While substance, skill, and personality make the podcaster, the podcast itself, I believe is gauged by the quality of its audio. In the modern age of live streaming, video has taken podcasting in another level, but the audio remains the main building component of the medium.
A high quality microphone is essential for anyone who would like to take a serious attempt on producing his own podcast. Sure, good content will still be good regardless of the recording quality, but imagine the same content in good audio, right?
Now enters the Audio-technica AT2005USB —a digital and analog hybrid, dynamic microphone with both XLR and USB capabilities. It comes with a built-in audio interface, making it a plug and play device on any laptop or desktop.
At around 4000 php to 4500 php in most local, online listings, the AT2005USB is a high quality mic that should more than satisfy any podcast audio requirements, without breaking the bank. Sure there are mics that are much cheaper in the market. There are plenty of brandless, China-made, generic ones and blatant knock offs of much higher priced microphones; but personally, I would much rather stay with a trusted brand like Audio-technica than risk getting burned an inferior product.
I've tried the mic on in the unboxing video below and below are the things I found out overall.
The Mic
Due to its price and versatility, the AT2005USB has become one of the most popular podcast microphones in the world. Together with its pogi design and good audio output, it is easy to tell why that is the case.
The light metal construction gives a durable feel, although I'd be really careful not to drop this piece of equipment, unlike let's say, the Shure SM58. With proper care though, this seems like a product that you can potentially enjoy for years.
Accessories
The accessories that came with the box would serve their purpose, but they unfortunately have left a lot to be desired. But then again, given the price range, it's still great that it comes with these at all.
The XLR cable that comes with it feels a little frail. I wouldn't use it outside studio recordings and live gigs.
The table top tripod lacks weight and the plastic construction kinda seems weak. The wide base and locking position gives it considerable stability though.
The USB cable... well, it works.
The mic clip's screw needs a little bit of tightening, otherwise it's good.
And the carrying pouch is an awesome added bonus. You can fit everything inside it except for the XLR cable.
Audio Quality
The AT2005USB is specially designed to be Audio-technica's entry level, semi-pro podcasting microphone, as with its predecessor, the ATR2100-USB. But to an average listener like me, it's clarity, crispness, and cleanliness of its output is enough for me to get sold on this mic.
I think the built-in audio interface works very well by itself. Plugging it to my Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 did improve the sound quality, but the audio via the USB connection already sounds awesome to me, specially if you're gonna be recording in a quiet space. I wasn't able to test it in an area with a lot more ambient noise, but it seems like it did a better job in capturing a lower noise from my studio's AC, compared to the Shure Super 55 Black that I was using in my unboxing video.
Overall, expect a great, professional quality podcast recordings with the AT2005USB that require minimal post-production processing, given that you have at least, a relatively quiet location to record.
Verdict
If you're REALLY serious about starting a podcast would not compromise on quality, the Audio-technica AT2005USB is THE LEAST that you should get. DO NOT GO LOWER.
That is not in any way a slight against the AT2005USB. But rather, it means that this is probably the best deal you can get for an affordable, reliable, and professional sounding podcast for starting producers.
Where to Get It
It appears like Audio-technica's official distributor in the Philippines is JB Music, so visit their website to inquire availability and store locations: https://www.jbmusic.com.ph/
For online purchases, visit their online stores: