Important: Skip this if you want to see a live tracker of the most-used microphones in podcasting. We surveyed 1,500 podcasters and these are the 20 mics they use. 

Two cardioid condenser microphones, both manufactured by Audio Technica, and both with very similar specifications and price tags.

Surely there is not much to compare here? But as the saying goes, the devil is in the detail.

With the AT2035 being a slightly more expensive, revamped version of the AT2020, there are some subtle differences between the two models which could make or break your podcasting setup.

We’ll look at the fine differences between each model, and help you decide which one is the best option for your podcast setup.

Also see our comparison of the Blue Yeti vs AT2020.

Audio Technica AT2020

First introduced over ten years ago, the AT2020 is Audio Technica’s entry-level cardioid condenser microphone; not that you would know it from the specifications and, more importantly, the audio quality this unit produces.

This microphone is particularly well-suited to vocal recordings, and is renowned as being a great unit for recording singing due to the clarity of audio it produces – a very close representation of the original sound.

It also features a black cast metal construction, with two levels of wire mesh protecting the main capsule and helping to reduce pop – although as a rule, one should always try and record with an additional pop filter regardless.

Nonetheless, it’s good to know that if you don’t have one, the built-in pop filters on the AT2020 itself can tackle a fair amount of the load for you.

It is a traditional XLR microphone, meaning it connects via XLR cable (not USB) and would require an external sound card or audio interface to record into a computer.

It requires phantom power to operate, and being a cardioid microphone it features excellent off-axis rejection of external sounds, from the back of the unit and to around 90 degrees on either side.

Understandably, the excellent vocal audio quality provided by the AT2020 makes it an absolutely natural fit for podcasting, especially given how it is priced in the more entry-level bracket compared to other microphones it matches up well with.

As a first XLR microphone setup, the AT2020 has been one of the gold standards for a long time now – and given it often retails for around or under $100, it is also one of the best value propositions on the market right now.

Core specs:

– Dimensions: 162mm long, 52mm body diameter

– Weight: 345g

– Polar Pattern: Cardioid

– Element: Fixed-charge back plate, permanently polarized condenser

– Frequency Response: 20-20,000hz

– Impedance: 100 ohms

– Dynamic Range: 124dB, 1kHz at Max SPL

– Phantom Power Requirements: 48V DC, 2 mA

– Output Connector: Integral 3-pin XLR

– Accessories: Stand mount for ⅝” – 27 threaded stands, soft protective pouch and adapter for ⅜” – 16 threaded stands.

Audio Technica AT2035

Introduced several years after the AT2020 took the world by storm, the AT2035 aims to build on the success of the AT2020 by offering a similarly strong value proposition and excellent audio and build quality coupled with several key upgrades over the original AT2020 design.

Like the AT2020, the AT2035 is a fixed-cardioid pattern condenser microphone with a similar look and black cast metal construction. And like the AT2020, it features excellent off-axis rejection of sounds from the rear and side angles of the unit.

It also includes a custom shockmount made of strong plastic, and the microphone is held in place with elastic suspension.

Additional features include a 80Hz high-pass filter and a 10dB pad switch, both of which can be toggled on switches on the unit.

The frequency response is noticeably flat, meaning the sounds captured will be more neutral rather than trying to demonstrate a certain characteristic.

Much like in film where footage is often captured with a neutral colour palette, so the AT2035 attempts to capture audio in a neutral manner so any tonal characteristics are easier to edit in for post-production.

That said, the audio character of the AT2035 is overall still very similar to the AT2020, with some minor technical differences in terms of noise level (12dB vs the AT2020’s 20dB), impedance (120 ohms vs 100 ohms) and dynamic range (136dB at 1kHz at Max SPL vs 124 dB at 1kHz at Max SPL).

Core specs:

– Dimensions: 170mm long, 52mm body diameter

– Weight: 403g

– Polar Pattern: Cardioid

– Element: Fixed-charge back plate, permanently polarized condenser

– Frequency Response: 20-20,000Hz

– Impedance: 120 ohms

– Dynamic Range: 136dB, 1kHz at Max SPL

– Phantom Power Requirements: 11-52V DC, 3.8mA typical

– Output Connector: Integral 3-pin XLR

– Accessories: AT8458 shock mount for ⅝”-27 threaded stands, soft protective pouch and adapter for ⅜” – 16 threaded stands.

Comparing the AT2020 vs AT2035 – Which Is Better?

You may have noticed a common thread running through this comparison so far – the AT2020 and AT2035 are indeed very, very similar microphones.

And it is easy to see why, given the AT2020 was Audio Technica’s leading entry-level XLR cardioid microphone, and remains to this day an incredibly popular option for podcasters and producers alike.

And with the AT2035 being an upgrade and revamped version of the AT2020, it is understandable that both models would be fairly similar; if it wasn’t broke, why fix it?

