I use the Vivo Pneumatic mic arm and honestly my only complaint with it was the pole was too tall for my purposes. Nothing a hacksaw, a steel file, and a bit of patience couldn't fix though! Almost wish the Elgato LP came out sooner so I could have gotten that one instead, but with the shorter pole I have no need at this point.
40 year radio pro here. O C White. It's the standard for pros, and has been since the beginning of radio in the 1920s.. It's a couple hundred dollars, but I've never seen one fail, and I've worked with boom arms from OC White that were over 100 years old that worked perfectly and silently, and had never been maintained. It's one of the great design successes in American history, and 100+ year old OC white light fixtures are so hip they go for thousands of dollars. All of these other boom arms are bad copies with cheap parts -- which means that they don't last. O C White started making telegraph equipment, then work lights. Saying any other is the best for professionals, is either disingenuous, or pretty much shows other professionals the sayer isn't a professional. Sure these are all cheaper, but OC white is the only boom arm for seasoned audio pros.
27:00 the Blue Compass has a tension screw beside the pivot pin. It is intended to adjust the support spring of the arm to match the weight of the microphone. Edit: A fair number of users report difficulty using this feature.
The problem with it is that even at its loosest the tension screw doesn't really help with really light microphones. I was using an Elgato Wave:3 with its Shock Mount and Pop Filter for a little bit on the microphone arm before upgrading over to a Blue Spark SL, which comes with a heavier shock mount. Even with a full Elgato Wave kit my Compass was not stable.
@@or10nsharkfin Agreed, it's good to know how to use the hidden screw, but it doesn't really do all that much. After 2 inquiries, Blue finally did assure me that no matter how much you loosen it, the screw won't "pop loose" and be difficult to reattach. So, apparently you can try loosening it as much as possible, but....it's still a very high-tension arm, and awkward to re-position it.
i have the blue compass with a rode nt1 mic on it and its barely heavy enough to even when adjusting the screw. Over time it has got a little better and holding the mic where i want it but at first for awhile it was a pain. I'm actually thinking of getting the elgato LP and selling my blue compass
I'm very undecided between the Elgato mic arm and the Low profile one..... I got a laptop that's my big issue.. do you think using the Low profile option in the leftside of my laptop (where I have a bit over 15cm) would be a great choice?? Or the Regular and convenient mic arm that they have.. ALL OPINIONS WOULD HELP ME ... so feel free to give your opinion :))
It really depends on your desk space. The Elgato Wave LP might block a significant amount of your desk space because it's low profile. On the other hand, Elgato Wave might be too high for you, but since you use a laptop, I would suggest the normal Elgato Wave Arm.
@@amsyarzero I agree, the point of the low profile is mostly to use the space that's not being used under monitors. If you don't have that space, go for the more versatile but bigger option I guess
In my experience low profile arms tend to get a lot more in the way compared to the classic ones, because the mic is exactly where you could place stuff on your table. And if you are already using a laptop you probably have even less space on the desk itself. So I agree with the others, the classic one is probably the better option
@Benoît H. Dicaire since the arm is around 80 cm in lenght and can be made even taller with the riser i would at least go for 1.5 meters or probably even 2 meters, depending on how far away your audio interface will be positioned from your arm :)
> You can get some super-super-cheap stuff, and we do have a couple entries to represent that category, but things like this are going to be noisy (especially if you're typing) and they are not going to last you super long. I bought a $20 cheapo mic arm on eBay which looks almost identical to the one you were holding at 1:56 in February 2015. I have never really had any issues with it and it continues to hold up my Samson C01U (which is a pretty light mic, all things considered) without complaints. I'm personally watching this video to see if it's worth spending the money to replace it. Thanks for doing this kind of coverage. :)
Epos, I’m disappointed that for some reason this didn’t pop up in my feed as I’m searching for a new arm to replace my rusty old broken one and I’m lost; you just saved a man
Bought the vivo arm a year ago after lots of research. It seems I made the right choice. The adaper for the elgato mic, which elgato provide, fits it perfectly. I bought neat 30 inch extension cables to run down the arm so the arm can be moved as a whole without having to mess with cables
I have the Blue Compass Arm. It is amazing. Been using it for two years now and I remember the rigidness that you’re describing in the video. The arm will “break in” after about two months of everyday use and adjusting. I use it for my Shure SM7B. Great company.
28:30 is an unfortunate bit of mis-information. The Elgato Wave Arm tension *cannot* be adjusted in this manner. In fact, it is not user adjustable whatsoever. The included Allen Key is for the swivel tension resistance at the base, not for adjusting the elbow tension as implied here. Unfortunately, I damaged the plastic elbow covering on my own Elgato Wave arm when I went to check for this feature, as one of the two plastic retention tabs broke off. They are not designed to be removed and there is nothing underneath that can be adjusted. Probably not an ideal mic arm if you're expecting to use something like the SM7B as there will be noticeable drop/sag whenever the angle exceeds 90 degrees. Which makes the fact that my arm now has minor cosmetic damage... unfortunate for resale value.
