Audio Technica AT875R Budget Short Shotgun Microphone Review

[@PDU_Tutorials]

I’ve been rocking this mic since 2013. It’s great for my needs.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@DD-1971]

The "Adjust volume down" and up warnings are great. It works.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@muneebrehman]

@@curtisjudd really great addition, truly shows the quality and level of detail you put into all of your content. Thank you sir 🙏🏽✊🏽

[@freerangesam457]

I’ve been waiting for the GOAT to review this piece of gear

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@_rhapsodist]

but why do you call him goat?

[@curtisjudd]

@@_rhapsodist I assume he means that as "greatest of all time."

[@freerangesam457]

Greatest of all time! Thanks for the reviews, love your work!

[@BrianSantero]

Wow, those audio samples are surprisingly good compared to the Sennheiser. Thanks for the comparisons and review!

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Brian. I was surprised at how close they were, too.

[@HarryShares]

i couldn't agree more

[@AudioforContentCreators]

I love this mic for specific purposes. I've used it in a boom setup for my virtual magic live stream shows for corporate clients. I find myself boosting the low end to compensate for some of the aggressive roll off (which was clearly designed to assist handling noise, which is not a concern of mine). I'm constantly pleased with the quality of this mic. No frills, low budget, solid performance.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for sharing your experience with it!

[@willcampbelltv]

I've been using it for 8 years and still happy with it. Really tough as well. Once I accidentally left it on the top of my car and it fell off at 40mph into a puddle. That was like 5 years ago - still sounds excellent.

[@willcampbelltv]

Also, we recorded a national commercial VO on it for Peloton. It was kind of a last second job, obviously would have used a better mic if one was available. But it performed really well.

[@curtisjudd]

Hahaha! Great to hear your experience with it - thanks for sharing!

[@MrMoogle]

I've had this mic for years and it moved to my desk for work video calls at the start of 2020. People always comment on how great my audio sounds. I've also used it to record some basic voiceovers for how-to videos with good results (tho in a well sound treated room). I've tested out some other mics over the years that are more expensive but they never feel worth the price compared to the AT875R. For a casual user, you really can't beat this thing.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@GabrielsLogic]

Had this mic for 2 years now. I love it. Great Video!

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@photojoseph]

You recommended this mic to me a while ago, and I love it. Paired with the ATEM Mini’s real-time processing it’s been awesome for live shows!

[@curtisjudd]

Great to hear it is working well. You sound great on your streams!

[@BasicFilmmaker]

As always, you nailed it on all accounts. 👍

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for watching, pal!

[@BasicFilmmaker]

​@@curtisjudd Always! 👍

[@jackvento]

Maybe the most helpful tech review I have ever come across on KZbin. Thank you.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Jack.

[@BretMiller]

I've owned this mic for several years now. I use it primarily as an on camera mic on my JVC GY-HC500. It works great as an on camera mic because it is short. It doesn't show up in the frame like a longer mic would. It's the perfect length for on camera use. I've also used it off camera on a mic stand. Very high quality especially for the price!

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for sharing Bret!

[@2121cv]

I really like this microphone. It's not the most refined sound-wise but... We use it regularly in a low cost TV with a Rycote classic softie and by hand! I like the fact that it saves time when editing because it doesn't pick up the bass. It works well for both male and female voices. Compared to dynamic handheld mics, it keeps it out of the video. Compared to other microphones of the same type, it is reliable, for example no problem of xlr moving over time. It can of course fail but because of its price it is a good replaceable mic. Only thing, it doesn't like water. You have to wait for it to dry... and go again. Not the best, but a good tool/companion.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the AT875R!

[@jackbutler5337]

I've owned this microphone since the start of my career and it's been amazing, glad to see more coverage on it! The only failing I find with it is that it seems to work on every voice but mine haha definitely requires some low end boost but again still worth every penny

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Jack!

[@Design4Training]

Hey Curtis! Thanks for giving the love on this one. It is one of the first ones I ever picked up at first because of price, but it really outworks the cost. I use it for my work Zoom set up and it's fabulous and easy to keep the short form out of camera view above me.

[@curtisjudd]

Good to hear it still working for you!

[@CruisingTheCut]

I love this mic; I’ve got it atop my Sony NX80 camcorder purely for all the natural sound, at which the small size (and wider pickup area) make it an excellent choice. Works handily enough for “on the fly” vox pops at a pinch too. Interview and presenter audio generally done with an ME66.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the AT875R and thanks for watching!

[@Ranger7Studios]

I've had this mic for years and it is pretty good for the money. I've used it on several films now and it has a very good middle flat sound that is easy to manipulate in post. Although, I am currently looking for a new mic, due to the thinness and the fact that id does pick up a little too much of the surrounding noise. But I can concur that this is a solid budget choice and will serve you well for years. I think the only draw back is that it is VERY short and sometimes hard to mount in blimps and shock mounts.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for sharing your experience with this mic!