So the AT2035 carried over a lot of what worked so well on the AT2020. Both have an excellent, sturdy build quality with the brushed black metal construction. Both have the same fixed-charge back plate element with a permanently polarized condenser, and both have a frequency response of 20-20,000Hz.

Aside from two millimetres in length and 58 grams, the two are also virtually identical in terms of weight and size.

When analysing which microphone is better, then, the question should be; is the AT2035 worth the extra money over the AT2020, and are the improvements enough of a dealbreaker to put the AT2035 significantly ahead of the AT2020?

Let us start by discussing the price points.

The AT2020 is available for around $100, and can sometimes be picked up for under this figure, making it easily one of the best microphones on the market under $100. Meanwhile, the AT2035 clocks in at around $150, so a full $50 more than the AT2020.

Both models have the same accessories out of the box, and given both are XLR microphones they will require additional equipment like audio interfaces in order to work with your computer or laptop.

With that additional cost to keep in mind, that extra $50 could be make or break – so is the AT2035 worth the extra coin over the AT2020?

One important difference between the two microphones is the noise level of each unit. The AT2020 comes in at 20dB, creating a signal-to-noise ratio of 74dB at 1 Khz at 1 Pa; quite a high figure and one that could easily be noticeable in editing and in the headphones.

Depending on how your podcast is recorded, this could be a definite issue; if there is a lot of pausing with little to no background noise (which is ideally what you want for a podcast for clarity of speech) then the noise of the mic itself could be picked up by listeners.

On the flipside, the AT2035 offers a vast improvement in that area with a noise level of only 12dB, and a signal-to-noise ratio of 82dB at 1 KHz at 1 Pa, some 8dB less than the AT2020.

Not much of a difference? Maybe so, but a significant improvement nonetheless.

There are several minor design differences between the two units. For one, the AT2035 makes use of a shock mount in its design. Is this a big deal? Not a huge one, but it does eliminate a lot of potential ‘mechanical’ noise from the capture; for example, if something jogs the mic stand or causes the floor or surface the microphone is on to vibrate, this is less likely to be transmitted through the mic stand into the microphone and onto the recording.

So the shock mount is a useful practical addition, especially given that buying an equivalent shock mount for the AT2020 would close a lot of the price difference between the two microphones in one hit.

Alongside this, the AT2035’s carry case is much more sturdy and practical than the AT2020’s bag, which offers next to no protection for the unit whatsoever in transit; something to keep in mind if you plan to transport your podcasting setup and microphone around to various places.

From an audio quality perspective, let’s make this perfectly clear; the two units are virtually neck-and-neck.

Audio Technica have a pedigree of producing high-quality microphones, and both the AT2020 and AT2035 will not let you down for podcasting work.

Both are renowned in the industry as workhorse, do-anything microphones which can handle anything from commentary and speaking to singing vocals to much louder instruments like drums and guitars.

Where the AT2035 earns its (extra) money is in some subtle details – the much decreased noise, as well as a flatter low-end frequency response and slightly improved sensitivity – and the addition of the switchable 80Hz high-pass filter and 10dB pad.

Some would argue that these switches are not needed, and while that might be the case, having to do what these switches allow manually is a time-consuming process and a further complication especially for beginners.

Conclusion

Before we decide which is the better microphone for you, let’s just reaffirm the fact that both of these microphones are excellent choices.

Neither will let you down, and both will be able to give you a great audio quality for your podcast particularly when teamed with the right equipment in terms of audio interfaces and boom arms/mic stands.

So with this in mind, the AT2020 remains an excellent choice for an XLR cardioid pattern microphone for podcasting despite being around for what feels like forever at this point. It is one of the best microphones available for under $100 on the market today, and so offers great value for money whilst still giving a professional level of audio and build quality.

If you are on a budget and need to save the extra $50 over the AT2035 for other parts of your podcasting rig, you are still getting a microphone that will do everything you need it to.

Besides, the AT2035 isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so if you wish the option is always there to upgrade later on down the line.

However, there is no way we cannot give this to the AT2035. It may sound obvious given that the AT2035 is an improved, more recent model of the AT2020.

But on the question of whether the AT2035 is worth the extra money over the AT2020, it answers that decisively; not least of all that buying a shock mount on its own for an AT2020 or equivalent microphone would probably cost about the price difference between that and an AT2035 microphone anyway.

But you get more than just a shock mount with the AT2035. Reduced noise levels are a big improvement, the switches offering flexibility and in-built user controls that can save time in post-production, and combine all of this with what the AT2020 already provides and in a slightly sturdier casing, there really is not much reason to go for the AT2020 over this.

In short, both are great microphones, but if you can, put forward the extra cash for the AT2035 – it will definitely be worth it.