Beginner's Gear Guide: Microphone Accessories

Beginner's Gear Guides: Microphone Accessories

Find the stands, cables, and accessories to match your microphone.

A great microphone won't do you much good without a decent microphone stand. Everyone can always use more XLR cables. And you'd be silly not to put up a pop filter before tracking vocals with that fancy large-diaphragm condenser. This is the place to find our top picks for must-have microphone accessories.

Looking for the perfect microphone? Start with our Beginner's Gear Guide to Microphones.

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Microphone Stands: Booms, Short Stands, and More
Boom microphone stands are a must when placing mics over a drum kit, inside a grand piano, or on a vocalist who also plays an instrument. Straight stands, on the other hand, look classy and sleek on stage for solo singers or presenters. Short stands help put the mic in the right spot on drums or amps, and desk stands are ideal for podcasting. Whatever kind of stand you need, a good bag will help you get them to the show intact.
Microphone Clips, Stereo Bars, and Shock Mounts
Once you've got a microphone and a stand, you'll need a clip or shock mount to connect the two. While many mics come with their own mic mounts, it's always a good idea to have a few extras. If you're setting up a stereo microphone pair on a single mic stand, you'll want a stereo mic bar that lets you easily place two microphones in a stereo X-Y or ORTF configuration.
Reflection Filters, Popper Stoppers, and More
Improve your recording sessions with these extras. Pop filters are a must for reducing plosive p-pops on vocals or voiceover. If your recording mic is in a less-than-perfect room, a reflection filter can help you capture better recordings by attenuating early reflections from your walls, floor or ceiling.
Microphone Cables, Adapters, and More
Live or in the studio, you can never have too many XLR microphone cables. If you need to plug an XLR microphone into an instrument input, you'll want an XLR to 1/4" adapter that's also an impedance-matching transformer. Cable ties can help keep all those cables organized without tying them in knots, and a cable tester will help you quickly identify bad cables.