The Audio-Technica AT2040 is a dynamic microphone for studio use in voice recording. Its special polar pattern hypercardioid directs the recording focus on the speaker's voice directly in front of the capsule and restricts the remaining recording radius. Not only does this produce a much drier result that allows the voice to stand out more clearly, but the suppressed spatial components also allow the material to be compressed with less care and to a greater degree, without noise and hiss being pulled up along with it. This is also helped by the output level, which is quite high for a dynamic microphone and does not require a separate preamplifier.