Microphone stands

[jhellenl]

So I do a lot of on location stuff...classical, jazz, etc. I'm looking at expanding my collection of stands just so I don't have to borrow what I don't have. Ive been using the DR PRO's which aren't bad. I guess ultimately I need something that can fit easily into my car, relatively easy to carry, and won't fall apart after a month of heavy use. The drpro's have worked out pretty well on all those accounts (although the do get a little bent out of shape on occasion), but I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions.

I kind of have the same question regarding headphones...I'm leaning towards the sennheiser 280pros if anyone wants to chime in about that.

Sorry to post about something not directly related to audio...

Jesse

[Seaneman]

As far as stands go, what kind of weight and heights are you dealing with? I too am looking to expand my collection in an intelligent (tight budget) way. I have shitloads of cymbal stands and have been looking into the various conversion clips to make them into mic stands. I know Gibralter and some others make them, not sure the price range. I just know I have some very heavy duty booms that would be great for a heavy mic at a strange angle.
I am partial to SonyMDR-7506 headphones. They are comfortable to wear for hours at a time. The sound quality is solid and predictable. They have manageable amounts of bleed from inside and out. Important to me as a drummer who plays with clicks, loops, and DJ's, and also sings a-lot, is the ability to easily do the "one ear on, one ear off" without loosing the cans. I've only killed one pair in ten years of abusive treatment. I think your out the door for under a buck and a quarter. I've been told by others with huge melon heads they don't fit them well, I have not experienced it myself. (small cranium, not much to contain I guess)

[jhellenl]

As far as the mic stands go, most of the stuff I do is live in small-ish venues, so giant weighted stands are generally a no-no. basically 6-8 feet max height...non weighted. I have had some annoying experiences with on-stage and pro-line. K&M stands have been hit and miss depending on the price range. I don't mind spending the money for quality, but I can't really lug giant stands with weighted bases to gigs.

I'll have to give the sonys another go...I used to use them pretty frequently until I discovered the sennheisers I use now.

[Halfway Competent]

+1 on the 7506. They are still my reference can.

However, for a little better isolation for drummers, I have the very-nearly-as-good Audio Technica M50s.

The Sennhesier HD280 sounds tubby to me... Not a fan.

[jhellenl]

The Sennhesier HD280 sounds tubby to me... Not a fan.

Noted. I'll have to check out the AT's. I do love that isolation.

Jesse

[Dan]

IMO, the isolation and comfort of the 7506's depends a bit on your anatomy. I know a lot of people like them for both those reason; I hate them for both. I find them very uncomfortable after about 10 minutes and I find that they don't isolate very well - I suspect this has to do with the shape & size of my head & ears.

For comfort and isolation, I really like the HD280's and keep a pair in my remote bag. I record a fair amount of and need to know that what I'm hearing is coming from the mic and not bleeding through the headphones. That said, the sonic accuracy leaves something to be desired. IMO, they're kind of heavy on the low-mids and rolled off on the top, but for what I'm doing, I can learn to work around that.

I've heard good things about the Beyer 770's, but haven't had the chance to try them out. They may be another option to add to your list.

-Dan.

[audibell]

Hi, I have a dozen pairs of hdphs for a cue system for chamber players; the women all prefer the hd280s. My first pair is from 2001 and still in use. The men don't care and bleed into the mics, if you let 'em.

Mic stands are all made of pot metal except the older Atlases.
I re-thread the knurled nuts (boom and feet) with 1/4" 20tpi National Coarse and use a stainless bolt; I "V" drill one 1/4" hole in the upright below the stripped clutch and six holes in the telescoping insert. Use a stainless 1/4" dowel pin and a velcro tab on the ring to hold it in place - works like a speaker stand and you get another year or so out of them. Buy them on sale and plan on them being consumables. Throw a 10lb barbel weight around the upright over the feet so large axxes don't knock 'em over during the breaks & intermissions. Spray paint the boom's weighted end "traffic yellow" for osha.

It'll cost $15 for the tap & die, $35 for the V frame to hold the tubes while you drill 'em and $3 for the bolt/pin. But you can do half a dozen for this plus the pins/bolts and save having to contribute to any further export wealth transfer to the East. And you have to spray the whole thing white when Taylor Swift comes to town (in the rider!).
rgds,
WT

[jhellenl]

For comfort and isolation, I really like the HD280's and keep a pair in my remote bag. I record a fair amount of and need to know that what I'm hearing is coming from the mic and not bleeding through the headphones. That said, the sonic accuracy leaves something to be desired. IMO, they're kind of heavy on the low-mids and rolled off on the top, but for what I'm doing, I can learn to work around that.

I've heard good things about the Beyer 770's, but haven't had the chance to try them out. They may be another option to add to your list.


Yeah...I know the 280's aren't really accurate, but at this point, I've worked with them so much that I've gotten used to their inaccuracies. I do want to give the 770's a shot...and possibly the 880's if I can reach that far into my pocket. I've heard that the design on both is very comfortable.

I really like how much my 280's isolate, but at the same time, it's nice to give musicians a sense of the room. any thoughts on semi-open phones for tracking? I don't mind a little bleed as long as it's not the click.

[Flagfoot]

The 770s are really comfortable and sound good to me. Accuracy doesn't seem to be the goal here, but between the cans lying around, I still prefer tracking with my mix second opinions (sennheiser hd650s) though they are open and have bleed. Tracks all end up fine, though, they do have a way of drowning you in emotion so it's not tough to get in the zone with them. No isolation though.