[@carlpetty932]

So this will be a good first mic for filming documentaries and interviews?

[@newfoundmass]

I'm glad you did a review for this mic. I had it for years and was very impressed with it. It's such an excellent mic for low budget and beginners. I sometimes regret upgrading and selling it because it was my first XLR shotgun mic... Nostalgia and all that!

[@curtisjudd]

Haha! Yes, surprisingly good little microphone.

[@Rolypopoly]

I've had one of these for a few years now. A great all-rounder for an unbeatable price, and surprisingly good indoors

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@audiotango]

You do a very nice job with this, Curtis! I'll look forward to viewing more!

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Audio Tango!

[@hawksoob]

I've had one of these for years and I love it. In the same price range, I've compared it side by side with the Rode NTG-1 that I used at a previous job. There was really no comparison. The 875R was considerably less noisy, had much more power, and much nicer low-end.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for sharing, Sam! 🎙

[@mamandapanda185]

Have you compared the AT875R with the NTG-5 by chance?

[@davidfirth1]

My side gig is church AV, where budget is primary, and some of AT's mics have given us very good performance at a price point that works. I have 4 of the AT875R mics and 2 AT2035 mics in the stable right now, and am pleased with their performance.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for sharing!

[@joshmcdzz6925]

How do the AT875R sound with instruments like bass and guitar cabs or acoustic guitars.. I am curious in trying it with an upright bass.. what's your thought?

[@davidfirth1]

@@joshmcdzz6925 I’ve used it several to close capture an upright double bass in a church setting for livestream. Has worked fine on a short boom pointed straight at the instrument from maybe 12 inches away. Not sure what you’re using to mix/record, but I’m running mics into a Yamaha TF3. // Edited to add: I do the same for other instruments as needed. I keep 4 of these on hand.

[@phillipm1]

I am starting a Digital Media Production company (TV ads for streaming platforms for local businesses), and your review has ben super helpful! Thank you!

[@curtisjudd]

👍 Best wishes!

[@tombuck]

This is really a great sounding mic overall. The more I think of it, I don’t think I’ve found an Audio Technica mic that I didn’t like the sound of.

[@curtisjudd]

I agree. I love my 4053b!

[@d3w4yn3]

Great review, had to answer an email and minimized the screen during the testing, when I heard the 2+2 repeating I thought some crazy ad popped up, but alas, it was great testing content! Thanks for all of the testing, definitely helped me make a confident decision on this mic!!!

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@miscrob]

Mr. Judd, I've been watching your channel for 6 years now. Always excellent, clear descriptions and nearly every possible detail on equipment. I had hoped to one day see something about recording field audio of VERY LOUD sources and the mics, recorders, preamps for that. Just about mic capsule gets overloaded recording close proximity artillery, explosions and machine gun fire. Complicating the issue more is, part of the sound is a much much lower level and after the initial report. The first sound is immensely loud, but almost 150ms later, there's the echo(s) and or a projectile whistle that helps define the sound. It's almost as if I'd have to record it with multiple mics at multiple levels. Then remix in post. Well this is unwieldy for fast paced ENG capture with 50-100 reports detonating over 2-3 hours, separated by sometimes a 1/4 mile or more. So setting 5 mics is impossible and there will be no test firings to set levels. What would you bring for a gig like that? Thanks for reading all the way to the end of this huge, off topic post.

[@curtisjudd]

I suppose I'd look for a small diaphragm microphone with a cardioid polar pattern which can handle extreme sound pressure levels in the 140dB SPL or higher range. I've never recorded things like this so I don't know for certain, but that'd be my first instinct.

[@revokdaryl1]

I'm about to use this very microphone for a short film I'm doing based on a poem by Christina Rossetti (and a hint of Twin Peaks). Thank you for this review! It convinced me to purchase this mic for the shoot.

[@curtisjudd]

Best wishes on the film!

[@tomdchi12]

Loved that moment when you turned the mic relative to the moving car. Impressed by the sound of this mic. Thanks!

[@curtisjudd]

👍 Always good to keep in mind that polar patterns are a useful tool. 😉

[@tomdchi12]

@@curtisjudd Giving it a little thought, I don't hand-boom and mostly record indoors, so less opportunities to work with rejecting specific sources. I need to wander around a bit with a mic in my hand listening on headphones to get a better gut feel for it.

[@curtisjudd]

@@tomdchi12 Still useful even in those circumstances - tiny changes in angle can make a big difference.

[@JoaoSilva22222]

Finally you´ve reviewed this one Curtis, thanks for the lesson!

[@curtisjudd]

🙏

[@ernestthompson891]

Excellent production review. Really enjoyed the three (3) vocal sample reads + off axis exterior sound test. Looking forward to reviewing more of your product productions. Thank you. Subscribed w/"ALL" bell notification.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Ernest!

[@ernestthompson891]

@@curtisjudd So very welcome Curtis. Best to you and yours in the remainder of 2021. BTW: l had subscribed to your channel several years ago. You are such a fantastic resource of trusted information. I remembered several products in the past l purchased off of your recommendations. Never dissatisfied in the least. For some reason, KZbin dropped it off my subscription/notification listing? Have no idea as to why. Maybe an algorithm glitch? In any case, that certainly will not happen again (smile) Moving Forward. Live The Life.

[@imagenatura]

I've used this mic for 6 months on live stuff and a boom. Also,I've used it as spoken word-style mic- it does an excellent job with plosives.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for sharing, John!

[@onocoffee]

Woah, Curtis out in the field. Literally!

[@curtisjudd]

Quite literally in my backyard field. 😂

[@GregorMima]

OMG that´s my mic ... for like 5 years lol ... Thanks for the review! Oh using it nowdays for Discord / voice recordings indoors, works really well in an untreated room (in close range)!

[@curtisjudd]

If you're still using it 5 years later, I'm guessing its a winner!

[@SamuelSotiega]

I am in the market for a shotgun mic and after watching your review I think I found the mic that suits my budget. The MK416 is amazing, pretty much the industry standard here in the UK, but out if my budget range for now. This one will do amazing. Such a quality!

[@curtisjudd]

I hope it works well for you, Samuel. Happy recording!

[@SamuelSotiega]

@@curtisjudd I just bought it. Thanks for your review.

[@istvan.design]

Works really well with a Scarlett Solo 3rd gen, I am using the AT875R indoors for video conferencing, gaming (yes, this mic allows you to set the auto detect gate to take only the voice and can compete with a headphone boom at 20cm from your mouth) and I plan to record programming courses. It records noise as computer fans and it does not cancel the sound of a mechanical keyboard/clicky mouse, but that is easy to solve with a noise gate if you put the mic closer. It's just slightly better than the integrated microphone in macbook pro's when it comes to video conferencing. With the air feature of the Scarlett this mic will sound great from a longer distance. Also I can't hear self-noise, it picks up only background noise.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for sharing your experience, István.

[@Glen.Danielsen]

Marvelous as usual, Curtis. 🙏🏼💛

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Glen!

[@RayOrtega]

Great mic esp for the price, been using it at work for probably close to a decade and even used it as a VO mic and really liked how it sounded on my voice for awhile. Good stuff as always, stay well, Curtis!

[@curtisjudd]

Good to hear your experience with the AT875R! Looks like I'm in good company!

[@mamandapanda185]

What did you end up getting after the AT875 for VO? I'm searching and it's almost seeming like the $300-$500 mics aren't as good.

[@alonzojt]

This is my go-to mic when customers asked me for a good quality and durable mic that doesn't cost a fortune, especially to be mounted on a camcorder.Literally none of them were disappointed. What's less known is that AT-875R has been relabeled and renamed by some camera manufacturers and sold at a much higher price without nobody complaining...good news is: now I can suggest your video to those who want to have a professional review before buying. Thanks as always Curtis!

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for sharing, AlonzoJT!

[@huyked]

Thank you, Curtis. I have this mic. I don't have such a good ear as yours. I didn't hear any differences in the three comparisons with you all reading. So it's good to know you think highly of it for its price. :D Thank you for the reminders to adjust volumes up and down. :D

[@curtisjudd]

👍 Thanks for watching!

[@Redskai]

