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Reviews For: Audio-Technica ATR30 Microphone

Category: Microphones for ham radio

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Review Summary For : Audio-Technica ATR30 Microphone
Reviews: 25MSRP: 39.95
Description:
Unidirectional dynamic vocal/instrument microphone
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.audio-technica.com/guide/line/atr/ATR30.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00255
K0CWO Rating: 2010-08-08
$25 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have used a Heil GM-5 with a variety of radios for quite some time. For the last 10 months the GM-5 was used in conjunction with a W2IHY eight band equalizer/EQ Plus driving a Yaesu FT-950. On the air audio reports have been great. Leaving audio settings the same I replaced the GM-5 with the ATR30. Direct A/B on air comparisons between the two microphones indicate that both sound great, but that the ATR30 sounds more "dynamic" and has "richer" audio.

I can highly recommend the ATR30 to anyone who looking for a quality, great performing, inexpensive microphone.
W4RL Rating: 2010-08-07
One fantastic buy of a microphone Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After purchasing one, I liked it so much using it with my IC-756 Pro 3 that I ordered two more. One to use with my IC-7000, and one for a spare. I do believe this is the new version D-104 for today's modern day radios. And as most all of us know how the D-104 is still holding its own to this day. Sometimes I wonder if the audio engineer who designed this microphone was a fellow ham radio operator. I'd like to think so.
W7WX Rating: 2010-05-31
Great Value! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I really struggled finding a mic & transceiver combo that sounded reasonably good with my voice. I wasn't after studio quality but just reasonably good. I saw the reviews on eham for this mic and for the price just had to try one. I picked mine up at BestBuy for $25 (+/-). By itself it worked well, but still lacked some punch with my voice (with/without the processor). I combined mine with a W2IHY EQ/noisegate and hands down that was the ticket for me! I now get regular very good (to great) unsolicited audio reports regularly. Most are pretty surprised at what I'm running, too.

For those who find themselves struggling like I did, this mic and W2IYH EQ is a terrific combo' to consider. At the end of the day, it still is cheaper than many of just the mics out there and can be used with virtually any rig.

One thing I had issue with (although not bad) was RF getting into the factory cable that's provided with this mic when running the amp (just a tad). I threw on a couple of ferrite beads and eventually just changed to the Heil cable which solved that problem completely. I think the factory cable isn't as well shielded, but still works okay with a couple of ferrite beads.

73's
Larry (W7LJB)
AD4C2006 Rating: 2009-06-11
ATR-30 Great mic Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
As all others I was a long time user of the PR-40,nothing wrong with it except that is over 300 bucks,so a friend of mine told me to try this Audio Tecnica mic because he tried and it did worked better than everything else he had,so I gave it a thought and oh well even if don't work better than my PR-40 I was going to lose just few bucks and I find it at www.buy.com for only $22.50 so it arrived and because the rear XLR connector is wired the same as the PR-40 it was an easy swap,when I heard my self on the ProIII monitor I almost fell off the chair,there was no difference at all with the PR-40,same lows,same mids and even better highs,wow I said,how come a "cheap" mic sounds so good,then I tried it on my Elecraft K3 and wow it made it sounds terrific as well.Now I get also a yaesu FT-2000 and guess what,it sounds super now with this ATR-30,oh well,there is no need to say that my 3 years old PR-40 is gone to another home,I sold it for 200 bucks and I don't think I will spend again what I did in a mic like the PR-40.Now I ordered another ATR-30 from the same vendor to have one on each radio,its very easy to equalize the mic with the radios builtin EQ,it sounds very natural and the lows even close talking don't distord your audio,great good looking mic and also very afordable,after all that's what all want in these tough times,right?
Great product.
AD4C
Hector
Lake Worth,FL
SV2BWM Rating: 2008-12-17
Sounds good... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Low-priced, dynamic microphone good for ESSB and heavy-duty constructed. You don't have to worry about background noises, just speak closer to the microphone than the studio condenser you have...
KC2FTN Rating: 2008-08-27
Two Thumbs Up ! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I was gonna shell out mucho-dinero for one of the 'other' studio mics, but I figured I'd give the ATR30 a shot on the advise from a fellow ham. I paid less than $30 for it new at www.jr.com out of New York City. Currently, I'm running the mic through a W2IHY 8-band equalizer and toggling it between my 756PRO and my 706MKIIG rigs. Well... I've had nothing but unsolicited "Excellent audio" compliments on HF, and "You sound like a radio station" or "The best audio on VHF FM that I've ever heard." And yes, I've received great reports without the EQ as well. But if you do happen to have an EQ, this mic REALLY shines!
NA1A Rating: 2008-07-31
The One and Only Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is a follow up on my last review back in 2004. Until this day, I'm still using the ATR-30 mic. I did have several other mics since 2004, including the Heil PR-40, Electrovoice RE-20 and many other expensive mics but always came back to the ATR-30.
One other mic worth mentioning that I've found thus far which I like better than the ATR-30 is the AT-2010. This mic is also manufactured by Audio Technica (see my review here on eHam about this mic). I only like it better because it is a hand-held condensor mic, thus has just a tad better lows and crispier highs. Other than that, the ATR-30 is still very hard to beat.
N2RRA Rating: 2008-07-13
Audio-Technica, WOW! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
After reading the reviews I decided to check this thing out for myself. I've owned and used many of the Heil michrophones from the HMI, handi microphones, and GM5 on up to the PR-40. This microphone is very comparable with the GM-5 mic. and the HC-5 wide range element directly into my Icom 756 pro III. In some respect it's also very close to the PR-20 except the PR-20 is smoother around the high end edges, but still gives it a good run for its money.

If you plan to use EQ gear this microhpne really shines. I get glowing reports with just the W2IHY 8 Band EQ with out my EQ Plus. You can not tell to much difference between the ATR-30 and anything up to the PR-781. It will even give the PR-40 a decent run for its money.

I'm very happy with the ATR-30 using my W2IHY EQ's and don't need to spend rediculious money on anything else. If I were to run any microphone of same caliber straight into my Icom 756pro III it would be the Heil PR-20. Really awesome sound!

73!
KA2ZNI Rating: 2008-04-10
One tremendous Microphone! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After using the Microphone above I can tell you with all the solicited audio reports nothing compares to date! The thing is tremendously clear and articulate with a broad range of sound being reproduced!

I paid $22.99 for this Mic and it will surpass the Heil PR40, I cannot believe that you can find a Mic of this quality for this price, It's almost a crime!

Get yourself one today, and if matched properly to your rig and everything is set-up correctly, be prepared to sit back and enjoy hours of delightful comments on your audio.

It is terrific!

73's,
Kevin
2E1RDX Rating: 2008-02-03
Superb value Mic Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have a Flexradio SDR-1000 Software Defined Radio with the Delta 44 soundcard so this Mic plugs straight into the soundcard breakout box and needs no outboard audio gear the mic works a treat what a fantastic mic for the money
rgds Ian