Ive been struggling to decide which to buy and almost went with the elgato LP till i saw the measurements here and that told me I could get the wave arm. nice one
I find that the cheaper mic arms can be used to mount lightweight secondary webcams as they get outclassed by better and long lasting options. Did not know about the risers, definitely am interested now ever since I had trouble with the scissor arm issue on the back of my gas-arm mounted primary monitor.
34:00 HOLY SHIT dude I have a monitor mount from Gladiator Joe with the same cable routing thing and I didn’t even realize that’s what those were!! I’m about to have a MUCH cleaner setup thanks to this LETS GOO
I got the Samson MBA28 and it works brilliantly. Looks like the Røde PSA1, but completely silent (I've seen a lot of reviews about the PSA1 being a bit creeky) and absolutely rock solid
I’m so surprised more people don’t talk about this mic arm. In my opinion it’s one of the best looking as well as best performing. Can hold heavy or lightweight mics, completely silent, and rock solid.
@@brettonlewis I know. It was hard to get hold of on the UK, but I'm glad I went for it. I haven't done any tightening of the screws, yet it stays where you put it with or without the mic on it (I use a Procaster).
I have a very specific setup and have mounted my mic arm on a shelf of my custom hutch on my desk which is 12 inches above the surface. I have found the Tonor T30 to be perfect for my needs. It has a vertical reach of 37 inches, making it easy to move out of my way when I am not using it but perfectly capable of moving it in my face when needed... It also support my Behringer XM8500 mic very easily without slipping upward. Where I place the mic, it stays. There are tension knobs for the center knuckle; I haven't had to use it. It's been perfectly silent during moves; I can even move it when the mic is hot and not make a sound, although I rarely do that. It doesn't have an integrated channel for the cable, but the box came with velcro straps, a mountable pop filter, and a beefy pentagonal clamp with foam on the top side of the clamp interface only. Also, the bottom of the clamp is an integrated headphone hook, if you mount the arm in a location where it is accessible, as I have done in my case. At $43 on Amazon, it's quite an amazing deal and worth trying if you're not ready to spend $100+ but want something more than a $20 arm.
So, on the budget end, look at Tonor. I don't know the model, but it has a 3-bar scissor design, a really chunky clamp that's designed in a way that's not really at risk of breaking. The tension also adjusts pretty smoothly, and I haven't needed to adjust it much at all, even swapping between my Blue Radius and the Rode NT mini, which is a CHONKY combo, and now my new, much lighter setup.
Oh and Blue needs to figure out if they really want their Compass to be a bit more expensive than the Elgato. It just seems a little overpriced now that there are more options. Better AND cheaper isn't good news for Blue.
I think we should talk about the construction, I am planning after years to change my Rode PSA-1 because the amount of injury I've had from trapping my fingers either when mounted on the desk adjusting it or more so when taking it apart to move house. That's why I intend to go for a solid frame like the Blue or or Elgato arm.
The Elgato clamp is actually smarter than the others, you can press the button on the top to spin it freely in the position you like. So for example if you have it near a wall, you can screw it down with no problem at all
The Heil PLT you can just take apart the pivot on the mic end to route the cable, annoying but it's doable for the odd time you need to swap out the cable. I've had the Heil for over ten years now and it's been reliable up to mics with pretty large shock mounts like a PR-30. I came here to see the Vivo as I'm looking for a low/horizontal mount as for business I prefer the mic coming from below and less obtrusive in the frame of the shot. Now down to the El Gato LP and the Vivo.
Can you do a video on your alternative mounting options on the monitor pole?
2 роки тому
I really loved this video. Super useful information and comparison. Well done! I'm in the process of upgrading from a cheap mic arm to something more durable, and am leaning towards the Elgato Wave arm at the moment.
I got the 'InnoGear "Heavy Duty" mic arm''...and I hadn't set it up yet until tonight, or tried to. The lower rotating point, was immovable. Like I had to get an allen wrench and put effort into loosening it up. The screw was very small, and It pretty much popped off, then it broke like a puzzle. I had to figure out how to put it all back together, then figured out where to loosen. HOWEVER, the base clamp, yes..what you sad...pretty flimsy, and didnt take much effort to loosen just simply moving the arm. So, yep...back to Amazon return for that. I'll look into getting one of the others. If I had seen this video before I would never have opened the box.
This is very helpful especially for us newbies. Thank you so much. I saw the Elgato Wave LP in another video and like it. It's definitely on my list of possibilities. I'm coming a couple of others. I don't want to go too cheap on the mic arm. :)
This extensive review is essential information. Thank you for delivering such a detailed and informative video. This is precisely the kind of video I needed.
As a brand new owner of a Samson Q9U looking for a new stronger arm I can't say how helpful it was that it was used for all the B-roll. It was like the video was made for me!
@@joshparra1336 I went for the Vivo low profile arm. It's literally a monitor arm with a 5/8s thread on the end. Went with it primarily for the form factor and price, but the extra strength is certainly helpful for the heft!
You really didn’t do justice yo the PSA1. It’s a super beefy microphone stand that is extremely well known in the music industry for its reliability. I really don’t feel it feels cheap at all and I don’t understand why you didn’t talk about all its features like the others, like saying the through hole is sick for being included for the other mic stands but not saying it has one too. Or that when you swivel it around the microphone always stays in the same orientation
The PSA-1s I have bought did not come with through hole mounting options, only desk clamp. In my neck of the woods, it’s always been known as the mic stand that sprung up too high with lightweight mics and sunk down with heavier ones with virtually no usable tuning on it. It was great in 2014 with no competition and has not seemed useful in recent years at all. Beefy is absolutely not how I’d describe it
An awesome video as per usual, Adam! As ever, I appreciate the high level of detail and thoroughness that you go into here. 😆👍👍 If I were in the market for a new mic arm I'd definitely consider putting the following choices onto a buying shortlist: the LP from Elgato alongside the Gator Frameworks 4000 series. Quick sidenote: I really kind of wish that Elgato had used the magnetic cable hiding panels with their standard mic arm like they have with the LP. Not only would it make cable swapping and concealment a heck of a lot easier as opposed to the rubber strips, but, I just think it looks a lot cleaner and nicer from a overall look perspective. ☺👌🎧🎤 Cheers to you, my man! 🍻
Comprehensive reviews and some really worthwhile accessory suggestions that I hadn't realised as options but am now considering (Just have to find that part of the video again to identify them ). Excellennt video again. Might end up with the Vivo as part of my multi-monitor desktop stand. I have the Rode PSA primarily because I know it can deal with the NT-USB and shockmount which are extremely heavy. Currently use a floor standing boom arm to get the Q2U over the top of my monitors but am still figuring things out as I optimise my set up.
Lol, gator frameworks has been in the production industry for decades. They make great guitar, piano, mixer road cases. As well as stage mic stands for drum kits and guitar amps. I love gator. I have a bunch of production gear from them.
@@snakeisekans just replace it then. Cut the end off. Solder your favorite cable, to the gator cable. Pull the gator cable out while simultaneously pulling your favorite brand into the stand, then cut them apart, solder your favorite brand’s connectors onto the end of your favorite brand’s cable. And now you dont have to worry.
I deleted my comment on another video you made because I found this one. Thank you. In the end, I went Samson all the way. They had a mic arm that could support 5lb mics and extremely affordable.
That Vivo is not overkill, that's just good. A King Bee 2 weighs 3 pounds, you're gonna need a bigger desk clamp than the others. If you have a very heavy mic, I think there's very few rated over 4 pounds except the Vivo is over 5 .5 lbs.
I use a tripod style microphone boom arm sitting next to my desk. Reach is several feet, its several feet tall, and costs about $65 for a decent quality one. Its also much thinner so the little bit that is visible in frame seems less chunky and obtrusive to me.
I use the Vivo quad monitor stand which has a 35.5" height stand which you could use the microphone arm on. This is nice because you can make the arm come out between the two sets of monitors. I have noticed Vivo has changed in quality because my current stand has a heavy glass base for the desk and the new one has a cheaper metal base.
Which boom arm would I choose from that list? LOL none of the above for me. I'd go for other: the TONOR T10 boom arm. Had it for quite a while. Great price range. good sturdy quality, esp the base where you mount it on your desk. Holds up my Shure MV7 and the SM7B beautifully with no issues. Way better than the $100+ arms which are so expensive for no reason, especially rode.
If you're happy with it, that's fine - but there's a TON of downsides to that style of arm (especially that cheap) and you will absolutely discover them in time.
Great shootout! Hand's down on the Vivo... I've got 5 of them and use them for everything; mics, monitors, cameras, lights... they haven't a care in the world heavy it is either. Even made more of the inserts for quick-change ;-)
@@TheColby988 Partly. Love the Elgato high rise arm, but my desk is too thick for the clamp, so I have to secure it to the drawer instead. Not a huge issue, but just means I can't have it in place all the time like I wanted to.
I bought my mic arm 15-20 years ago for $75 before podcasting and streaming existed. It has an integrated XLR cable and handles weight and movement really well. It just looks cheap compared to modern ones. Still my trust work horse tho.
I really enjoyed the Blue Compass, that is until it randomly broke on me within less than a year of use. After that I bought a Etubby Heavy Duty Microphone Stand off of Amazon for 17 bucks and while it might have shorter reach than the Blue Compass it does the job I need it to do and has lasted well over a year at this point with no issues. Would recommend.
I've got the Blue stand and I use it for my very old, original Blue Snowball, i'm talking USB Type B model with a shockmount and pop filter and it holds that mic with no issues. It just gets over my monitors but yeah, everything you said about it, is true. I still like it though. Mind you, this is coming from a guy that has a blue snowball as his main mic lol.
I always wanted something like the elgato lp at a reasonable price. All I could find before was made by OC White for close to 300. I've had the Vivo for a couple of years. It works great, just wish it was longer. I did attach a 8 inch gooseneck extension at the end to solve that.
