Audio-Technica AT2020 Cardioid Condenser Microphone Black

This is a superior sounding microphone. I bought this for use on vocal and acoustic guitar. It is excellent for either, and for that matter with good positioning, both at the same time as a mono source. Unusually for a condenser of this design, it works well on close miking vocal with a pleasant proximity effect without excessive sibilance. It seems fairly resistant to plosives when used slightly off axis. A foam pop shield is available. (just make sure you get the right size – my mistake! at the very least it will keep the dust out). I already have two vintage large diaphragm mics from the 1990s and this is my opinion offers better sound quality than both. Having said that, it is at an entry level price, and considerably less expensive than either of the older ones were by far. It appears reasonably rugged and is well designed. It is of sufficient quality for professional studio use. I have an AT3525 (its ancestor) from the 1990s and an AKG C3000 (the original - Made in Austria version). Sonically, I believe the AT2020 is superior to both, however there are a few minor considerations. The polar field is fixed (there are more expensive models in the range that have multi polar patterns), there is no bass rolloff switch, there is no attenuation switch. So, if you're not jumping around in front of it, or banging away on a nearby drum kit, or setting your Marshall to 11 those things shouldn't be a problem. These are additional features available in more expensive models in the range, and if you don’t need them, not important. The sound is airy on vocal, and there is a nice balanced bass end without being too boomy. There has been criticism of this mic for having inherent noise, I didn’t find that an issue myself. (I use a Behringer UMC404HD interface on my PC) I don't like the mounting system, I found the supplied mount can be awkward to position at different angles, and it cannot be used with other makes of mic. It’s well made, but I’m not convinced about the design. It won’t be a problem for everybody, but I find it a little cumbersome. If the mic is on a stand and rarely exchanged with another, then it won’t be an issue. It is however a fairly minor nuisance the way I work. There are suspension mounts available of course at additional cost. As a bodge, I got about 2 inches of 1 inch (external) diameter plastic hose that nicely fits over the XLR connector and the bottom of the AT2020 allowing it to be used in more generic mic holders. All in all, an excellent purchase. No regrets.

I’ve been using the Audio-Technica AT2020 Cardioid Condenser Microphone for a while, and overall, it’s a solid choice, especially if you’re just getting into recording or need a step up from basic USB mics without spending big. It delivers Clear, detailed sound for vocals and instruments. Solid build quality. This is an XLR mic, so you’ll need an audio interface or mixer that provides 48 V phantom power; it won’t work plugged straight into USB without extra gear. It also picks up room noise if the space isn’t treated. If you’re building a home recording setup for music, podcasts, voiceovers, or streaming, the AT2020 is one of the most reliable budget condenser mics out there.

I own a small home run studio and have a wide variety of microphones. Saw a review one of these microphones and got curious as a few years back they cost close to £400 per microphone. Every demo I heard sounded like an expensive microphone but of course you never know how much processing was done to the audio. I bit my lip and spent £70ish on one of these mics. On arrival I was shocked but the think alloy mic body, you can feel the quality instantly. I then connected it to my presonus firestudio project and recorded a drum track using it as an over head and added a kick mic. Even in my tiny room it sounded huge, the cymbals had a great quality hi-end shine (not that harsh crunch a lot of cheap mics will give you), the snare cracked and the toms were very prominent. The low end was there but the kick mic was still needed to make it cut through a bit more. I then placed it on an acoustic guitar and recorded that.... flawless. Guitar and bass amps once again flawless. I then tried vocals and would you believe it? Sounded great, it sounds like a much more expensive microphone than it is. If you're starting a home studio or own one already and are thinking of buying one or any other mic costing from £50-£300 save some money and buy this, it'll be your best £70 spent. I now own two and don't even think about recording drums without both of them as overheads. It's also my go-to condenser for guitar amps (paired with an sm57 as my dynamic) I use it very often on bass amps with a DI box and always try it for vocals first and acoustic guitar and it's often the mic I will pick for both those.

I'm a dynamic singer with harsh loud passages and quiet subtle notes as well. Therefore I needed a condenser mic that really allows that type of dynamic to breathe. I believe this mic does that, up to a certain point. The AT2020's biggest selling point is its price. Let's face it, not all of us can afford a Telefunken for 15 grand, or a Neuman U87 for 2 grand. Having used both the U87 and the AT2020, I can say that the 2020 does not capture the level of detail that the U87 can. This is expected given the difference in price. That does not mean that the AT2020 is a bad mic, on the contrary, I would describe it as an honest, competent mic. I use it coupled with a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, which has its own limitations. Overall, the Mic does not add colour, warmth or any extras and gives you exactly what you need if you're after an honest, competent mic. Of course you must pair this with a pop filter and a decent mic preamp in the chain could yield a good result. You need to be careful with gain settings and ambient noise as this mic is very sensitive. As a singer it helps if you can focus on diction and presence, even to the point of overdoing it a little in order to make your words clearer. For me this mic will be used for demos only, which is exactly what I needed it for. *** I have never received a product at a discount or for free in return for a review. You can trust my unbiased reviews ***

I returned as bought it for my sister but her husband had already bought her one. Really good quality tho defo 5 stars 🌟

Wow! What can I say, this mic sounds incredible. Very easy to use and the recording needs very little EQ. Super sound and very clear. Great on guitar and vocals, I'm sure other sound sources as well but that's all I've tried. Very well made, it's actually fairly heavy so keep that in mind if using a cheaper mic stand. The sound recorded with this At2020 is studio grade, you can easily make a very professional sounding song.

Bought as a Christmas gift, easy to install and use, the recipient- an adult, says it is really good and they would recommend it, they use it for streaming and say it meets their requirements. Price was good and competitive, it arrived very quickly and was very safely and securely packaged.

Bought after seeing a friend use this. It picks up vocals and instruments really clearly. I had to buy a phantom power supply to go with this but am very pleased with the clarity and sturdiness