Audio Technica ATR-55 Condenser Shotgun Microphone

by Audio-Technica

Product Features

• 2 condenser microphones in one
• Normal for close- and medium- distance recording, Tele for long-distance pickup
• Integrated 3ft. cable terminated with 3.5mm mini plug
• Designed for video use
• Camera-mount, pistol-grip/mike stand clamp, foam windscreen, battery and 1/4 phone plug adapter included

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 2.8 x 9.8 inches ; 13 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00006J04Z
• Item model number: ATR-55
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (73 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,735 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The ATR55 offers intelligible reproduction for close-, medium-, and long-distance pickup. In its "Tele" range setting, this cardioid condenser is engineered to pick up dialogue and sound effects at a distance, while bypassing ambient noise such as traffic, air-handling systems, room reverberation and mechanically coupled vibrations. Designed especially for use with video cameras.

Intelligible reproduction for close-, medium-, and long-distance pickup.

Includes microphone, camera mount, stand clamp, windscreen, battery and 1/4" phone plug adapter.

Designed Especially for Use With Video Cameras
Use the included camera mount to attach directly to your DV cam, plug into your camera and you're all set.

Two Range Settings
The ATR55 features two polar patterns for different ranges and pickup. The "Normal" cardioid pattern is ideal for for close- to medium-distance recording, whereas the more directional "Tele" supercardioid pattern is better suited for long-distance pickup.

3-Foot Cable
The permanently-attached 3-foot (0.9 m) cable is terminated with a 3.5 mm mini-plug.

ATR55 Specs

• Element: Condenser
• Polar Patterns: Cardioid (Normal), Supercardioid (Tele)
• Frequency Response: 70 - 18,000 Hz
• Open Circuit Sensitivity: Normal: -56 dBm, 1 kHz at 1 Pa; Tele: -45 dBm, 1 kHz at 1 Pa
• Impedance: Normal: 1000 ohms +/- 30%; Tele: 2200 ohms +/- 30%
• Weight: 4 oz (113 g)
• Cable: 3 feet (1 m)

What's in the Box
ATR55 microphone, camera mount, pistol-grip stand clamp, foam windscreen, battery and 1/4" phone plug adapter

Product Description

The Audio-Technica ATR 55 Uni-Directional Condenser Shotgun Mic is designed especially for use with video cameras. The ATR 55 provides 2 range settings: Normal, for close- to medium-distance recording, and Tele for long-distance pickup. Comes with an attached 3 Feet cable with 1/8-Inch mini plug. A camera-mount, pistol-grip, stand clamp, foam windscreen, battery, and 1/4-Inch phone plug adapter come with the Audio-Technica ATR 55. Requires phantom power.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

147 of 151 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good at its intended purpose, January 20, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Audio Technica ATR-55 Condenser Shotgun Microphone (Electronics)

Been using my ATR-55 for over a year. Really like the amplified TELE feature that seems to reach out and grab sounds, without picking up hardly any surrounding noise. But hey, its uni-directional, so that's one of the things it's supposed to do. Nevertheless, the NORMAL zone is about a 120degree V in front of the mic, and the TELE is about a 90degree V-zone. Was videotaping our school's football game, and filmed one half in TELE mode, and the second half in NORMAL mode. The TELE mode was almost eerie, because you could pick up the voices out on the field, but all the surrounding noise (fans) could hardly be heard. The NORMAL mode picked up a little more audience noise, so it sounded more natural, but nevertheless still filtered out the other people talking in the press tower with me. The TELE mode is very nice for lectures, so that it doesn't pick up distracting noises, including that of the camcorder's mechanism - that's why I go this in the first place, because the OMNI-directional microphone in the digital camcorder was picking up too much noise (including its own motor) during really quiet lectures. Just be aware that this unit is _not_ stereo - you should either get a mono-to-stereo adapter to use with it, or set the sound input on the camcorder to mono. Otherwise, you'll just get sound coming out of one speaker on stereo play-back. If you need stereo, get the ATR-25, which is very nice and also uni-directional, but lacks the ATR-55's TELE feature. Basically, TELE was more important to me than stereo, but it might be different for you. I wear headphones plugged into the camcorder while filming, this way I can better monitor the sound pickup, and make a determination between whether TELE or NORMAL is best for any given situation - the difference is noticeable. I gave it four stars because it is very good, but I'm sure units like a nice Sennheiser are better, but for much more money. This is a nice looking, solidly built unit, and a decent value to boot.

