As the access to quality recording software has become easier and less expensive over time with continual advances in technology. More and more people are now recording, songs, demos, podcasts or even just video messages.
But even though technology has completely changed how we record, a few things are exactly the same now as they have always been. You still need a microphone, and you still need something to hold it exactly where you want it, i.e., a microphone stand.
There are now a massive selection of microphone stands available with different features and at varying costs, but which is the best one for you?
Choosing one of the Best Microphone Stands can be difficult, so we’ve made the decision a lot easier by bringing you our Top 10. We’ve reviewed each one, including its pros and cons, and we’ll reveal which one we think is the best of them all.
They are all excellent microphone stands, but which one is the right one for you? You’ll find out soon enough…
Contents
- Top 10 Best Microphone Stands On The Market 2023 Reviews
- 1 Hercules MS533B Hideaway Boom Stand
- 2 On Stage MS7201B Round Base Microphone Stand
- 3 Atlas Sound MS-10C Round Base Mic Stand
- 4 Ultimate Support PRO-T-F Pro Series Tripod Fixed Boom Microphone Stand
- 5 Samson MK-10 Microphone Boom Stand
- 6 Pyle Pro PMKS5 Microphone Stand
- 7 Rode PSA1 Swivel Mount Studio Microphone Boom Arm
- 8 Proline MS112 Desktop Boom Mic Stand
- 9 DR Pro Tripod Mic Stand with Telescoping Boom
- 10 König & Meyer Microphone Stand
- Some Tips On Taking Care Of Your Microphone Stands
- So, What Is The Best Microphone Stand For You?
Top 10 Best Microphone Stands On The Market 2023 Reviews
1 Hercules MS533B Hideaway Boom Stand
We’ll start this review with a stand from a mightily named company, the Hideaway Boom Stand from Hercules.
Hercules has risen as one of the most widely used, and most respected manufacturers of stands for microphones and instruments, because of their philosophy. Which is, to provide a safe, secure, stable and robust solution to everything you need in a stand.
They have over the last 30 years provided ground-breaking new designs, which have been copied by many, but what is their Hideaway Boom Stand like?
Well, as is to be expected from Hercules, it has innovative features designed to make your performance run as smoothly as possible. It features a Quik-N-EZ adaptor which allows you to instantly attach most standard sized microphones.
To attach or detach the Quik-N-EZ Adaptor to the mic stand, you simply either push the lever up or down. And if the adaptor fits your perfect mic, then you can leave it attached to the mic for super speedy setups. If you want to use a regular microphone clip, you just remove the silver metal adaptor to fit standard 3/8″ mic clips.
Another interesting feature is the 2-in-1 Boom Clamp which allows you to adjust the boom length and angle at the same time. It’s as simple as the mic adaptor to use as well, just loosen the knob and adjust everything to your desired position. If you need to take the stand apart, a Quik-N-EZ Boom Retainer allows you to attach or detach the boom instantly.
And there are even more Quik-N-EZ features…
There is one final Quik-N-EZ feature, the Clutch, which once again, allows for effortless adjustments. You just press the lever to release the clutch, then slide the upper tube up or down to your desired height, then release the clutch, and there it will stay.
The base is in the typical tripod design and has a heavy, die-cast aluminum housing. The three legs then fold out of that to form a wide, stable base.
Its height range is between 1070-2400 mm (42.1-94.5″), and it weighs 2.6 kg (5.7 lbs.). The base radius is 340 mm (13.4″), and the boom length is 780 mm (30.7″).
It’s a very good stand, with solid build quality and is very sturdy, being bulkier than the average mic stand. The design is very innovative, allowing for easy and quick adjustments of just about everything. And every adjustment is made with presses, not endless turning of knobs which never seem to tighten enough. Which is so common on many stands.
It also features an innovative telescopic boom, which hideaways into the main body, giving you the option of a boom when needed, or a straight stand when you don’t.
Hercules products are more expensive than the average stand, but you are paying for better quality and the fact that they have better designs. The downside is that the more complicated the design, the more there is that can go wrong.
(4.5 / 5)- Innovative design.
- More bulky and solidly made than your average tripod stand.
- The center of gravity is lower than on other tripods, helping with stability.
- When completely tightened there is still some movement at the joints.
- The hideaway design limits the maximum angle of the boom.
