These stands are extremely sturdy, and feature a cast metal base heavy enough to ensure the stand will remain safely upright when supporting a vocal mic without a boom. I'd personally probably not use this or any round base stand with anything other than a very short boom. I would use a tripod stand for extra security if a boom is necessary.
These have a traditional clutch mechanism for securing the upper half of the stand at the desired height. I haven't tried stands designed to allow "single handed" adjustment, as I need convincing these clever systems will be sturdy enough to stand up to gig abuse. No such problems with this stand, but adjustment will need two hands.
The matt black finish looks good on stage and on camera. However, a fairly large K&M name logo is screen printed in silver, on the upper part of the lower half of the stand. Not ideal, particularly if using this stand for a televised performance. Not an issue in a recording studio, though.
The stand comes supplied with the base loose; the two need to be screwed together. There is a knack to doing this that comes with practice, to avoid a crossed thread. I recommend placing the base on the ground when you screw the stand together, to ensure it can't fall off the stand onto your foot, if not screwed in properly.
