Go-to for a lot of sources 
by Kip from New City, Ny, September 2008
Music Background:  Songwriter, Engineer

I decided to pick up a 4033 after discussing microphones with another engineer friend of mine. His recommendation was for acoustic guitar, and he was right. This 4033 really did the trick (used with a Grace 101) to give me a nice clean acoustic track that I could warm up nice with a little EQ, Massey Tape-Head, and a little Massey CT4. Little did I know the 4033 would also be awesome micing up my bass amp. Turn the pad on, put it back around a foot or more (to taste) and I get a nice round bass sound that sits just right in the mix. I'm very happy with my 4033.

  My go-to mic 
by Adam from Seattle, WA, September 2007
Music Background:  Recording, Live Sound engineer.

This has been claimed for a lot of microphones, but...

This mic sounds good on everything.

Really. I've used it on many different sound sources, and I liked it on each one. A stereo pair make incredible drum overheads, and sound excellent on acoustic guitar. I used two to mic a string trio. Each instrument found its place in the mix naturally. It's OK on acoustic bass, and sounded great on a soft-voiced female vocalist (though the mic I use for her vocals usually is an AT4047).

I have yet to find an application for this microphone where the result was anything less than quite useable, and in most apps the sound is quite excellent.

I bought these after doing a side-by-side comparison with AKG 414s. At half the price, to my mind, they sound twice as good. The 414s are dull and muddy in comparison.

  A serious step up 
by Marc from Salt Lake City, UT, October 2006
Music Background:  Hobbyist

In my part time, home recording career, I've used a number of inexpensive large diaphram condensor mics. I had liked their sound, I thought the difference in microphones was purely subjective and that I didn't need anything fancier. I wanted to try the AT4040, but instead ended up trying the AT4033. Upon plugging in the 4033, I immediately noticed a very 3D sounding microphone, the captured signal sort of stuck out and felt more alive. I plugged in a few of my other LDCs and heard what I used to think was a decent mic, were by comparison, not very impressive. The 4033 also has a much smoother top end, even my own voice sounded delicate and pretty (which it is not). I have yet to try this microphone out on any other singers, but I would expect it to excel.

  Pleasant sounding, great value 
by Dean Drake from Bellingham, WA, July 2006
Music Background:  Semi-pro musician/recording engineer

I have used this side-by-side with an AKG 414 ULS and though it has a lot of midrange color, it is a more pleasant sounding vocal mic. This may be annoying to some, but for the right voice it works wonders. I found that if a person sounds "nasaly" than it isn't the better microphone though.

Try this on guitar amps - definitely a different approach than the typical SM57. It has a lot more bite.

I paid a lot more for mine than the going price now and even still, I can't believe I got such a great mic for so little.

I tell you what... 
by Eric from Connecticut, January 2004

This mic is pretty damn good. To be completely honest, for what you pay for this mic, you get a great sound. Describing how a mic sounds is like telling a blind guy what color walls his nagging wife wants, but I'll try to enlighten you:

-The sound is overall smooth. The high-end is crisp, but not too airy. I would give it a "sweet" quality-- accurate, but colored just the right amount so that very little (or none at all) EQ is needed. This is a great mic for singers. Instrumental use for this mic is limited- it will find its place if you don't have anything else, but stick to using it for vocals. It really shines as a voice-over or rap/hip-hop microphone. Like I said, the detailed sound is accurate, so all of your diction and articulation comes right through while still sounding natural. Vocals sit up front and are intimate in your mix.

-If you buy this mic, get a tube pre-amp, or use a tube compressor on it. Introducing warmth to the signal that this mic provides makes it sound much better than you would ever expect. Some of my best vocal takes have come from a combination of this mic and a tube compressor. For some reason, it just works well. There are many better mics, but this one is reliable, so you will find yourself reaching for it time and time again because you know what you can get out of it.

You owe it to yourself to have at least one of these mics. If you want to use something different on vocal tracks, use this one on harmonies, and a BLUE or Neumann on the lead. The sweet quality of this mic makes the harmonies sound AWESOME! It really makes the recording and mixing process easier. Keep this mic in your locker for one of these situations. For the price, it definitely works, and sonically, it is very underrated.

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