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Comparisons / XLR microphones / AT2020 vs AT2040

Audio-Technica AT2020 vs Audio-Technica AT2040

Audio-Technica AT2040 is dynamic, which picks up less of the room; Audio-Technica AT2020 is a condenser, which suits a quiet room. Audio-Technica AT2020: cardioid, side-address. Audio-Technica AT2040: hypercardioid.

From each maker’s own specifications; neither model was tested by this site.

Audio-Technica AT2020

An XLR studio condenser for a quiet, treated room.

View at Audio-Technica ↗

Audio-Technica AT2040

A low-cost XLR dynamic podcast microphone with a tight hypercardioid pickup.

View at Audio-Technica ↗

Before you choose

Audio-Technica AT2020

The catch: It needs 48 V phantom power from the interface, plus an XLR cable and a stand. As a sensitive side-address condenser it hears the room; a dynamic suits a noisy desk better.

You need:

  • An audio interface or mixer with an XLR microphone input
  • An XLR cable
  • 48 V phantom power from the interface
  • A microphone stand or boom arm

Audio-Technica AT2040

The catch: XLR only: add a cable, an interface and a boom arm. Its hypercardioid pattern hears little from the sides, so keep it pointed straight at your mouth.

You need:

  • An audio interface or mixer with an XLR microphone input
  • An XLR cable
  • A microphone stand or boom arm

Everything to check before you buy

Where they differ

SpecsAudio-Technica AT2020Audio-Technica AT2040
CapsuleCondenserDynamic
Audio-Technica AT2040 is dynamic, which picks up less of the room; Audio-Technica AT2020 is a condenser, which suits a quiet room.
Pickup patternsCardioid, side-addressHypercardioid
Audio-Technica AT2020: cardioid, side-address. Audio-Technica AT2040: hypercardioid.

Where they are the same

Connection
XLR
Stand in the box
No
XLR cable in the box
No

Not enough data to compare

We haven’t confirmed a figure for one or both models on: Preamp gain needed. The site leaves these out rather than guess.

What else each needs

Audio-Technica AT2020

AT2020
An audio interface or mixer with an XLR microphone input
An XLR cable
48 V phantom power from the interface
A microphone stand or boom arm
  • You need: An audio interface or mixer with an XLR microphone input. A computer has no XLR input. The interface’s preamp raises the microphone’s signal and sends it to the computer over USB.
  • You need: An XLR cable. None comes in the box.
  • You need: 48 V phantom power from the interface. This is a condenser microphone that needs phantom power on the XLR route.
  • You need: A microphone stand or boom arm. No stand comes in the box; it mounts on a 5/8-inch or 3/8-inch thread.

Audio-Technica AT2040

AT2040
An audio interface or mixer with an XLR microphone input
An XLR cable
A microphone stand or boom arm
  • You need: An audio interface or mixer with an XLR microphone input. A computer has no XLR input. The interface’s preamp raises the microphone’s signal and sends it to the computer over USB.
  • You need: An XLR cable. None comes in the box.
  • You need: A microphone stand or boom arm. No stand comes in the box; it mounts on a 5/8-inch or 3/8-inch thread.

Next step

Put either model into the setup builder to check it against your computer and the rest of your gear, or see all 14 side by side in XLR microphones for streaming compared. Test your microphone before you go live.

Full profiles: Audio-Technica AT2020 and Audio-Technica AT2040.

Sources