My neweer arm has lasted years. But I did have to get a different desk clamp to hold it since the clamp it comes with isn't big enough. I actually have two newer arms now but I do want one like the LP and I'm looking at ones on amazon. The size of the clamp opening for desk clamp mounts is actually really important, people's desks are different thicknesses
The only reason I got the Blue Compass, was that I like to have 2 boom arms set up near each other with different mics, and I wanted one that would be taller and longer than my Rode PSA1, so that the 2nd boom could be clamped next to the Rode arm, and extend over and beyond it. And the Compass is a good size to do that. Unfortunately I found I dislike everything else about the Compass, especially the awkward movements and too-strong tension, and now there are other, better choices for tall/ long boom arms.
The Gator Frameworks 3000's mount looks like it could be mounted sideways on a pipe or something too, with a hole on the side, but not sure if that hole fits the mounting part of the arm. I think that's a clamp made for other things too used by many brands.
The Blue Compass can be bent backwards at the mount quite a bit too though. Did you try to adjust the internal spring in the Blue Compass to make it work with lighter microphones? There is a limit of course, but it does help (It holds my 542 grams mic+mount just fine). No need to tighten the joints when it's adjusted correctly, unless it's just too light or heavy.
Thanks for making this in-depth video, Epos! My mic arm is currently not in the best of shape, and your video coincidentally came out at the right time. This will help me so much in choosing the right mic arm for me. FYI, I think you mislabeled the Vivo Pneumatic as Blue Compass at 5:31.
A lot of useful information but the information I needed is not mentioned. I need to know how many pounds or max weight each of microphone boom arm can hold a microphone.
I have a support bar running along the bottom of my desk near the edge that's a little bit less than 1 inch wide, do you think a mic arm would stay secure on the support bar?
I went the cheap route bought a floor mic stand. It sits on carpet so there is no reverb from the floor. Only downfall is I need to weigh it down with a weight. And I can't move the microphone as much as a desk clamp arm.
I have what I assume is a rebrand of the gator frameworks 4000, SubZero Phantom I think it's called. Everything about it down to the light on the mounting portion is identical. I absolutely loathe everything about it, apart from how it looks. I bought a Wave Arm LP to replace it, and I have 0 regrets.
I got the blue compass with the yeticaster bundle. The arm’s lock barely works, the arm can’t support the weight of the yeti and I found that I could get it in a position I liked without the arm slowly position 😔 It either lowered the mic until it was blocking my view, or would resist and bounce back into a different position to what I wanted, despite the arms hinge being tightened.
Awesome video! Did you test or noticed a real difference in the maximum weight load capacity of the arms? Particularly interested in the PSA1 and Elgato. Thanks!
For my RODE NT1 I use a copycat of Blue Compass the PREMIUM MOZOS SB37 mainly due to aesthetics but must admin, for a fraction of the original price it rocks.
Personally im in the neighborhood for something similar to the sampson mba18 but more sturdy because that arm struggles to hold the podmic. Im trying to avoid a traditional scissor arm.
I use the Vivo Pneumatic mic arm and honestly my only complaint with it was the pole was too tall for my purposes. Nothing a hacksaw, a steel file, and a bit of patience couldn't fix though! Almost wish the Elgato LP came out sooner so I could have gotten that one instead, but with the shorter pole I have no need at this point.
Thanks for your input man! I was honestly leaning more towards that one since all my monitor mounts are Vivo stands.
What’s the weight & tension like on the Vivo, since that arm didn’t get a mention in that segment :(
40 year radio pro here. O C White. It's the standard for pros, and has been since the beginning of radio in the 1920s.. It's a couple hundred dollars, but I've never seen one fail, and I've worked with boom arms from OC White that were over 100 years old that worked perfectly and silently, and had never been maintained. It's one of the great design successes in American history, and 100+ year old OC white light fixtures are so hip they go for thousands of dollars. All of these other boom arms are bad copies with cheap parts -- which means that they don't last. O C White started making telegraph equipment, then work lights. Saying any other is the best for professionals, is either disingenuous, or pretty much shows other professionals the sayer isn't a professional. Sure these are all cheaper, but OC white is the only boom arm for seasoned audio pros.
27:00 the Blue Compass has a tension screw beside the pivot pin. It is intended to adjust the support spring of the arm to match the weight of the microphone. Edit: A fair number of users report difficulty using this feature.
The problem with it is that even at its loosest the tension screw doesn't really help with really light microphones. I was using an Elgato Wave:3 with its Shock Mount and Pop Filter for a little bit on the microphone arm before upgrading over to a Blue Spark SL, which comes with a heavier shock mount. Even with a full Elgato Wave kit my Compass was not stable.
@@or10nsharkfin Agreed, it's good to know how to use the hidden screw, but it doesn't really do all that much. After 2 inquiries, Blue finally did assure me that no matter how much you loosen it, the screw won't "pop loose" and be difficult to reattach. So, apparently you can try loosening it as much as possible, but....it's still a very high-tension arm, and awkward to re-position it.
i have the blue compass with a rode nt1 mic on it and its barely heavy enough to even when adjusting the screw. Over time it has got a little better and holding the mic where i want it but at first for awhile it was a pain. I'm actually thinking of getting the elgato LP and selling my blue compass
That screw is useless with a Røde VideoMic NTG.
