Scott Dorsey wrote:
Jim Gilliland wrote:

The ATM33 has been in their product line for several decades. Even so,
at a street price of about $160, there aren't many mics that are much
better except perhaps some of the extremely low-end chinese mics (which
may not be a fair comparison). But other "name" brands have similar
mics in the same price range, for example, the Shure KSM109 or the
dreaded AKG C1000. Even AT has surpassed it within its own product
line, for example with the AT3031 or the AT3035.

Hey don't forget the AKG C535! It's got more of a presence peak to it,
but the top end is smoother.

I like the 535, but it's quite a bit more money than the ATM33 or the
others mentioned above. It's bright, but quite usable on some sources.
It might seem a strange match, but it actually sounded great on Leon
Redbone's voice a few years ago (on stage, of course).

Try not to hold the ATM33 against them. It was probably not a bad
choice at its price point in, say, 1985.

Agreed. I think that, the ATM33 is one of the last microphones AT designed
before a process change in the way they built capsules. It's probably one
of only a couple microphones using their older electret design still left
in the line.

I was surprised to see that it WAS still in the line. I figured that
they had stopped selling it by now. I have a pair of them that I bought
at the AT warehouse sale about 15 years ago. They've wound up being my
absolute least used mics, but I didn't pay much for them. I really
should put them up on eBay.