Audio-Technica AT4040

Musician, homerecording over 10 years, actually using Protools LE

Externally polarized (true) condenser with fixed cardioid pattern. I bought this mic mainly for vocal recordings, but to me it's the perfect allrounder and I would suggest this as the perfect 1st LDC for project-studios. Comes with a sturdy and very effective shockmount. I know it isn't fair to compare this with a Brauner Phantom or Neumann TLM it can't really keep up with them, but the difference is much less than you would expect at that price.

Recording engineer and musician. Tascam 1082, Cubase, Aphex 207D preamps.

I really love the sound of this mic! It's so much smoother and more balanced than the MXL's I had been using. I have used it for aoustic guitar and voice. It sounds really good on guitar. It has no boominess and a lot of detail. I use the AT 4040 along with a Rode NT5 on acoustic and the 2 mixed sound spectacular. The reason I don't give this mic a 10 is the design of the shockmount and mic. The mic is pretty hard to get into the shockmount because you have to thread it between two suspended rubberbands. On the other hand the shockmount does a very good job. The other thing I don't like is where AT placed the pad and bass rolloff switches on the mic. They put them on the backside of the mic on the bottom. This is unhandy because the shockmount is in the way when you want to "flip the switches". Still I love the mic and would definitely buy it again. P.S. You can get these for considerably cheaper new on ebay BIN. I got mine for $230 including shipping.

10 Years as a engineer / a musician
works mostly on DAW, sometime with DAT recorders such as Tascam DA-45HR

i 've used AT4040 for vocals.
well, as i've ever used Audio Technica's horses , AT4040 sounds almost similar to its brothers, slightly more clear than others..
i recognize AT4040 as a cardioid model of AT4050, actually those sound different though .
comparing to AT4033(including 4033a) , some more detailed...
comparing to Rode NT2A has three patterns on it like AT4050, more strong in mid range, no strong coloration.
comparing to Shure KSM44(actually it's higher graded than AT4040), a bit brighter than KSM44, but still so neutral than other mics around the same price.
this is one of a few mics capture wut you hear exactly. so natural
if u lookng for a decent brand new mic around 300 bucks..
there is no choice. absolutely at4040 would be the best.
highly recommended.
but if you r not on budget, AT4047(a FET mic)could be better at least for vocals.. but the difference is slight

My experiences include, 30 years in Singing. 10 years in recording.
Currently the recording hardware setup is:
Mic --> AD2022 --> Fireface800 --> PC
Monitor used is Event TR6.

AT4040 is a side-addressed, large diaphragm condenser microphone with a fixed cardoid polar pattern. Readers may find all the relevant technical data at Audio Technica website and I do not intend to duplicate those here.

I have used AT4040 for recording my songs. Mic placement was about 8 inches away directly in front of mouth (unless for the high passages) and always with a pop filter.

This is my first AT mic and I am impressed by its:
1. getup and sturdiness
2. functionality (attenuation pad + high-pass filter)
3. sound quality

In this review, I would like to focus on the sound quality of AT4040 only. if you maintain the minimum distance of 6 inches from the mic, you will record your true voice. If you are any closer than that then the proximity effect (enhanced bass) takes place. This, to me, is great for any experienced user. It handles high SPL easily with true rendition for both high and low octaves. It also captures all audible harmonics of my voice. This is probably the only mic I have used so far (including RODE K2 and NT-1A, AKG C414 B-TLII, etc.) which does not require much tweaking of the raw sound at the end of a session. This saves me a considerable amount of time for each song.

Also on the same token, it does not make my voice sound any better than it actually is. This is not a defect, rather, this is why I like the mic. I would also like to try the other mics (AT4060 for example) from AT as well.

I could give it a 10 only if I knew the definition of a "perfect mic".
AT4040 is, by all means, a great mic for vocal recordings.

got rode k2 and (shitty) m-audio dmp3 as preamp, also UAD1, nord 2, many vst's like sonalksys eq and compressor, and (this time GOOD) m-audio audiophile. also electric and acoustic guitar and a very creative mind.

mr brice, producer for 1 year and got a good ear for quality.

i just recieved the at4040 today and i really like it, otherwise i wouldn't be posting this review now.

it came in a very nice and professional looking square box, with the mic and the shockmount stored within. The mic itself sits in a black leather box. When i took it out i handled it with care, as if it was something very very precious i had in my hands (tough it costs not that much).
the shockmount is quite sturdy. i attached it to my mic arm and let the mic glide into it, and the fit wastn't 100% but it is ok.
then i connected to my dmp3 preamp (imho not so very good...), and took my first ride o the at 4040.
the very first word i spoke in it sounded really detailled and nice, and i was immediately happy.
When i tried to resing one of my previously recorded songs tough, i couldn't get it to sound as nice as my previous mic (shure*). it sounds very detailled and precise but has not have very much own personality and character.
so i opened an other project of mine and did the vocals and also here i wastn't very pleased.

