Audio Technica AT2035 Condenser Microphone question ...

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Hello there. I am sort-of setting up a small Home-Studio in my Basement, and as looking for a good mic. I came across the "Audio Technica AT2035 Condenser Microphone"
I see that it has 2 switches (sorry, I am learning about this stuff as I go on here.) , a "-10 DB" and a "Low Cut" switch. Would it be possible to get an explanation of what each switch does?

ALSO: I have a SHURE SM57, what shock mount would you recommend that would fit well?

:cool:
!!! THANK YOU in ADVANCE !!!
 
low cut cuts lows
-10 db reduces the input by 10db
if you are only using those two mics, a shockmount should be pretty far down on your list of needs
 
I second the last statement in the last post- but the 2035 comes with a shockmount. I'll say for the price, that mic is fantastic. It was my first condenser and I still love it.:)


Anthony
 
Big Kenny said:
if you are only using those two mics, a shockmount should be pretty far down on your list of needs
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Spot on with what Big Kenny is saying!!! You should be concentrating on expanding your microphone inventory to accomplish any situation that comes your way in the future while recording.
 
12milluz said:
I second the last statement in the last post- but the 2035 comes with a shockmount. I'll say for the price, that mic is fantastic. It was my first condenser and I still love it.:)


Anthony
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Id be curious to how much alike the AT2035 is to the AT3035...I have 2 AT3035 mics and I think they are terrific for the cost.
 
Dunno about the 2035/3035 comparo, but there is a WORLD of difference between a 30-series and a 40-series mic. I am fortunate to have a 4033 and a 4040.
 
I dont know so much about that...the 30 series was a good distance above the 20 series.
 
darrin_h2000 said:
I dont know so much about that...the 30 series was a good distance above the 20 series.
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well considering that the 20 "series" was just the 2020 and the almost impossible to find 2021 until just a few months ago, I beg to differ. the 2020 is a great mic, especially great for acoustic guitar. it's a medium or small diaphram electret condensor and has a terrific tone for certain things. none of the 30 or 40 series mics sound quite like it, and if it's the tone you like on guitar then it's the mic you need, whether or not it's a budget mic.

just saying :-)

the 30 series was always a cheap version of the 40 series to me. the 20 series was always something completely different to me and not in direct competition with either the 30 or 40 series. there are good mics in all of the series.

there are GREAT mics in teh 40 series of course, the 4050 (and 4054 etc) and 4060 are obvious best choices for some pretty big studios even.

but the 2020 is also something I come across in some pretty big studios. I don't recall ever seeing a 30 series in any major studios, although I've had them in my own home studio a bit with decent results. home studio = different animal though.
 
dkelley said:
but the 2020 is also something I come across in some pretty big studios. I don't recall ever seeing a 30 series in any major studios, although I've had them in my own home studio a bit with decent results. home studio = different animal though.
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Well there wasnt many different models in that AT30 series ...too bad because the 3035 is a terrific value...I bought 2 used last year at $50 each and have used them as a stereo pair and on many different instruments...Id rank them right below the AT4033 in usefulness...and I sought them out after hearing them used on tracks as overheads where a whole trap set was picked up using only one mic.
 
Hi Guy's

I just picked up a AT2035, I did the old test 1 - 2 on it last night and it sounds pretty good. Once I do a couple of sessions with it I'll let you know what I think.

Years ago I picked up an old AT3525, It's become the go to mic for my wife's vocal as it really suited her voice. The tracks "Tunnel Vision" (my low vocal was done with a AKG C4000B), "Political Life" and "What you get" here were done with the AT3525.

I have been meaning to get some more Audio Technica mics ever since but keep buying other things.

Cheers

Alan.
 
darrin_h2000 said:
...the 3035 is a terrific value...I bought 2 used last year at $50 each...
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Well, there you go. A few years ago, I snagged a 4033 and a 4050 for $150 each, and it must have been the deal of the century, because now I never seem them offered for less than $300 asking price, used. 40-series may not be the best deal, but they darn sure are one of the best mics you are likely to use.

As for 20 series- still no personal experience, but i'd say, in general, that there is a place for 20's and 30's- for one thing, I baby my 40's- having some 20's or 30's would be nice so I could relax and not worry about damaging them, so much.

As for a shock mount- none should be required for the SM57.
 
The 2020 and the 2035 are both great for electric guitar cab, good for acoustic if paired with another condensor, but not so great for vocals. Not near as good as the 4033 for vocs.

Both are far better than any budget dynamic or certainly a long mile beyond any other budget condensor. The Chinese budget condensors will be noticeably inferior.

I too scored a used mint 4033 for right about $100 bucks. Aint selling that one. But I did sell my 2020 and 2035 because I got a SM7b and a Heil for the guitar cab, and I already have a pair of C414's for acoustic.
 
I'm sorry, did I say $150 each? I meant $150 for the PAIR.
 
Good work...makes me feel good that I am rubbing off on people.
 
As promised a report on the AT2035.