I've just bought one of these July 17th. Your video is fair and balanced, you obviously know what you're talking about from your own extended career in audio production. You thoroughly and honestly tested it. I bought first a Comica VM30 wireless shotgun mic'. I thought it would be a great on camera microphone, then I could take it off for interviews. Its on camera handling noise, from my initial observations, was awful and the included wind reduction was not that good. The foam and very cheap wind muff and 75hz and 150hz reduction switched on still didn't reduce wind noise enough for me. A few KZbin reviews have clearly shown that was the case. Yes, I was guilty of buying into a whizz-bang all-singing-all-dancing product. My mistake! I was already considering this microphone before the Comica VM30. So I ordered this microphone before return/refund on the Comica was finalised. I cost me £139GBP which was/is the average Ebay price for the Comica, I bought it from photographic/video specialist shop, paid what I think is a fair price. Yes, it's not considered *professionally* as good as a Sennheiser, but that's for broadcast with unlimited budgets. I'm a sheer amateur (I mean that in its original and positive way, not in a shoddy way, make-do way) I make videos driven by my own enthusiasm, sometimes I've been paid, most times not. I have made videos for 32 years. My video sound hasn't always been the best it could be. I was self learning/training on the go and I often simply ran out of cash to improve that, I did use a basic wind muff and an affordable lavelier mic, one occasion, you can hear the wind noise at an extreme, it had no foam or wind muff with it. The costs three decades ago were largely prohibitive for amateur/enthusiast video makers, there was a huge gap between professional and amateur equipment quality/function wise and price wise too, even prosumer equipment wasn't always that good, always purposely limited by companies such as Sony to maintain a strict division between amateur/enthusiast and professional markets. The AT875r: I wanted a runNgun microphone for runNgun video making, as it's compact in length and electronically designed for ENG, its bass cut at 90hz is about middling I'd estimate, should cut out any extraneous handling noise. It was purchased to go with a recently bought Canon XA70 *It's the lightest 1" Camcorder out there*. It fits nicely on the XLR handle in the shock mount. The foam fits on fine, just purchased a decent fur wind muff designed in the Britain, specifically for the AT875r for when I'm outside on a very windy day. Additional use: I've got a Zoom R24 portastudio, so it will work with that as it has Phantom 24-48v power and so I can do voice overs and audio recordings on that unit as other KZbinrs have shown it is more than adequate for that, the R24 is battery operated so I even take it on location in a case. Final: There is a huge range of microphones, from professional 1000GBP plus range to under 100GPB price, it's true to say buy what you can afford, otherwise you'll regret it later. Buy cheap, you'll pay twice! The Audio Technica AT875r is well regarded by sound engineers, it's reasonably priced and all round I hope it'll prove to be a wise buy and improve my audio significantly. I'll be doing a runN-gun video *first use of my AT875r* on Sunday 21st July 2024, with this microphone so I'll know how well it does then, I expect it to be up to the job, I'll have the foam on and fur wind muff with me in case there's high wind. Again thanks for taking your time and effort to test the microphone thoroughly and provide a fair and balanced *user* review.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks and best wishes on your project!

[@mariachiaracolalongo7816]

Thanks Curtis.. I can go with it..Now I prefer to wait your ( and very few others' ) reliable review and audio samples.

[@curtisjudd]

👍 Happy recording!

[@cli23]

Ho man. I’ve been legitimately waiting for this review for years. Seemed like such a reasonably priced mic and so few people reviewing it. Can’t wait to sit down and watch.

[@cli23]

Great stuff as always! Also background lighting is looking great!

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Casey! Great to hear from you and I hope you’re doing well!

[@cli23]

@@curtisjudd thanks. Hope you and your family are as well!

[@TLDR_filmmaker]

Awesome review, Curtis! The sound is quite impressive at that price point! I don't have quality headphones, but from all the consumer devices I listened on it sounded only slightly different from the Senn. Thanks as always for the great value you provide from the budget conscious to the pros!!

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for watching TLDR Filmmaker! Great to have you come by the channel!

[@AudioJanitor]

As someone who owns a 416 etc, this mic cannot be beat for the Price : Performance ratio An absolute sleeper of a mic.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@TomWebbFilms]

I have two Audio Technica shotgun mics (not this specific model, I have an AT835b and an AT8035) one of them is around 20 years old. I’ve used them professionally for around the same amount of time. One company I worked for also had an equivalent Sennheiser but it ended up gathering dust in a cupboard because in the environment we mostly filmed in the Audio Technicas sounded way better.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for sharing!

[@BeauHannamGuitars]

Nice video as always- Which would you recommend for youtube video dialogue- Audio Technica AT875R or the Sennheiser MKE600 ??? (or something else in the price range?)

[@curtisjudd]

Not sure, I just got the MKE600 in for testing. But I suspect either would be fine. The Sennheiser is probably brighter (more of a high frequency presence) but we'll see when I test it out.

[@erlvng]

I have to say for price, the mic sounds awesome. Going to purchase this as soon as possible. Thanks for the review and the sound samples. Great job.

[@curtisjudd]

I agree. I hope it works well for you. Happy recording!

[@birdsofray]

Great review, Curtis! I hope you review the 8035 in the near future. I would love to hear your take on it! Keep ‘em coming!

[@TomWebbFilms]

I have one of those and have used it professionally for probably close to a decade. It’s still going strong alongside my AT835b which I’ve had for 20 years. They are fantastic mics.

[@birdsofray]

@@TomWebbFilms I do too! I like the fact that it can run on a AA battery if necessary. I use it to capture bird sounds from a distance. I’m sure there are better and more pricey options out there.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Ray and Tom.

