I’ve been working in theatre since I was a teenager, and I’ve been specifically making online entertainment as my main source of income since 2016. Since then I have always used a cheap microphone boom arm, this one to be exact (NEEWER Adjustable Microphone Suspension Boom Scissor Arm Stand, Max Load 1 KG Mic Stand for Radio Broadcasting, Voice-Over, Stage and TV Stations, Compatible with Blue Yeti Snowball Yeti X,etc (White)).
Before talking about the JOBY it’s important to note that the NEEWER says that it’s Max. Load Capacity is approx 35.27 ounces/1 kilogram, and the microphone I have been using this whole time is the Shure KSM32/SL, which is a Weight of 17.3 ounces. This Cheaper Mic stand did the job well for about 5 years. But slowly over time the clamps couldn’t hold well enough no matter how hard you tighten the clamps. The mount would also slide out of the way all the time when you are trying to record.
If you are just starting out and have a limited budget I would give the Neewer Boom a 4 out of 5 for its price range.
Now lets talk about what you are really here for, the JOBY Wavo Boom Arm. I hate having wires dangle everywhere, and often times with my old boom arm the cable would get pinched bad when I swivel it because it would be wrapped around the boom. With the Joby boom arm, I love how the cable has a track to sit in so out of sight out of mind. The best part is it even comes with orange or black cable holders. It looks like a beam, not just some velcro cable ties.
Moving the boom around was smooth and quiet, and it seems to hold my Shure mic in place without drooping slowly over time. The total weight of the boom arm is 4.4 pounds, and it can hold up to 2.2 pounds, so my microphone can easily sit on it without over loading it.
Another nice bonus this mic stand has is a cup holder, however I wish the cup holder was a little deeper than it is and/or wider, to accommodate more cup styles without risk of knocking if over. But this is a nice add on and not the reason I purchased it, so I have to say I’m happy with it.
There’s also a headphone holder underneath the cup holder. Now that is a awesome feature I love. no more resting the headphones on the limited space that the desk has. The headphone holder even has foam padding on it. Great addition. Joby also includes a back up grip for clamping to your table. and there’s a quality rubber grip on both sides of the part of the clamp that tightens to the table. This ensures the boom wont damage your desk if you have a nice one.
Their logo is on both sides so if you film a podcast or something you want to be aware of that. But the logo is near the pivot point not near the microphone part, so it would be easy to set it up so their logo is out of the shot. Overall if you have a little bit bigger budget I would say this boom mic is 5 out of 5.