Audio engineers, now working from laptops and in less than ideal monitoring environments, are frequently relying on headphones for the monitoring resolution necessary to make edit and mix decisions. The familiarity of the sonic signature of the Audio-Technica M-Series Professional Studio Monitor Headphone line, including the ubiquitous ATH-M50x model and the enhanced performance ATH-M70x model, allow confidence and trust in production decisions with excellent translation to consumer distribution formats. For extended comfort in longer sessions that require less isolation, an alternate solution is the ATH-R70x Professional Open-Back Reference Headphones, a choice of many professionals for personal listening.
To drop in a new track or for overdubs, individual musicians are being recorded at home or via online collaboration. Whether in a home studio or in a personal space, a high-quality, reliable microphone is still essential. Audio-Technica Multi-pattern Condenser Microphones like the legendary high-performance, yet affordable, AT4050, and the go-to-mic in numerous professionals’ personal collection, the AT4047MP, are versatile choices for handling a broad range of production applications from vocals to instruments.
Audio professionals are becoming online content creators to stay visible and productive from isolation, while providing valuable education and training. Whether creating streaming production podcasts to benefit others that are homebound, or for guest lecturing live to audio students shut out of classrooms and audio labs, or for participating in virtual meetings and conferences, crystal-clear voice communication is critical. The AT2005USB cardioid dynamic USB/XLR microphone is an affordable all-purpose solution for delivering top-quality audio. Like all Audio-Technica mics, the AT2005USB is a major step up from the built-in mic in a computer, tablet or phone, yet can plug directly into a USB port (or into an outboard interface or mic pre via XLR). An upgrade option is Audio-Technica’s AT2020USB+, a premium-quality condenser USB microphone that can be used not only for business meetings but also for podcasting and music recording. Both offer useful features like headphone jacks with level control, desktop stands and cabling.
For those preferring a headset mic for podcasting and conferencing applications, the wired ATH-G1 and wireless ATH-G1WL (both originally designed as premium gaming headsets) offer high-performance features including a detachable, highly directional boom mic, superior noise isolation to block outside distractions, inline volume control and mute switch, with the ATH-G1WL also offering a 15-hour battery life. For those who want to stick with their preferred headphones like the industry-standard ATH-M50x, a set of over-ear headphones can be transformed into a full-fledged headset with the ATGM2 detachable boom microphone. The ATGM2 is flexible for optimum positioning and its highly directional hypercardioid mic element rejects ambient noise to ensure maximum vocal clarity. Additionally, for those looking for a professional broadcast headset for streaming, the BPHS1 broadcast stereo headset offers natural, highly intelligible and focused vocal reproduction, closed-back circumaural (around-the-ear) ear cups, and a high-output dynamic microphone mounted on a flexible boom. The BPHS1 includes a user-replaceable detachable 3.4 m (11-foot) cable terminating in two output connectors, one each for the microphone and headphone; the microphone output is a 3-pin XLRM-type connector, and the headphone output is a 3-conductor 1/4-inch connector.
