Audio-Technica AT2040 Hypercardioid Podcast Microphone

Transducer

Polar pattern

Published frequency response

Microphone weight

A focused pickup for speech

The hypercardioid pattern limits pickup from the sides and rear, helping separate your voice from surrounding sound when positioned correctly. Keep the microphone position consistent, use a stable supporting surface and check your recording level.

Manage plosives inside the microphone

A multistage windscreen combines nonwoven filtering and foam mesh to soften breath blasts during close vocal recording. Keep the microphone position consistent, use a stable supporting surface and check your recording level.

Reduce stand-borne vibration

The integrated shock mount attenuates noise and vibration passed through a microphone stand or boom arm. Keep the microphone position consistent, use a stable supporting surface and check your recording level.

Fit your recording setup

Connect to an XLR microphone input and position the microphone with the included pivoting mount. A thread adapter and soft pouch are supplied. Set the earcups into a comfortable position before bringing the volume to your usual listening level.

Work with the Hypercardioid Pickup

The hypercardioid pattern concentrates the main pickup toward the speaking side and has a smaller rear pickup region. Aim the microphone at the voice and consider sound behind it when arranging the desk. Consistent distance, microphone angle and sensible gain help create repeatable speech recordings.

Which microphone connection does this use?

Integral 3-pin XLRM. Use a suitable XLR microphone input and cable. This listing is the analogue XLR model.

Which pickup pattern is available?

Hypercardioid. Choose the microphone position and, where available, pattern around the source and room.

What equipment should I connect it to?

Use a microphone preamp, audio interface or mixer with the appropriate XLR microphone input. Set the preamp gain around the actual voice level and working distance.

What is included?

AT8487 mounting clamp, 5/8-inch-27 to 3/8-inch-16 threaded adapter and protective pouch. Any interface, stand, arm or cable is a separate choice unless expressly listed as included.

How heavy is the microphone?

615 g. Include the weight of the mounting accessories when choosing the supporting arm or stand.

How do I set the recording level?

Connect to the microphone input, position the microphone and check the loudest expected part of the performance. Adjust gain while monitoring so normal variations in voice or instrument level do not clip the input.

Does the integrated shock mount include a desktop stand?

The listed package includes the AT8487 mounting clamp, thread adapter and protective pouch. A supporting arm or stand is a separate item; the integrated shock mount is part of the microphone design.