K&M 21430

I purchased this stand since it afforded me the opportunity to suspend a typical side-address condenser microphone in the upside-down position - which of course looks extremely professional to prospective clients.

There are a number of very practical advantages though:

The heavy base makes it extremely stable, whilst having a much smaller footprint than comparable 'tripod' stands, so it is practical for the space-constrained typical home studio.

The long boom arm has a very effective locking mechanism and the counterweight renders it even more stable. And on the end is a further short boom arm which allows you the flexibility to position a microphone in pretty much any position you wish.

On a practical note, since this allows you to suspend a microphone in the 'upside-down' position, you can place another microphone 'the right way up' just below and adjacent to the first mic - with barely a 2 or 3 mm gap. On a separate conventional mic stand of course...!

From one vocal 'take' you can therefore record two separate vocal tracks with the two different microphones (perhaps a tube and an FET mic). And then at mixing time, pick which track / mic sounds better for the individual singer / song...

I suppose the only disadvantage is that it is heavy - but that is precisely why I bought it. And the base does have rather nice wheels...

I intend to have an awful lot of fun with this one...!

I recently purchased two of these K&M overhead stands for my small commercial recording studio. These stands were really a game changer for me.

The main areas which they have improved my workflow - stringed instruments, drums overheads, vocals.

With strings, I can now set up any mic (regardless of weight and size) without getting in the way of the player or their score. This used to be an issue and I would have to workaround it by either moving/changing the mic, or get the player to setup differently - which isn't ideal for them.

Drum overheads now go exactly where you need - they take a little longer to setup than before, but placement is totally worth it in my book.

Vocals just look pro in pictures/videos. Vocalists are often impressed when they enter the booth and the mic stand doesn't look like one they use on stage. :p

All in all, if you have the space, these are a great buy.

The existing stand was an inexpensive product, so it was difficult to attach a heavy microphone or adjust the length as much as you wanted. If I had to buy a stand anyway, I decided to buy a good one enough. Of course, the budget was a bit hard to buy a catch called the ultimate stand.

It's a perfect heavy duty stand for every situation.

The perfect center of gravity, the length enough to stretch, and the wheels for transport are perfect.

One disadvantage is that the stand arm, which is connected to the last microphone, is not properly secured and shakes from side to side.

It seems to come from the fundamental structure of the stand. However, this phenomenon is not fatal in using, but it is regrettable that it is true.

I use it for conference calls - 1) to use a handsfree mic instead of a headset and 2) to free up desk. This is probably not the intended purpose but it works well for me.

The stand is very stable. If the counterweight is properly positioned, the mic arm stays in balance with very little tightening of the screw handle.

When the vertical bar is in its lowest position (~ 1m 40 cm from the floor - about height level of a person sitting on a chair), the horizontal arm can be moved around 365 degrees with the castors fixed. It can be fixed with the vertical bar screw if necessary.

The stand takes up some space but can be used at home. If used at home, it is a good idea to place it near a wall and not in the middle of a room.

Overall this is a top quality product. I find nothing wrong either with the design or the materials.