Bottom exit is an interesting choice. I was used to booming on 12 hour days minimum and I can imagine it coming directly out of the bottom. Also, I just realized how blessed I was to get boom poles from my dad as opposed to having to go buy them. These prices. Wowsa!
The owner of Really Right Stuff helped fund a California proposition to ban gay marriage. In a post on Fred Miranda’s site when this became public, he had the audacity to say that his opposition to gay marriage should have no bearing on whether people buy from his company. Indeed, it’s clear from his post that if he could have legally, he would have hidden the company name when he made his donation. Of course, the post is the usual “I have nothing against gay people, but...”
I got the Ambient Quickpole QSM which is their premium feature film boom pole and I have to say it is really great. Very smooth and stiff. Compared to my Rode Boom Pole Pro it is night and day, because the Rode Pro does tend to swing a lot earlier and the locking mechanism is really bad. Together with the Ambient straight cable kit you can also have the cable come out on the side and still have the rubber on the end for resting the pole. What I do recommend is to get the Rycote PCS-Boom-Connector which does not add a lot of weight but makes for a very fast and easy quick release instead of screwing the mount onto the pole. And finally Ambient offers a soft grip tube which makes gloves a thing of the past. An alternative to the Rycote windshields are the products from Cinela, which are more lightweight but are custom made to a mic. If you don't need a universal system, the Cinela OSIX2 and COSI-L-20 for the Schoeps CMC6 MK41 are IMHO the better products with a smaller footprint.
@@creativegreatsvisuals I think it depends on your personal preferences. I've read more positive opinions about Ambient Quickpoles and they are a German company - so I went that route. I don't wanna downspeak ktek - they make great poles, too.
Hi Curtis, if you look at the top Knurled knob where the gold coloured 3/8 thread is you can unscrew it completely and then remove the rubber bung/cover on the bottom of the boom pole you will see that you can drop a XLR cable in with out having to unsolder a XLR connector , . This what i tell our students to do instead of rapping the audio cable around the boom pole.hope this helps
Thanks Curtis! You've seriously been very helpful with the sound side of my small production. Didn't realize we lived in the same state. Hope you got some quality snow this recent ski season!
I am running straight quad cable through the Rode. It is designed to have cable through it since there are cutouts on the top and a hole at the bottom. I did solder my own since I prefer to make my own cables. If the internal cable fails you can always cut and just do external cabling. If you are worried about the bottom end XLR connections you can always use a right angle XLR connector, those are about 8 dollars for the Neutrik ones. The Boompole Pro is worth mentioning tho.
Don't know if you've reviewed on it but Orca have a product called the OR-17 which is a magnet boom pole holder; works like an absolute dream, I bought one recently and the versatility of it is very impressive, you can attach it your harness or find a sturdy piece of furniture to leave it during lunch. Runs around £70 (probably around $100) but its a good price to pay to save your arms between takes on 15 hour days, also good for Boom ops who don't feel the need to invest in a Sound cart just to have your boom quick fisted
with the K-Tek poles, just connect a cable at the bottom and twist it open, untangle the cable with the boom a bit extended and release the knot on top so the cable can spin to its "natural" position, screw it back it and your boom should collapse normally, remember to do the knot at the top
You could use a right-angled xlr on the bottom of the K-Tek pole to combat your issue with the weird angles for the cable, I imagine that would be annoying. You can find Neutrik ones where you can rotate the right angle whichever way you want. Great video as always too!
I went a silly way recently by simply attaching a Rode mic to a selfie stick and connected the mic to a Wireless GO, worked surprisingly well and recorded directly into my BMPCC4K.
@@curtisjudd 0 soldering required. On some xlrs the male head cant fit through the top collar on the rode boom pole. Lol I've had luck just jamming it through with amazon basics cables, but your mileage may very. I'll upload a video with it just to demo... But you should definitely make a video about that hidden feature imo.
I also run an xlr cable internal on the rode boom. I have a 3D printed mounted on the base of the pole and I’m able to plug into the rode news shooter kit which keeps me wireless. Love the setup!
Thanks for the info on the shock mount because I surely thought I was gonna be booming with that little pistol grip that came with my deity 😭 don't mind spending the 600 or something close if it's what I need.
@@curtisjudd yeah I'm going to research some, that's something I wasn't really paying attention to as far as the quality of the shock mount. Was so fixed on the pole
Very cool demonstration. Liked the shock mount microphone with cover. My back hurts just looking at trying to carry, hold any of those boom arms. Would not last during a 15hr day.
I have personally had really terrible experiences with both of those K-Tek poles. I've used at least two that had the internal XLR's break inside them. I even had the misfortune of having a rather terrible boom operator (I'm not trying to be harsh, but unfortunately he did not care about putting forth effort) use one and then at the end of the day produce no audio thanks to the broken internal cable. Of course, you can replace it, but I have just had a better time wrapping the cable around the pole and I've seen quite a few other operators do the same. Once I outgrow my current pole by Neewer (awesome by the way) I'll consider purchasing another K-Tek or Really Right Stuff.
Hi Mr.pro ,.good review as usual ..BTW the Rode one you said that you can't run cables inside ... although I did so with mine there is a notch at the rubber bottom cap and at the brass spiral top thread ... unplug them and run your cable ...just have a close look ... thanks
There are very few reviews on the RRS poles, but I've used their gear on my cameras before. Excellent quality. Can you tell me about the RRS knuckles? Do they engage without much force or play, and hold well? Is the (looks like) rubber grip solidly attached to the knuckle, or can it work loose? How's the handling noise on the big pole? Anything unusual for a high-end pole?
