AT2020USB picking up background noise.

TheOhBuddy

Honorable
Jan 22, 2014
13
0
10,560
I recently purchased a AT2020USB microphone as I've started a youtube channel and my blue yeti broke about 3 days later. It is a lot less sensitive than my blue yeti but I'm still having a bit of a problem with background noise. Using a boom arm, a pop filter but it still picks up my keyboard, (not mechanical) mouse clicks, and thumps around me from people in the house or people talking in the next room over and yes there is a wall between us. I have watched reviews of people using it and saying "Just set the mic level to 75 on windows and you're good to go." And in their videos they sound great when they do that but I can't get that same quality from it. There isn't really a hum or anything unless I turn the volume up to 100. If I turn the volume down to 50 there is a bit of noise from my keyboard and mouse and other ambient noises, voice is fairly quiet though. 30 there is no background noise but my voice is almost impossible to hear.

If anyone has any recommendations for this mic. I've heard more accesories to buy would be a shock mount and windscreen. Are soundcards still a good option?

Thanks!
 
Solution
Heyo TheOhBuddy

Personally I own the AT2020 XLR myself and I can recognise your "problems", however this is basically what you paid for. It's condenser mic therefore it will pick up almost everything. I use a MX cherry blue switch keyboard and it's VERY audible. This is what your money went to, but it might seem a little strange since other, especially YouTubers, get "better" quality of it. They're basically post-editing their sound afterwards. This post-processing will eliminate most background noise and if not most of the keyboard strokes.

It's a good microphone you've bought, but you've got to remember that's it's a condenser mic. It's meant to be super sensitive.
If you'd want a soundcard. ehh.. I personally don't have any...

True Buie

Commendable
Aug 29, 2016
83
0
1,710
Heyo TheOhBuddy

Personally I own the AT2020 XLR myself and I can recognise your "problems", however this is basically what you paid for. It's condenser mic therefore it will pick up almost everything. I use a MX cherry blue switch keyboard and it's VERY audible. This is what your money went to, but it might seem a little strange since other, especially YouTubers, get "better" quality of it. They're basically post-editing their sound afterwards. This post-processing will eliminate most background noise and if not most of the keyboard strokes.

It's a good microphone you've bought, but you've got to remember that's it's a condenser mic. It's meant to be super sensitive.
If you'd want a soundcard. ehh.. I personally don't have any experience with it, but doesn't the AT2020usb only have a USB connection? You'd need a normal 3.5mm connection before a soundcard can be used.

Cheers
 
Solution