If there is one peice of gear that gets no love in the studio it would have to be the lowly mic stand.
Taken for granted more often than any other peice of gear I would wager
However, when you stop and think about the investment you have in some microphones, it make sense to consider the quality of the very tool that it is attached to.
A good quality mic stand, if for no other reason, is necesarry just to insure that you don’t destroy a $4000 mic because of a $40 gear failure
So lets talk about mic stands
There are really 6 categories of microphone stands
The 6 categories are as follows
1) Tripod Type Stands – these are probably the most common configuration you will see
2) Tripod Boom Style Stands – having a larger base for increased stability for longer reaches
3) Round Base Stands – these are ideal for places where stability is not a factor but floor space is
4) Low Profile Mic Stands – these are most often used for micing guitar cabs and drums
5) Desktop Mic Stands – similar to low profile stands in hat they have a short main stem. Mainly used for podcasting
6) Overhead Stands – very expensive but needed where extra-long reach is required. Think micing a choir or drum overheads on a large kit!
Now that you have the lay of the land you can decide on a budget
Finding The Best Stand In Your Price Range
The cost for mic stands can vary considerably.
One thing I have noticed is that cost and build quality is markedly correlated when it comes to mic stands
And the thing that tends to suffer most on cheap mic stands is the tightening joint.
A poor quality joint will be the first problem you will encounter on cheap stands.
I have had cheap stands break at the tightening joint on the first use. Literally!
The cost of the gas needed to drive back to the music store alone, if added to the cost of the first bad choice would have bought me a really good quality stand.
Not to mention the value of my time going through the return process.
For this reason, I would recommend taking in some of your heavier mic to the music store and try them out on a few different stands.
This could save you some frustration later on.
Or you could take the advice here in this article and buy from our list.
The Top Low-Cost Mic Stands ( $50 or less )
Yah….. I get it…. you’re a musician and are used to having to make $ compromises on a musician’s budget.
It’s a cruel world sometimes.
So here goes with the list for the budget-minded
1. Tripod:
◦ Samson MK-10 – (Amazon/B&H)
◦ On Stage MS7700B – (Amazon/B&H)
2. Tripod Boom:
◦ On Stage Stands MS7701B – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
◦ Ultimate Support JSMCFB100 – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
◦ Samson BT4 – (Amazon/B&H)
3. Round Base:
◦ On Stage Stands MS7201B – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
◦ Pyle-Pro PMKS5 – (Amazon)
4. Low Profile:
◦ Samson MB1 – (Amazon/B&H)
◦ ProLine MS112 – (Amazon/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
5. Desktop:
◦ On Stage Stands DS7200 – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
6. Overhead:
◦ (none)
◦
Next up
The Top Mid Ranged Mic Stands ($50 – $120)
This is where most people will end up shopping….I hope!
If you plan on really getting some use out of your stands this is the sweet spot price range where you can get a good deal and a good product as well
When you use these stands in extreme situations you will find their performance is far superior to the low priced counterparts
Try the 90-degree test on this group of stands. Take a heavy mic and leave it on the stand stretched out at a 90-degree angle and leave it like that for a couple of days and see if the stand
sags”
This is a real-world test.
If you have ever been in a recording session where a mic sagged and was totally out of position halfway through the take……you will know the frustration of having a piece of gear ruin a perfect take that may never be captured again.
Not good.
1. Tripod:
◦ DR Pro Quick Release – (Amazon/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
2. Tripod Boom:
◦ Hercules Stands MS533B – (Amazon/B&H)
◦ K&M Telescopic Boom – (Amazon/B&H)
◦ DR Pro Telescopic Boom – (Amazon/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
◦ Atlas Sound PB21X – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
3. Round Base:
◦ Atlas Sound MS-10C – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
◦ Ultimate Support PRO-ST – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
4. Low Profile:
◦ K&M Low-Level Boom – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
◦ DR Pro MS1500BK – (Amazon/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
5. Desktop:
◦ Rode PSA1 – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
◦ On Stage MBS5500 – (Amazon/B&H)
6. Overhead:
◦ (none)
◦
Best High-Priced Mic Stands ( $120 plus )
Maybe a tad expensive and a little too expensive for the home studio
But……
You should have it as an option
After all, you may want to get one high end stand if you have a really expensive mic in your collection you want to protect from damage
1. Tripod:
◦ Ultimate Support TOUR T TALL – (Amazon)
2. Tripod Boom:
◦ K&M 21021 – (Amazon/B&H/Thomann)
3. Round Base:
◦ Atlas Sound MS25 – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
◦ Atlas Sound MS20E – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
4. Low Profile:
◦ (none)
5. Desktop:
◦ (none)
6. Overhead:
◦ Ultimate Support MC-125 – (Amazon/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
◦ On-Stage Stands SMS7650 – (Amazon/B&H)
◦
Let’s get to the accessories
Floor space is likely going to be an issue in most home studios so here are some ways to save space.
1. The IK Multimedia iKlip
Recording alone is often the rule today
And there are so many new apps that aid in the workflow process
Thes apps are smartphone-based so having a mount to make your phone easily accessible can be a real game-changer
Enter the Iklip
iKlip Expand for Tablets – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
iKlip Expand Mini for Phones – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)
2. On-Stage Posi-Lok Sidemount Boom
Useful when you want to attach a second mic to a single stand
Most common application is when recording a vocalist playing guitar at the same time
A real space saver since it mitigates the need for a 2nd mic stand that requires double or more floor space
3. Stedman Headphone Hanger
A slight extravagance but a really handy tool nonetheless
Especially if you don’t have storage for your headphone when not in use.
Or when you are leaving a recording session set up for extended periods of time
Click to compare prices – (Amazon/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
4. K&M Drink Holder
Boose hound…… just kidding
You can hold coffee in this thing too….
Or water if you are that much of a dullard. LOL
5. Audix CabGrabber
This is a solo use product.
Specifically designed to attach to any guitar amp cabinet
Allows for extreme space-saving and solid ui utilization of cabinet micing.
Probably the most useful mic stand addon in the biz
Universal adaptation for and amp cabinet
Click to compare prices – (Amazon/B&H/GuitarC/MusiciansF/Thomann)