Just found your channel today and this is like my 9th video that i watched.. Keep it up!!
Well thank you!!
You new to UA-cam?
The typical EposVox experience I'd say 👌
Thank you for showing the SM7B on the Wave Arm LP! That's what I was looking for! Great video!
I'm very undecided between the Elgato mic arm and the Low profile one..... I got a laptop that's my big issue.. do you think using the Low profile option in the leftside of my laptop (where I have a bit over 15cm) would be a great choice?? Or the Regular and convenient mic arm that they have.. ALL OPINIONS WOULD HELP ME ... so feel free to give your opinion :))
It really depends on your desk space. The Elgato Wave LP might block a significant amount of your desk space because it's low profile. On the other hand, Elgato Wave might be too high for you, but since you use a laptop, I would suggest the normal Elgato Wave Arm.
@@amsyarzero I agree, the point of the low profile is mostly to use the space that's not being used under monitors. If you don't have that space, go for the more versatile but bigger option I guess
In my experience low profile arms tend to get a lot more in the way compared to the classic ones, because the mic is exactly where you could place stuff on your table. And if you are already using a laptop you probably have even less space on the desk itself. So I agree with the others, the classic one is probably the better option
@Benoît H. Dicaire since the arm is around 80 cm in lenght and can be made even taller with the riser i would at least go for 1.5 meters or probably even 2 meters, depending on how far away your audio interface will be positioned from your arm :)
The wave LP seems like a really great product!
It's as cleen as the Blue arm but as practical as the Rode!
Just bought one online from a local retail chain because when I looked I discovered that they'd knocked $30 of the RRP!
> You can get some super-super-cheap stuff, and we do have a couple entries to represent that category, but things like this are going to be noisy (especially if you're typing) and they are not going to last you super long.
I bought a $20 cheapo mic arm on eBay which looks almost identical to the one you were holding at 1:56 in February 2015. I have never really had any issues with it and it continues to hold up my Samson C01U (which is a pretty light mic, all things considered) without complaints. I'm personally watching this video to see if it's worth spending the money to replace it. Thanks for doing this kind of coverage. :)
The production value on your videos is absolutely in sa ne!
Epos, I’m disappointed that for some reason this didn’t pop up in my feed as I’m searching for a new arm to replace my rusty old broken one and I’m lost; you just saved a man
Bought the vivo arm a year ago after lots of research. It seems I made the right choice. The adaper for the elgato mic, which elgato provide, fits it perfectly. I bought neat 30 inch extension cables to run down the arm so the arm can be moved as a whole without having to mess with cables
I have the Blue Compass Arm. It is amazing. Been using it for two years now and I remember the rigidness that you’re describing in the video. The arm will “break in” after about two months of everyday use and adjusting. I use it for my Shure SM7B. Great company.
28:30 is an unfortunate bit of mis-information. The Elgato Wave Arm tension *cannot* be adjusted in this manner. In fact, it is not user adjustable whatsoever. The included Allen Key is for the swivel tension resistance at the base, not for adjusting the elbow tension as implied here.
Unfortunately, I damaged the plastic elbow covering on my own Elgato Wave arm when I went to check for this feature, as one of the two plastic retention tabs broke off. They are not designed to be removed and there is nothing underneath that can be adjusted.
Probably not an ideal mic arm if you're expecting to use something like the SM7B as there will be noticeable drop/sag whenever the angle exceeds 90 degrees. Which makes the fact that my arm now has minor cosmetic damage... unfortunate for resale value.
Ive been struggling to decide which to buy and almost went with the elgato LP till i saw the measurements here and that told me I could get the wave arm. nice one
Missed the opportunity to call it “Mic Arm Wrestling”
DAMN u rite
I’ve been waiting for a video like this for so long
Not shilling for Blue, but there is a screw in the bottom of the pole that goes into the base which can be adjusted for lighter mics. Just an FYI
quick note the blue compass has a screw to adjust the blue tension on the bottom of the stand
I find that the cheaper mic arms can be used to mount lightweight secondary webcams as they get outclassed by better and long lasting options. Did not know about the risers, definitely am interested now ever since I had trouble with the scissor arm issue on the back of my gas-arm mounted primary monitor.
34:00 HOLY SHIT dude I have a monitor mount from Gladiator Joe with the same cable routing thing and I didn’t even realize that’s what those were!! I’m about to have a MUCH cleaner setup thanks to this LETS GOO
I got the Samson MBA28 and it works brilliantly. Looks like the Røde PSA1, but completely silent (I've seen a lot of reviews about the PSA1 being a bit creeky) and absolutely rock solid
I’m so surprised more people don’t talk about this mic arm. In my opinion it’s one of the best looking as well as best performing. Can hold heavy or lightweight mics, completely silent, and rock solid.
@@brettonlewis I know. It was hard to get hold of on the UK, but I'm glad I went for it. I haven't done any tightening of the screws, yet it stays where you put it with or without the mic on it (I use a Procaster).
