Audio Technica AT3035 Cardioid Condenser Microphone with Shockmount

Affordable, studio-quality condenser mic!
Home studio engineers need high-quality audio gear at an affordable price. This is especially true for microphones. Million-dollar studios are willing to shell out big bucks for boutique microphones because of the unique character they can bring to a mix. Do-It-Yourself studios don't have that luxury, but nothing screams "amateur recording" like a bargain-basement microphone. Audio Technica's AT3035 condenser mic delivers the professional results small studios need, at a price they can afford.

Side-address design
Large-diaphragm condenser microphones add warmth and richness to both vocal and instrument tracks. As a side-address microphone, the AT3035 gives you these same traits along with an open, airy quality not found in more traditional designs. Most condenser microphones trap the sound down inside the capsule before it has a chance to develop. The tone will be accurate, but probably a little sterile. Side-address microphones receive the incoming audio along with some of the natural room ambience. You won't need to add artificial atmosphere during mixdown, saving time and, in many cases, valuable computer processing power.

Cardioid pickup pattern
Warm tracks sound good, but too much ambience can be distracting. AT3035 microphones have a cardioid pickup pattern that targets a specific audio source, rejecting unwanted sound from the back and sides. This helps prevent track bleed, so the guitar tracks don't interfere with the vocals, for example. Each instrument is isolated, making the mixdown process much easier. If the guitars bleed onto the vocals, boosting the lead singer also boosts the guitars. When everything is separated, you can mix with confidence, knowing exactly what each fader movement is doing to the overall sound.

Electret condenser element
Audio Technica uses an electret condenser design to help keep costs under control. Original condenser designs use an external electrical voltage to power the condenser element. Electret microphones have a permanent charge inside the capsule, which is much less expensive to produce. Early electret microphones were made specifically to reduce costs, with little regard to performance. Significant advances in electret technology now allow these microphones to compete with old-school designs, delivering professional results to budget-conscious studios. The AT3035 has an onboard preamp, so it requires phantom power. Make sure your recording rig supports this feature.

Ultra-wide frequency range
While most electret condenser microphones have their fixed charge attached directly to the diaphragm, the AT3035 attaches it to the back plate instead. This allows for a thinner, more sensitive diaphragm. With an ultra-wide frequency range from 20Hz all the way up to 20kHz, even the subtlest details of your music will cut through the mix. Bass guitars and the lowest drum sounds rarely get below 40Hz, so you'll have all the bottom-end you need in your tracks. The same is true for the top of your mix. There's enough range to pick up all the fundamental frequencies of any instrument you care to record, along with enough room for the higher harmonics that shape its tonal character. What you hear is what the AT3035 sends to your recording device. There's no compromise.

High SPL handling
The large, 26mm polymer diaphragm is delicate and sensitive, but it is also capable of reproducing the loudest sound sources without distorting. Its maximum Sound Pressure Level (SPL) rating is 148dB, which is pretty impressive when you consider a jet engine only produces around 140dB SPL. Everything from whisper-quiet cymbals to paint-peeling metal riffs are captured with pristine clarity. It's these dynamics that will set your sound apart from the pack. More than just recording songs, you'll be setting a mood and creating a listening experience.

Tone-shaping controls
AT3035 microphones also include helpful features to shape your tone at the source. The 80Hz roll-off switch tightens up the bottom end of any track for less mud in the mix. You may want the lowest frequencies for bass guitars and some of the drums, but most instruments don't produce sounds in that range. Low frequency energy has little acoustic power, and most of these sounds are felt more than heard. If all of your tracks have this low energy floating around, it will combine to wash out the bottom. Individual tracks sound great when you solo them at the mixing board, but everything gets cloudy when played together. When you cut these frequencies, you punch-up the entire mix. Everything is more focused and better-balanced. This roll-off switch is also great for removing ambient noise caused by traffic and air-conditioning vents. The onboard -10dB pad also takes the strain from your channel strip. You'll have an easier time setting the gain for loud or extremely dynamic sources that would otherwise cause clipping. Vocal popping is also reduced, smoothing out lead- and backing-tracks.

Included accessories
Condenser microphones are built to be sensitive, reproducing any sound within their pickup pattern. Unfortunately, this sensitivity can also inject handling noise into your tracks, if you're not careful. Vibrations in the room can travel up the microphone stand, shaking the microphone and adding unwanted sound. Audio Technica includes an external shockmount to hold the AT3035 securely on the stand while preventing mechanical noise from entering the signal path. The shockmount is fully adjustable, pivoting to accommodate any input angle. Tilt it up for a tall singer, or set it straight-up to meet an amp cabinet head-on. You also get a soft, protective pouch to transport and store the mic securely. zZounds is an authorized dealer of Audio-Technica products.

Element: Condenser

Polar Pattern: Cardiod

Frquency Response: 20-20,000 Hz

Open Circuit Sensitivity: -32dB (25.1 mV) re 1V at 1 Pa

Impedance: 250 Ohms

Maximum Input Sound Level: 148 dB SPL, 1 kHz at 1% T.H.D.

Signal to Noise Ratio: 82 dB, 1 kHz at Pa

Dynamic Range (Typical): 136 dB 1 kHz at Max. SPL

Phantom Power Requirements: 11 - 52V 3 mA typical

Switches: 10dB pad; roll-off

Low Frequency Roll-off: 80 Hz, 12 dB per octave

Weight: 13.8 oz. (390 g)

Output Connector: Integral 3-Pin XLRM-type

Product Description

This mic has a large diaphragm (26mm) for exceptional detail and low noise.

Features
High max SPL, wide dynamic range, and optimized output level provide unmatched versatility.

Low self-noise (12 dB SPL) - perfectly suited for today's most sophisticated digital recording equipment.

Extended low-frequency response for rich, full sound.

Custom shock mount provides superior isolation.

Lo-cut switch (80 Hz, 12 dB/octave) and 10 dB pad.