Tried the AT2035 on a session on the weekend, I was tracking a band live in the studio, all instruments and vocals. It was a jug/blues band. The At2035 was used on the 2nd/backing vocalist who was also playing a 12 string, washboard and ukulele. He was behind a moveable glass screen so there was some separation from the band (Lead Vocalist was the Drummer and even that went well).

The AT2035 performed pretty well, the vocal was very clear. It also picked up a fair bit of the 12 string which was good in this case as it was only DI'ed and I don't like DI'ed acoustics. The mix of the DI and the mic spill made it sound more natural. The washboard was so loud that the mic I had on the washboard was not even in the mix.

It may not be my No1 choice for vocal as I have other favourites, but it is very usable and will suit some singers. In fact this singer had my AKG C4000B first up and it did not suit him at all (suits me great).

When I do the next session I will try to use it for a Lead Vocal track and report back. I also suspect that it would sound good on acoustic guitars.

Cheers
Alan.
 
As promised here is a review of the next session:

I used the AT2035 for lead vocal, rock music, rock vocal with some shouting. The At2035 faired pretty well, there were 2 different vocalists and on one there seemed to be a slight upper mid peak which would mean that the mic may not have suited him 100%. However a very slight cut in the upper mids fixed it very easily.

I managed to record some very clear vocal tracks that cut through the instruments in the mix (which is only a rough mix at this stage).

I had the mic plugged into a Bellari RP520 pre and I also had a TL audio Fatman compressor inserted with the setting on the vocal1 preset and some very mild compression set. I inserted the compressor as this bands vocal has some huge dynamic due to the low growl and screaming parts so I wanted to just grab the peaks a little if it got out of control ha ha.

For the price this is a very usable microphone.
Cheers
Alan.
 
I had an AT4033a a few years ago. I got the AT4033a for $250 with an Art Tube MP. Sold it for the same to fund my field recorder purchase. It had an aftermarket shock mount too.

I recently got the 3035 ($110 with shock mount and pop filter) to reclaim that 4033 vibe. They are different at first glance. The 3035 has a nice voice over vibe to it. It's been a while since I had the 4033, but my perception is that the 4033 is the better mic. That 4033 seemed to pick up everything. The 3035 seems to be a subset of that everything. The 4033 seemed to have an awesome low end. The 3035 seems to just have a low end. A better low end than my STO-2's though, which is why I got them to get a taste for what I feel that I'm missing. The 3035 noise floor is also noticably lower than the STO-2's. At least in the waveform. Unless you add a lot of gain in post neither is all that noticeable (on a laptop / as a solo track).

I don't have any exposure to the 20xx series, but I've heard people say that if AT made a 10xx series, that they wouldn't care to hear what it sounded like. I either case, the noticable difference between 3035 and 4033 seems to solidify that my next (non-specialty) AT mic will likely be the 4050.
 
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I don't have any favouritism for Audio Technica's over any other make as I believe that mic choice is second in personal opinion only to monitor choice.

The AT4033 would be a fantastic mic to own, I wish I had one just like I wish I had a AT4050.

The 2 Audio Technica's I do own are a At3525 which sounds great but is a discontinued model, and a At2035 which I picked up cheaply second hand and wrote a few opinions on above. The opinions were in reply to the original question in this post.

I don't disagree with anything Shadow-7 said, but what should be pointed out is that there is a big price difference between a AT4033 (retail US$595) and AT3035 (retail US$349) and a AT2035 (retail US$249). Looking at that I would expect that the AT4033 would eat the AT2035, however as I said the AT2035 is a very usable mic for the price, 41% of the price of a AT4033.

I used retail prices as I could find them very easily but street prices would be lower in all cases, so shop around.

Cheers
Alan.
 
Found this piece from Anon

darrin_h2000 said:
Id be curious to how much alike the AT2035 is to the AT3035...I have 2 AT3035 mics and I think they are terrific for the cost.
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I'm also interested in this comparison.... The only feedback I could find was from a guy out there on the net somewhere... don't know his name so I hope he doesn't mind me passing this on. Quote:

"Somehow, even though the capsule is 24mm (as compared to the old AT3035's 26mm capsule), the sound is slightly "bigger" or "fuller". Just like the AT2020 model has an amazingly big sound for its 16mm capsule, the AT2035 has that characteristic even more.
IMO, it is the current Tyrannosaus of studio condenser mics under $200. Audio-Technica may just have made all their other mics under $350 obsolete!
This mic is like a slightly-juiced AT3035 (which I also own), which was already a heck of a mic for the money and very underrated. The sound of the AT2035 is B-I-G, full and crystal-clear. Used with even a cheap preamp, set at proper levels, there is no harshness in the highs to my ears, even with no EQ.
This is not a "German-sound" mic with extra "sheen";It is a simpler, "true-sounding" mic with little coloration and fine presence. It makes a quality, contrasting addition to a mic collection that already includes those popular & distinctive ADK, or Studio Projects-type "German-flavor" vocal mics. Compare this to one of AT's somewhat more expensive mics, and the results may surprise you. In my opinion, AT Corp has reason to fear a shootout between this mic and the ones they put out that I won't name in the $200-350 range. But do your own test if you can, and decide."
 
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