A suspension boom scissor is an integral part of your recording setup. Investing in a good boom arm stand is important for keeping the audio up to the mark. A suspension boom not only keeps the microphone standing at a right angle, but it also enhances audio by keeping the mic stable and secure.
So whether you are a podcaster, a videographer, or someone live streaming from the field, investing in a microphone boom arm stand is essential for good audio quality. Granted, you’d obviously need a microphone in the first place to take advantage of this.
Also Read: – Best USB Microphones
In this article, we will look at some of the best microphone boom arms stands for your convenience. We have selected the following microphone suspension boom scissors. Let’s review each in detail.
Gator Frameworks Microphone Stand: Budget Friendly Boom Arm
- Short base
- Extendable arm
- Sturdy build
- Handles bulky microphones well
This one is a stable microphone suspension boom arm. It comes with a short but heavy base for supporting heavy microphones like Blue Yeti. The microphone stand has a solid build and allows maximum adjustability to keep the microphone standing in both vertical and horizontal positions.
The microphone suspension boom arm provides height adjustment that works well for podcasting, live streaming, or desktop use.
The boom stand is not light at all. It’s pretty heavy and made of solid metal. It can hold the bulkiest microphone quite easily. The heavy base keeps the microphone stable and secure.
The stand has a telescoping boom arm that is adjustable to your required length and optimal position. It supports both European and USA mic clips.
The microphone stand is very easy to handle. The adjustment handle has an easy grip. All you need to do is to twist the boom arm to a perfect position. The comfortable grip allows you to adjust the positioning conveniently. Overall, it’s one of the best options to be used in the studio. It can be used for live streaming, YouTube videos, or podcasts.
Neewer Boom Scissor: Adjustable Microphone Boom Scissor Arm
- A complete kit
- Comes with a shock mount
- Angle adjustment locking knob
Neewer microphone suspension boom arms are practical to work with and very reasonably priced as well. This one is also very affordable and provides the best functionality in this price range.
The best part of this suspension boom scissor is that it comes with a shock mount. The shock mount keeps the microphone standing stable and prevents any accidental bumps and starts from affecting your audio.
It’s a complete kit. The package includes the adjustable boom arm, shock mount, microphone clips, and a pro table clamp as well.
The microphone suspension scissor features an angel adjustment locking knob that keeps the microphone in position unless you unlock the knob. It allows the mic to stay in the exact position. The arm can extend up to 27″ to keep the mic as high as you need it.
Overall, it’s a very portable microphone suspension boom scissor. Its strong build and accessories make it one of our best options.
Heil Sound PL-2T: Overhead Boom Arm for Broadcasting
- Broadcast boom arm
- Neat cable management
- Counterweight for light mics
This one is an overhead boom arm that is perfect for podcasting and broadcasting. The suspension boom scissor uses a system of internal springs to keep the mic in the right position. The springs keep the arm secure and stable at a perfect angle without any hassle.
The Heil PL-2T is a sturdy stand that handles the microphone weighing up to 3-1/2 pounds. The microphone stand comes with a unique design and allows you to take care of XLR cable as well. It has a removable front and back panel. You can thread the XLR or any cable inside and keep the space well organized.
The boom arm is thoughtfully designed. Not only does it keep the heavy microphones stable, but it also comes with a special counterweight to keep the light mics stable. The counterweight keeps the heavy stand stable if a very heavy or light microphone is bending in an odd position.
Overall, it’s an affordable microphone suspension boom arm for both heavy and light microphones and comes with many decent features, especially for a studio setup.
Knox Gear Professional Microphone: Premium Microphone Studio Stand
- Premium microphone suspension scissor
- Allows perfect positioning
- Easy setup
- Velcro straps to keep the arm stable
This one is a bit expensive studio stand for those who need professional microphone suspension boom scissors. The suspension scissor provides perfect positioning giving all control in your hand. It allows us to have a smooth and comfortable setup for different types of audio or video recordings.
The build quality of this boom arm is very nice. It has high grades tube rodes that are not shaky or wobbly at all.
The microphone stand has copper threaded adapters to keep the mic in an optimal position. The standard size of the adapter gives it universal compatibility as it can easily be adjusted with any microphone. The velcro straps keep the boom arm at a specific place. It features two-axis swivel mounts that move in all directions.
The microphone suspension boom arm is extendable to 30″, and you can use it in both vertical or horizontal positions. Overall, it’s a quality stand for microphone with the adjustability and convenience for any recording sessions.
LyxPro DKR-1: Heavy-Duty Boom Arm Stand
- Heavy-duty boom arm
- Versatile microphone support
- Comes with all accessories
It’s another heavy-duty microphone suspension boom arm for podcasting, video recordings, and live streaming. The boom scissor arm stand provides versatile support to the microphone. It can swivel, rotate, and is fully adjustable. The construction is very solid. It has a heavy-duty aluminum construction that is very durable. The good part of buying an expensive product is that it will last a very long time.
The boom arm comes with multiple mounting options. You can clamp it on a desk permanently if you record in a studio and use it as a microphone stand as well. The stand comes with all the accessories that you need for functioning. It includes desk attachments, clamp supports, boom arm stand, and velcro bags. You can keep the XLR cable well managed as well.
The positioning of the mic in the right direction is very easy with this boom arm. Overall, it’s a sturdy boom arm stand with secure clamps. It can hold even the heavy microphones like the Blue Yeti without any issues.
