Audio-Technica AT2020USB-XP review: "I was disappointed with the lack of depth"

Dec. 4, 2023

Solid, metal build

Small form factor

Included stand

Underwhelming sound

Vocals sound shallow and distant

Onboard processing isn’t effective

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Design & Features

A touch-sensitive mute button is a nice addition to the front of any microphone and in testing I found it was sensitive enough to avoid missed touches when adjusting the mic’s position and so forth. Triggering the button also changes the RGB glow from blue to red, so there’s no chance of accidentally spending half your stream on mute without realizing it. Two thumb wheels on the front offer control of the latency-free monitoring offered up by the 3.5mm jack on the back and while this kind of onboard control is nice to see, the wheels themselves feel very off the shelf and something you’d expect to find on a non-brand knock off unit rather than a new entry from a premium brand.

The three levels of onboard noise reduction also offered small gains, but they never really translated into big wins overall. Increasing the intensity via the button on the bottom of the microphone itself did start to soften the clacker of my keyboard but even on the highest setting it was far from filtered out entirely and the quality of my vocals also suffered as a result. Moreover, there’s no supporting software on offer like there is for the likes of theBEACN Micand its companionBEACN Mix Create. Unlike theRODE XCM-50orElgato Wave:3, you’re left to fend for yourself in OBS to make EQ tweaks or introduce external processing.

The audio here is a decent step up from your laptop’s built-in microphone, so if you’re just looking to make clearer callouts for your friends, they’ll no doubt thank you for your investment in a bespoke mic. If you’re a content creator looking for a professional finish, however, you’ll be disappointed if this isn’t your first mic.

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Alex is a streamer who has been creating gaming content for over a decade, streaming on Twitch regularly across the last five years. With a degree in film and a background in sports media, you’ll find him jumping between 60,000 seat stadiums and his Animal Crossing island (where he’s growing pears, in case you were wondering).

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