Available floor space can really become an issue, especially in studios, and multiple mic stands can even be a hazard. There are simple desktop stands, which are great set dressing if you’re a late-night talk show host, but a functional desktop stand gives practical mic placement: enter the new RODE PSA1+.
This is a pro-level boom mic arm and stand, with 37” of reach horizontally, and 34” vertically. It comes with two mounts; one is a clamp-on design, and the other is an insert that fits into a pre-cut hole in a desk. As our tester’s desk has a nice stainless-steel finish, the clamp on version was our preferred choice.
Neoprene sleeves emblazoned with the RODE logo cover the internal spring mechanism, and when making adjustments you don’t hear the usual spring “twang” while moving the arms. There are cable clamps on the edge for holding mic cables securely, however we did have a couple of heavy-duty cables that were just too big for these clips.
The boom can support up to 2.4 lbs, which means it can use any of Rode’s broadcast level microphones easily, or any other large style microphone. Included is a 3/8” to 5/8” adapter for handling just about any microphone mounting clips.
For broadcasting/podcasting this is a nice piece of equipment to have, a pair of these for interviews are an excellent application. As it can easily be adjusted with no tools or any complicated catches or releases, any guest should be able to get the microphone to the desired position easily. Live streaming and Twitch users will also appreciate the quiet action on-camera.
For creators who might also need a unit for doing recordings or vocals, there’s plenty of adjustment to use it in place of a typical mic stand. We found it easier to do vocal overdubs near our desk to control our DAW via a keyboard.
As it can handle some fairly heavy weight, a unique application was really a no-brainer — camera mounting. A small Go-Pro or even an iPhone can be mounted, with the appropriate adapter, and makes for very easy placement. Our tester used his iPad with an IK Multimedia iKlip to do his YouTube videos and had no issue with weight or placement. Having it mounted on a desk also keeps the inevitable cable clutter that covers the typical floor-mounted mic stands to a minimum.
Overall, it’s a really great piece of workflow enhancement for a variety of media applications, and at $129, it’s not going to break the budget. It offers up the to the creator a lot of adjustment, regardless of their use case.
PROS:
Great for mic placement or small cameras, quiet, excellent reach and adjustment
CONS:
cable clips are a bit too small for heavy duty cables
STREET PRICE:
$129