[@steveliddle8417]

@@TomWebbFilms I assume you mean the AT835b runs off a battery. The AT 875 R is phantom only - Just in case anyone gets confused - I was :-)

[@TomWebbFilms]

@@steveliddle8417 it can run either via battery or phantom power. I tend to run using phantom power 90% of the time.

[@WillsPhotography]

Glad I got mine before this review! One of the main reasons I got this mic was because I'd heard it has relatively high output levels which is a huge benefit with budget recording gear. I finally got the chance to use it as a boom mic run to a canon DSLR via an iRig Pre yesterday and it sounds good with plenty of gain to spare on the iRig (and camera levels set very low to avoid the horrid canon pre-amp). I'd always heard it recommended as a good mic for the H4n over something like a Rode NTG1 or 2 for that reason.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for sharing, Will!

[@BigBlobProductions]

Thank you for the great review! I own this mic and I absolutely LOVE it! It doesn't get the attention it deserves.

[@curtisjudd]

Its a gem.

[@mindcreativestudios4709]

Thanks for the review. I would definitely consider this microphone.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@diderichlangmannen]

Excellent as always! And this mic is awesome - especially for the price! It is a great solution for a lot of tasks and for a 20% of the price you get 75% from the sound quality of a 416. This little guy is something every video and sound producer should have in their equipment.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Diderich.

[@CallMeChato]

Thanks for this. I’m assuming it would work well with my Beachtek preamp into my camera?

[@curtisjudd]

It should work great with a Beachtek.

[@genx-tv]

Surprisingly the AT875R does work with only plug in power from a DSLR. For the price, I think it's a steal. Great for tight budget. And very small. Great first buy to get you started without too much compromise.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@Mr_A_Mia]

Excellent Video and Review Curtis. Wasnt even aware of this mic. Ill possibly have to look for this one myself.👍🏾

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks for watching Mr. A.

[@AllThingsMan]

I’ve used this microphone on all of my short films. I’m a big fan.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@seanwebb605]

I'm sitting on the fence. I need a shotgun microphone to record videos in my apartment. Maybe this will do. Maybe I should hold out for something better that would also work out well for me outdoors. Hmmmmm......

[@curtisjudd]

@@seanwebb605 This can work outdoors as well, with some wind protection.

[@seanwebb605]

@@curtisjudd I hope it sounds good. Tonight I was notified that it will arrive tomorrow.

[@jeffreyhackmedia]

Thank you for this review Curtis! I am looking into getting either another short shotgun mic or small diaphragm mic. I've been checking out your videos and studying the sounds of the various microphones.

[@curtisjudd]

You're welcome, Jeff. I hope you find a mic that works well for you 👍

[@PostColorGear]

Great overview! I love Audio Technica. My main shotgun mic is an AT897.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Dave!

[@billweaver2549]

I'd love to see a comparison between this and AT's next step up in price, the AT897 which I suspect has greater directionality, plus goes down to 20Hz (vs 90) in the specs with optional 80Hz rolloff. Being longer I imagine it could work on a simple desk stand and reach a suitable distance from the mouth. But I really want to hear whether there's a noticeable upgrade in sound quality for the extra $. Both are described as "Fixed-charge back plate, permanently polarized condenser" - which sounds to me like it means electret condenser... is this the case? In my experience electret condensers sound thinner and lack bottom end but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

[@curtisjudd]

Yes, that means electret. I wouldn’t assign a sound character to the fact that it is an electret. Voicing can vary quite a lot, regardless of how the charge is achieved.

[@Ten10Studios]

Thanks for doing this review and audio samples

[@curtisjudd]

You're welcome.

[@shellw1506]

That mic is surprisingly good compared to the MKH416. Great price point too. Thank you for the review.

[@curtisjudd]

You're welcome and thanks for the feedback.

[@KamilsView]

How timely - I just got a pair of those a few days ago. I found it brilliant for voice over from 10cm (tiny bit better than Synco D2), but at 50cm it just fell apart compared to Synco D2 that just sounds great at that distance. Tested in my room with a just bit of echo - barely audible. Adding compression to this mic did not help at all. I guess it maybe that my voice requires a bit more lower end to sound good. But funnily enough, Rode Procaster did not impress me at all, especially compared to 10 times cheaper Behringer XM8500. I am just getting tired of looking for this ideal mick. Thanks for the review, Curtis.

[@curtisjudd]

It can be tricky to find a microphone which complements your voice - totally understand that!

[@andx4024]

Thank you for the info. . I bought it a few years ago. Its very good

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@FumblingArborist]

Thank you Curtis! I also still use this mic. One of my ‘studio’ setups has this, whereas the other one has an Oktava MK-012 with a hypercardioid capsule. For me, both produce surprisingly similar results. But the 875r is significantly easier to drive. The Oktava requires so much more gain. But the AT is built like a tank. IMHO it’s still a great purchase. The GH5 of mics? ;)

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Markku, I like that - it is very much like the GH5 of microphones.

