Who makes the best mic stands?

Resonater · 15th February 2006, 08:15 AM

Guys, I'm due for a mic stand revamp. Mine are all old and broken in one way or another. I'd like to get some new ones (both tall booms and floor booms). I went to Sam Ash and GC, but all they have is consumer junk. I need some PRO units. Anyone have suggestions? Thanks in advance...

Fletcher · 15th February 2006, 01:46 PM

Latchlake

not_so_new · 15th February 2006, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fletcher

Latchlake

..but bring your wallet... and a few credit cards.....

On the other hand you did say "Who makes the best mic stands" and I think Latchlake is about at the top.

**mwagener** · 15th February 2006, 05:01 PM

one more vote for Latchlake

MIKEHARRIS · 15th February 2006, 05:07 PM

Manley Starbird

drmmrboy · 15th February 2006, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwagener

one more vote for Latchlake

Pricey? Yeah.
But after I saw these pics, I was ready to reach for my wallet.

3 stands, and about 10 mics.

Resonater · 15th February 2006, 05:19 PM

Thanks for the suggestions about Latchlake. There is one thing about these stands that I'm not nuts about (especially at the price point). No option for casters. Having stands on casters not only makes the stands easy to move with mics on them, (unlike the Latchlake where you have to tip the stand to move it on its casters), but more importantly, casters help to isolate the stand from the floor...singers with active feet are less of a problem. I saw the stands at AES and kind of shocked that its base sits right on the floor with no caster-isolation.

Also, it doesn't appear as though they have any normal "floor" models at a less expensive price point. $750.00/stand, even recognizing that there may be instances where a single stand could hold two mics, is a high price point.

Thanks again for the suggestions there, but I'm not convinced that the Latchlakes are good for me.

Any other ideas? Anyone have experience with either the Hercules stands or the Ultimate Support Stands?

Resonater · 15th February 2006, 05:21 PM

Yeah, no argument that the interlocking base idea is a brilliant one!

Jeff A. Roberts · 15th February 2006, 05:23 PM

Thanks for the kind words, Michael, Fletcher, and not_so_new.

Resonater, you should contact your buddy Ross Hogarth. He has a pair of Latch Lake stands and 6 Xtra Booms. Maybe he'll let you use them. Or at least he can give you his impressions on them.

Jeff A. Roberts · 15th February 2006, 05:50 PM

Resonater:

The patent pending boom clutch design of the Latch Lake micKing provides isolation from floor vibrations, unlike traditional boom clutch designs.

Sooner or later we knew that people would want a model with casters. We just haven't made one that way yet. Do you want to be a Beta tester?

We are also working on what amounts to a "micKing Jr." that will have a similar (but lighter) interlocking base like the micKing, and a 2 section mast and boom.

It's too bad that I didn't meet you at AES. I may have talked to you, but I didn't "meet" you. My son, David Roberts met you a few times last summer while he was interning with Ross H.

De chromium cob · 15th February 2006, 06:11 PM

The older Starbirds are pretty sweet if you can find them- Manley bought the design and sells them new these days.....

Latchlake looked pretty good when I saw them at last years TapeOp conference, but I haven't used them in the heat of battle......

XSergeantD · 15th February 2006, 08:50 PM

Thumbs up for the Manley Starbird

timmcallister · 17th February 2006, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff A. Roberts

We are also working on what amounts to a "micKing Jr." that will have a similar (but lighter) interlocking base like the micKing, and a 2 section mast and boom.

tell us more! your stands look great, but being overkill for my home studio. On the other hand, I would happily pay a few hundred bucks for a high quality boom Maybe the "jr" will be my dream come true :-)

Fletcher · 17th February 2006, 01:30 PM

I have an original "Starbird"... I have a "Mic King"... I prefer the Latchlake... YMMV.

dtucker · 17th February 2006, 02:00 PM

How about Atlas? They make some heavy duty stuff....

Art · 17th February 2006, 03:44 PM

You may try A.I.R.R. Supprt, not nearly as expensive and they make really nice stands.

Art

ozraves · 17th February 2006, 03:47 PM

My creative partner is a trained machinist.

Anyhow, I had him look at the Latch Lake stand. He says that given the level of workmanship involved that in terms of time and material we'd come out about even if he machined some stands for us. He was impressed.

If you're just wanting regular stands then I'd suggest looking at Tama. They've got a boom stand and a low profile boom stand suitable for many situations.

I've seen certain of the larger Onstage stands in studios including the SB9600, SB96+, and the SMS7650.

relaxo · 18th February 2006, 06:51 AM

I just got this:

Tama Drum Mic Stand Kit
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/home/...+Mic+Stand+Kit

These absolutely blow the other low end ones away in quality. Fantastic build quality. One caution...eurothreaded.

Clueless · 29th March 2006, 02:06 AM

Based on this thread I just bought two (from Mercenary). WOW! The sluttiest mic stands in the world. Keep me informed about the Jr. Maybe I'll buy 8 more!

Lynn Fuston · 29th March 2006, 02:39 AM

Here's my favorite LatchLake picture. (Those two above were mine as well.)

Here's an 87 mounted on one.

Here's the kicker though. Same mic, same stand, different angle.
The stand is about 10 feet away from the mic.

I only have one reservation about the LatchLakes. When you extend heavy mics far out (say a pair of R84s which I do routinely), I wish the base was larger in diameter so that it was not as wobbly. Sandbags help for weighting the base.

I used the big AEA stand just last week on an orchestra date and it is very large, very light and very stable. It also takes up about 5' in diameter around the stand for the legs. For a big room, that's fine. It won't handle lots of mics, nor fit in tight spaces like the LatchLake. But for getting a pair of mics up high or out far, it really is superb. It's expensive as well. Almost twice as much $ as the LatchLake. And as Jeff will point out, if you don't have one of the legs directly under the boom arm, your mics are likely to take a tumble. I noticed that on this recording date. Jeff's stands (the LLs) don't exhibit that problem.

(BTW: This picture below was taken at one of Fletcher's favorite studios. Not. What's that retching sound I hear coming through the cable modem?)

Harley-OIART · 29th March 2006, 02:40 AM

Those Latchlake are Pretty Pimp.

For Mere mortals though How about K&M or Atlas?

jumpnyc · 29th March 2006, 03:13 AM

Just buckled and got a Latch Lake - great purchase - get a couple of extra arms - mic the whole kit with one stand. Pretty sweet.

Yuri Kogan · 29th March 2006, 04:01 AM

What's wrong with Quikloc A-50 (or A-85 if you want light)? Cost rrp $199

jumpnyc · 29th March 2006, 03:26 PM

The thread is Best Mic Stands - all others are usually good enough for regular purposes. But where else can you almost completely mic a drum kit with one mic stand than with a Latch Lake - that is pretty sick.

JHJ · 29th March 2006, 06:01 PM

I was thinking of getting the Tama kit. But what does Euro threaded mean?

T.RayBullard · 29th March 2006, 06:56 PM

http://www.herculesstands.com

relaxo · 2nd April 2006, 07:13 AM

I've now been using the Tama set for two months or so now and its a smash sensation with my engineers. It's simply much better built for less money than the other low end brands, including K+M.

Eurothreaded means that the threads for the mic clips are a smaller diameter and have courser threads than the American "normal" mic threads. Five Euro to American thread adaptors are included for the five stand set. I have commited to the Eurothreads by glueing (Loctiting) in the adaptors into every shock mount I have, but no one has to commit like that.

I am about to order another Tama five stand set.

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15th February 2006, 08:15 AM	#1
Resonater Lives for gear Join Date: May 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 610	Who makes the best mic stands? Guys, I'm due for a mic stand revamp. Mine are all old and broken in one way or another. I'd like to get some new ones (both tall booms and floor booms). I went to Sam Ash and GC, but all they have is consumer junk. I need some PRO units. Anyone have suggestions? Thanks in advance... __________________ The Resonater

15th February 2006, 01:46 PM	#2
Fletcher member no 666 Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Foxboro, MA USA Posts: 5,802	Latchlake __________________ Fletcher If you have a question please email me at Fletcher@mercenary.com instead of using the PM system... I very rarely check that system and it could take a while to get a response. I can also be found at either address below: R/E/P the Recording Engineer and Producer forums Mercenary Audio mwagener wrote on Sat, 11 September 2004 14:33 We are selling emotions, there are no emotions in a grid Roscoe Ambel once said: Pro-Tools is to audio what fluorescent is to light

15th February 2006, 05:01 PM	#4
mwagener High End Moderator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Music City USA Posts: 2,951	one more vote for Latchlake __________________ Michael Wagener http://www.michaelwagener.com Production workshops at WireWorld Studio

15th February 2006, 05:07 PM	#5
MIKEHARRIS Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: MIAMI FLA Posts: 1,320	Manley Starbird __________________ harrisaudiosystems.com

15th February 2006, 05:19 PM	#7
Resonater Lives for gear Join Date: May 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 610	Thanks for the suggestions about Latchlake. There is one thing about these stands that I'm not nuts about (especially at the price point). No option for casters. Having stands on casters not only makes the stands easy to move with mics on them, (unlike the Latchlake where you have to tip the stand to move it on its casters), but more importantly, casters help to isolate the stand from the floor...singers with active feet are less of a problem. I saw the stands at AES and kind of shocked that its base sits right on the floor with no caster-isolation. Also, it doesn't appear as though they have any normal "floor" models at a less expensive price point. $750.00/stand, even recognizing that there may be instances where a single stand could hold two mics, is a high price point. Thanks again for the suggestions there, but I'm not convinced that the Latchlakes are good for me. Any other ideas? Anyone have experience with either the Hercules stands or the Ultimate Support Stands? __________________ The Resonater

15th February 2006, 05:21 PM	#8
Resonater Lives for gear Join Date: May 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 610	Yeah, no argument that the interlocking base idea is a brilliant one! __________________ The Resonater

15th February 2006, 05:23 PM	#9
Jeff A. Roberts Gear maniac Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 280	Thanks for the kind words, Michael, Fletcher, and not_so_new. Resonater, you should contact your buddy Ross Hogarth. He has a pair of Latch Lake stands and 6 Xtra Booms. Maybe he'll let you use them. Or at least he can give you his impressions on them. __________________ Jeff Roberts Latch Lake Music Eagan, Minnesota http://www.latchlakemusic.com

15th February 2006, 05:50 PM	#10
Jeff A. Roberts Gear maniac Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 280	Resonater: The patent pending boom clutch design of the Latch Lake micKing provides isolation from floor vibrations, unlike traditional boom clutch designs. Sooner or later we knew that people would want a model with casters. We just haven't made one that way yet. Do you want to be a Beta tester? We are also working on what amounts to a "micKing Jr." that will have a similar (but lighter) interlocking base like the micKing, and a 2 section mast and boom. It's too bad that I didn't meet you at AES. I may have talked to you, but I didn't "meet" you. My son, David Roberts met you a few times last summer while he was interning with Ross H. __________________ Jeff Roberts Latch Lake Music Eagan, Minnesota http://www.latchlakemusic.com

15th February 2006, 06:11 PM	#11
De chromium cob Lives for gear Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 3,352	The older Starbirds are pretty sweet if you can find them- Manley bought the design and sells them new these days..... Latchlake looked pretty good when I saw them at last years TapeOp conference, but I haven't used them in the heat of battle...... __________________ "I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleagues, which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives." Tolstoy Scott Benson www.syborgstudios.com

15th February 2006, 08:50 PM	#12
XSergeantD Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 1,013	Thumbs up for the Manley Starbird __________________ - Brent - www.StudioAtThePalms.com Without music, life would be a mistake - Nietzsche Cake or Death? [/SIGPIC]

17th February 2006, 01:30 PM	#14
Fletcher member no 666 Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Foxboro, MA USA Posts: 5,802	I have an original "Starbird"... I have a "Mic King"... I prefer the Latchlake... YMMV. __________________ Fletcher If you have a question please email me at Fletcher@mercenary.com instead of using the PM system... I very rarely check that system and it could take a while to get a response. I can also be found at either address below: R/E/P the Recording Engineer and Producer forums Mercenary Audio mwagener wrote on Sat, 11 September 2004 14:33 We are selling emotions, there are no emotions in a grid Roscoe Ambel once said: Pro-Tools is to audio what fluorescent is to light

17th February 2006, 02:00 PM	#15
dtucker Gear maniac Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 275	How about Atlas? They make some heavy duty stuff.... __________________ BC - "Sweet Jesus, that's smooth! Good work, Ted!"

17th February 2006, 03:44 PM	#16
Art Gear maniac Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Denver Posts: 201	You may try A.I.R.R. Supprt, not nearly as expensive and they make really nice stands. Art

17th February 2006, 03:47 PM	#17
ozraves Lives for gear Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,116	My creative partner is a trained machinist. Anyhow, I had him look at the Latch Lake stand. He says that given the level of workmanship involved that in terms of time and material we'd come out about even if he machined some stands for us. He was impressed. If you're just wanting regular stands then I'd suggest looking at Tama. They've got a boom stand and a low profile boom stand suitable for many situations. I've seen certain of the larger Onstage stands in studios including the SB9600, SB96+, and the SMS7650.

18th February 2006, 06:51 AM	#18
relaxo Gear maniac Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 166	I just got this: Tama Drum Mic Stand Kit http://www.musiciansfriend.com/home/...+Mic+Stand+Kit These absolutely blow the other low end ones away in quality. Fantastic build quality. One caution...eurothreaded. __________________ Mercy Sound Recording Studios NYC

29th March 2006, 02:06 AM	#19
Clueless Lives for gear Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Chapel Hill, NC Posts: 569	Another vote for Latch Lake Based on this thread I just bought two (from Mercenary). WOW! The sluttiest mic stands in the world. Keep me informed about the Jr. Maybe I'll buy 8 more!

29th March 2006, 02:39 AM	#20
Lynn Fuston Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Spring Hill, TN, USA Posts: 1,803	Here's my favorite LatchLake picture. (Those two above were mine as well.) Here's an 87 mounted on one. Here's the kicker though. Same mic, same stand, different angle. The stand is about 10 feet away from the mic. I only have one reservation about the LatchLakes. When you extend heavy mics far out (say a pair of R84s which I do routinely), I wish the base was larger in diameter so that it was not as wobbly. Sandbags help for weighting the base. I used the big AEA stand just last week on an orchestra date and it is very large, very light and very stable. It also takes up about 5' in diameter around the stand for the legs. For a big room, that's fine. It won't handle lots of mics, nor fit in tight spaces like the LatchLake. But for getting a pair of mics up high or out far, it really is superb. It's expensive as well. Almost twice as much $ as the LatchLake. And as Jeff will point out, if you don't have one of the legs directly under the boom arm, your mics are likely to take a tumble. I noticed that on this recording date. Jeff's stands (the LLs) don't exhibit that problem. (BTW: This picture below was taken at one of Fletcher's favorite studios. Not. What's that retching sound I hear coming through the cable modem?) Attached Thumbnails __________________ Lynn Fuston 3D Audio Inc. Host of 3dB Offering downloads of Preamp, Mic, DAW summing comparisons here.

29th March 2006, 02:40 AM	#21
Harley-OIART Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,127	Those Latchlake are Pretty Pimp. For Mere mortals though How about K&M or Atlas?

29th March 2006, 03:13 AM	#22
jumpnyc Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 700	Just buckled and got a Latch Lake - great purchase - get a couple of extra arms - mic the whole kit with one stand. Pretty sweet.

29th March 2006, 04:01 AM	#23
Yuri Kogan Gear nut Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 115	What's wrong with Quikloc A-50 (or A-85 if you want light)? Cost rrp $199

29th March 2006, 03:26 PM	#24
jumpnyc Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 700	The thread is Best Mic Stands - all others are usually good enough for regular purposes. But where else can you almost completely mic a drum kit with one mic stand than with a Latch Lake - that is pretty sick.

29th March 2006, 06:01 PM	#25
JHJ Gear Head Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 53	Euro Threaded ? I was thinking of getting the Tama kit. But what does Euro threaded mean?

29th March 2006, 06:56 PM	#26
T.RayBullard Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Columbus County, North Carolina Posts: 2,431	http://www.herculesstands.com

2nd April 2006, 07:13 AM	#27
relaxo Gear maniac Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 166	I've now been using the Tama set for two months or so now and its a smash sensation with my engineers. It's simply much better built for less money than the other low end brands, including K+M. Eurothreaded means that the threads for the mic clips are a smaller diameter and have courser threads than the American "normal" mic threads. Five Euro to American thread adaptors are included for the five stand set. I have commited to the Eurothreads by glueing (Loctiting) in the adaptors into every shock mount I have, but no one has to commit like that. I am about to order another Tama five stand set. __________________ Mercy Sound Recording Studios NYC

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