I have a very specific setup and have mounted my mic arm on a shelf of my custom hutch on my desk which is 12 inches above the surface. I have found the Tonor T30 to be perfect for my needs. It has a vertical reach of 37 inches, making it easy to move out of my way when I am not using it but perfectly capable of moving it in my face when needed... It also support my Behringer XM8500 mic very easily without slipping upward. Where I place the mic, it stays. There are tension knobs for the center knuckle; I haven't had to use it. It's been perfectly silent during moves; I can even move it when the mic is hot and not make a sound, although I rarely do that. It doesn't have an integrated channel for the cable, but the box came with velcro straps, a mountable pop filter, and a beefy pentagonal clamp with foam on the top side of the clamp interface only. Also, the bottom of the clamp is an integrated headphone hook, if you mount the arm in a location where it is accessible, as I have done in my case.
At $43 on Amazon, it's quite an amazing deal and worth trying if you're not ready to spend $100+ but want something more than a $20 arm.
So, on the budget end, look at Tonor. I don't know the model, but it has a 3-bar scissor design, a really chunky clamp that's designed in a way that's not really at risk of breaking. The tension also adjusts pretty smoothly, and I haven't needed to adjust it much at all, even swapping between my Blue Radius and the Rode NT mini, which is a CHONKY combo, and now my new, much lighter setup.
I just picked up the Elgato Wave Arm and its fanastic great buy, build quality is excellent so is range of motion and it looks high quality.
The Røde design is really starting to show its age. They should make sleeker update.
Oh and Blue needs to figure out if they really want their Compass to be a bit more expensive than the Elgato. It just seems a little overpriced now that there are more options. Better AND cheaper isn't good news for Blue.
I think we should talk about the construction, I am planning after years to change my Rode PSA-1 because the amount of injury I've had from trapping my fingers either when mounted on the desk adjusting it or more so when taking it apart to move house. That's why I intend to go for a solid frame like the Blue or or Elgato arm.
Thanks for doing this. I know it’s a lot of work.
I have recently found your channel awesome reviews and tutorials. You and Alpha Gaming are my go to guys for equipment reviews
The Elgato clamp is actually smarter than the others, you can press the button on the top to spin it freely in the position you like. So for example if you have it near a wall, you can screw it down with no problem at all
For the Röde PS1 there is a tiny screw in the bottom of the arm that you can loosen the tension with to be able to stop swinging up with lighter mics.
I would love to see yellowtec added to this list for review
The Heil PLT you can just take apart the pivot on the mic end to route the cable, annoying but it's doable for the odd time you need to swap out the cable. I've had the Heil for over ten years now and it's been reliable up to mics with pretty large shock mounts like a PR-30.
I came here to see the Vivo as I'm looking for a low/horizontal mount as for business I prefer the mic coming from below and less obtrusive in the frame of the shot. Now down to the El Gato LP and the Vivo.
Can you do a video on your alternative mounting options on the monitor pole?
I really loved this video. Super useful information and comparison. Well done! I'm in the process of upgrading from a cheap mic arm to something more durable, and am leaning towards the Elgato Wave arm at the moment.
I got the 'InnoGear "Heavy Duty" mic arm''...and I hadn't set it up yet until tonight, or tried to. The lower rotating point, was immovable. Like I had to get an allen wrench and put effort into loosening it up. The screw was very small, and It pretty much popped off, then it broke like a puzzle. I had to figure out how to put it all back together, then figured out where to loosen. HOWEVER, the base clamp, yes..what you sad...pretty flimsy, and didnt take much effort to loosen just simply moving the arm. So, yep...back to Amazon return for that. I'll look into getting one of the others.
If I had seen this video before I would never have opened the box.
Nice discussion. I would have included the various OC White options, since they are probably the most popular ones in use in broadcasting.
so many good ones, but missing the "Koenig & Mayer" K&M 23860 BK, in my Opinion one of the Best^^
This is very helpful especially for us newbies. Thank you so much. I saw the Elgato Wave LP in another video and like it. It's definitely on my list of possibilities. I'm coming a couple of others. I don't want to go too cheap on the mic arm. :)
This extensive review is essential information.
Thank you for delivering such a detailed and informative video.
This is precisely the kind of video I needed.
I just got the Gator Frameworks 4000, and I have the exact same experience with the knobs.
Well RIP
17:40 - 20:05 this is the comparison i'm looking for! thanks!
PSA1+ Is my favorite boom arm. Everything bad about the PSA1 was fixed in the PSA1+. Seeing where that'd stack up in this group set would be cool!
As a brand new owner of a Samson Q9U looking for a new stronger arm I can't say how helpful it was that it was used for all the B-roll. It was like the video was made for me!
Hey, I also just got a Samson q9u, which arm did u decide to go with?
@@joshparra1336 I went for the Vivo low profile arm. It's literally a monitor arm with a 5/8s thread on the end. Went with it primarily for the form factor and price, but the extra strength is certainly helpful for the heft!
