In my video, I compared two microphones: the Audio-Technica AT2020, a very popular microphone found in thousands of home studios worldwide, and the lesser-known SE Electronics X1A. The X1A is priced similarly to the AT2020 at under $100, and I wanted to see if it could go up against the AT2020.
As someone who has owned an AT2020 for a while, I have to say that it's an okay microphone. It's not a high-end mic, but it's a budget mic that gets the job done. I read one online review of the AT2020, and the reviewer said, "it's a microphone that's destined to sit at the back of your mic closet." I think that's a bit harsh because it's a really popular microphone due to its price point.
Not only can you record vocals with the AT2020, but you can also record other things like guitar cabinets, drum overheads, and more. You can find this microphone in the studios of podcasters, streamers, and home recorders all over the place.
Recently, SE Electronics loaned me an SE2200 large condenser microphone, which is a wonderful microphone. In the box, they also threw in the X1A, which I will be testing for you in this video.
The first difference I noticed between the two microphones is their functionality. The AT2020 has no switches on it whatsoever, so the sound you get is the sound you get. On the other hand, the X1A has two switches: a 20 dB pad in case you have a really loud sound source that you need to knock back 20 dB, and a high-pass filter so you can roll off the low end at 100 Hz, which is really handy.
The most important thing with a microphone is sound quality. What I noticed from this test is that the X1A seems to have a richer, beefier low end, and it doesn't respond to plosives (P and B sounds) as much as the AT2020 does. This seems counterintuitive because having a richer low end usually means that plosives are more noticeable. The reason for this is that the X1A has a built-in pop filter, which is really convenient and has serious implications for streamers, podcasters, and anyone on camera. You don't have to worry about having an external pop filter because the X1A already has one built-in.
If we take a look at the frequency response charts for both of these microphones, the sound differences become even more clear. The X1A is pretty flat all the way down to about 50 Hz, and then it starts rolling off gently. Meanwhile, the AT2020 is rolling off at a much higher frequency (about 100 Hz), and then it rolls off even more, creating a strange lump at 50 Hz. This strange frequency response probably accounts for the fact that the AT2020 sounds a bit thinner than the X1A. Both microphones have a little bit of a boost in the high end (around 10 kHz), which is pretty minor (about 2 dB or so).
In terms of accessories, these microphones don't come with much. They both come with a microphone clip, so you can attach it to a stand.
The X1A's clip just snaps around the sleeve around the XLR sleeve, but it doesn't lock in. It feels pretty secure, but it's probably less secure than the AT2020. The AT2020 actually has a ring that you tighten with your thumb, so it's locked into place. It's not going to come out of this clip. Both of these clips allow you to adjust the microphone angle, but the AT2020 has an infinitely variable one where you tighten it with a thumb screw, so it's locked into place.
The X1A doesn't have anything to lock it into place, so you can't fine-tune it quite as much. I don't think it's going to move on you, but it's possibly less secure than the AT2020.
Neither one of these microphones comes with a pop filter. With the X1A, you're less likely to need a pop filter just for plosives. However, with any condenser microphone over the long term, you probably want to use a pop filter just to keep the spit and the gunk from getting into your diaphragm or capsule inside. It'll just make your microphones last longer.
Now with the AT2020, you need a pop filter if you're recording vocals because it just gets crushed with those plosives. If we look at the rest of the specs on these microphones, the X1A has lower self-noise, it's got a higher dynamic range, and it's also slightly more sensitive than the AT2020. Basically, in all the numbers that matter, the X1A is killing the AT2020.
Now, the AT2020 can handle louder sounds than the X1A, but until you turn that pad switch on, then the X1A beats the AT2020 again. So while the AT2020 scores some points in the accessories department, the X1A is winning where it counts. The sound quality is better, it's built to better specifications, and it responds less to plosive noises because of that internal pop filter, all for the same price.
Overall, I highly recommend the SE Electronics X1A for anyone in the market for a new condenser microphone. It's an excellent choice for those who are looking for superior sound quality, and it's definitely worth the investment.
Click these affiliate links to check current prices. If you buy something, I might receive a small commission.
sE Electronics X1A condenser microphone:
Audio Technica AT2020 condenser microphone: