RODE DS2 Desktop Studio Arm for Broadcast Microphones

The Rode DS2 is a well made, premium desk stand that does not take up much space despite it's flexibility and reach.It's had no problem holdling a variety of mics, from the Heil PR22, Shure SM58 to Heil PR781. I've also used it with an Electro-Voice RE320, which is the absolute limit of what I feel it can handle and beyond what the DS2 is rated for.The base is very heavy machined steel or iron while the attached arms are of lighter machined material. The finish is a very smooth flat black and the Rode logo - a gold dot on the base and low contrast RODE on an arm, is unobtrusive, as it should be.My previous alternative to an articulated boom mount bolted to the desk was a weighted mini-boom desk stand, at 1/3 the price of the DS2. It had more reach but took more space and the boom back end tended to bang into monitors and equipment, which the DS2 does NOT.The DS2 has been heavily promoted and is an EXPENSIVE desk stand. Adding insult to that , it doesn't even come with a standard 3/8 to 5/8 mic clip adapter. C'mon, Rode! If it's a premium desk stand then providing this simple, inexpensive and necessary professional acccessory right out of the box makes the owner experience great to begin with!The spacing of arm bracket slots and the inclusion of a 3/8 to 1/4 inch adapter suggests this stand was really aimed at the USB/SLR Video Podcast market. Yet a lot of podcasters/Youtubers use professional gear with XLR interfaces. For those, the cable will NOT fit through arm slots and must be secured to stand arms with black velcro strips - not a big deal for me.But, Hey! Why spend so much and charge so much for a premium product and neglect what is probably it's biggest market? Hmmm.Well, if you've got the budget and a box full of adapters and velcro, it's a very good and premium looking/feeling/acting desk mic stand.So... why FOUR and not FIVE stars? Because the simple lack of awareness of the user market, high price and lack of appropriate €1 adapter needed for much professional work make the initial user experience less than great. FIX THIS RODE! When Selling premium shoes - include the laces!

If used fully extended, it is a bit tipsy. But I found using it in a Z shape works well. However, since this is designed to sit on a desk, it will transfer any tapping sounds on the desk up to the mic. For much better sound isolation, use a boom such as the Rode PSA 1+. I own two of these stands with Rode Pod Mic on one and Rode USB pod mic on the other. They serve my purpose of being able to relocate them easily, and they allow me to quickly set up extra mics for extra guests. See my picture for how to properly shape the stand into a Z.

After a few years of using the Elgato low-profile arm with compact and fairly lightweight USB mics, I noticed the arm drooping. The droop became even more noticeable when I got the outstanding Rode NT+ USB. The YouTube algorithm suggested I check out the DS2 reviews. After one video, I was convinced!Don't let the size fool you: it is sturdy and does not droop. As a USB mic user, the cable fits nicely through the cable management guides. As YouTube reviewers have pointed out, this may not be the ideal setup for XLR mic users as the guides aren't big enough to easily accommodate the respective cable.