Great stuff, exactly what i needed. One stop shop for mic arm comparisons
You really didn’t do justice yo the PSA1. It’s a super beefy microphone stand that is extremely well known in the music industry for its reliability. I really don’t feel it feels cheap at all and I don’t understand why you didn’t talk about all its features like the others, like saying the through hole is sick for being included for the other mic stands but not saying it has one too. Or that when you swivel it around the microphone always stays in the same orientation
The PSA-1s I have bought did not come with through hole mounting options, only desk clamp.
In my neck of the woods, it’s always been known as the mic stand that sprung up too high with lightweight mics and sunk down with heavier ones with virtually no usable tuning on it.
It was great in 2014 with no competition and has not seemed useful in recent years at all.
Beefy is absolutely not how I’d describe it
An awesome video as per usual, Adam! As ever, I appreciate the high level of detail and thoroughness that you go into here. 😆👍👍
If I were in the market for a new mic arm I'd definitely consider putting the following choices onto a buying shortlist: the LP from Elgato alongside the Gator Frameworks 4000 series.
Quick sidenote: I really kind of wish that Elgato had used the magnetic cable hiding panels with their standard mic arm like they have with the LP. Not only would it make cable swapping and concealment a heck of a lot easier as opposed to the rubber strips, but, I just think it looks a lot cleaner and nicer from a overall look perspective. ☺👌🎧🎤
Cheers to you, my man! 🍻
Comprehensive reviews and some really worthwhile accessory suggestions that I hadn't realised as options but am now considering (Just have to find that part of the video again to identify them ). Excellennt video again. Might end up with the Vivo as part of my multi-monitor desktop stand. I have the Rode PSA primarily because I know it can deal with the NT-USB and shockmount which are extremely heavy. Currently use a floor standing boom arm to get the Q2U over the top of my monitors but am still figuring things out as I optimise my set up.
Lol, gator frameworks has been in the production industry for decades. They make great guitar, piano, mixer road cases. As well as stage mic stands for drum kits and guitar amps. I love gator. I have a bunch of production gear from them.
I'm just worried about the integrated xlr cable :/
@@snakeisekans just replace it then. Cut the end off. Solder your favorite cable, to the gator cable. Pull the gator cable out while simultaneously pulling your favorite brand into the stand, then cut them apart, solder your favorite brand’s connectors onto the end of your favorite brand’s cable. And now you dont have to worry.
I deleted my comment on another video you made because I found this one. Thank you.
In the end, I went Samson all the way. They had a mic arm that could support 5lb mics and extremely affordable.
As a PSA1 user its good until you try and fiddle with it then its a pain but for last 2 years its been decent enough.
That Vivo is not overkill, that's just good. A King Bee 2 weighs 3 pounds, you're gonna need a bigger desk clamp than the others. If you have a very heavy mic, I think there's very few rated over 4 pounds except the Vivo is over 5 .5 lbs.
I scanned back, but doesn't look like you covered the vivo pneumatic arm in weight and tension section.
I use a tripod style microphone boom arm sitting next to my desk. Reach is several feet, its several feet tall, and costs about $65 for a decent quality one. Its also much thinner so the little bit that is visible in frame seems less chunky and obtrusive to me.
The Vivo Arm is super impressive, it has been available for almost 2 years and is only $80. I'd say is the best ≤$100 mic arm.
I use the Vivo quad monitor stand which has a 35.5" height stand which you could use the microphone arm on. This is nice because you can make the arm come out between the two sets of monitors. I have noticed Vivo has changed in quality because my current stand has a heavy glass base for the desk and the new one has a cheaper metal base.
Which boom arm would I choose from that list? LOL none of the above for me.
I'd go for other: the TONOR T10 boom arm. Had it for quite a while. Great price range. good sturdy quality, esp the base where you mount it on your desk. Holds up my Shure MV7 and the SM7B beautifully with no issues. Way better than the $100+ arms which are so expensive for no reason, especially rode.
If you're happy with it, that's fine - but there's a TON of downsides to that style of arm (especially that cheap) and you will absolutely discover them in time.
Great shootout! Hand's down on the Vivo... I've got 5 of them and use them for everything; mics, monitors, cameras, lights... they haven't a care in the world heavy it is either. Even made more of the inserts for quick-change ;-)
Already ordered the elgato high rise arm and a Shure MV7, but it can't hurt to see if I've made a good purchase or a boo boo.
Was it a boo boo?
@@TheColby988 Partly. Love the Elgato high rise arm, but my desk is too thick for the clamp, so I have to secure it to the drawer instead. Not a huge issue, but just means I can't have it in place all the time like I wanted to.
I bought my mic arm 15-20 years ago for $75 before podcasting and streaming existed. It has an integrated XLR cable and handles weight and movement really well. It just looks cheap compared to modern ones. Still my trust work horse tho.
I just followed on Nebula. Finding content creators to follow is not easy on Nebula but it is a great platform.
Thanks for the follow!
I really enjoyed the Blue Compass, that is until it randomly broke on me within less than a year of use. After that I bought a Etubby Heavy Duty Microphone Stand off of Amazon for 17 bucks and while it might have shorter reach than the Blue Compass it does the job I need it to do and has lasted well over a year at this point with no issues. Would recommend.