[@Texturas75]

Hi Mark. Which of the two would you recommend for indoor dialogue booming (in untreated, wet rooms)?

[@FumblingArborist]

​@@Texturas75I'm happy with the AT 875R. I think it'd make a great sounding and still low-cost option for indoor dialogue

[@waterslug4263]

Hi loved the video I’m a complete newb when it comes to audio. What recorder would you suggest to pair with this for a inside KZbin studio thanks.

[@curtisjudd]

Depends on your budget, but ideally I’d use a Sound Devices MixPre 3. But on a tighter budget, probably a Tascam DR-60Dmkii

[@waterslug4263]

@@curtisjudd thanks

[@A1Bokeh]

I just got this microphone! My first XLR shotgun. Got a good deal on it from what I've seen it's a good start!

[@curtisjudd]

It is, for sure!

[@beezyh3843]

@@curtisjudd Can this be used for vocals…like a “tiny desk” situation?

[@dannoringer]

good review, everything i wanted to know. Keep up the good work.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Dan.

[@remektekmedia6641]

Liked your new backgrounds. Thought it odd that you present an AT product mounted on a RØDE shock mount! Gives the impression that it comes with the mic!

[@curtisjudd]

Sorry about the confusion. I use what I have available to me. We covered what is included at 6:51.

[@PianoManChuck]

Great presentation as usual.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Chuck!

[@trybamusic]

Really great review!

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks!

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

One of my first mics! It's a nice mic. I like the description of 'super whooshy'. And of course the 4053b is the best indoor mic in that price range.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@mfrazer]

I've been trying to decide between this and the Deity D3 Pro Location kit. It will mostly be boomed up out of frame into an interface or DR40, but I like that the Deity could run directly into camera, phone, or smaller style recorder.

[@curtisjudd]

If you need that versatility, the D3 Pro is probably a good option.

[@mfrazer]

@@curtisjudd Awesome! Thank you very much.

[@jannbautista4480]

I'd live to see your recording set up for outdoor boom test

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Jan, that's a Sound Devices 888 in the Orca OR-34 bag. Now that you mention it, may be time to do another bag tour video. Thanks!

[@michaelhaney3175]

The review of the AT875R was well produced and put the budget microphone in good light. My only disappointment is that I did not see the shipping box thrown, nor did I see the sticker burnt. My budget shot gun microphone was a Vidpro XM-55. It seems to work, but I would wonder how much better an AT875R would be. Again, good review.

[@curtisjudd]

Hahahaha! Sorry about the lack of box throw and sticker conflagration but it appears that Bandrew at Podcastage has a patent on those maneuvers. 😉

[@StuffInMyStudio]

Thank you Curtis, great review

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Stuff In My Studio!

[@XeloPerez]

Nunca dejes de existir Curtis "The Underrated" Judd (según los amigos Gerald Undone y Josh). Gran trabajo, saludos desde Santiago de Chile.

[@curtisjudd]

Gracias.

[@ioan_jivan]

Awesome review!

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@Pabula]

At last Curtis, great review on the 875, imo a value killer.

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Pabula!

[@ChrisFlores22]

is this mic a step up from the rode ntg2 for booming interviews? I have been using the ntg2 and have noticed a lot of room noise especially indoors. Which would you recommend to go with? this AT mic or the Senn Mke600? I feel like both mics sound great and i plug straight into a zoom f3. Thanks man and as always I appreciate your input!

[@curtisjudd]

This and the MKE600 require far less gain than the RØDE. I prefer the Sennheiser.

[@MelvinDlaCruz]

hey I need help with something, I want to upgrade my microphone and I'm trying to decide between synco, RE 320 or the azden 3500L, which one do you think has the best sound. I make videos on my baseman for my KZbin channel and also for clients who come to my studio to record audio for videos on social media. I have currently been using the Deity D3 PRO for almost 3 years and I want to have something better

[@dingbu2730]

Uncle, the scenery near your house is so charming

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks.

[@richpence]

Awesome Video, thanks! How do you feel about this vs a Small Diaphragm Condenser? (Also thoughts on Cardioid vs hypercardioid pencil mics?) Does the slightly wider pattern and small size of the 875 help fix problems of phasing reverb indoors vs. a standard size shotgun mic? I am wanting to upgrade my video audio equipment, and I also do a bit of music as well. I think mostly shooting indoors (in some less well treated spaces) but could also need dialog outside. Right now I have a cheaper LYXPro CMG-50 shotgun mic and have generally found it fine, but thinking the AT875r may be a meaningful upgrade? Does the at875r kind of live in-between a pencil condenser and a shotgun mic? and/or should I just save up for a nice pencil condenser? Thanks so much for your thoughts!

