Trusted Shops: 4.84/5,00 (10085)
Finding the right microphone stand
The perfect support for the best sound!
Almost as extensive as the applications for a microphone is the range of different microphone stands. For every requirement in a musician's everyday life — and far beyond — a wide variety of microphone stands is available from different manufacturers in various designs and quality levels.
The origin of the microphone stand lies in a simple metal tube and a solid base. At the end of the metal tube a microphone could be attached by means of a clip and thus be positioned freely in the middle of the room or on stage. The clever bit: your hands were free so you could take on other tasks in the band context, such as playing guitar or tambourine.
The idea caught on. Over the years the constructions and variants of microphone stands have become ever more elaborate. From small and large models with a boom-arm design, which are excellent for miking various instruments and amplifiers, to custom-made eccentric signature models for bandleaders and singers like Axel W. Rose (Guns'N'Roses), Freddie Mercury (Queen) or Jonathan Davis (Korn) — which compete in flamboyance with their ornate engravings, shapes and materials — nowadays every pot finds its lid, or rather every mic finds its clip and the matching stand.
In the following guide we'll take a closer look for you at the differences between the various microphone stands and recommend a few practical accessories.
Microphone stands with base
The microphone stand with a base is, as described above, the prototype of all subsequent microphone stands. This category includes, among others, the Stand Art disc microphone stand as well as the Gravity MS 23 microphone stand with disc base. Both essentially consist of a single height-adjustable tube and a solid base.
The microphone stand does what it's supposed to. It holds a microphone at the top of the tube using a microphone clip (which in both cases is not included) and is therefore most suitable for singers on stage. A slightly more comfortable variant is offered by König & Meyer. With the one-handed microphone stand 26075 the height can, as the name suggests, be adjusted with just one hand.
Microphone stands with boom arms
The microphone stand with boom arm is a true all-rounder in its class. It consists of at least two tubes which are connected in a boom-like manner by a movable joint. On some models, such as the Gravity MS2312 B microphone stand with disc base, the two tubes can be extended to increase the height and reach of the boom. For extreme boom positions, models from Stand Art and König & Meyer use folding legs — a so-called 3-leg tripod — instead of a disc base to ensure a stable stance.
Turn your microphone stand into a functional workstation
With additional accessories you can quickly turn a formerly simple microphone stand into a multifunctional Swiss Army knife. From practical pick and drink holders, to a small lamp that lights up the dark, to a tray for smartphones, tablets and laptops — there are all sorts of useful helpers.
Microphone stands & desk stands for broadcast & podcasting productions
A relatively new trend, familiar to laypeople mainly from radio & TV productions, is also becoming increasingly popular in the private sector. Broadcasting and podcasting are about creating subscribable media files. To produce your content in a high-quality format you need not only a suitable recorder and a microphone, but ideally also an appropriate mount for the latter. In its simplest form the classic Stand Art desktop microphone stand with base is suitable, as are the König & Meyer desk stands 23105 and 23230. If you recall the recording situation in a radio station and the look of the elastic yet swivel-able microphone mounts used by presenters, you move into a more professional territory. A practical solution is the TIE Studio Flexible Mic Stand PRO, which can be very easily attached to the tabletop using a C-clamp. If you don't shy away from permanent mounting to the tabletop, take a closer look at the Rode PSA1 or the DAP Audio Broadcasting Stand. Both models convince with solid yet simple handling. If you're curious and want to learn more about the topic, you'll find further information in our guide "Podcast, Gaming and Video Productions" .
