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Audio-Technica AT4033A Review
Ultimate Buying Guide
Introduction:
If you’re looking for good drum microphones, you may have come across some options from Audio-Technica. They have a few popular drum mic options, with the AT2020 being one of the top affordable ones. However, there are some higher-quality options to consider, and the AT4033A is likely to come across your radar.
This is an excellent microphone, but it’s not the most popular one when it comes to drums. So, we’re going to review it with the thought of drumming in mind, and we’ll see how beneficial it can be for your microphone setup. Is it a good drum mic?
Let’s find out!
Key Features:
The Audio-Technica AT4033A is a large-diaphragm condenser mic that requires phantom power to work. When working with a drum kit, you could either use it as an overhead microphone or a kick drum mic. While you could use it for toms, it’s typically better to use dynamic microphones for that purpose.
This mic has been around for decades, making it a classic option that you’ll find in most recording studios. It’s mainly used as a vocal microphone, but it tends to handle instruments quite well too.
The overall sound is smooth and crisp, and the mic has a sturdy body that is durable and heavy-duty. When you buy a single AT4033A, it comes included with a shock mount, carry case, and dust cover.
Build Quality
98%
Performance
97%
Price to Value Ratio
93%
PROS: THINGS WE LIKED
- Crisp high-end
- Works well as a vocal mic
- Doesn’t need much EQ to get a fantastic sound
- Moderately priced
CONS: THINGS WE DIDN'T LIKE
- Not designed for drums, but works relatively well e
Audio-Technica AT4033A Review:
What To Expect from This Drum Mic
Quality
The sound quality you get from the AT4033A is quite crisp in the high-end range. This is what makes it such a good vocal mic. When you talk or sing into it, all your words will be heard very clearly and distinctly.
When it comes to the drum kit, the mic will pick up the impact of all the brighter tones around the set. When used as an overhead mic, it will pick up the cymbal articulation quite clearly, but it won’t emphasize the lower tones as much as some other microphones will. It will work decently if you place it close to your kick drum, though.
It has a high-frequency response, so loud drumming won’t cause it to peak if you place it correctly. Overall, it works okay for drumming, but it sounds the best when used for vocals.
Construction
The AT4033A is built quite well, considering that it sits on the upper end of affordable microphone choices. The mic itself is thick and durable, but the coolest part about it is that it rests on a shock mount.
The shock mount suspends the mic and ensures that there is no contact on it to interfere with recordings. When using mics that have contact with stands, you often get low rumblings that take away from a recording. This mic is designed to sit on the shock mount so that you get clear sound reproduction.
You’ll find a low cut switch and a -10dB switch near the bottom of the mic at the back. These switches give you slightly more control over what the mic is picking up, helping you to get the sound that you need.
Performance
As we said earlier, the AT4033A isn’t exactly intended for drums. It’s been a staple in recording studios over the years for the sake of tracking vocals. If you get this mic, it will work wonderfully as a voice-over option if you make drum videos or record yourself singing.
When using it for drums, you’ll need to do a bit of strategic placing to get the best possible sounds. Without too much low-end from overhead placements, you’ll need to ensure that you have a good kick drum mic to compensate.
For a bit more versatility in your setup, the AT4050 would work a lot better as an overhead mic. However, the AT4033A will do the job well if you get used to making it work for you.
Price Value Ratio
If you’re planning on getting a dedicated drum microphone, it would be a better option to spend money on a mic that was designed to pick up drum kit frequencies. In that case, the price-to-value ratio of the AT4033A won’t be too great, considering that it costs around $400. Getting two of them for overheads would then cost $800.
The mic is more worth it if you buy it for the sake of recording vocals. You could always have it as an available option for your drum kit, but it shouldn’t be the main option. In that case, the price-to-value would be great.
Things to Consider:
Audio-Technica AT4033A for Studio Recording:
The AT4033A is an incredible microphone to have in the studio. However, you won’t often find professional studio producers using it on drum kits. If they do, there’ll be other microphones placed around the kit as well to capture all the frequencies accurately. So, it’s not the most ideal microphone for recording drums in the studio.
Audio-Technica AT4033A Review for a Live Gig:
Since the high-end is so crisp, the mic works a lot better for drums at live gigs. Your drums will sound very punchy through the mix, cutting through so that the crowd can easily hear them. This works especially well for your cymbals and toms with higher pitches.
Audio-Technica AT4033A Review
-
Build Quality
-
Performance
-
Price to Value
4.8
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Audio-Technica AT4033A is an excellent microphone, but it’s not one you should be considering if you only plan on using it for drumming. It’s the perfect option if you do vocal tracking with a bit of drumming as well.
You could find a few more affordable options for drums if you look hard enough. While Audio-Technica has a few good ones, you should also look for microphones from Audix, Shure, and Earthworks. We have a few reviews of mics from those brands here on Drum Ninja, so check those out!