Let's Talk About Microphone Stands

[acjetnut]

Mic stands are usually beast to work with. What are some good ones people have found, especially when it comes down to the boom?

[i am monster face]

I've been knocked over, dazed and received a swollen black eye from walking directly into a boom of one of those giant atlas stands. They're freaking wonderful stands that have great clutches, are made out of sharp looking steel, and hurt like hell when not paying attention.

ian

[joel hamilton]

Latch lake.
We have 3 of them at Studio G, and they are by far the best mic stands I have ever come across, including Starbirds. The Latch lake stands make the old Atlas booms look like a prop from the popeye movie..

If you are putting up 2 M49's as overheads, you have about 14k hanging above a drummers head... I would rather KNOW that the drummer would not get hurt, and that the mics are safe. Latch Lake stands give that. On that same stand with the 2 M49's is the rack tom mic and the front kick mic... all on the same stand!

Really, if you are serious about wanting a quality mic stand, get a Latch Lake.

[vsr600]

http://www.ultimatesupport.com/s.nl/it.A/id.3025/.f this stand from Ultimate is pretty awesome. I have two of the big Atlas stands and the Ultimate stand seems way easier to move since they basically have roller-blade wheels on them (which lock b.t.w.). The counter-weight is easier to adjust too. The only problem I see with them is the base sits pretty high because of the large wheels so if you don't adjust the counter-weight right and are reaching far out, it could tip over.

[SkullChris]

If possible let's try to include some "best of the cheap" stuff in this thread.

Here's my advice, and this should be obvious, don't buy musiciansfriend's stands. I bought a pack of 10 about 5 months ago and 4 of them are currently out of commission (or covered in tape). -(hris

[A-Barr]

I've been knocked over, dazed and received a swollen black eye from walking directly into a boom of one of those giant atlas stands. They're freaking wonderful stands that have great clutches, are made out of sharp looking steel, and hurt like hell when not paying attention.

I wrap the ends of my booms in yellow electrical tape, yellow being the first color the eye will notice, as opposed to black or reflective, which is just begging to get knocked in to. Hope that helps.

[Phiz]

If possible let's try to include some "best of the cheap" stuff in this thread.

I don't want to label Konig and Meyer (K&M) stands as "cheap". But if you are looking for the most bang for your buck in the $50 range, these as the way to go for a nice tripod-boom stand. I used to work for a live sound company that used these, and they took constant abuse and rarely failed.

Obviously not a replacement for a big Atlas or Latch Lake boom.

[justinf]

As far as the cheap stuff goes, Tama stands are great. Beefy and well-machined just like their drum hardware.

[drumsound]

I've got a pair of the big On Stage stands that are pretty nice. Someday I'll upgrade to the Latch Lake, Jeff is a great and makes a great stand.

[Mane1234]

I've had pretty good luck with the On Stage stands too. Used them for playing shows for 4 years and they still get by for studio stuff. I just bought a boom stand that I think is On Stage too. 150 bucks at GC...I don't think it will be here years from now but I can't afford an Atlas or something really good yet. There's another brand of stand that I got from GC a few months ago and they're much better than On Stage...I'll have to see what the brand name is.

[Track Rat]

I second the Tama stands. Fantastic clutch and very beefy.

[standup]

I wrap the ends of my booms in yellow electrical tape, yellow being the first color the eye will notice, as opposed to black or reflective, which is just begging to get knocked in to. Hope that helps.

I'm not correcting anybody, just more detail -- here's some color theory trivia -- red is the color the human eye goes to first. (We notice blood, so we don't bleed to death unexpectedly.)

Yellow/black is the color combo with the highest contrast. So warning signs and stinging insects use it.

I'd wrap yellow tape around a black stand, and red tape around a chrome one.

[joel hamilton]

I wrap the ends of my booms in yellow electrical tape, yellow being the first color the eye will notice, as opposed to black or reflective, which is just begging to get knocked in to. Hope that helps.

I'm not correcting anybody, just more detail -- here's some color theory trivia -- red is the color the human eye goes to first. (We notice blood, so we don't bleed to death unexpectedly.)

Yellow/black is the color combo with the highest contrast. So warning signs and stinging insects use it.

I'd wrap yellow tape around a black stand, and red tape around a chrome one.

When I had a couple of those old atlas booms, I trashed my head on the couterweight and the super sharp little thumb screw thingy that sets the weight so many times.. I put boxing gloves over the weights. It fits perfectly, as that weight is the size of a mans fist. Just put the laces or strap towards the thumb screw thingy, and it works really well and prevented a K.O when I would adjust the kick mic and get up really fast with my mond in the control room, but my head flying at the couterweight... ouch. Never again. I think I seriously lost some IQ on one of those stands...
oh, and back on topic:

The original post didnt mention "cheap." The latch lake stuff is not "cheap" nor is it incredibly expensive. They are making a lower cost stand that we have one of, that is around 425 if i remember correctly, and 425 dollars is cheap compared to a 1000 dollar mic hitting the floor, never mind a pair of 7000 dollar mics. I treat my gear like it ALL cost a million dollars... Even if I am lofting a 4033 up into a corner in the studio for a weird drum room choice, I would never want to see it in pieces... I guess it just depends on how much you record and how you like to keep your stuff. I need stands that will hold up even getting used almost every single day of the year, and stands that I can count on to hold my mic collection I have saved and worked and saved and worked for over the years up off the floor!!!

That is important to me. I have worked really hard to get some nice stuff, and those stands are as much a source of pride as any of my other stuff.
The regular atlas booms work okay, we have a couple of their normal size booms. The K&M's work okay for stuff like toms and guitar cabs.
Those big, rolling, on stage stands weem pretty cool, but they kind of scared me when I had to use them for OH, but otherwise they worked well. They would work really well if you get a couple of theatrical sandbags as well. We have 5 of those sandbags, and they really help keep things where you left them... including snare stands, cymbal stands, and even kick drums...

[audionaut]

Can't justify the $$$ for latchlakes, I know my mics cost ten times the amount... but the compromise was ATLAS at our studio. I'd love to upgrade to the Latchlake in a couple years (when the Atlas stand starts crapping out). The SB38W model is pretty sturdy and heavy, confidently holds vocal mics and drum overheads. Seen 'em for about 275.00 online... Our Guitar Center guy hooked us up for $200 a piece.
Beats the heck out of the K&M / On-Stage flimsyness.

[joel hamilton]

Can't justify the $$$ for latchlakes, I know my mics cost ten times the amount... but the compromise was ATLAS at our studio. I'd love to upgrade to the Latchlake in a couple years (when the Atlas stand starts crapping out). The SB38W model is pretty sturdy and heavy, confidently holds vocal mics and drum overheads. Seen 'em for about 275.00 online... Our Guitar Center guy hooked us up for $200 a piece.
Beats the heck out of the K&M / On-Stage flimsyness.

I fully agree, man, and those big atlas booms last a long time, for sure.
I simply didnt see any price point mentioned in the first post.