K&M 19695-300

I use this primarily to be able to position/turn a stereo bar at the top of a microphone stand. Some other uses over the years as well ...

I actually have two of those. The second one rarely gets used but I'm always happy to have it with me just in case I need to position a microphone in a certain unnatural position.

Just watch out, there is a version with 1/4" male thread which almost looks the same! I accidentally bought such one.

Pros:
- Comes in handy unexpectedly
- Possibility to position a microphone (or stereo bar) in almost any thinkable position

Cons: I don't have any

This mount appears to be a ball or universal joint but it's really more like a hinge. It has 90 degrees of movement in one plane but very little side movement in the other. The materials are strong and the machining accurate, the clamp always works well and there are no signs of poor manufacturing, but the design seems disappointing when you find how limiting it is to use. There is 90 degrees movement not 180 in the main plane too, so that's even more limiting. I was hoping to use it with a stereo bar for microphones so I could angle the bar better when I had limited positions for the mic stand, but found it disappointing. I would prefer a simple 180 degree swivel without the few degrees of side travel that just make it feel loose.

This product has been a great help in the studio. It makes getting microphones into hard to reach places a whole lot easier.

I've found this to have a few uses already. One is for use with a stereo bar, which makes it a lot easier to get a pair of microphones up on the end of a boom to use as overheads, for perhaps drums or as I have found, very useful for recording a choir. I also use this for a single mic in a shock mount, which makes getting the microphone at the right angle very easy. It is simple to adjust, with just the turn of the screw, and then you're ready.

It is very solidly constructed, which the 5 year guarantee that comes from the manufacturer suggests. You can easily hang a large tube mic from it without worrying about the weight of it causing the angle to drop. You pay for quality here, it is absolutely top notch!

This is one of those products where you think 'How was I able to work without this?' It is small and simple yet it is so effective, it just does its job perfectly. It really is a must for any studio or stage. If you have a boom that doesn't have the smaller arm on the end of it (which is normally pointing downwards) then this really is a must, it fills that position wonderfully!