BUT one hour later i tried it again and suprisingly that moment i felt it was just right for my song. I recorded vocals for 3 hours, totally captivated by the mic and enjoying the recording itself (pretty important). I tought it was especially good for recording multiple voices and then playing them together, it sounded superb!!!
That's why i think the at 4040 will definitaly work awesome for backing vocals or multiple vocals (the beatles would have loved it :-) )

i'm doing an acoustic guitar session tomorrow, but i don't need to actually do it to know that it'll work perfectly. the detailled sound will match a nice guitar flawlessly, and it'll sound awesome.

i can recommend the mic to lots of people, you won't feel bad when you recieve it. I think tough that if you want to buy just one mic, maybe (MAYBE) you're better of with a somewhat fuller sounding mic, so maybe you should get a tube mic or something. But it's not fair of me to tell this cause i do think audio technica did a really good job on this one and it's definitaly a keeper in my - and i think in every owner's studio!

25 years playing, technical training background with hands on recording properly since 1993

Analog&digital recording and mixing, heard quite a few mics, experince with film, radio and primarily stare at the screen doing music recording or sitting behind the drum kit in various bands playing throughout Europe and Australia.

The 4040 sounds, like all the AT mics, great on everything I've tried...The guys at Audio Technica know their stuff and make some of the absolute best microphones at any price and these mics are made to work for years and years without a problem.

After recommending that a singer/multi-instrumentalist I was working on an album with needed to find a better mic that brought out more of his grainy voice than his current choice, an AKG C3000, we tried a few mics in his price range (up to about 400 EURO) including my Rode NT1 (very nice soft/fizzy sound but a bit too hi-fi and the modrange not so strong) the 4040 and a Gefell UM70 with an M7 capsule which i really liked and would have chosen for all the vocals but he thought it sounded "weird" and "different..." which is ok as they are not so easy to find and also a bit more expensive.

I had recommended the 4050 (switchable pattern large diaphragm mic) which i had fallen in love with in the past after considerable user experince on guitar and voice...a classy mic...but that was too much money for him. Luckily the 4040 excelled in every way.

When mixing, I think it was the first time in my experience that I applied no high end eq to make the voice cut through. Everything is there! I just rolled off the bottom end at about 80-130 depending on the song to keep it clear and defined and out of the range of the bass and kick drum. There's oodles of bass with this mic if you want it though...Clear, crisp, open and precise is how I'd describe the Audio Technica condensers...

The 4040 is one beautifully designed recording instrument...Looks great too!

making music a long time,
lot of recording experience,
record to DAW and half inch 8 track tape
listen through event 20/20 bas

cardoid condenser.
used the mic on lots of differnt stuff.
This is a great project studio mic that has a lot of flavor. I have used it on vocals, acoustic guitars, snare drums, drum room micing, elec guitar cab, environment noises, and used it in live stereo micing of band.

I think its a extremely useful mic. im quite certain that once i can afford all the mics in the world, i will probably still be finding a use for this one.

I like its 10 decible pad and its high pass filter. Both work well and the filter can be very nice for defining a vocal.

I would reccomend this mic to about everone because i think that anyone who is creative could find a use for its flavor.

Hi, I've gotten back into recording after a 15 year hiatus. Over the last two three years I've written and recorded my first album (CD). I recorded that CD on Da88's thru a Mackie Board with loads of outboard gear. In the 70's and 80's I did alot of small production recording with a Tascam 8 Track reel to reel. The years when submixing was an essential talent. We did many commercials and recorded several small projects but nothing of great note. Since I got back into recording I decided that after that first CD and all the money I spent on studio time, extra musicians, mastering and Cd cover stuff that I needed to get my own gear and keep it simple. I bought a Aiwa DPS 16, a HHB Fatman Radius 5 mic pre/ compressor, a lexicon digital reverb, some Alesis monitors. It's a pretty simple setup. It's also fairly easy for an old man who was raised in the analog world to get used to thanks to Aiwa's approach to digital recording work stations. No it's not Abby Road but for what I do it's really easy to use and sounds okay.

I am now using a Audio Technica 4040 microphone for vocals and acoustic guitars. It is a pretty standard large diaphram condensor design. It has the same basic body as the 4033 and the 4050. It like all the other Audio Technica large diaphrams is a workhorse. For vocals it works beautifully with a tube mic pre and some compression. It is clear and focused. It has some mild coloration in the midrange which actually bumps up the warmth factor. The top end is clear and transparent and crystaline. For softer vocals the bass roll off switch is helpful in allowing the vocalist the ability to get closer without overwhelming the diaphram. On acoustic guitar I've had to roll off some of the mids to keep it from being a little muddled. After finding the right e.q. at about 12'" to 15" from the sound hole I usually place a small diaphram on the neck and one on the body of the guitar. They add some nice frequency response to mix in with the 4040. The 4040 is a wonderful mic for a little investment. I paid $329.00 new for it and it was worth every penny. I was using an AKG Solidtube before this and the Solidtube was a big dissappointment. It was noisey, and tempermental. I never got a vocal sound I liked with it. It really created more problems than it solved. I love the 4040. I would highly recommend it to anyone for any vocal or acoustic application.