Choosing Microphone Stands and Boom Arms

Microphone stands and boom arms offer advantages when it comes to recording, live performances, and other activities. Boom microphone stands give the best of both worlds—stability and diverse positioning options. However, not all live or studio microphone stands need booms to work—smaller varieties of mic stands without booms are desirable for their portability and compact size.

Using Microphone Stands

A microphone stand holds the mic in place, provides stability, and will often offer adjustable positions. These stands promote better sound capture by lifting the microphone off of the ground and protecting it from physical interference. Whether you plan on using a mic for chatting online, playing music, or building a home studio, a stand helps you achieve high-quality audio results.

What's a Boom Arm?

A boom arm is a long rod that attaches to the top of a stand. It allows for vertical and horizontal movement, and increases the number of possible mic positions. A wide range of placement options makes it easy to precisely adjust the mic, resulting in accurate and effective sound capture. Most boom mic stands don't come with clips, so it's a good idea to get them separately. Microphone clips screw on to the end of boom arms and hold the mics in place.

Selecting a Desktop Microphone Stand

Stands are available in a variety of options, some being better suited than other for specific applications. Freestanding tripod mic stands are popular options for musicians and comedians. The three legs offer stability, and their rubber feet absorb vibrations from the floor, further reducing unwanted noise. More compact desktop microphone stands are also available. They work well for podcasts, lectures, or rooms with limited space. No matter which stand you decide to get, add-on accessories are available to improve certain features. For example, some people use studio shock mounts instead of mic clips to get an improved signal with minimal interference.

Choose from a wide variety of styles of mic stands or boom arms to find the perfect setup for your studio or planned performance, at B&H Photo and Video.