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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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!!!
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
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!
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!
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)!
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.
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?
@@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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
@@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.
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 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, RUclips 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.
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!
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......
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.
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.
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!
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 RUclips 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 RUclipsrs 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.
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.
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!!
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.
@@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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?)
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.
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.
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? ;)
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 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.
I just bought one of these to hold me over until my nephew returns my Deity S Mic 2. And the blimp. And the wombat. And the boom pole. It sounds really good for the price.
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! 🙂
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!
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.
I had forgotten all about this mic. I used to see them cheap on Craigslist around my area, but I never bothered to look up their performance. I'll be smarter in nine minutes and 19 seconds!
@@curtisjudd I did. I'm going to go watch your review of the first Aputure Diety shotgun mic, since that's the one I own and use. If one of these pops up for a decent used price, I'll snatch it up, but I'm more in the market for a hyper-cardioid shortie, like the AT4053 or the like. Also, I took part in a 48 film challenge last weekend. The screenings for the finished films is next weekend. Audience voting is open to anyone able to watch a block of the finished films (all 5 minutes and under). Would you mind viewing some of the submissions next weekend to see how I fared against the locals in my area? If so, the screenings are Apr 29th - May 2nd at SATO48 dot com. If not, I completely understand because you're a busy man. Also, the name of my film is "Mamihlapinatapai".
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.
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?
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 RUclips 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
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!
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.
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.
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?
Wow, those audio samples are surprisingly good compared to the Sennheiser. Thanks for the comparisons and review!
Thanks Brian. I was surprised at how close they were, too.
i couldn't agree more
I’ve been rocking this mic since 2013. It’s great for my needs.
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I’ve been waiting for the GOAT to review this piece of gear
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but why do you call him goat?
@@_rhapsodist I assume he means that as "greatest of all time."
Greatest of all time! Thanks for the reviews, love your work!
The "Adjust volume down" and up warnings are great. It works.
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@@curtisjudd really great addition, truly shows the quality and level of detail you put into all of your content. Thank you sir 🙏🏽✊🏽
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.
Thanks for sharing your experience with it!
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.
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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.
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.
Hahaha! Great to hear your experience with it - thanks for sharing!
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!
Great to hear it is working well. You sound great on your streams!
Had this mic for 2 years now. I love it. Great Video!
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As always, you nailed it on all accounts. 👍
Thanks for watching, pal!
@@curtisjudd Always! 👍
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!
Thanks for sharing Bret!
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.
Thanks for sharing your experience with the AT875R!
Maybe the most helpful tech review I have ever come across on RUclips. Thank you.
Thanks Jack.
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
Thanks for sharing your experience, Jack!
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.
Good to hear it still working for you!
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.
Thanks for sharing, Sam! 🎙
Have you compared the AT875R with the NTG-5 by chance?
I've had one of these for a few years now. A great all-rounder for an unbeatable price, and surprisingly good indoors
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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.
Thanks for sharing your experience with this mic!
So this will be a good first mic for filming documentaries and interviews?
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!!!
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You do a very nice job with this, Curtis! I'll look forward to viewing more!
Thanks Audio Tango!
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
👍 Thanks for watching!
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!
👍 Best wishes!
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!
Haha! Yes, surprisingly good little microphone.
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)!
If you're still using it 5 years later, I'm guessing its a winner!
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.
Thanks for sharing, John!
Woah, Curtis out in the field. Literally!
Quite literally in my backyard field. 😂
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.
Thanks for sharing!
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?
@@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.
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.
I agree. I love my 4053b!
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.
Thanks for sharing your experience with the AT875R and thanks for watching!
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.
Best wishes on the film!
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!
Thanks for sharing, AlonzoJT!
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.
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.
As someone who owns a 416 etc, this mic cannot be beat for the Price : Performance ratio
An absolute sleeper of a mic.
👍
That mic is surprisingly good compared to the MKH416. Great price point too. Thank you for the review.
You're welcome and thanks for the feedback.
Finally you´ve reviewed this one Curtis, thanks for the lesson!
🙏
Loved that moment when you turned the mic relative to the moving car. Impressed by the sound of this mic. Thanks!
👍 Always good to keep in mind that polar patterns are a useful tool. 😉
@@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.
@@tomdchi12 Still useful even in those circumstances - tiny changes in angle can make a big difference.
Marvelous as usual, Curtis. 🙏🏼💛
Thanks Glen!
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.
Thanks Ernest!
@@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, RUclips 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.
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!
I hope it works well for you, Samuel. Happy recording!
@@curtisjudd I just bought it. Thanks for your review.
I’ve used this microphone on all of my short films. I’m a big fan.
👍
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......
@@seanwebb605 This can work outdoors as well, with some wind protection.
@@curtisjudd I hope it sounds good. Tonight I was notified that it will arrive tomorrow.
Thanks Curtis.. I can go with it..Now I prefer to wait your ( and very few others' ) reliable review and audio samples.
👍 Happy recording!
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.
Thanks Diderich.
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.
Great stuff as always! Also background lighting is looking great!
Thanks Casey! Great to hear from you and I hope you’re doing well!
@@curtisjudd thanks. Hope you and your family are as well!
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!
It is, for sure!
@@curtisjudd Can this be used for vocals…like a “tiny desk” situation?
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!
Good to hear your experience with the AT875R! Looks like I'm in good company!
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.
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 RUclips 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 RUclipsrs 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.
Thanks and best wishes on your project!
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.
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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.
I agree. I hope it works well for you. Happy recording!
Uncle, the scenery near your house is so charming
Thanks.
Thanks for doing this review and audio samples
You're welcome.
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!!
Thanks for watching TLDR Filmmaker! Great to have you come by the channel!
