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.