I've got the Blue stand and I use it for my very old, original Blue Snowball, i'm talking USB Type B model with a shockmount and pop filter and it holds that mic with no issues. It just gets over my monitors but yeah, everything you said about it, is true. I still like it though. Mind you, this is coming from a guy that has a blue snowball as his main mic lol.
I always wanted something like the elgato lp at a reasonable price. All I could find before was made by OC White for close to 300. I've had the Vivo for a couple of years. It works great, just wish it was longer. I did attach a 8 inch gooseneck extension at the end to solve that.
Thank you for this, definitely useful.
My neweer arm has lasted years. But I did have to get a different desk clamp to hold it since the clamp it comes with isn't big enough. I actually have two newer arms now but I do want one like the LP and I'm looking at ones on amazon. The size of the clamp opening for desk clamp mounts is actually really important, people's desks are different thicknesses
The only reason I got the Blue Compass, was that I like to have 2 boom arms set up near each other with different mics, and I wanted one that would be taller and longer than my Rode PSA1, so that the 2nd boom could be clamped next to the Rode arm, and extend over and beyond it. And the Compass is a good size to do that. Unfortunately I found I dislike everything else about the Compass, especially the awkward movements and too-strong tension, and now there are other, better choices for tall/ long boom arms.
Oh perfect I was wondering if I should get the new wave arm or the lp version
The Gator Frameworks 3000's mount looks like it could be mounted sideways on a pipe or something too, with a hole on the side, but not sure if that hole fits the mounting part of the arm. I think that's a clamp made for other things too used by many brands.
You are correct, though you would still be fighting gravity a ton.
The Blue Compass can be bent backwards at the mount quite a bit too though. Did you try to adjust the internal spring in the Blue Compass to make it work with lighter microphones? There is a limit of course, but it does help (It holds my 542 grams mic+mount just fine). No need to tighten the joints when it's adjusted correctly, unless it's just too light or heavy.
Great breakdown, thank you!
Thanks for making this in-depth video, Epos! My mic arm is currently not in the best of shape, and your video coincidentally came out at the right time. This will help me so much in choosing the right mic arm for me.
FYI, I think you mislabeled the Vivo Pneumatic as Blue Compass at 5:31.
Thanks for the tip on Matthews Matthellini Clamp
exactly what I needed
I was waiting for this one! Moving early august and decided to buy myself a good mic arm :)
Also, where did you get that shirt, I love it!
A lot of useful information but the information I needed is not mentioned. I need to know how many pounds or max weight each of microphone boom arm can hold a microphone.
Please do a video for monitor arms too. Heavier 3440x1440 monitors, etc.
YOOOOOOO this review SLAPS
I was just waiting for something like this!
I have a support bar running along the bottom of my desk near the edge that's a little bit less than 1 inch wide, do you think a mic arm would stay secure on the support bar?
Great info. Thank you!
I needed this to update mine. Thank you
I went the cheap route bought a floor mic stand. It sits on carpet so there is no reverb from the floor. Only downfall is I need to weigh it down with a weight. And I can't move the microphone as much as a desk clamp arm.
Huge upside no desk reverb.
I have what I assume is a rebrand of the gator frameworks 4000, SubZero Phantom I think it's called. Everything about it down to the light on the mounting portion is identical.
I absolutely loathe everything about it, apart from how it looks. I bought a Wave Arm LP to replace it, and I have 0 regrets.
getting a mic arm for a blue snowball, should i get Elgato Wave or Eave LP
Would have been neat to include metric measurements instead of just inches.
AH just the video I needed, gotta upgrade my neewer mic arm soon
I got the blue compass with the yeticaster bundle.
The arm’s lock barely works, the arm can’t support the weight of the yeti and I found that I could get it in a position I liked without the arm slowly position 😔
It either lowered the mic until it was blocking my view, or would resist and bounce back into a different position to what I wanted, despite the arms hinge being tightened.
Awesome video! Did you test or noticed a real difference in the maximum weight load capacity of the arms? Particularly interested in the PSA1 and Elgato. Thanks!
I use e-bay arm for 10 years. Yes it is bad, still don,t see any reason to upgrade. It holds Shure SM7B. There is no noise. 🤷🏽♂️
Great video. What if you wanted to mount a boom arm to a wall - what would be a good option? Thanks
Vivo it is for me then, either connect to my current dual monitor setup or off to the side. thanks for the video
14:15 i think this might be some radio functionality
Can we see a monitor arm review as well?
For my RODE NT1 I use a copycat of Blue Compass the PREMIUM MOZOS SB37 mainly due to aesthetics but must admin, for a fraction of the original price it rocks.
Id probably go with the vivo.
Where do I get that shirt?
Are both Elgato arms not yet available on Amazon?
No mention of the extender?
Still rocking one of those cheap ass mic arm, still doing me good
Personally im in the neighborhood for something similar to the sampson mba18 but more sturdy because that arm struggles to hold the podmic. Im trying to avoid a traditional scissor arm.
is the Rode boom arm base made out of plastic or metal? i have a similar mic and the base is made out of cheap plastic and ive gone through 2 so far.