- The easy height adjuster is superb as long as it’s working, but when it stops working, you’ll have a very short boom stand.
2 On Stage MS7201B Round Base Microphone Stand
Our next review is a much more reasonably priced, traditionally designed stand, which has become an industry standard. The MS7201 from On-Stage.
The MS7201 is actually based on one of the most popular microphone stand designs ever made. The classic design being first seen on the Atlas Sound mic stands, which is the next mic stand in this review.
On-Stage has, however, added several features which are only available on the MS720. These include the 7 lb. sand-cast base which is sturdy enough for abusive touring, yet still light enough to carry.
It also features a die-cast zinc clutch and a 5/8″ – 27 solid threaded upper shaft.
And for those who want their microphone stands to match their personality, it’s available in more than the usual ‘black, black or you can have black if you like?’. Shaft colors available include chrome, white or the usual black.
Do I need a round or a tripod base?
The round base design is a matter of personal taste, many singers won’t use anything else, but some hate them. If you play guitar when you sing, a regular boom stand gives a lot more room.
But if you want to rock the vocals like The Stone’s Mick Jagger or Aerosmith’s Steven Perry, then a round bottom stand is the only way to go. You can even tie 20 silk scarves around it for full effect!
Even though it a reasonably priced stand, it doesn’t feel cheap and is very sturdy to lean on it, rock back and forth, and generally have fun with. It works great and also, looks very attractive.
Its height range is between 33” and 60”, so it’s also tall enough for most singers, but anyone who is much taller than 6-foot probably needs to think of other options. It weighs 7 lbs and the base radius is 10”.
It does not come supplied with a mic clip, but that really isn’t an issue because every quality microphone you buy comes with its own specialized clip.
(4.1 / 5)- Classic look and design.
- Well built and sturdy for the price.
- Very affordable.
- Straight stands are not as adaptable as boom stands for non-vocal mic’ing duties.
- Some users have reported that it falls easily, we didn’t have any such problems using standard vocal microphones.
3 Atlas Sound MS-10C Round Base Mic Stand
As just mentioned, next up we have the original and more expensive version of the classic round based stand, the MC-10C from Atlas Sound. It’s more expensive, at just over double the cost of the On-Stage, but it still doesn’t break the bank.
This is THE industry-standard mic stand with a metal base, and you’ll see it music videos, as well as on stages worldwide. It’s durable, rugged design has made it the go-to mic stand for singers, as well as live and studio engineers for decades.
Much like the mythical Atlas held up the weight of the world on his shoulders, the Atlas Sound MS10C mic stand will securely hold up your favorite microphone with style.
It’s an all-purpose chrome finished stand which features durable tubing, and the famous AtlasIED wearproof clutch. The three-piece clutch provides a positive, secure, noise-free, locking control and has been designed to withstand years of rough stage and studio handling.
The 10″ die-cast circular base features edge-concentrated weight distribution, making it amazingly sturdy. And is equipped with rubber pads to absorb shock and to protect floor surfaces.
The cold rolled steel manufactured tubing is fully adjustable with a vertical extension ranging from 35″ to 63″, and terminates in the industry standard 5/8″ – 27 thread. Top and bottom lock-nut rings are also included for versatile and secure positioning.
And, there is no reason to worry about abusing it, if, after years of hard use, something does go wrong, Atlas Sound offers field serviceable parts, so as long as your a little handy, you should have it back working perfectly quickly enough, ensuring a very long product life.
It’s available in a choice of Chrome or in a non-reflective ebony epoxy finish.
(4.5 / 5)- Classic looks and design.
- Wearproof three-piece clutch.
- Field serviceable spare parts available.
- Straight stands are not as adaptable as boom stands for non-vocal mic’ing duties.
4 Ultimate Support PRO-T-F Pro Series Tripod Fixed Boom Microphone Stand
We move on with a more expensive, traditionally designed, telescopic boom mic stand – the Pro-T-F Pro Series from Ultimate Support.
The Pro Series mic stands are designed for the gigging musician, as well as live and studio engineers. They are workhorse, daily use microphone stands and feature field-replaceable parts. They are strong and durable, with an easy-to-use, comfortable clutch, and the scratch-resistant finish will last for years and should never rust.
The Pro-T-F features a telescopic boom, which is always the best design because you don’t end up with the boom sticking out and getting in the way of everything if the full boom length isn’t needed.
