All user reviews of 4/5 for the Audio-Technica AT2020

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.

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

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

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.

See other reviews.

OVERALL OPINION

I recommend people interested in the AT2020 to also read the reviews of the AT2035, from the same brand, because both mics have the exact same capsule!
The only difference between these two mics is that, in addition to the features of the AT2020, the AT2035 has:
- A 10dB pad (see below)
- A low-cut for the proximity effect (on certain deep voices, for example)
In my opinion, this makes the AT2035 even more versatile.
People who want to use the AT2020 on sources with high levels must be careful!

You have been informed.

Among the AT products, it's worth noting that the multi-directivity of the AT2050 results in a little bit more noise than with the 2020 and 2035 (Editor's note: According to a review on Sound on Sound). So, if you are only gonna use it as a cardioid mic, you might want to reconsider it.