Audio-Technica AT5040 Review: Detail, Low Noise and Exceptional Construction

The Audio-Technica AT5040 is a microphone I recommend highly. The build quality is excellent, the self-noise is exceptionally low, and the supplied shock mount is one of its standout features. Using a pair as stereo room microphones produces an amazingly detailed picture. It also sounded great on a Martin 12-string through the preamps in my API 2448.

Its somewhat neutral character can make it less immediately exciting than a microphone with a more obvious sonic signature. It is also expensive, and the AT5040 name does not have the recognition of some established high-end studio microphones. Those reservations are worth considering, but they do not diminish my opinion of its performance.

What makes the AT5040 different

The AT5040 is a side-address, fixed-cardioid condenser microphone. Its unusual element uses four matched rectangular diaphragms whose outputs are combined into a single signal. Audio-Technica specifies a combined surface area twice that of a conventional one-inch circular diaphragm. The four diaphragms do not provide four outputs or selectable polar patterns.

Audio-Technica specifies self-noise of 5 dB SPL, A-weighted, with a maximum input level of 142 dB SPL and a 137 dB dynamic range. Those are manufacturer specifications, rather than measurements I made. The self-noise figure is exceptionally low for a studio condenser and supports one of the microphone’s strongest attractions.

Stereo room microphones

A pair of AT5040s makes an impressive set of stereo room microphones. The result is an amazingly detailed picture, and this is one of the applications in which I particularly value them.

Low microphone self-noise is useful in this role, especially when quieter parts of the recording matter. It cannot remove noise already present in the room, so the recording environment and the rest of the signal chain still determine the practical noise floor.

Martin 12-string through the API 2448

The AT5040 also sounded great on a Martin 12-string acoustic guitar through the API 2448 preamps. That combination is a particularly positive example from my own use, and a reason to consider the microphone for acoustic instruments as well as the vocal work for which Audio-Technica markets it.

Build quality and the shock mount

The build quality is impressive. Audio-Technica uses an aluminum-and-brass housing and describes the microphones as hand-assembled and individually inspected. The capsule also has internal mechanical isolation.

The included AT8480 shock mount deserves particular praise. It is an exceptionally well-executed accessory, with a locking mechanism that secures the microphone in its cradle. An expensive microphone should arrive with an equally serious mounting system, and the AT5040 does.

The reservations

The AT5040’s relative neutrality is both an attraction and a limitation. Sometimes I want a microphone that brings more obvious character to the source, and this is not always the most exciting choice in that sense. Its strength is the detailed result it can deliver when that presentation suits the recording.

Price is another consideration. This is a substantial investment, particularly as a stereo pair. Audio-Technica itself is a well-known manufacturer, but the AT5040 does not carry the same model-name recognition as some of the microphones buyers expect to see at this level.

Verdict

Excellent construction, very low self-noise and an outstanding shock mount make the AT5040 a compelling microphone. My results with a stereo room pair and a Martin 12-string through the API 2448 reinforce that assessment. Its neutral character and price mean it deserves a careful audition for the intended source, but my overall recommendation is strong.

Key specifications

Type and pattern	Side-address, permanently polarized condenser; fixed cardioid
Frequency response	20 Hz–20 kHz
Self-noise	5 dB SPL, A-weighted
Maximum input	142 dB SPL at 1 kHz, 1% THD
Sensitivity	56.2 mV/Pa at 1 kHz
Power and output	48 V phantom power; 3-pin XLR
Included accessories	AT8480 shock mount, stand adapter and carrying case

Audio-Technica AT5040 product information · AT5040 user manual and specifications