Microphone is a crucial tool to have in your setup if you are dealing with audio because this one decides how good or lacking our audio quality will be. For those who are streaming content or recording voice, Audio Technica AT2020 Vs Blue Yeti are two great, convenient options you may want to try. Both of them are known to capture high-quality audio but, before heading to get one, go see what they can offer and pick the best microphone for your application.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
- Which Microphone to Purchase
- What are Audio Technica AT2020 and Blue Yeti
- What Audio Technica AT2020 and Blue Yeti Look Like
- How are the Setup of Audio Technica AT2020 and Blue Yeti
- How are the Sound Quality of Audio Technica AT2020 and Blue Yeti
- What else Audio Technica AT2020 and Blue Yeti can offer
- Audio Technica AT2020 Vs Blue Yeti
Microphone Types
There are tools you need in a setup depending what you want to do and in general computer setup will have the three input and output together. Today we can do almost anything with a smart, portable device but they are still not powerful enough to beat your main setup because specification wise they are not featured with the same components. For example, recording can be done with your smartphone but for the best quality, we need a full setup including a reliable microphone. Read also: Razer Seiren vs AT2020
Microphone is probably the simplest tool we have that everybody knows the function is but deeper, they are more than just a tool to capture sound since there are so many things happening and affect the performance. A good microphone will give you the best audio quality and depending on your taste, this can differ from one person to another as well. All microphones will be able to capture sound including the one in our headset but they are less capable if you are aiming for the best.
Microphone in general will be separated between dynamic and condenser microphone in which the common environment of these two will be different depending on your application. The most common type we see being used at shows whether it is music shows, concert, or speech is dynamic microphone because the magnets and coil inside are more durable compared to the other type. It is ideal for live performance including live interviews and capturing sound from instruments like guitar or drum kick.
The next type is more often being seen in a fixed setup or static in use except for shotgun microphone. This one uses capacitor plates instead of coil and magnets which at the end will increase its sensitivity to smaller vibrations in comparison to dynamic type. If the former can be used for bass drums and guitar, we mostly use condenser for vocals. For shotgun models, since it is able to capture softer sounds, it is used in movies or similar settings to capture whatever the actor/actress speaks.
After the microphone type itself, their polar pattern will also decide whether it will fit in your application or not. The most common polar pattern is cardioid and it has this heart shape figure when drawn. As the image says, this means the microphone will capture sound mostly from the front side only and as opposite, there is omnidirectional pattern as well which is capturing sound from every direction which is great if you are recording from many sources at once.
| Audio Technica AT2020 | Blue Yeti | |
|---|---|---|
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| Product Dimensions | 9.6 x 9.6 x 2.6 inches | 4.9 x 4.7 x 11.6 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 1.72 pounds | 3.65 pounds |
| Shop now at Amazon | click here | click here |
About Audio Technica AT2020 and Blue Yeti
If you already decide which microphone type to buy or how they should be and what we need from the unit, now is the time to see what the market has to offer because there are so many of them out there. The amount of microphones are getting more and more varied everyday with huge companies continuing to introduce their fair share of the product both on the entry-line and those made ideally for professionals alike. When it comes to microphone the options will never be lacking.
If you have been using several microphones in the past, you will mostly know what to buy now but if this is your first time searching for a specific model, it is best to stay with well-known brands because they are the most reliable and already proven to offer high-quality products. Their price may vary but nonetheless, most usually have more affordable and expensive options just like what Audio Technica and Blue are. We are sure most people are familiar with these options because they are very popular in the market.
Especially today where not only musicians but also streamers and podcasters are joining the hunt for a good microphone. They carry lots of options to choose from and if your application is centered on the PC, Audio Technica AT2020 and Blue Yeti will be two of the most ideal models to consider. Both of them are ideal for recording voice and most people are using them for podcasting or streaming because their audio quality is among the best in the price range.
The latter is more popular among streamers because of its easy setup and its direct connectivity to your computer while also don’t play around when it comes to sound quality. The former seems to be more well-known among podcasters because unlike Yeti, it will require some heavier setup. Price wise, Audio Technica AT2020 and Blue Yeti are quite affordable and definitely not the cheapest you can get in the market for this application but still, when it comes to quality none of them will disappoint you.
Audio Technica AT2020 and Blue Yeti Design
Starting from the outside, we are sure you can already imagine how to set these microphones in your station because they are very different. These condenser capsules are very robust and they are heavy so you don’t need to worry about how they can last in the setup. The prominent difference here is that you will need to put AT2020 in a mic arm with the mounting because it has none in the box and in addition, put the XLR cable in the cart as well since it doesn’t offer you the accessory.
Blue Yeti on the other hand is just as simple as it looks and this one in our article is silver but if you want, there is the black fashion as well in the catalogue called Yeti X. This model is bulkier than the Yeti Nano but not as tall as the QuadCast from HyperX. It gives you a professional look and as you can see, it already comes with table mounting so we can use the unit right away and in addition, no XLR cable needed here.
Audio Technica AT2020 and Blue Yeti Setup
The first thing you may want to know about Audio Technica AT2020 and Blue Yeti is their setup and this is because while both of them are equally condenser microphones, the latter is actually a USB type which means it comes with USB connectivity that you can directly connect to the computer USB port. This microphone works instantly with both Windows and OS X without any fuss. With AT2020, you will need a microphone arm to install it on and don’t forget about the phantom power.
As it has been mentioned before, this is a condenser microphone in its true form so there will be XLR cable and audio interface or mixer to provide the phantom power which means it doesn’t work with XLR to USB alone. Setting it up requires time but once done, you can directly record using your favorite software.
Audio Technica AT2020 and Blue Yeti Sound Quality
Moving further, let’s check the performance and starting with the frequency response both of them are similarly capturing from 20Hz to 20kHz. In terms of quality, Audio Technica AT2020 and Blue Yeti are very similar to each other, sounds great right off the bat without any further adjustment and side by side they are also equally great for both voice and instrument like acoustic and electric guitar. You can treat the sound by adding gain and boost it if needed.
What we notice different from the sound is that the AT2020 is slightly dimmer or warmer is sound so it probably better for lower frequency while in comparison the latter is brighter. When tested with keyboard typing on the back, they are still audible but kept at the minimum. In addition, both of them are offering cardioid polar patterns and this means both of them are capturing sound from the front while minimizing them from the side and back. What’s unfortunate is that AT2020 is offering this one pattern only.
Audio Technica AT2020 and Blue Yeti Feature
The last point is their feature and in this side AT2020 doesn’t offer any additional feature whatsoever in the unit. Blue Yeti however, offer not only gain and volume knob but also different polar patterns to choose from beside the common cardioid. Here you can choose to use the microphone at omni-directional pattern, bi-directional pattern, and stereo pattern. These additional modes are very useful when you need to look for the best way to capture sound or have another user to work with.
Audio Technica AT2020 vs Blue Yeti
Both of these microphones are great if you are looking for reliable options because they do sound great and in comparison AT2020 does sound a little warmer as opposed to Yeti which is bright. It depends on your taste but in addition AT2020 will also need a filter to further improve the quality in which Yeti can already serve great without. Additionally you will need phantom power and XLR cable to make AT2020 work while Yeti is mostly plug and play.
Conclusion
All in all you can pick any of these microphones and still be satisfied with the sound quality but for those who seek convenience, we do recommend getting Blue Yeti because it is easy to use, moreover, it offers different patterns to suit your application.