HeIL PL2T ARTICULATING MIC BOOM

I have been trying a few cheaper options - but their build quality - stability and cable management have all fallen short. This arm - that I have secured using the DT1 desk adaptor is rock solid - and cables are almost invisible.

For an object costing £149.00 I found a few things slightly off the mark, the plastic cable cover on the stand is ill fitting, it does the job but no more, the clamp on the stand is again cheaply made, compared to even cheap clamps I use in the workshop for DIY purposes, this would be in the £5 - £9 variety which I find worrying as it holds quite an expensive bit of kit, the ball joint on the clamp doesn't have padding so crushes and marks whatever its clamping to, the metal that holds this rotating part looks like a cartoon burst trumpet after one use (cheap). The tightening mechanism/nob at the head of the stand is rough, you know that rough plastic component you get on a kids garden toy, basically it feels like if you applied above its designed tightening pressure.. it would break. I had to double check that it wasn't a fake, that's how disappointed it felt receiving it. Cancelled my order for Heil Mic on the back of this product...

El producto parece de calidad si, por eso le doy dos estrellas, en cuanto al envio, totalmente vergonzoso, viene en su caja original, sin nada que lo proteja, sin ni siquiera cinta transparente o celo que selle la caja, asi que cualquiera podria haber sacado alguna pieza. Y al venir sin embalaje solo con la caja original viene con varios golpes y echa una pena la caja, y en una de las esquinas rota y una parte del brazo arañada la pintura del golpe. Lo dicho vergonzoso el envio y mas teniendo enc uenta lo que cuesta el producto en si.

Awesome mic arm!! I couldn't be happier with it! I was worried that it would not hold my Yeti Pro and shock mount because they have some heft to them. But this thing holds them up like a champ! When I move my mic into place it stays there. It doesn't sink, or wobble, it just stays. Like it's being glued in place every time! If I had to say something negative about it, it would probably be the logo. It's kind of ugly and I wish they had only put it on the base, not on the top joint of the arm as well. But seriously, if my largest complaint about this product is the logo, then that really show's you what kind of product you are buying!

Using this with a Blue Yeti. Also using a sound damping device. The plastic one, not the Blue Yeti damping product. The plastic product was approx $20 so seemed like a prudent purchase and seems to satisfy the need. No problems and no one comments on keyboard noise. This arm is sooooo much better than the arm that arrived in the "kit" with the Blue Yeti. No comparison. This arm is well made, sturdy, and stays in the position where placed. It does not "drift" after letting go, like the old arm. Also, the 2 segments of the arm are a fair bit longer than the cheap arm. I read somewhere that each segment is 19". For my setting, this brought the mic closer to my mouth. It has a significantly longer "reach" than the old arm. The clamp on base is secure and easy to use. The screw has a comfortable "ear" to tighten the screw and secures to the work surface nicely. The only shortcoming is a very, very minor one. The USB cord fits in the "U" shape of the arms, and a plastic piece clips inside the U to hide the usb wire. For my setup, the plastic piece doesn't secure very well. The wire inside causes the plastic piece to release at the end. Super easy fix with a short segment of double sided velcro wrapped around that part of the arm. Perhaps a thinner USB wire that is more supple would solve the issue? Such a minor issue, I just haven't bothered experimenting. Very pleased with this product. Worthy of all stars.

Awesome!

Wow. I made the mistake of buying this one and a couple of the el cheapo $20 booms. I say "mistake" because while the $20 was perfectly fine, it was no comparison to this Heil boom. ABSOLUTELY NO COMPARISON. Let's talk about those cheaper ones, shall we? The cheaper ones are mostly copies of each other. The cheaper ones all have external springs, two 15" boom arm segments, and a cheap table bracket. Some come with the mic holder, some even come with an XLR cable threaded through. The ones that have no cable threaded through, a few offer cable ties for cord management (because you have to run your cord somewhere), and of those that offer cable ties, a few offer a nice hook and loop tape cable management solution. This Heil boom has INTERNAL CABLE MANAGEMENT with an easy-to-remove track cover, stress relief covers over the corners so your cable doesn't pinch, INTERNAL SPRINGS, and amazing 20" boom arm segments! That extra 10" (5" extra per segment compared to the cheaper products) makes a HUGE difference in reach and mic placement. This is perfect for heavy mics like the AT2020USB (which is what I use, plus a windscreen and shockmount) and the Blue Yeti (my backup mic, the AT2020USB is so much better for my voice). This Heil boom is much heavier duty, and can support much heavier mics with ease. The cheaper ones you really have to torque down the nuts at the joints to handle heavy mics and in the process you can damage the screws and handles. You'll have none of that issue with this boom. So, back to my earlier statement. I bought this one and a cheapie one just to compare, but having them side by side, I ended up sending the cheaper one back. If I had been smart, I would've only bought the cheap one then I wouldn't have known what I was missing. If you're just starting out, the cheaper one is perfectly fine. Just don't make the same mistake I made, because once you try this one out, you'll be in love. TL:DR; This boom is perfect for getting my mic off the desk so I can concentrate on my podcast and voiceover work. Hope this helps!