Desk mic with boom stick

Santiago Mejia HI8O

I’m looking into upgrading from hand mic to a desk mic for my 6300. I want it good but not too expensive. I’m also interested in live streaming my operations so a boom could be useful.

A y ideas for mic/boom combination that won’t break my bank?

73, Santiago

Bill Ribish

I use Shure SM58 and get very good audio reports

K0FLY

If you look at Amazon you will find many mic booms from $13 to over a hundred dollars.  One popular one with Pod casters is the RODE PSA boom at $113.00 .  Several years ago I purchased a boom made by "Samson" it looks like the Rode but the price was half.  I have used that boom for several years with no problem.  The booms that have the external springs tend to be noisy, if you move the boom while transmitting the annoying sound made by the springs can be transmitted. 

Also with a mic boom look at how much extension it has, don't get one that is too short. 

As far as microphones,  that is your preference, I use two mics, an antique Astatic DNHZ dynamic or a Behringer 8500. Both mics  to sound good, I think that almost any mic can made to sound great using the FLEX TX EQ.  I also use a Heil pro 7 head set to DX with and NCS nets. 

73 Gayle K0FLY

F M

This is the microphone I am using with my Flex 6300 and sounds good. https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Unidirectional-Microphone-Connection-PDMIC58/dp/B003GEBGA0/ref=s... 

  And this is the boom I'm using.                                                                                                https://www.amazon.com/Eastshining-Adjustable-Microphone-Suspension-Microphones/dp/B076ZKGZ5X/ref=sx...                                                                                                                                                                                                                                I did have to change out the mic connector to match the radio.                                  

  Total cost  $33.97 Free shipping on both items form amazon  73 KC0FGX                           

FISHULA X

 I have a large collection of microphones, From the more expensive Electrvoice, Heil, Shure . These are all great mics. But, If you want one that sounds great  on the Flex for cheap, may I suggest the Behringer Ultravoice XM 8500. I use it on my Flex 6300 and my Flex 5000A  and It can be tailored with the Flex 6300 to sound great. Nice full rich sounding. You can find them new on Ebay for 19.99 or cheaper if you look hard. As for booms, You can get a good C clamp boom for 12.00 new made in China but sold here in the US, You get the best deals on Ebay. Just make sure you check out the sellers feedback. If the seller has high number with Zero negative feedback then you are good to go. But seriously, the Behringer Xm8500 is real good and another real good cheap one is the  Audio Technica ATR 30 I also have one of them and I love it. A great sounding mic for a real good price. Here is a link to the Audio Technica ATR 30. Stay away from the other cheapo no name mics because you will sound like your talking through cardboard. These two Dynamic range mics I can tell you sound great on the Flex 6300 from my own personal testing doing A to B comparison, and remember, you can shape your voice using your EQ.
 Sure, you can spend a lot of money and sound great but, if your looking for  a great sounding dynamic low cost mic, these two are at the top of my list for great response without breaking the bank. I have been into microphones for 30 years and I have been through many. If you want to go higher cost, the Electrovoice RE-320 Is around 200.00 new and sounds great also. But, for the money, the lower cost mics that I have mentioned sound almost as good, if not as good.  It's your dime and I figured I would toss out my personal findings to you.   Good luck. And Stay healthy. 73.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Audio-Technica-Microphone-ATR30-Vocal-Dynamic-Cardioid-Low-Impedance-With-Cord/264533826086?hash=item3d9771da26:g:0QgAAOSwp2VdzjH9                    And


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Behringer-Ultravoice-XM8500-Dynamic-Microphone/233460925232?epid=21032165416&hash=item365b5b0330:g:OMUAAOSwyKZeF3kq

Erika - KØDD

There's quite a few suggestions on here already.  If you're going to be doing podcasting, you WILL  desire a different microphone than the one you use for the radio.

I wanted a broad and flat response that could be EQ'ed out to work for DXing, Ragchewing, and use on AM...  The Shure SM-58 is the staple in the Vocal industry that BILL RIBISH stated he's using...

You'll spend Maybe $125 for one shipped from just about anywhere.  While it can be EQ'd for just about any use with your 6300, That mic wasn't rated very high in the podcasting arena, it took a lot of interfacing and EQing to work well with the Pod Casting....  With podcasting to keep costs down to start you'll want to just buy a good USB microphone.  Watch a few podcasting videos for mic recommendations..

