Podcast Microphones: Audio Technica ATR2100 vs. ATR2500
Last Updated on July 27, 2019 12:37 am by Jeffrey Powers
The coolest thing about microphone technology is for under $100 you can get a decent microphone for video recording, podcasting or music. A lot of podcasters have been using the Audio-Technica ATR2100, which I reviewed here. But I just got the ATR2500 model and I am truely impressed with the sound it gives. Therefore, this video is a comparison of these two microphones.
Audio-Technica ATR2100
This is a handheld dynamic microphone. The mic is meant to be used by musicians, comedians or anyone that needs to hold the microphone at times. It should be placed only a few inches from your mouth.
This is a hybrid microphone – XLR to plug into a mixer and USB to plug straight into the computer. You can plug in both XLR and USB, then record from 2 sources.
The ATR2100 has a range of 50-15,000Hz, so deeper voices will not get a good full range. When plugged in USB, it records 16 bit – perfect for a standard podcast.
As you can hear in the video, the sound is pretty muffled unless you are close up to the microphone. This is running straight to USB with no added effects.
Audio-Technica ATR2500
The ATR2500 is a condenser microphone and meant to be set on a table in proximity to the voice. Being up against the microphone is OK, but it works better when you are at least 6 inches away.
It’s also a great microphone if you are doing video and don’t want to have the mic visible – then it can sit 1-3 feet away. Keep in mind – the further away you are, the quieter the sound will be.
The ATR2500 is USB only and also records 16-bit. The range is a little better – 30-15,000 Hz. The capsule is set so you talk into it from the side of the mic, not the top.
One other thing to note – there is a blue LED light on the microphone. During the video you can see that blue light reflected off my face.
