Choosing an Audio-Technica XLR Microphone

Audio-Technica makes XLR microphones for speech, streaming, podcasting and music. An XLR mic cannot plug straight into a computer, so choosing one means matching the microphone type, the room and the interface you will connect it to. This guide covers that choice and the basic setup, so you can confirm the mic works as an input device in your recording or video call app.

Before you start

An XLR microphone sends an analog signal. To use it with a computer, you need an audio interface, mixer or similar device that has an XLR input and a preamp. The interface converts the signal to digital and appears on your computer as an audio device. Everything in this process runs locally on your hardware. No online service or account is involved unless your recording or calling app requires one.

Have these ready before you compare models:

• What you will mainly record: spoken voice on calls, a podcast, streaming, singing or instruments.
• The room you will use, and how much background noise it has: traffic, fans, keyboard clicks, echo from bare walls.
• Your current or planned interface, and whether it has an XLR input, phantom power and enough gain.
• An XLR cable, plus a stand or arm. A desk stand or boom arm matters more for XLR mics than for most USB mics, because many are designed to be used close to the mouth.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Decide between dynamic and condenser

Dynamic microphones do not need phantom power. They are usually less sensitive, so they tend to pick up less room sound and background noise when you speak close to them. That makes them a common choice for untreated rooms, streaming and podcasts. Condenser microphones need phantom power, usually labelled +48V on the interface. They capture more detail and more of the room, which suits quiet, treated spaces, vocals and acoustic instruments. In a noisy or echoey room, a condenser will capture that noise too.

2. Check the polar pattern

The polar pattern describes which directions the mic picks up sound from. Cardioid and hypercardioid patterns favour sound from the front and reject more from the sides and rear, which helps a single speaker. Multi-pattern models can switch to omnidirectional or figure-8 for recording several people or a room. Read the pattern on the official spec sheet for the exact model, because similar-looking mics can differ.

3. Consider a dual-output model

Some Audio-Technica models, such as the ATR2100x-USB and AT2005USB, have both a USB port and an XLR output. They can work directly with a computer over USB now, and move to an interface over XLR later. XLR-only models, such as the AT2020 condenser or the AT2040 dynamic, always need an interface. Confirm the outputs on the current product listing before buying, because product lines and variants change.

4. Match the mic to your interface

For a condenser, the interface must provide phantom power on the input you will use. For a dynamic mic, check that the preamp has enough clean gain. Quiet dynamic mics can need a lot of gain, and some budget interfaces become noisy near maximum. If you are unsure, compare the mic's sensitivity on its spec sheet with the interface's stated gain range, or plan for an inline mic booster.

5. Connect and select the device

Connect the mic to the interface with an XLR cable and set the gain knob low. Then connect the interface to the computer. If you are using a condenser, turn on phantom power after the cable is connected. In your operating system's sound settings, choose the interface as the input device. In your recording or video call app, select the interface separately in that app's audio settings, because apps do not always follow the system default. Choose your headphones or the interface's headphone output as the output device, so you can monitor without feedback.

6. Set the input level and sample rate

Speak at your normal volume and distance, then raise the gain on the interface until the level meter moves well into the upper range without reaching the clip or red indicator on loud words. Set the gain on the interface rather than with a software slider wherever possible. Make sure the interface and your app use the same sample rate. 48 kHz is common for video and calls, and 44.1 kHz for music projects. A mismatch can cause clicks or pitch problems in some setups.

Check the output

Record a short clip of normal speech, including a few louder phrases, and play it back on headphones. The voice should sound clear and full, with no distortion on the loud parts. Then record a few seconds of silence in your usual setup and listen to it. Hiss, hum or room noise in that clip is your noise floor. If it is distracting, revisit the gain, the mic position or the room before blaming the microphone. For video calls, run a test call or use the app's own mic test, because many call apps apply noise suppression and automatic gain that change how you sound to others. File format, bit depth and sample rate of saved recordings are set by your recording app, not the microphone, so check them there.

Common problems and next steps

• No signal from a condenser mic: phantom power is off, or it is enabled on a different input. Turn it on for the correct channel.
• No signal in the app, but the interface meters move: the app is using a different input device, or the channel is muted in the app or the system settings.
• Very quiet dynamic mic: move closer to the capsule and raise the preamp gain. If the interface runs out of clean gain, an inline booster or an interface with more gain is the usual fix.
• Hum or buzz: try another XLR cable and another power outlet, and keep the cable away from power supplies.
• Too much background noise: speak closer to the mic, aim the rear of a cardioid mic toward the noise source, or consider a dynamic model for an untreated room.
• Clicks, dropouts or sound that seems too fast or slow: match the sample rate between the interface, the system and the app, then restart the app.
• Plosives and breath noise: add a pop filter or windscreen, and angle the mic slightly off-axis from your mouth.

If you have checked the gain, cabling, phantom power and device selection and the problem persists, test the mic on another XLR input or interface. That shows whether the fault is in the microphone, the cable or the interface.