Cool New Mic Stands & Add-ons....

[miroslav]

Came across these new stands and add-ons from Triad-Orbit...and totally blown away by the design and quality.
Some of you might have seen these already...but I think they are a fairly new design and production, so I figured it might be of interest to anyone looking for top-notch mic stands, and also a pile of add-ons that can make studio life easier.

Now before you go to the link...be prepared for the higher price tags on this line...but when you consider what these stands can do, it's not crazy expensive. Granted, they are probably geared more toward the busy commercial studios, since the highlight of the design is the quick-change adapters, which are a big deal for the busy commercial studio...but the stands and some of the add-on stuff are way cool, and they look to be exceptional build quality.

Triad-Orbit Advanced Stand Systems

if you want to check out the prices:

Triad-Orbit | Sweetwater

I don't need more stands, and they are a bit pricey for sure, or the whole "quick-change" option...but I did order a couple of the M2-R retrofit adapters that can work on traditional stands and instantly give you superior mic positioning options that you could never (or with great difficulty) pull of with a typical stand.
The M2-R is with the short neck....but they also make the M1-R which has a long neck that may be needed if you have very large mics with very large shockmounts, and you have to get the mic underneath the boom arm...so the longer neck facilitates that a bit easier.

Triad-Orbit Micro2-R

The retrofit adapters are also a bit pricey...but I think worth it to put on traditional stands and turn them into very flexible tools when trying to get that mic just right and in-between some tight places or you need that unusual position for some instrument...etc...these adapters make it fast and simple. If you have a lot of mics that you need to change quickly, often...then the other style of adapters would be better, but I don't think that's the usual case for home/project studios.

I should have them tomorrow and will post back my first impression...though I doubt they will disappoint...they just look too cool to!

 

[VomitHatSteve]

That is pretty cool looking.

But considering one stand without boom is the same price of two 5-packs of Musicians Gear booms (with cables!) I suspect most of us will stick with the latter for outfitting our studios!

 

[miroslav]

That is pretty cool looking.

But considering one stand without boom is the same price of two 5-packs of Musicians Gear booms (with cables!) I suspect most of us will stick with the latter for outfitting our studios!

I'm sure that is the case.
One thing though...I've bought a few cheap stands and cables...and you get what you pay for. Those now don't get much use, and I always grab my better ones.
So if you want long-lasting durability and functionality, sometimes it pays to pay more for the better product.

I agree these are certainly too pricey for most home/project studios, and I don't think their insane flexibility and options would get a lot of use in the home/project studio day-to-day...but still, the M1-R and M2-R retrofit adapters that I mentioned (and bought) are a great way to take a basic traditional stand...and turn it into a very flexible one without breaking the bank.
Nothing sucks like having to fight a shitty stand that doesn't feel very stable or safe.

I don't even put up the full size stands too often anymore.
For vocals and Drum OHs, I have ceiling mounted short stand arms, so the bulk of my floor stands use is the shorter stands for cabs and such...but once in awhile for acoustic guitar or if I want to mic my upright piano, I need to the bigger stands.
I find the cheaper stands are more rickety and always too light. With long boom extensions and even medium size mics, they are not that stable.
I drop 10lb sand bags on the legs to keep them still.

The K & M line or the stuff from Atlas are great products too as traditional stands, also not cheap, but much less costly than the Triad-Orbit stands.

 

[bruiser1964]

I bit the bullet and bought the T3 (wheeled) boom arm and vector,I had already bought the ipad dock and the stand adaptors the whole system is rock solid weighs a ton and will support even the heaviest mic, you can leave the adaptors on the mic cradles and you are ready to go. If you want to see something really special check out their new full studio boom starbird... completely hydraulic

 

[VomitHatSteve]

I'm sure that is the case.
One thing though...I've bought a few cheap stands and cables...and you get what you pay for. Those now don't get much use, and I always grab my better ones.
So if you want long-lasting durability and functionality, sometimes it pays to pay more for the better product.

