaphragm condenser microphone that very conveniently exudes a blatant "take me or leave me" vibe. The AT2020 has NO bells and whistles at all. It's fixed cardioid and lacks any sort of high-pass/low-cut filter or pad. Its sole merit is how it sounds.

And it sounds good. It's clearly a vocal microphone, so it does have a tailored frequency response that is very subtly flattering and musical, unlike the disgusting high-end exaggerations of the AT2020's competition. The only things that's objectively objectionable about the AT2020 is its self-noise figure of 20dB, which puts it up there with many tube microphones. A lot of the entry level microphones do have this same noise figure though, so it's not worse than the other entry-level condensers.

The strangeness of the 20-series seems to affect the AT2020 the worst, though; the sound does appear a bit narrow and contained. It lacks the enveloping sensation that the other condensers give you. However, it's far better than the piercing needle sound the AT2020's competition gives you.

The AT2020, as with the other 20-series microphones, is that it's RUGGED. It's not like you want to hammer a nail with it, like you can with an SM58; it's still a condenser, and fragile, but much less so than others.

OVERALL OPINION

The Audio-Technica AT2020 is a very solid microphone that is musically flattering and still very versatile. It's not a microphone I would buy right now, because of its big brother, the AT2035, offering slightly better sensitivity, a more flattering (in my opinion) frequency response, and a lower noise-figure, for just a bit more with a shockmount.

However, the Audio-Technica AT2020 is famous for a reason; it's a good microphone, and don't let those specs fool you; you are in for a treat when you first sing into the AT2020.