The great mic for that is a SHURE SM-7B but it is expensive and you need a very high gain preamplifier... as the 6300 doesn't have enough mic gain.... PLus it doesn't have a rear panel balanced input like my 6500 does. 

 For PODCASTING you'll also need an audio interface for the conversion from balanced audio to a USB connection.  There's an additional "BIG DOLLAR OUTLAY" to do that.  If you're making money podcasting you can afford the Fancy audio rack.  If not ....

I Use an INRAD M629 here.  Basically similar performance to the SHURE SM-58 for less money, bought mine at DX Engineering. 

I've owned several mic booms each has its benefits and limitations. 

I was fortunate a Semi-Local Guy had bought an OC WHITE boom and riser combo for his CB that was a couple hundred $$$.  I was able to get it from him in the box for $80 when he figured out it was the wrong mic boom for him...

The riser in this system was for getting up over a computer monitor, I'm temporarily NOT going over a monitor due to my table, and the boom is a little uncomfortable.  It is also designed for a 4-1/2 pound RE-20 microphone With shock mount combo...  This mic is about 1/2# so it constantly wanted to go up....

I had the PL2 boom from Heil previously and I had a heavy mic on that one, and it couldn't handle the mic and wanted to go down, PLUS it squeaked..   While this OC WHITE boom is a mid range broadcast unit and WILL eventually be perfect for my install...  A cheap Heil squeaking drooping PL2 may just be more what you need to get started. OR MAYBE even a desktop mic base...

In a nutshell get yourself two mics and a decent quality of mic boom or BASE that will handle your mic weight... if you step up to a broadcast mic you're going to be spending a LOT of money to even use it.  I've already been there and done that and don't really want to do it again....

Erika DD 

Mike VE3CKO

I went with cheap before, went through 2 within a year as they fall apart, cheap metal that bends and plastic that breaks under any pressure like moving the boom, so the cheap boom/mounts are so useless if you actually use the boom and move it around during operation cuz they break, you get what you pay for. I fully endorse the Heil PL2T boom because I've been very happy with it, cable gets hidden inside channel for extra RF protection, very good quality with rugged material, no wear, see the brass. Also a variety of mounts are available (see below), I got the first 2 on the left but been using the clamp version for years. The other is a spare that I never had to use . No squeaking   Yeah you pay more BUT you pay once.

Santiago Mejia HI8O

Thanks a lot everybody for your recommendations and advice, certainly this community is second to none. I have a few options here to consider and will take a look at them. Promise to update you as I go along.

73 and please stay safe.

Santiago
HI8SMX

Santiago Mejia HI8O

What connector did you use?

Erika - KØDD

Yes the Heil is a very nice HAM Grade mic boom.  Used mine with a couple different mics.  The one that was like my current Inrad mic worked fine circa 2006...  Not a lot of weight, but when I changed to a big condenser mic all the problems started...  That why I stated you need to match the Boom to the Mic... and vise versa.  If they do squeak, never **** them hahahahaa....  I didn't do that but when the poor thing was loaded up you could really see how light duty it really was. My new OC White could hold a brick wired to it...  Just need to decide on the right brick.  Erika DD

Mike VE3CKO

I use a Heil PR-40 with the Heil PL2T boom, a good match. It's not a cheap microphone but for the heavy mics that cost heavy, you should expect to pay even a heavier price for the boom to handle it.

Rich McCabe

One thing to add. I like permanent  and neat installs. But if you buy a desk bushing for your boom you will never get it in the right spot the first time.  Use the C clamp and move it around to different locations for a week. Then do the permanent install

I use the Heil PL2T and got about 15 years out of it. It started to squeak so I lubed it. Then it would not hold my EV mic up when I had it stretched out so ordered another.

Several of my friends prefer the Rode booms over the Heil but I like the concealed wiring on the Heil and the Rode is not long enough to reach out if I lean back in my chair and put my feet on the desk

Mike VE3CKO

I did the same thing too Rich, got the clamp so to find the best spot for the boom, just kept using the clamp.