[@curtisjudd]

This does sit pretty nicely between a shotgun and cardioid pencil condenser. It is less likely to experience the indoor phasing issues when off axis relative to other shotgun mics.

[@richpence]

@@curtisjudd Thanks so much for your replay! This seems like the perfect fit for me right now! and the price is great too compared to the Deity, Azden, and MKE600 that it seems to compete well with. It's surprising that I had never even heard of this mic until a week ago, It really stacks up well to the competition and from a trusted brand.

[@MadaCrow]

Been using AT875R for over a year. All experience and all videos proved me the same. AT sounds more rounded compared to Sennheiser. Sennheiser has weird boost on sibilance around 8-10khz which AT doesn't, it's like with TLM 103, it's hyperdetailed. I tend to boost by around 1-2 db around 5.1-5.4khz on mine AT for more brightness. Price tag doesn't mean that it will highly outperform, everything depends on the voice of recorded person. AT suffers only if someone is recording in doors with 0 treatment of the acoustic. Love this mic shame that proximity effect on it is not pleasant as on cardioid mics like TLM u67 or something but for this money there is no competition.

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@NeonsStyleHD]

Question: For live streaming with headphones, what would you tie this too as a power supply/mixer unit that allows you to add some filters such as pitch and compression that is also fairly low priced. I was thinking spending $600 on both these things.

[@curtisjudd]

Pitch correction at under $600 with a mic and a mixer is probably not likely but I don't use Melodyne or other such things for my work so maybe there are plugins I'm not aware of. Perhaps the ZOOM L-8 is worth a look: kzbin.info/www/bejne/foqse6aFnJ6Hhtk

[@SpaceAgeConsulting]

Great test on the mic. This may be a great mic for our church. Thanks for the reveiw

[@curtisjudd]

You bet. Happy recording! 🎙

[@przybylskipawel]

Great job as usual! I am glad I have found out about this mic. BTW I noticed that you started to present practical self-noise spectrum graphs which is awsome as it reveals the truth about mic's self-noise. I also noticed that they use linear frequeny scale instead of logaritmic which is not that great given the nature of the relation between the pitch of the sound and its frequency. Linear scale represents low frequency spectrum in very poor resolution. And since most of the self-noise seems to happen there and since low self-noise of the cheaper mics seems to be obtained by cutting on base, it would be nice to see this part of spectrum better. I don't know if that is possible with the software that you use. But if it is possible maybe it was even more informative.

[@curtisjudd]

I believe I can change that to log - sorry about that.

[@przybylskipawel]

@@curtisjudd Oh! Don't be sorry about such minor detail! You have most thorough, detailed mic reviews I have ever seen. You keep perfecting your format yet keep it comparable to your previous reviews. Quite an achievement! BTW you may need to adjust the sample size of the chart. In Audacity you need 2048 samples, but it is only static chart.

[@pandoraefretum]

thanks for this clip. Would the AT875R ever be used as a stereo AB pair ? I'm thinking because it is quite sensitive, an AB stereo pair might be good for recording ambient sounds ?? .... say running water.... or a bird singing. I would prefer those sort of things recorded in stereo rather than mono.

[@curtisjudd]

I imagine it could work for that though for shotgun style microphones are rarely used for stereo recording because you typically look to create a stereo field with cardioid or omni-directional microphones where you can capture a more continuous image without a big dropout of sound in the middle.

[@pandoraefretum]

@@curtisjudd Thx for your reply. So it would not make sense for me to get a 2nd NTG5 for stereo ? it is my most sensitive mic at 66mV/Pa and my best one for outdoor nature sounds... but it's true, I never hear about ppl using shotgun mics in stereo pairs.

[@curtisjudd]

@@pandoraefretum Correct. Most stereo recording is done with two cardioid or omni directional microphones so that you can evenly cover the stereo field. Shotgun microphones are generally too directional for this.

[@HeathcliffBlair]

Belated thanks for the review. I don't use shotgun mics very often, but they're handy to have at a price proportional to their expected usage. For me it's a choice between this and the budget conscious Sennheiser MKE 600 (about £/$100 more). I dare say that the Sennheiser would edge the Audio Technica, but there's probably not much in it. I'd love to see you cover that Sennheiser at some point. Best wishes! 🙂

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Heathcliff. Turns out I now have an MKE600 that I hope to cover before too much longer.

