Audio-Technica BP4025

Audio-Technical BP4025

Very well made stereo microphone, the body and the protective mesh are matte black metal. What surprised me was the fact that holding the microphone in hand without a grip, vibrations and noises are not transmitted as strongly and noticeably as in other similar models. The sound is crystal clear and detailed throughout the range. Very suitable for recording the sounds of waves and splashes of water as well as the voices of birds. I am very satisfied and would recommend to anyone who is looking for a not very expensive stereo microphone for recording outdoor and indoor ambient sound.

Audio Technica Stereo LDC

Wonderful 2ch LDC sound in a small package.

I go tired of setting up 2 mics every time I wanted a natural stereo recording. This solves that in a well thought out clean quiet package. I love the depth of recordings I can capture with this microphone. I might need one more for the rest of the space.

Top stereo MIC!

Top stereo Mic...one of the best that i own for field REC and definitive best one in this price range!

Overall good stereo mic for many purposes

I would describe it as warm and detailed without being hyped in the trebles, maybe a little toned down so you might pull it up in post in some cases. Picks up a lot of low end.

I can see why some people might not like the stereo field, it's very wide.

I often adjust it to 70-80% L/R finding that sounds a little more natural to my ears.

People have different ears, and will have different preferences on this.

Not really something I consider an issue as it's easy to adjust stereo spread in any DAW, or often on the recorder itself.

I'm using it with a MixPre-6, and it's a very quiet microphone, I'm getting great recordings with lot of detail and clean sound.

The extras aren't anything to write home about.

Especially the clip is very basic and the adapter is plastic, not metal, which seems like odd cost cutting on something prone to wear and tear (and likely doesn't cost much to begin with).

The padded bag isn't too bad, it comes with a 5M cable which is convenient, and the foam is nice to have.

It's fairly front heavy for its size, so keep that in mind if looking for wind protection.

Overall, it's a nice mic and it's a lot easier than dual microphones on a stereo bar for going out doing field recording.

Highly recommended stereo microphone

To start, I'm not a professional, audio engineer or anything like that. But, I own a range of equipment from very cheap to reasonably expensive and so my comments are mostly relative

Firstly a few comparisons to the Rode NT4 which I bought used a few years ago. The BP-4025 is quite heavy but lighter than the Rode, narrower in diameter and shorter. It is is a little more top-heavy as the stem of the mic is narrow, most of the weight is in the head, this is not a problem, just an observation.

In terms of build quality, it feels great, very reassuring, when I pay this much for audio equipment I want to feel fairly sure that the item will not fall apart after a few years.

It comes with a mic stand adapter, 5 pin to twin 3 pin xlr lead and a basic foam wind cover. In use it needs more, I am planning to buy the appropriate Rycote BBG cover (I think 21mm) and will use it with the windjammer. I think it will probably just fit in my Rode Blimp II but I haven't tried it.

In terms of field use, the audio quality is superb, comparing it to my Sony PCM D100 and the Rode NT4 I think it just has the edge in terms of detail and has lower self noise.

It's quite sensitive to handling noise so I'll be using it in a grip or stand.

I do mostly field recordings or urban or mixed environments, occasionally nature sounds and I see myself using it more where there are fewer people. I find in the city and urban areas that a pair of binaural mics or the Sony handheld (with grip/shockmount) are more discreet.

Overall it's a superb mic. One of the things I like is that because of the design it will fit in a regular,cheaper blimp, unlike the rode which is has a much fatter diameter. The Rode is also a really good mic, but this one for me will be easier to use.

low noise, great detail stereo microphone, one of the few with large diaprhagms

I've been using this microphone for about 3,5 years. I'm a field recordist and sound artist. I record in urban and nature environments alike, all over the world. Over the past years, this microphone has become one of my go to microphones, especially for quick setups and run and gun ambiance work. And it's great as a backup or second mic on an expedition. Apart from this microphone, I also use the DPA 4006A, DPA 4060, Rode NT4, and Lom Usi a lot.

The BP4025 is a very quiet and natural sounding microphone, which delivers a lot of detail in its sound. It has a very low self-noise making it great for nature recordings. The XY stereo image is a tad smaller than other XY stereo mics I know, and because it uses a special mounting of the large diafragms, might take a bit getting used too. But when it is used well, it delivers a beautiful and enthralling stereo image, while remaining very uncolored. Because it uses large diaphragms (the only stereo mic I know that does so) it has a very present low end response. When I use this mic in urban areas, this can lead to an overpresent low end, but that's easy to correct in post. If necessary, the mic also sports a bass roll off. (I've never used it). And sometimes I've used this mics over my other ones precisely to take advantage of the low end response. The LDC's are also responsible for a quite lush midrange. The frequency reponse tapers of after 17K, but because of the fullness of the sound below this frequency, I rarely notice that.

I have my BP4025 fixed quasi permanently in a blimp, and it's great for quick setups and shoots. I've taken it everywhere in moderate climates, even sometimes in quite wet ones, and it is build sturdily enough to withstand a reasonable amount of abuse. I've not had humidity issues with it, but this is not the microphone I would be taking to the rainforest. For most places, it performs most adequatly. It's a bit front heavy, so get the correct suspension for it (I use a rycote duo lyre mounted in a rode blimp).

For this budget, I know of no other stereo microphone that would outperform the BP4025 for quiet ambiance recordings. And if you can live with the slightly smaller stereo field, it works great on music recordings too. So if you're looking for a versatile and quiet microphone that doesn't break the bank, this one's it.

The best "portable" stereo mic on market

This thing with the zoom f6 is magic.

I was looking for a "portable stereo set up" for my field recordings, with 32 bit float.

This Mic has incredible quality, the noise floor is super low and it is built like a tank.

Is one of the best budget stereo mic on the market.

Sounds Great

Low noise and it records fantastic ambient sound.

The mic leads are a lot more expensive and the head of the mic is quite heavy for its size making it needing extra support inside a blimp. But these are the only 'cons' to a great microphone.

Great stand for outdoors field recordings

I love this mic! Good quality and very practical for outdoors ambient recordings!

Sensitive microphone

I use a BP4025 exclusively for recording ambient sounds in the field. I prefer it to the Rode NT4 when combining hiking with recording, since the BP4025 is a lot lighter. It also has a wider image than the NT4 which, combined with its' sensitivity and lower noise floor, means it's ideal for capturing fine details when outdoor ambient recording.