Thank you for the great review! I own this mic and I absolutely LOVE it! It doesn't get the attention it deserves.
Its a gem.
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!
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.
@@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.
Thanks Ray and Tom.
@@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 :-)
@@steveliddle8417 it can run either via battery or phantom power. I tend to run using phantom power 90% of the time.
Thanks for the review. I would definitely consider this microphone.
👍
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.
Thanks for sharing!
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.
Thanks for sharing your experience, István.
Great overview! I love Audio Technica. My main shotgun mic is an AT897.
Thanks Dave!
Excellent Video and Review Curtis. Wasnt even aware of this mic. Ill possibly have to look for this one myself.👍🏾
Thanks for watching Mr. A.
Nunca dejes de existir Curtis "The Underrated" Judd (según los amigos Gerald Undone y Josh).
Gran trabajo, saludos desde Santiago de Chile.
Gracias.
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.
Thanks for sharing, Will!
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.
You're welcome, Jeff. I hope you find a mic that works well for you 👍
I think we've all used this mic at some point when we first started ha ha
👍 not a bad place to start, eh?
My first shotgun mic, and my only shotgun mic for now :)
👍
good review, everything i wanted to know. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Dan.
Great presentation as usual.
Thanks Chuck!
Thank you Curtis, great review
Thanks Stuff In My Studio!
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.
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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?)
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.
Thank you for the info. . I bought it a few years ago. Its very good
👍
Really great review!
Thanks!
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 RUclips studio thanks.
Depends on your budget, but ideally I’d use a Sound Devices MixPre 3. But on a tighter budget, probably a Tascam DR-60Dmkii
@@curtisjudd thanks
Great test on the mic. This may be a great mic for our church. Thanks for the reveiw
You bet. Happy recording! 🎙
Thanks, Curtis! I'm buying one right now.
Hi Doug - good to hear from you and I hope you're doing well! I also hope the AT works out well for you!
Amazing sound. Thank you
👍
At last Curtis, great review on the 875, imo a value killer.
Thanks Pabula!
Awesome review!
👍
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.
Hahahaha! Sorry about the lack of box throw and sticker conflagration but it appears that Bandrew at Podcastage has a patent on those maneuvers. 😉
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? ;)
Hi Markku, I like that - it is very much like the GH5 of microphones.
Hi Mark. Which of the two would you recommend for indoor dialogue booming (in untreated, wet rooms)?
@@Texturas75I'm happy with the AT 875R. I think it'd make a great sounding and still low-cost option for indoor dialogue
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.
I believe I can change that to log - sorry about that.
@@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.
I'd live to see your recording set up for outdoor boom test
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!
I just bought one of these to hold me over until my nephew returns my Deity S Mic 2. And the blimp. And the wombat. And the boom pole. It sounds really good for the price.
👍 You are very generous to share like that.
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! 🙂
Thanks Heathcliff. Turns out I now have an MKE600 that I hope to cover before too much longer.
@@curtisjudd Great! Thanks.🙂
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!
Sorry about the confusion. I use what I have available to me. We covered what is included at 6:51.
Thanks for this. I’m assuming it would work well with my Beachtek preamp into my camera?
It should work great with a Beachtek.
Fantastic review
Thanks Thomas.
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.
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New here but I'm only like less than 2 mins in. Production quality is excellent 👌subbed
Thanks Alexander! 👍
I always hit the like button before watching all his videos. interesting
Thanks for watching, Sherif!
I had forgotten all about this mic. I used to see them cheap on Craigslist around my area, but I never bothered to look up their performance. I'll be smarter in nine minutes and 19 seconds!
Hahaha! I hope you found the video helpful!
@@curtisjudd I did. I'm going to go watch your review of the first Aputure Diety shotgun mic, since that's the one I own and use. If one of these pops up for a decent used price, I'll snatch it up, but I'm more in the market for a hyper-cardioid shortie, like the AT4053 or the like.
Also, I took part in a 48 film challenge last weekend. The screenings for the finished films is next weekend. Audience voting is open to anyone able to watch a block of the finished films (all 5 minutes and under). Would you mind viewing some of the submissions next weekend to see how I fared against the locals in my area? If so, the screenings are Apr 29th - May 2nd at SATO48 dot com. If not, I completely understand because you're a busy man.
Also, the name of my film is "Mamihlapinatapai".
@@curtisjudd Btw, I changed my channel name. I used to be"Insanejughead".
@@insanejughead Sure, happy to have a look. May need a little nudge next weekend.
@@curtisjudd I'll gladly send you a reminder. Does the comment section here work best to do so?
Thank you, sir!
I like your reviews..
Thanks Phillip.
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.
It can be tricky to find a microphone which complements your voice - totally understand that!
I'd like to see a review of the AT897.
Send it on over and we'll cover it. 😉
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?
They'll all pick up noisy autofocus lenses.
@@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.
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 RUclips 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
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!
Yes, Aputure Spotlight Mount and a Rosco. Unfortunately don’t remember the name of the Gobo…
@@curtisjudd Thanks for the reply! Knowing that it's from Rosco, I'll surely find it :)
Appreciate the review of this mic, Curtis! Any idea how this may compare to the Rode VideoMic?
I prefer the sound of the AT over the RODE VideoMic NTG.
Weird. I was just looking at this mic last night, considering trying it out.
👍 Not a bad option.
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.
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.
Great review! Can I use this microphone to record into a camera with a 3.5mm input?
Not without a mixer. But the Sennheiser MKE600 can: ruclips.net/video/EXs-1R8LCg0/видео.html
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?
That’s the RODE shockmount which comes with the RODE NTG5, but Rycote Invision shockmounts are available and should work nicely with the AT875R.
@@curtisjudd awesome shock mount! Thank you for addressing my question man, greatly appreciate it.