Blue Yeti X vs Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ (2021): Which USB Microphone Is Best For Creators?

Blue and Audio-Technica are known to manufacture some of the best voice-over microphones. Today, we’re taking the Blue Yeti X and the Audio-Technica AT2020USB+, two popular USB microphones designed for streamers, podcasters, and content creators, and comparing them side-by-side to help you decide which product is best for you.

Blue Yeti X and Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ Comparison Chart

Design

The Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ is a reliable classic microphone while the Blue Yeti X carries more features with its multi-function smart knob.

Both products have USB outputs for quick and convenient plug-and-play recording. The Blue Yeti X is black with chrome accents. The star of its design is the multi-function smart knob with a customizable high-res LED metering. It allows you to visualize voice level and control mic gain, headphone volume, mute, and blending of microphone signal and computer sound without having to adjust them on your computer. It also comes with a custom desktop stand.

The Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ is also black. It sports a headphone jack with volume control that allows you to monitor mic input with zero latency. It has a mix control that allows you to blend microphone signals and pre-recorded audio. It comes with the more traditional tripod desk stand.

Its sturdier weighted stand and fancy LED metering give the Blue Yeti X a slight edge over the Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ which comes with an almost undersized tripod and a simple blue LED indicator that tells you when the microphone is plugged in.

Performance

The Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ only has one polar pattern, the Blue Yeti X has four.

The Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ keeps it consistent, offering the same critically acclaimed, award-winning sound of its AT2020 XLR counterpart. The result is a studio-quality performance at one’s home studio. The AT2020USB+ has a single cardioid polar pattern. This means that it can only record sound from a single direction, which is perfect for vocalists, voice-over artists, musicians, and podcasters who want to keep background noise out.

The Blue Yeti X has four condenser capsules built into it, giving it four different pick-up patterns. It can record in Cardioid (uni-directional) mode for recording and streaming, Omnidirectional for conference calls, Bi-directional for interviews, and Stereo mode for immersive sound recordings. This is perfect for the more versatile content-creator.

Additional Features

Blue Yeti X offers additional features such as vocal effects and customizable LED lighting.

The Yeti X USB microphone includes the advanced Blue VO!CE audio software. It is a suite of broadcast vocal effects that helps you easily achieve professional on-stream sound quality. With the software, you can make the Yeti X sound the way you want using presets, or customize your own personal signature sound. The Blue VO!CE for Yeti X is available in the Logitech G HUB and Blue Sherpa desktop apps.

Another feature of the Blue Yeti X microphone is its customizable LED. The LED meter allows you to see input levels at a glance. This comes in very handy when you want to manage audio input while you are streaming live.

Verdict

The Blue Yeti X is perfect for live creators while the Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ is perfect for most traditional creators.

At a higher price point, the Blue Yeti X offers a few more handy features than the AT2020USB+. These include its multi-function smart knob and customizable LED lights. However, the Blue Yeti X’s biggest advantage is its versatility – allowing you to choose between four different polar patterns for recording, perfect for the all-around creator.

The strength of the Audio-Technica AT2020USB+ is its affordability and simplicity. Its uni-directional pick-up pattern works great for most creators. If you don’t need the fancy LED lights and voice effects and you are just looking for a reliable, professional-sounding microphone, then this product is for you.

FAQs