recordinghacks

Audio-Technica AT2050

Multi-Pattern Condenser Microphone

The AT2050 is a medium-diaphragm multipattern FET condenser microphone with transformer-coupled output.

The capsule has two gold-sputtered diaphragms and is externally biased. Although described by A-T as a large-diaphragm design, the active diaphragm area measures just 20.4mm across. Backplate diameter is also shy of the traditional “large” cutoff, at 24.3mm.

The mic has unusually high SPL handling capabilities, spec’d at 149dB without the pad or 159dB with the pad engaged.

At 7.9mV/Pa, the AT2050 is much less sensitive than its single-pattern lookalike sibling, the AT2035 (22 mV/Pa), due to the need to accommodate the signal of the rear capsule in all modes but Cardioid.

A switch on the mic body allows selection of Cardioid, Omni, or Figure-of-8 pickup patterns.

The mic’s stated frequency range is 20-20,000Hz, but the frequency plots show a HF -3dB point closer to 16kHz.

The AT2050 ships with a shock mount (p/n AT8458) and a storage pouch.

ProAudioReview

There also seems to be quite a bit more “midrange punch” present in the AT2050 compared to the 4050 and U 87, which I found to be helpful when putting the mic on a guitar cabinet. Those punchy qualities really helped me not need to reach for a midrange EQ boost in that upper-mid 3 kHz area.

The Audio-Technica AT2050 is also known as: AT-2050.

The mic was released in 2008.

Specifications

Frequency Response - OmnidirectionalClick Graph to Compare!
Frequency Response - CardioidClick Graph to Compare!
Frequency Response - BidirectionalClick Graph to Compare!

Pickup Patterns	Pads & Filters
Omnidirectional (7.9 mV/Pa; 20 - 20,000 Hz) Cardioid (7.9 mV/Pa; 20 - 16,000 Hz) Bidirectional (7.9 mV/Pa; 20 - 20,000 Hz)	Pad: -10dB (Via Switch) Filter: HPF: -12dB/octave @80Hz (Via Switch)

Capsule Dimensions	Impedance	SPL/Noise
Diaphragm diameter: 20.4mm Capsule diameter: 24.3mm	120 Ohms (Low)	Max SPL: 159 dB Self-noise: 17.0 dB(A)

Weight	Length	Max Diameter	Interface(s)
412g (14.53oz)	170mm (6.69'')	52mm (2.05'')	3-pin XLR male (1)

Power Specifications
Requires phantom power Phantom voltage: 11-52v

Did we get anything wrong on this page? Please let us know!