Audio Technica ATR2100X-USB Microphone

Originally Posted 7/6/24

Quick Info

Price:$49

Where to Buy:Audio-Technica's Website

Quick Summary:A great microphone for anyone I think

Example of Microphone Quality:

Given this post is about a microphone, I will be putting a sample of how the microphone sounds below by reading this blog post. My setup is the Audio Technica ATR2100X-USB Mic plugged into a Tascam Mixcast 4 Audio Mixer via an XLR cable, and then the Tascam Mixcast 4 is plugged into my computer via a USB connection.

Why are we talking about a microphone?

I wanted to talk about this microphone because I've had a fair amount of conversations witih people where the topic of "What is a good mic?" has come up, as well as the podcasts I listen to will mention mics. I've usually not heard people talk about this one much at all, but I think it's fantastic and so wanted to sort of spread the word I guess.

Okay, why should I get this mic?

I think it's affordable and it sounds amazing. When I first got this microphone, and was talking to my friends online with it, they would comment how the microphone sounded so clear, it didn't seem like I was talking to them on a microphone. I appreciate that this microphone has both XLR and USB-C outputs, making it extremely versatile with how you want to connect it to a computer. If you're not familiar with XLR, to my knowledge it's the standard in video and audio production for connecting microphones or other sound equipment together. My setup, for example, features the Audio-Technica(AT) ATR2100x-USB held up by a boom arm clamped to my desk, with an XLR cable attaching it to my Tascam Mixcast 4 audio mixer. From there it goes into my computer, and I have sound. The nice part about these mics having USB-C though, is if I'm ever traveling I can just plug the mic directly into my computer, rather than needing to use an XLR connection. As far as I can tell, the sound quality is the same either way, but I generally prefer working with XLR connections (though that might just be a personal preference thing at this point).

Sounds pretty good, but it can't be all good right?

Yeah so this microphone definitely has its drawbacks. One thing I've noticed is its pickup pattern is very close to itself. So while the mic sounds really good if its very close to my mouth, as soon as it's not right in front of me it becomes hard for people to hear me. This can also be a positive as it also means the mic picks up little background noise, at least, compared to other mics I've used. The other notable downside of this mic compared to say, a headset mic, is you need a way for it to be close to your mouth. Like I mentioned earlier, I use a boom arm stand for that which I don't mind, but depending on your desk layout that might not be feasible. This of course also increases the cost of the total microphone setup, as you'd need a stand or something as well as a pair of headphones anyways to plug into your computer for when you're gaming or doing anything.

Some other things to note:

I originally found out about this microphone from this blogpost here. At this point it's a few years old, but features many, many microphones and sound tests with them, if you're interested in finding mics other than the AT ATR2100x-USB. I also mentioned earlier how I don't hear people talk about this microphone, and there may be a reason for that. While I've edited podcasts before (like one I did with my friend called Ixhia), I'm nowhere near a professional with these things. Other mics might simply be better in ways I don't understand or I'm not familiar with.

Wrap Up:

Let me know your thoughts on microphones! What are some you like? Is there anything I missed when talking about this one? Feel free to reach out to steventanzimedia@gmail.com to let me know your thoughts!