[@HeathcliffBlair]

@@curtisjudd Great! Thanks.🙂

[@alexanderbruns6574]

New here but I'm only like less than 2 mins in. Production quality is excellent 👌subbed

[@curtisjudd]

Thanks Alexander! 👍

[@caseyonlocation8257]

Hi Curtis, thank you for this review!!!!!!!!!! I gave you 10 exclamation marks and a thumbs up cuz by coincidence I bought this same A.T. mic last week to attach to my recently ordered Canon XF400 camcorder. I plan to connect the A.T. mic to the camcorder XLR channel 1 input for runnin and gunnin closeup sound recording, plus to also simultaneously connect a wireless lav mic system to XLR channel 2 input on the Canon XF400 camcorder for better audio recording from a distance. I figure having both types of mics connected to the Canon XF400 camcorder's 2 XLR channels via the top handle should cover all my bases. Do you think that setup should work okay for doing documentary and reporting on-location type of filming as a one person crew? My main criteria for choosing this A.T. mic was for its short 7 inch length so that it will fit inside the top handle mic holder without protruding too far out so as to be more compact. I know other similar mics are much longer in length. The relatively low price is just a bonus. I haven't tested this 2 microphone setup yet cuz I'm still waiting for my new Canon XF400 camcorder to arrive in a few days from B&H. Can't wait to setup and try out everything! One of these days I will get a "proper" pro level camcorder such as the Canon C500 like you have, but that will have to wait for now. 😁

[@curtisjudd]

Hi Casey, that seems like a good combination. The AT875R polar pattern isn't quite as focused as some other longer shotgun microphones but for capturing sound up close should work nicely.

[@caseyonlocation8257]

@@curtisjudd Hi Curtis! Thanks a lot for the input!

[@josephwright5921]

Would this be a good, budget conscious microphone for recording ambient sound effects like rain, ocean waves, and mountain streams? Are there any other durable microphones that you would recommend over this since this video came out?

[@curtisjudd]

Yes, definitely a good option. I haven't found a better sounding shotgun microphone in this price range.

[@zogun]

hey Curtis, thanks for this awesome review My question which budget mic to choose for indoor average room for KZbin video connected to Zoom H5; AT875R or Rode NT5? Maybe you have different model to recommend? Any chance to you'll be reviewing Zoom Mictrak; M2, M3 & M4 soon? Thanks again

[@curtisjudd]

L prefer the nt5

[@zogun]

​@@curtisjuddthanks a lot ❤ you're a legend 💯

[@magnusgotander7788]

I don't know if I need to go to the ear doctor or what ... but otherwise it was an extremly good mic for that prise. The treble handling perhaps isn't so well articulated but man .... for that price. For a corporate job/event if its possible to use indoors and with not so typical shotgun spot, well.... it would have been nice to hear how you would compare this mic to NTG2. Still I want to buy the Sennheiser MKH 8050 😘

[@curtisjudd]

I prefer the sound of this over the NTG2.

[@SkullyReacts]

I think we've all used this mic at some point when we first started ha ha

[@curtisjudd]

👍 not a bad place to start, eh?

[@Snailmale7]

My first shotgun mic, and my only shotgun mic for now :)

[@curtisjudd]

👍

[@RomanSkateboarding]

Hi Curtis, the background projection looks amazing in this video! Was this really done with the aputure spotlight mount? If so, what gobo did you use? I've never seen this particular pattern before but would love to get creative with it. Greetings from Germany!

[@curtisjudd]

Yes, Aputure Spotlight Mount and a Rosco. Unfortunately don’t remember the name of the Gobo…

[@RomanSkateboarding]

@@curtisjudd Thanks for the reply! Knowing that it's from Rosco, I'll surely find it :)

[@andrewheki2257]

I'd like to see a review of the AT897.

[@curtisjudd]

Send it on over and we'll cover it. 😉

[@briantallerico360]

Great review! Is the AT875R directional enough to be used on-camera to help eliminate the autofocus noise from DSLR lenses, or would I be better off with something like the RODE VideoMic Pro or VideoMic NTG?

[@curtisjudd]

They'll all pick up noisy autofocus lenses.

[@briantallerico360]

@@curtisjudd Thank you, Curtis! I'll see if I can change the location of the mic mount to get it further away from the lens and see if that helps.

[@AnimePixel]

Excellent video! I have a question, will this microphone work with the tascam dr-60d mkii? I know this recorder has the phantom power option available, but I'm scared of the fact that the quality may not be the best or that too much noise will be heard. Thanks and sorry for my horrible English.

[@curtisjudd]

Yes, it should work nicely with the Tascam DR-60DII.

[@soulmanager]

Hey Curtis, great video! I am on shopping for my first shotgun mic and I think this would work for me. I really love the shock mount and the way you have it attached to the boom arm/pole! Can you share what are you using on that setup?

[@curtisjudd]

That’s the RODE shockmount which comes with the RODE NTG5, but Rycote Invision shockmounts are available and should work nicely with the AT875R.

[@soulmanager]

@@curtisjudd awesome shock mount! Thank you for addressing my question man, greatly appreciate it.