Audio-Technica ATR2100 USB Review In 2025
The Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB is one of the best entry-level USB microphones for recording podcasts and videos in 2025. The ATR2100 microphone is perfect for someone starting a podcast or intermediate podcaster, singers, or even to attend business calls with professional-quality sound. It shares one major thing in common with all other Audio-Technica products – it places emphasis on function over form.
The ATR2100 is a USB microphone with a cardioid polar pattern and has a frequency response of 50Hz to 15kHz.It is integrated with a decent AD converter, along with a sampling rate of 16-bit, 44.1/48 kHz
On the bottom panel of the mic, you’ll find a headphone out jack to monitor the sound level of the mic and a volume knob to control the sound. Lastly, the ATR2100-USB microphone comes with everything you need to start a podcast, including – a USB cable, a mic stand clip, and even a mini tripod mic stand for a desk.
ATR2100 Review
The ATR2100 allows you to connect the microphone with a computer using a USB cable .It uses cardioid polar pattern to pick up sound from the front of the mic and reduces background noise capturing into the microphone. The 50 Hz to 15 kHz frequency response of the microphone is pretty much suitable for recording vocals and acoustic guitar.For latency free monitoring, the ATR2100 comes with a built-in headphone jack for real time feedback.
Key Features
The ATR2100 delivers clear and crisp audio sound quality and is very much comparable to much more expensive microphone like Heil PR-40. Even though the microphone is great at not capturing background noise, it’s not a perfect microphone if you are planning to record vocals in a noisy environment. The ATR2100 is a great choice if you are planning to use it for podcasting, live performances, and voice recording.
Build quality
The ATR2100 USB is praised for its versatility of use and its excellent pricing compared to other budget microphones in 2025. It comes with a built in metal body, which directly affects its durability. You can easily mount this microphone onto a standard desktop mic stand. The ATR2100 is a USB microphone meaning you can directly connect the mic to a desktop computer using a USB cable. In my experience, the build quality of the ATR2100 can be considered pretty decent and a solid choice for beginners.
Pros and Cons of ATR2100
Here is the list of pros and cons of the great ATR2100 microphone in 2025.
Pros
- Small size and weight
- Easier for travel purposes
- Single function with high quality
- Cardioid Polar pattern means one-directional sound input
- Plugs directly into a computer
- Plugs straight into mobiles and tablets
- provides clear and crisp sound
- Headphone Jack 3.0
- lifetime end-user warranty
Cons
- Limited to cardioid polar pattern
- cheap in quality stand
- Sound input isn’t as sensitive.
- The on/off switch can cause loud sounds in the podcast recording.
- USB recording is limited to 16-bit depth
ATR2100 Alternatives
Here is the list of ATR2100 alternatives to consider when choosing a USB microphone for recording podcasts and videos in 2025.
ATR2100 vs. Blue Yeti
Blue Yeti is one of the popular USB condenser cardioid microphones for recording podcasts, gaming , livestreaming on youtube and recording videos for youtube in 2025.
It comes with 4 different microphone polar patterns to use to pick up sounds. The Yeti microphone is available in different variations, including-blue yeti USB, blue yeti nano, blue yeti pro & blue yeti X. You will get a 3.5mm headphone jack to connect the studio headphones to monitor the sound recordings at live environments..”Here is the list of pros and cons of this Blue Yeti microphone models in 2025.
Pros and Cons of the Blue Yeti
Pros
- Excellent Portability
- Eight polar patterns perfect for any situation
- (gain control): Adjustable sound-input sensitivity
- Adjustable headphone volume
- Mute Button
- USB connection
Cons
- Heavier to carry
- No handheld option
- No XLR Inputs – can’t use it with Audio Interfaces or MIxers.
- The included USB cable isn’t that great.
The Blue Yeti microphone can be an excellent alternative to the ATR2100 microphone model in 2025. The Yeti model comes under the similar pricing and offers great value for money.
ATR2100 VS Shure SM7B
Shure SM7B is my #1 pick for the best microphone to use for recording podcasts and videos in 2025. It’s a XLR connector dynamic microphone and used by the major podcasters like joe rogan , gary vee and many others. Even though Audio Technica ATR2100 comes up with both USB & XLR connections, it’s an advantage if you want to use a simple recording setup.
For using the Shure SM7B microphone in 2025, ideally you need to get an external preamp like cloudlifter cl-1 to power the microphone & an audio interface or audio mixers to connect the mic to the computer for recording vocals. You will also need an external XLR cable to connect the microphone into the audio interface. I recommend using the Focusrite 2i2 for recording single/ 2 person podcasts this year.
ATR2100 vs. Samson Q2U
Like the Audio Technica ATR2100 USB microphone, the Samson Q2U offers 2 inputs meaning both USB & XLR connections to connect the microphone to the computer.