As well as this tripod base, Pro Series mic stands are also available with weighted, and stackable bases. As well as, in short and regular heights, and, with or without telescoping or fixed-length boom arms. There’s basically a Pro Series mic stand that has been designed for whatever your mic stand need is.
It’s a superb microphone stand, and the high price is worth it. Unlike a lot of cheaper stands, when you lock it in place, it stays there, until you, not gravity decides it’s time to adjust it. It also has a professional look and feel about it, but that would be expected for the price.
It is relatively heavy, especially when compared to other microphone stands, but that’s actually a good thing in terms of stability, just not so good for carrying it about endlessly while on tour.
But, there is an issue…
There have, however, been many reports of users having problems with the main clamp that tightens the telescoping arm to the base unit, which is made of plastic and tends to wear out quicker than you would expect. Once this has gone, if you don’t replace it, you basically have a useless stand.
If you’re looking for a quality tripod telescopic boom stand, and are happy to pay the price and are willing to be extra careful adjusting the plastic main clamp, this is a great buy.
(4 / 5)- Durable construction.
- Heavy-duty, secure clutch.
- Field serviceable spare parts available.
- The customer service department doesn’t have the best of reputations.
- The main clamp that tightens the telescoping arm to the base unit is made of plastic, not metal, which has led to many users having reliability problems.
5 Samson MK-10 Microphone Boom Stand
We move on with another very affordable stand, in the same price range as the On-Stage – the MK10 from Samson. It combines an attractive and functional design with the crucial elements of being lightweight and durable.
It’s also been designed to be incredibly portable, coming in a very small package that easily folds up for transport anywhere you need it.
It is easily one of the best budget mic stands currently available. And, it’s far higher quality and a lot better value for money, than house brand mic stands, for around the same price. All the hinges, grips, etc. are rugged and have a great feel to them.
The only issue is the height, we are not sure if this was designed for use with vocal microphones by singers, but if your above average height you may experience some difficulties. So if you’re more than 6-foot tall, you will definitely need to look elsewhere. It’s however, excellent for non-vocal mic duties.
Its sturdy steel construction is finished in a sleek black color, and it comes with a mic clip.
(4.1 / 5)- Very affordable.
- Portable.
- Solid build quality.
- Not suitable for heavier microphones if the boom is fully extended, but weights, a heavy bag, or chains will easily fix this.
- The fact that they are so light in weight doesn’t make them the sturdiest of stands.
- Some users have reported that the main vertical extension continuously collapses after being tightened, although we didn’t experience any such issues.
6 Pyle Pro PMKS5 Microphone Stand
Another very affordable mic stand up next – the PMKS5 Pro Microphone Stand from Pyle. And, it’s another design based on Atlas’s classic round base straight stand.
It has a solid die-cast base for reliable stability, which is about 235mm in diameter. This provides good balance and should make sure it doesn’t fall under normal conditions. The base weighs a little less than the other two similarly designed stands we’ve reviewed, at 9.92 lbs.
Its height range is between 33.5” and 60.24”, making it ever so slightly taller than the other two straight stands in this review. It features a standard 5/8 x 27 external thread size.
It’s an ideal mic stand for any musician who’s always on the go. It’s sleek, durable black finish looks great, and the stand is ultra-light and very compact when packed for easy transport. It also comes with plastic inserts on the underside of the base of the stand to keep it from moving and stop it from scratching floor surfaces.
Pyle PMKS5 also offers worry-free shopping with a 30-day “no questions asked” money back guarantee.
It is very well balanced, and the best thing about any classic straight mic stand design is that if you’re theatrical with your stage presence, this mic stand will make a great prop.
(3.9 / 5)- Classic looks and design.
- 30-day “no questions asked” money back guarantee.
- Very affordable.
- Not the best quality available, but more than acceptable for the low price.
- The clutch is made of very cheap plastic.
7 Rode PSA1 Swivel Mount Studio Microphone Boom Arm
We move away from traditional designs with a microphone stand specially designed for professional broadcast or podcast use, the PSA 1 from Rode.
The PSA 1 swivel mount studio microphone boom arm is used for professionally mounting your microphone to your studio desk. Specially designed for use with the Rode Procaster and Podcaster microphones, but will also work with almost any other mic on the market.
