Podcasting is really cool at the moment following on from the success of Serial, a podcast that started in October 2014, made by producers of ‘This American Life’. The podcast regularly hit Number One in the podcast charts and had a loyal following of millions. Podcasts are an easy way to put across your ideas or thoughts and to broadcast them to the rest of the world. No longer is speech radio the preserve of the mainstream media and all you need to run a podcast is an original idea, an engaging voice, a laptop and a decent microphone.
However, it’s the microphone that makes all the difference as far as the technology goes. If you’re going to listen to speech radio you want it to sound relaxed and open, not all squashed-up and tinny. Recently I reviewed a cost-effective alternative to ISDN audio links called ipDTL which is perfect for voiceover work and recording podcast contributions. You can read about it here.
To work alongside ipDTL I also looked around to test out a cost-effective microphone that could offer a good all-round voice reproduction as well as a system for monitoring your voice so that you don’t end up shouting into a dead microphone or trying to battle against echo that’s being fed back down the line from the radio station or another podcaster that you may be interviewing.
After much hunting I decided to look at the Audio-Technica AT-2020USB+. This USB microphone is based around the trusty Audio-Technica classic AT2020 condenser mic, but with the addition of a USB interface and a built-in amplifier so you can plug a set of headphones into the microphone and hear your speech as well as mixing in the source of the person you’re talking to or even a backing track that you want to sing or play along to. There’s zero latency so you’re not going to experience any awkward lag.
Setting up the AT2020USB+ is simple. It comes with a handy tripod stand although it can easily screw into any standard microphone boom or stand. The mic automatically appears in the selection option of the sound output and input choices when you plug it into a Mac or PC using the supplied USB cable. Then it’s simply a case of adjusting the microphone gain to suit your position from the mic. It’s a pity there isn’t a gain control on the mic itself such as you can find on the Yeti Pro mic by Blue, but it’s no big deal to set the control manually. There’s a thumbwheel control for adjusting the headphone volume and a second thumbwheel controls the mix of the sound coming into the mic from your computer (it could be the person you’re talking to over Skype or ipDTL or a pre-recorded backing track) and it’s up to you what level you want to set between the two sources.
In practice the AT2020USB+ picks up the full range of voice tone at 16-bits and 44.1 or 48kHz in mono. It has a very low self-noise level and the cardiod pattern makes it great for voiceover work as noises from the side and rear are reduced. You can improve the sound further by using a purpose-built foam-lined sound booth to record in or just use a few soft cushions to deaden the acoustic. The AT2020USB+ can deliver really engaging podcasts or live interviews. In fact, a subscription to a service like ipDTL and a decent microphone in a quiet corner of the office and you've got everything you need to promote your business via radio interviews. The AT2020USB+ also works well for recording instruments or voices with a programme like Garage Band.
At £129 ($200/€178) this isn’t the cheapest microphone on the market but it’s competitive with similar mics from the likes of Rode or Blue. You really can hear the difference that a larger condensing mic produces thanks to the low floor noise of the mic's preamp. When set up correctly you can easily match the broadcast quality of any radio station. So if you’re serious about podcasting or high-quality voice recording give the AT2020USB+ a listen.
AT2020USB USB+ Condenser Microphone
Element: fixed-charge back plate, permanently polarized condenser
Polar pattern: cardioid
Frequency response: 20-16,000Hz
Power requirements: USB power (5V DC)
Bit depth: 16 bit
Sample rate: 44.1kHz/48kHz
Controls: Mix control; Headphone volume control
Weight: 386g (13.6oz)
Dimensions: 162mm (6.38") long, 52mm (2.05") maximum body diameter
Output connector: USB Type B
Accessories: pivoting tripod stand with mount for 5/8"-27 threaded stands; 5/8"-27 to 3/8"-16 threaded adapter; soft protective pouch; tripod desk stand; 3.1m (10ft) USB cable