I've been consistently, pleasantly-surprised by cheap gear. I've probably gotten 10 years and counting out of the cheap MF stands.

Granted, I'm also a lazy, imprecise engineer. I'm sure someone more precise than me would be endlessly-frustrated by the foibles of those stands (just the tripod legs alone)
Plus, the mic cables are not great.

 

[miroslav]

I bit the bullet and bought the T3 (wheeled) boom arm and vector,I had already bought the ipad dock and the stand adaptors the whole system is rock solid weighs a ton and will support even the heaviest mic, you can leave the adaptors on the mic cradles and you are ready to go. If you want to see something really special check out their new full studio boom starbird... completely hydraulic

If I didn't already have more stands than I need/use for a given tracking session...I would most certainly be getting at least a couple of the Triad and they would be enough, simply because they are so crazy flexible and have endless options that you can then add to the basic stand. So a couple of them could be used for a wide variety of setups.
I hate the cheap rickety stands...they have lousy vertical clutches, the tripods are often flimsy and/or the center is too light...the boom arm counter-"weights" are a joke, and often just plastic little sleeves (I've had to buy/add extra counterweights to add to them)...and the boom arm clutches are usually bad, and they will slip with any decent mic (especially with the cheap stock counter-"weights").

The one exception are the gear/tooth clutches that you see on like the On Stage stands...but other than that, even the On Stage stands are not that great.
I've had the threaded end-cap, that the mic clips/mounts go on, come completely loose inside the stand tube/arm, because they just "pinch" the tubes at two points, and that's supposed to hold the threaded end-caps in place. They are shit. I've had to drill them, and add like a cotter pin thing to them so that the end caps stayed locked in place, otherwise, you thread on a mic mount, and try to give it a good turn to make sure it's solid...and the whole thing just spins.
Plus...with most cheap stands, the metals they use are shit...soft and easily bent or stripped out.
Every cheap stand that I have, I've had to do something to it at some point to repair or strengthen it...and at least 2-3 have been tossed out.

I have 30-40 year-old Atlas stands that still work, better than the cheaper new ones I've bought in the last 10-15 years. They just have the classic round base, which only works for some things (it's actually handy for tight spaces, over the tripods)...you just can't hang a boom arm on them and expect stability...but they were/are very well built.

Anyway...that's my bitch with cheap stands...and boy, there are a lot of cheap stands out there now. I do have some good ones too, my favorite are the K&M stands, top quality.

That said, the Triad stands/adapters are certainly in a class all their own.
My two Triad M2-R adapters showed up today...and I'm even more impressed than I was when looking at them on the website.
The $82 I spent for these two adapters is definitely worth it.
I may get a couple more of these or maybe a couple of the longer neck M1-R adapters... because adding either of them to a typical stand instantly provides almost unlimited flexibility, and improves the ease of setup.
You don't have to buy all the Triad stuff to experience the functionality. Really great stuff!

 

[RFR]

Haha! Those are a bit rich fot my blood right now. I could make some out of Birdseye maple for that price. Just as sturdy and super cool looking.

 

[miroslav]

Haha! Those are a bit rich fot my blood right now. I could make some out of Birdseye maple for that price. Just as sturdy and super cool looking.

I'm mostly talking about the swivel ball adapters...to me, they are a great add-on to existing stands. I'm telling you, I hesitated because of the price, just for the adapter...but having them here in my hand...they are way-cool and worth every penny.
Look up the M1-R and M2-R adapters...forget the rest of their line.

Can you make one of these out of Birdseye maple for $41...?

AFA the rest of their line...it is certainly pricey and not needed for basic home-rec use unless you just wanted something that high-end...
...but man, did I say how cool these adapters are?!!!

 

[RFR]

Those adapters are works of art. And for what they are, price isn't too bad either.
And no, couldn't make em out of birdseye for that price. Got no CNC.........yet.