On Stage MS9701TB: Midrange Microphone Suspension Boom Scissor
- Heavy-duty build
- Durable suspension scissor
- Extendable length
- Comes with a shock mount
On Stage comes with some durable and sturdy suspension boom scissors. MS9701TB is one of its prominent offers.
It’s a heavy-duty suspension boom arm that is designed for durability. The diecast legs are heavy and able to hold both heavy and light microphones stable. The steel housing makes the stand almost unbreakable.
The microphone suspension scissor features 19-30″ Telebooms that have oversized angle adjustment knobs. The knob keeps the boom arm at a specific angle securely. The secure clip is non-slip and won’t change unless you unlock the knob.
The boom arm stand comes with a sturdy shock mount that prevents vibrations from changing the audio quality.
Overall, it’s a midrange boom scissor that comes with quality and performance at a very affordable price. It can be a good alternative to Rode PSA1 and Blue Boom that were useful options but are no longer available on Amazon.
AmazonBasics Tripod Stand: Affordable Boom Microphone Stand
- Extendable length
- Angle locking clutch
- Portable boom scissor
The last one on our list is from AmazonBasics. It’s a sturdy boom stand that is designed to fulfill the needs of active videographers and audio recorders. It’s a tripod cum boom arm stand that can be used for video recordings or even stage performances.
With adjustable height, you can raise or lower the boom arm as per your convenience. The boom stand allows you to adjust the height to keep the mic in an optimal position. The locking clutch keeps the mic at its place and helps you record the perfect audio.
Overall, it’s a sturdy microphone suspension boom scissor that is designed to be helpful for content creators. It’s reasonably priced and provides good value for your money.
Buying Guide for The Microphone Boom Arm Stand
Finding the best boom stand is not easy. Amazon has so many of them in different varieties and qualities. Here are a few things that you should consider while selecting a good boom arm stand.
• Compatibility
You need the boom arm for the microphone, so check if the particular boom arm is compatible with the microphone. For example, Blue Yeti is quite bulky; you need a boom arm that can hold it straight in position effortlessly. Some brands clearly state if the boom arm stand is for a particular mic or not.
• Build / Material
Microphones can be heavy and light, but the suspension boom scissor should be sturdy and well built. It should be solid and stable whether you have clamped the stand on your desk or it is standing.
This is where you have to be careful about choosing a very cheap boom arm. If it is too light, the weight of the microphone can make it wobbly or bend on a side.
There are many cheap boom arm stands available on Amazon. They may price very less, but they will ultimately fail to hold the heavy microphone tightly at an angle. You have to keep adjusting the mics to the right position that can be frustrating.
So always check the material of the boom arm stand. It should be made of solid steel. The solid metal made boom stand will have reasonable weight to it as well.
• Recommended Weight of Microphone
Always check the mic’s ability to handle the weight of a microphone. The brands clearly state that a particular stand can hold a microphone under a specific weight. It’s better to check the recommended weight before you select a boom arm to avoid inconvenience later.
• Quality of Springs
Good quality springs are important as these springs can keep the mic at an exact position. The lesser quality springs will fail to tighten the microphone standing in the exact position.
• The Adjustability
Make sure the boom arm provides the maximum control in your hand. It should be able to swivel all around or rotate to 360 degrees so you can set the mic in a good position for perfect audio.
The adjustability is more important if you are a videographer and make videos. You might need to keep the microphone close to talent under several conditions.
• Height Range
The suspension boom scissors mostly have adjustable arms. It can extend or fold back to suit different needs. Different boom arms come with different heights; some can extend to 24″ some premium ones can go as high as 30″. You can settle on a shorter height if you don’t need to mount it too high.
• Base
Some boom arm stands can only be clamped to a desk; others have a solid base and can stand on ground stably. Some good boom arm stands give versatile mounting options and can be clamped to a desk or table and stand on its base as well. So the choice should depend on individual needs.
• Portability
If you are planning to move along with the boom arm stand or want to use it out in the field, make sure it comes in a portable form. Carrying a huge mic in the field is difficult unless it is portable.
Again, you cannot compromise on quality; it should be sturdy and stable. What we need here is an intelligent design that can be folded and provide better movability.
Final words
A suspension boom scissor is essential for recording audio or video. It is as important as a good mic. Even the best of the mic cannot record the clear audio if it is not at the precise angle.
The boom arm stands are not expensive at all, and you can go for a budget-friendly stand. Even a cheap boom arm stand can level up your audio quality by keeping the microphone stable at an optimal position. One of the many advantages of having quality boom arms is that it keeps working for long.
All options in our list of the best microphone boom arm stands are carefully chosen. We choose Knox Gear Suspension Boom Scissor as our best option due to its performance, durability, and adjustability.
A great boom arm is part of a complete podcasting setup; if you want to learn more about the other components for a podcasting setup, check out our full guide on the best podcast equipment.
Jeremy has been running several online businesses behind his laptop for the past 5 years and he has worked as a freelance web developer previously. A trained marketer by profession, he also has Ruby on Rails and web development knowledge. His forte lies in eCommerce, SEO and content marketing. He’s been featured on Vice, Thrive Global, YFS Magazine, Forbes and several other publications. He prefers to connect with people on LinkedIn.