I've never paid much attention to the vagaries of different sorts of low cost mic stands, but one of the two stands I've got is just a floppy mess and I think it's time to upgrade. Does anybody have suggestions?
Thanks, Belfast. I did a fair bit of research after starting this thread and that brand, K&M, and that specific stand stood out in several different places I looked at. Sound-men and recording engineers both seem to like it. Good call.
I have an ancient K and M stand that I use with a heavy mic like an sh55. Its great Otherwise I gig with the cheap on stage brand but change the boom to a gator short locking boom that is very sturdy
Thanks, Goldbrick. I kept doing research and things kept pointing towards K&M stands. The one above is the 210/9, which has the extendable boom. I ended up deciding on the 210/2, which has a straight boom. The particular application I'm using the mics for--me and Alan singing, with me sitting--never requires an extendable boom. The 210/2 was slightly cheaper, but mostly I went for "simpler" and what I actually needed.
I bought a pair. I also bought something that I didn't even realize was out there, but which solves the perennial problem. You ever try to carry a pair of mic stands in one hand? I do it all the time. It's a clanky, awkward pain in the ass. All you need is the K&M 21421 mic stand carrying case. It holds a pair of stands and looks great.
Here are the links for both products at Sweetwater, where I just bought them (free shipping).
I should add that I decided in the past year to investigate and then buy quality, and it's definitely helped the Blues Doctors live sound. These days Alan and I are using Sennheiser e835 and e935 mics, respectively. The e835 is great and the e935, at about $170, was called "the best vocal mic under $200" in one study.
As I related on another thread here some months ago, a gig disaster caused by one more tweaky cable led me to go out, investigate, and purchase five Audiopile PSMN mic cables. Not a household name, but the pro sound guys consistently referenced them, so I bought 'em. They're just great. I've thrown all my old cables in a bag. I hope I never need them. All I carry with me now is the five identical new cables. I don't expend a single iota of mental effort trying to say, "Now, which cable from among my bag of mixed-up old cables is the best one, 'cause I want that for the vocal mic." Etc. That inner dialogue has ended.
As I've discovered, when you buy quality, you benefit in all sorts of ways. First, you solve the problem. Boom! No more messed-up gigs. Second, every time you unpack and hook up the equipment, you get the warm feeling that says, "I'm glad I bought quality," because it looks and feels good; it doesn't look and feel like cheap shit. Third, the stuff doesn't break or malfunction somewhere down the line--or at least, that day of reckoning is delayed for a long, long time. Fourth, you don't end up having that inner dialogue where you're sorting through your big bag of mismatched equipment trying to triage between the good stuff and not-so-good stuff. Fifth, not only do you solve the problem of malfunctioning shit, but because you've bought good quality SOUND stuff, your sound is better--both in your own ears and in your audience's. So you haven't just solved the downside problem, you've actually improved something.
Buy quality. This doesn't mean spending money on the most expensive thing. It means doing research, trying to figure out what the pros think--i.e., in this case, pro sound guys--and, as this thread suggests, seeing if there's any localized feedback. Then spend your money.
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Feb 11, 2017 9:41 AM
Nothing ruins a gig faster than cheap cables , And that seems to be something folks cheap out on I bought my bass player 3 new pro cables for her birthday- marked them with orange tape and made her throw out her old ones.
And if you are a drummer ( like me ) or sit down to play buy a quality seat that will keep its adjustments, breaks down easy and doesnt wobble
The telescopic boom on the K&M 210/9 fully extended is actually slightly shorter that the boom on the 210/2.
I would think of it as a retracting boom rather than an extending boom, you can reduce the overall length of the boom so that there is less overhang, that means you are less likely to get someone bumping into your mic stand when you are playing in a cramped environment.
The straight boom is better and stronger if you always want to play with a full length boom.
Glad to hear about the sennheiser e835. I just ordered one that came for free with a fishman loudbox mini,and I didn't realize it was a decent mic. I usually always use a 58. https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LoudBoxMiniPK
BTW,that mini package is incredible ^ I couldn't pass it up. ---------- www.shakeylee.com
Last Edited by shakeylee on Feb 12, 2017 11:03 AM
I just checked what mine is. I had no idea. It's a k&m 210/2. I'd never thought about it; it's always been just my stand and it works. It was given to me so I probably should have been more grateful. I assumed it was a generic run of the mill stand. If I'd had drama with it I'd probably have paid more attention. I've had it around 5 years, no problems with it at all.
I have had a Sennheiser e835 for years and find it to be a really good feedback resistant directional mic for vocals. Be aware that it has little to no proximity effect. You cannot take advantage of increased lows when close to the mic, but you won't muddy your vocals by getting too close, either. Proximity effect can be a blessing and/or a curse. For harp be careful to use your hands to control brightness.
It is not as warm as a 58, but gives good clear vocals and in my experience is not prone to feeding back easily. The promo material references its use in loud stage environments and consistent tone regardless of being on or off axis. I have never regretted having this mic as an option. ----------
My amp stand/mic holder is K&M, with the boom and gooseneck for micing the amp. This is an excellent piece of gear. My mic stand is a Jamaster from Ultimate Support, it is a POShit!
I've taken to using braided cables, and I really like them. They are much more resistant to tangling, and much easier to untangle. When I get a new cable, I immediately attach velcro straps to each end, so it's easy to keep things neat when storing after a gig.
I got the sennheiser e835 today along with the loudbox mini package that was too good of a deal to pass up. It seems like a very good mic. I like the sound! I may stick with my 58 for the time being, as it is tried and true for me and my harplock fits ,but I will definitely be using the sennheiser for some things .
Dougharp,thanks for the revue!! ---------- www.shakeylee.com
I'm reordering a PSMN cable--somehow I lost one this year--and found this old thread. For those in the market for PA components--cables, vocal mics, mic stands--I remain extremely happy with my upgrades, as described in this thread.
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Dec 14, 2017 3:40 AM
Good question. I've got a Tiger, which was nice with one mic on the boom, but when I put a second mic on a stereo bracket on the boom, it fell over, lol! Currently it just has two stereo mics sitting on top on the bracket. ---------- Andrew. -----------------------------------------
We sit to play. I use 2 stands, 1 for vocal mic- a 58Beta- and one for a Shure 585. Both of mine are solid bass with no boom and I keep them close. For Jolene we sue a tripod base boomer to keep the stand off the her left. I've had good and bad. To me the simpler the better. ----------