UPDATE (03.07.2010): Be aware that the ATR-55 requires the use of one AA battery that is installed inside its aluminum shell.

66 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Underwhelmed by Performance, March 24, 2009

By 

M. Hanlen (York, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Audio Technica ATR-55 Condenser Shotgun Microphone (Electronics)

Length:: 4:10 Mins

I recently purchased this microphone, hoping to improve the audio picked up by my Canon GL1's built-in microphone. The price was good, the reviews seemed to lean a little more on the positive side, so I decided to bite. I assumed quality of the audio would be better, that it would filter out surrounding noise more efficiently, and that it would make my videos sound more professional. It also may be of note, that I planned on using this mic with a lot of handheld camera work, which you may or may not do. Well, it seemed to offer little to no performance upgrade from the camera's mic. To be fair though, the GL1 doesn't offer a lot of control over audio levels, so your milage may vary.

CONS:
-This microphone will pick up camera noise if mounted on the camera. The included shoe accessory to mount on your camera is absolutely useless if you want clean audio. I recommend using a shock mount if you have one (or better yet, a seperate mic stand).
-Despite the fact it can be mounted to the camera, it is in no way made for handheld work. The slightest bump of the camera or mic, will register as a loud thud in recorded audio. Using the zoom on certain cameras will be out of the question because it picks zoom motor noise and the sound of you pressing the buttons.
-Normal mode makes the audio sound compressed and unnatural compared to my camera's microphone.
-Tele mode does amplify the incoming audio significantly, but unfortunately doesn't filter out much of the noise that a directional microphone should.
-Not a professional level mic, by any means. If you have a $1000+ camera, this will be the weak link in your production. The Mic built into your prosumer (not consumer) camera probably works better.

PROS:
-Slightly more directional than my camera's microphone.
-Tele mode works well if your trying to capture the sounds of something further away than your camera mic would normally pick up. But be prepared to clean up audio in post to get rid of possibly unwanted ambient noise.
-The mic makes voices sound a bit clearer, but only in close range (no more than 10 feet away).
-An improvement if you have a very poor quality mic, or no mic at all.
-The simple fact that the mic is not attached to your camera means that you can place the mic close to your subject, even if you can't get the camera close. You'll need an extra long cable, of course. Make sure to place the cable in an area where it will not be bumped, because the cord can pic up reverberations if it's disturbed.

If I could do it again, I would have saved a bit more money to get a nicer mic in the $100-$200 range. This mic is really designed for amateur use only, as it sounds nowhere near broadcast quality. If your looking for a good mic to mount on the camera for handheld work, a nicer XLR mic would be a better bet. If I would have thought about it, I would have checked Youtube before I bought the mic, as there are many tests using this mic vs. other video mics. I would recommend trying that site to hear actual audio tests of this mic, and various other mics that Amazon sells- before you make a purchase. Also note, that this is a mono mic, so you'll need a mono to stereo adaptor if you'd like to hear this mic in both L&R channels.

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Jeckyl and Hyde, July 1, 2007

By 

John Creech "the Audio Guy" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Audio Technica ATR-55 Condenser Shotgun Microphone (Electronics)

I've rented the high end gear before (Seinheiser shotgun with full zeppelin setup) and I've got to say that this little mic is an odd little option that I like having in my bag of tricks for shooting movies.

It is VERY easy to use. I love the tonality in the 'standard' mode, though the range is quite low when compared to other high end mics. So, as a 'shotgun', the standard mode is pretty useless. However, it delivers a very rich and engaging tone and I find myself using this mic in 'standard' mode very often for regular vocal performances.

The 'tele' mode definitely extends the range...Quite a bit further than the high end mics in fact. The problem is that the overall sound can become a little thin. It definitely doesn't have the same warm quality as the standard mode. However, if you can't get a boom in close enough (and you don't have LAV's), the telescopic mode can really get you out of a jam.

Standard mode = great sound with good directionality, but poor range.
Tele mode = thin sound, good directionality, very good range.