For years podcasters, streamers, musicians and other content creators have turned to certain USB microphones that bring quality without costing a fortune. Audio-Technica’s AT2020 has been one of those. Now the company offers a major upgrade on the model with its new AT2020USB-XP microphone.
Upgrades bring new digital technology and some studio-quality features to help you sound like a pro.
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Audio-Technica AT2020USB-XP Cardioid Condenser USB Microphone
The new Audio-Technica AT2020USB-XP Cardioid Condenser USB Microphone is similar to its predecessor in sound quality and mic style. A cardioid condenser mic focuses tightly on a sound source like a voice and typically reduces distracting ambient sound.
Audio the AT2020USB-XP picks up passes through a high-resolution A/D converter designed for natural sound, with a sampling rate of up to 24-bit/192 kHz.
The new microphone adds some onboard controls for users:
- Gain control helps keep the output level not matter how quiet or loud the input, like a voice or an instrument, sounds.
- Noise-reduction switch can be turned off or to three levels of sound cancellation.
- Mix control helps blend the mic sound output with the computer you’re using it with via USB.
- Mute button silently mutes sound as necessary (red power button turns blue on mute).
The mic comes with a custom desk stand, a clip-on pop filter, a threaded adapter, a 2m (6.6′) USB-C to USB-A cable and a USB-A to USB-C adapter.
You can pick up Audio-Technica’s AT2020USB-XP for $169 on Amazon, but shipping dates are listed starting in late July.
Where to buy: Amazon
The new update on the popular AT2020 mic for content creators adds onboard controls and new digital technology.
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