It rotates a full 360 degrees and offers a vertical reach of 840mm from its base, and a horizontal reach of 820mm. It has two desk mounting options – desk-clamp and desk-insert.
And comes with attachments for use with desks up to 55mm thick for the clamp, or 70mm thick for the insert. These allow you to either insert the stand directly into a hole made in your desk or clamp it securely from above and below.
It features a 2-axis swivel mount for accurate positioning. And, can hold microphones that weigh up to an impressive 2.4 lbs when combined with a shock mount. It is supplied with velcro cable wraps.
If you’re looking for a swivel mount boom arm mic stand, the PSA 1 is phenomenal. Is it on the pricey side, but it’s most definitely a premium product with a premium build. The swivel and adjustment are superb, allowing it to be easily adjusted in any way, shape or form, and the length of the arm is long enough to reach far enough for most uses.
Look, sound and feel more professional…
If your doing podcasts or internet radio broadcasts, you will be amazed by the difference a mic stand like the PSA 1 makes to a professional setup. Not only, does it make using the mic so much more convenient, but it also gives you a more professional feeling which will probably improve your broadcasts. It will also wow any studio guests you have, which is always a bonus!
The only negative is that some users have reported that they have noisy stands, with the metal parts or either the top or bottom arms rubbing against each other.
These are however isolated incidents, so shouldn’t really be a concern and if you do end up with a stand with these issues, just exchange it as soon as you notice.
As long as you’re happy with doing that, this is a great microphone stand for the dedicated purpose, it’s expensive but worth it. If you want the best and a stand that just works flawlessly, the PSA 1 is the one for you. Highly recommended.
(4.4 / 5)- Fantastic microphone stand for broadcasters and podcasters.
- Incredible build quality.
- Works exactly as it should.
- Expensive.
- The PSM1 shock mount is sold separately.
- Many users have reported some units making loud scratching noises when the arm is adjusted.
8 Proline MS112 Desktop Boom Mic Stand
We have another specialty microphone stand now – the MS112 from Proline. It’s sold as a desktop mic stand with telescoping boom, so you could obviously use it on your desk for podcasts, but it also works fine for kick drums, underneath snare micing and for guitar cabinets.
It features die-cast metal clutches, so it should keep your microphone wherever you put it. And, a heavy-duty, die-cast base for stability, to stop your microphone falling over. The telescoping boom arm adjusts between 1 and 9 inches. And the entire stand has an adjustable height of 12 to 17 inches.
The base is very heavy, and it’s counterbalanced perfectly. It also adjusts quickly and easily, without cheap plastic parts slowing it down and making it prone to breakage.
It should have no problem handling a large microphone, as well as it’s shock mount and a pop filter, with no worries about it falling. So, no one should be looking at your microphone and mic stand and shouting “timber”!
(3.9 / 5)- Good if you’re looking for a shorter stand for podcasting or certain mic’ing duties.
- Durable with most critical parts being made of metal.
- Shorter than regular stands so has less but, more specific uses.
- The company’s Customer Service Department has a bad reputation.
- Some users have reported that the threads strip very easily and have to be continually repaired with duct tape.
9 DR Pro Tripod Mic Stand with Telescoping Boom
We move on with a traditional multi-use full-size mic stand from DR Pro – their tripod mic stand with telescoping boom.
DR Pro is dedicated to manufacturing premium stands for the professional live and studio musician, and offer superior performance and value. Each of their strong, lightweight stands is built to exceed industry standards. And they use durable powder-coated paint finish, with tougher tubing, and precision mechanical parts.
It’s a sturdy stand with an adjustable height of between 40″ and 69″, and the telescoping boom extends between 19″ and 31″. The Tripod legs stick out 25″ on each side.
It’s one of the most expensive stands in this review, but it is very impressive. It holds larger, heavier mics easily. All you need to do is tighten the boom arm clutch sufficiently, with the large thumb screw. The clutch features rubber washers in it, these do an excellent job of holding the boom in perfect position.
Although these are expensive, they are worth every penny. They have a hallowed reputation for durability and build quality. We personally know of PA companies which have been using these stands, on a near daily basis, for over ten years with no maintenance.
If you’re happy to pay this much for a mic stand, they are highly recommended, they should repay your investment many times over and offer many, many years of loyal service.
(4.3 / 5)- Excellent build quality.
- Amazingly durable.