The Samson Q2U is a widely used professional handheld dynamic microphone with USB digital output to connect it to the computer & XLR output to connect the mic to an audio interface or audio mixers. Similar to ATR2100, this mic uses cardioid pickup pattern to capture sound from in front of the microphone and less from the side and rear.It minimizes ambient sounds and other room noises getting into the mic and makes it easy to record podcasts and vocals.
ATR2100 vs. Shure SM58
The Shure SM58 is a dynamic microphone and excellent ATR2100 alternatives to consider for recording vocals and podcast in 2025. It’s a XLR connector microphone meaning you will need to use an external microphone cable and audio interface to connect the microphone into the computer.
The uniform cardioid polar pattern of this microphone delivers warm crisp sounds every time. It has a -built-in pop filter on the mic to keep any unwanted noise out of the mix. The SM58 is the perfect choice if you want to use it for podcasting, recording vocals, live performances and voiceovers.
| Feature | Audio-Technica ATR2100 | Shure SM58 |
| Frequency Range | 50 Hz – 15,000 Hz | 50 Hz – 15,000 Hz |
| Polar Pattern | Cardioid | Cardioid |
| Connectivity | USB and XLR | XLR only |
| Weight and Size | Slightly heavier and longer | Lighter and more compact |
| Price | Generally more affordable | More expensive than ATR2100 |
| Handling Noise | More prone to handling noise | Less handling noise |
| Sound Quality | Can sound muddy if not positioned correctly | Known for clear, robust sound |
ATR2100 Shock Mount
The Audio-Technica company comes with an ATR2100 Shock Mount to use with the microphone. This shock mount easily attaches with a standard 5/8″-27 thread and can be adjusted to meet different angles. It will also work fine with a Samson Q2U USB microphone. By getting this shock mount, you can easily increase the sound quality of your podcast by reducing unwanted sounds, especially from typing, clicking the mouse, or hitting your desk.
Frequently Asked Questions on ATR2100 Review
Here is the list of frequently asked questions you may have in mind to know about for AT2100 microphone in 2025.
How does the ATR2100 compare to other USB microphones?
The ATR2100 is cardiid polar pattern USB microphones for recording podcast and videos in 2025. In this USB category microphones the most comparable mic is the blue Yeti and Rode NT USB. The blue Yeti USB microphones are very much similar to the ATR2100 microphone comparing the features, sound quality and build quality of the microphone , but the Yeti microphones cost more money than the ATR2100.
The Rode NT USB also offers similar sound quality under the same budget but it’s a cardioid condenser microphone , meaning it’s very sensitive to external noise and perfect for recording podcasts and videos in a studio setup. You should choose the best USB recording microphone depending on the type of microphone you want and for what reason you want the microphone and what setup you will use in the studio.
Is the ATR2100 suitable for professional recording studios?
The answer is yes, The ATR2100 is suitable in the podcasting studio recording setup in 2025.
It’s a cardioid microphone and picks sound only from the front of the microphone and in the studio there is usually not too much external noise to capture .
What are the main drawbacks of the ATR2100
The ATR2100 is a USB connector dynamic microphone and it is less sensitive to most condenser microphones. If you are not very close to the microphone at the time of recording vocals and podcast , then maybe it’s not the best usb microphone choice for you in 2025.
How does the ATR2100 handle background noise
The background noise handling capability of the ATR2100 is pretty great. Because of its dynamic nature it doesn’t pick background noise at all and it’s not a perfect microphone for recording in a noisy environment.
Can the ATR2100 be used for live performances
The ATR2100 can be used for recording lice performances in 2025. When recording live performances you must use the XLR connector of the microphone to connect it to an audio interface or mixer.
What type of microphone is the ATR2100-USB?
The ATR2100 is a USB dynamic microphone for recording podcasts and videos in 2025. It features a cardioid polar pattern and picks sound only from the font of the microphone. The microphone offers both USB/ XLR connectors , meaning you can use the XLR connector of the microphone to capture live performances.
Is the ATR2100-USB suitable for beginners?
The ATR2100 is a beginner friendly microphone and offers dual connectivity both USB and XLR. It comes under $70 and is often comparable to the most expensive microphone like Heil PR-40.
What are common issues with the ATR2100-USB?
The ATR2100 is pretty much suitable for recording podcasts and videos in a studio setup , but it may not be perfect for all kinds of recording situations. It may be a solid for professional recording, but its not the perfect choice for high end professional recording.If you are looking for a best UBS microphone under $100 budget , then ATR2100 is a considerable microphone with good quality and worth checking it out.
Conclusion
In summary, ATR2100-USB is one of the best USB microphones to consider for recording podcasts and music under a $100 budget. If you watched Buzzsprouts podcast learning, you will notice that they are using this mic to record the course.
You will get pretty much the same sound quality as the Heil PR-40, which is 3 or 4 times the price.Because of the low price and flexibility of this microphone, it gained popularity in the podcasting space. I also feature this microphone in my top USB microphones list. Lastly, the ATR2100 is an awesome microphone under $100 budget that’s worth every penny and feel free to check out the microphone here.