- Expensive.
10 König & Meyer Microphone Stand
We’ll finish off this review with another shorter mic stand for desk or low floor use, similar to the Proline MS112, the low-level microphone stand from König & Meyer.
It’s quite a bit more expensive than the Proline and is actually more expensive than most of our reviewed microphones stands. And considering it’s so small, there must be a reason for this?
The main reason is that König & Meyer have been the professional sound engineers trusted choice for over 65 years. If you want the best design, the most durable stands that money can buy, you get a K & M, it’s as simple as that.
The company uses only first-rate materials to produce the finest quality mic stands you can buy. These include precision steel tubes, these are 100% consistent in their dimensions and tolerances. All the metal and plastic parts of the stand are manufactured in-house to strict quality control systems.
These exceptional standards have established König & Meyer as an outstanding brand throughout the world. It’s this reputation that has earned this stand the accolade of being known as the Best Kick Drum Stand you can buy.
What can it be used for?
But, this extra low-level floor tripod stand is not only great for kick drums, you can also use it for any low floor mic’ing jobs, including guitar and bass cabinets.
The very short and heavy legs mean that this stand is not only, very sturdy, but has a very small footprint. So you can use it in tight places such as when under mic’ing a snare drum. The telescopic boom arm also helps in such tasks so you can extend it to the exact length needed and have nothing in the way of anything else.
And durability is a given with K & M. With its zinc die-cast base, as well as, the ruggedly built knobs, which will all last for many, many years.
The leg construction features sockets which allow you to easily fold and minimize the legs for easy storage & transport.
The stand features an adjustable height of between 14” and 25″, and is perfect for live sound or studio recording.
If you’re looking for the very best low-level stand you can buy, the König & Meyer is an absolutely fantastic choice.
(4.7 / 5)- König & Meyer reputation.
- Fantastic build quality.
- Incredibly durable.
- It’s smaller size make it great for kick drums, guitar amplifiers, etc., but you couldn’t sing through it unless you like lying on the floor.
Some Tips On Taking Care Of Your Microphone Stands
While preparing this review, we are quite amazed at the number of reports we’ve had from users, saying that they are breaking their stands within the warranty period. This is slightly understandable in some cases with the very inexpensive stands we’ve featured, but should not be the case with the more costly ones.
Between the reviewers here, we have actually owned seven out of the ten review models for many, many years and have not noted any of the issues that people are reporting. And since we own recording studios, we are talking professional critical use, not just an occasional set-up for two podcasts a year.
In fact, over the last year, we can only report one problem with any mic stand owned by any of us. And that was a cheap no-brand one, that was part of a job lot when another studio stopped trading. And, we did use it for quite an unusual mic job, which probably didn’t help in it ending pretty messed up.
One of the first two jobs that recording studio assistants are taught is how to correctly coil microphone cables for storage and how to adjust and pack microphone stands. We think this is why microphone cables and microphone stands, last so long in professional studios.
What’s going wrong then?
So, there is obviously something going wrong, and we think we know what the problems are.
The first one is over tightening the clutches on mic stands. You only need to tighten them until they are averagely hand tight, they shouldn’t need any more pressure than that. If you continually over tighten them, you are just asking for trouble.
If average pressure isn’t enough, insert additional rubber washers, until normal pressure holds the stand in place consistently and easily.
The other thing to be very careful of is, to never adjust any microphone stand without first loosening all the parts that will move during the adjustment. Trying to re-adjust a tightened stand is again just asking for something to break.
We hope this mini-guide will help you care for and enjoy your current, and future microphone stands, for many years. If you take care of them, they will take care of you and your microphones, it’s a two-way thing.
So, What Is The Best Microphone Stand For You?
We’ve gathered together a collection of what we think are the 10 best microphone stands currently on the market. They are all excellent choices and which one is best for you, will mainly depend on what exactly you need the stand for and how much you’re happy to spend on it.
Of course, there has to be a winner, and that is the…
It won because it’s just such a superb mic stand, it can only really be used for vocals, but we love it so much, that it still won.
Honorable mentions also go to the König & Meyer for being the best stand if you’re looking for something smaller. And the Rode PSA1 if you’re looking for an extendable swivel boom arm mic stand. The best budget microphone stand in the review was the Samson MK-10 which narrowly beat out the similarly priced competitors.