Hi Stefan, the knuckles are some of the nicest I've used. Smoother and easy to engage/disengage. I also experienced less twisting of the sections with these knuckles. The rubber seems solid but I suppose only time would tell on that. The handling noise seemed about the same as any K-Tek pole I've used - very much related to the quality of the shock mount you use.
I have the rode pole aswell. i hate it due to the weight of it. Got a Rode Micro Pole, weighs in at 300 grams and has a reach of 2,5m. It is my go to boom ever since (unless it is a wide shot). Did buy a Boya BP-BY25 boom pole and must say i was quite impressed at first. But i ended up sending it back. Just now editing a review of it! Think i will check the k-tek airo out next! But hey, the RRS are really good looking. Kinda too heavy though.
Hey Curtis, your videos are typically quite nice. I just wanted to share that sometimes I find them a bit too long. It would be nice maybe to shorten them just a little bit. That said, nice job there!
Thanks Pedro. That's why I put the summary at the start - short and sweet for people who aren't THAT interested, long for those who want all the details. Don't be afraid to stop after the summary if the topic isn't for you. Thanks for the feedback!
That RRS travel boom looks really nice. Seems like something I "need". Unfortunately it seems like they don't really have their stuff for sale in Europe. It's very odd since all their stuff is so great.
The ultra budget option is to pick up a painters/window cleaners extension pole for under $10 for a 6' to lengths like 24' for around $55. Then there are paint pole to selfie stick adapters that cost around $16 to $40 (depending on features) and adapt that to hold a mic, and while this can be done DIY for less, for basically $26 to $71 one can have a perfectly good 6' to 24' boom pole. People can even get them in carbon fiber at lengths up to 54 feet, but at that length it will run around $1500. (ridiculous, but not a bad price)
@@curtisjudd There is one issue I didn't mention. and that would be making sure they use a standard painters pole screw thread. While many painters poles do, the window cleaners poles can vary because they often pipe water to the head, but there are plenty out there that use the standard painters pole screw. Many brooms also uses theses as well. making getting a 3'-4' boom almost as easy as driving to a local supermarket.
Thank you Curtis, I have a short K-Tek boom pole only used manually so far. Do these poles really need c-stands or will an ordinary stand make good? And what clamp would work for either/both?
Hi Alan, I haven't attempted to connect them to lighter stands and the holder is designed specifically to be held by a grip head which I've only seen on C-stands. But there may be a way to attach one of these to a lighter stand.
i think a good fix for cable sloshing is foam insulation. also the right angle female socket coming out of the pole just need a male right angle xlr going into it and then taping off with some slack and your safe from snagging the socket.
@@curtisjudd just a thought im not trying to give you advice. thankyou for all your vey helpful work Curtis. im trying to break into sound for video but even with a long background in music its difficult at best. im enjoying the learning curve though.
You did not compare the Rode boompole pro...carbon fiber unit...which is the only one to get from Rode if you want a quality boompole. The one you used to compare is a bit of a POS. The Rode pro goes for about $299.00. Thanks for the info on the RRS. Stu Schnurman Bic Raven
Thanks Stu for the info on the RODE Boompole Pro. Unfortunately I didn't have the budget to include others in the comparison here but this is good info to know. Thanks again.
Bottom exit boom, right angle XLR cable end. Mic "don't" drop! No I have not thought about this very much as I keep going back and forth to my wishlists at B&H. I got to do some official sound work on a small project and used one of the camera guys equipment and I loved it. but that got me thinking about what kind of boom pole I would want to get... I like the integrated cables but then there's user-replaceablety in case something goes wrong. and which way the cable comes out I liked being able to rest the pole so side mount would be better but then it's more complex and expensive.
Totally understand, it is a tough call. I prefer my side exit K-Tek more than my end exit K-Tek for the very reason you cited: ability to rest its end on the ground between takes.
@@curtisjudd I prefer the side mount but I don't prefer the price almost double sometimes. A right angle XLR cable would to do the trick of improving bottom mount booms or something like this XLR Angle Adapter www.amazon.com/dp/B073X2SDMJ/?coliid=IZ8VGOVF689F2&colid=1RP2FTOWJRHYP&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it The good news for me is I have to wait for a reason and cash flow to justify a purchase. The neewer one looked both in my price range and well made, but sadly lacks an opportunity to use in 2020.
Hi, what is your opinion on the Cyclone vs the Blimp wind protection systems from Rycote? I've seen the Cyclone's being used more and more it seems but i'm wondering what the difference in the two systems really is. Maybe an idea for a video? Anyway, love your stuff! Your videos always manage to capture me, I've learned a lot from you.Thank you!
Hi DSNL, I own the Cyclone and have used the RODE Blimp and similar Rycote wind shields. The main reason I went with the Cyclone over the others is that it is much more convenient and quick. What I mean by that is that you can open the cover and access or change out the microphone more quickly with the cyclone. In addition, it seems to provide more wind protection before needing to add a fur cover to it. I hope that makes sense and thanks for the question!
Hi Curtis, I don't see a link to the Rycote products you discussed. Would you please consider sending a link to the pistol grip you discussed? Thanks, Sean
Hey Curtis, thanks for another great in depth video. Would you be able to send me a link for the piece of gear you use to hold your boom pool on the stand above your talent? Currently I use a small rig attachment to a c-stand arm, but I like your set up. Thank you.
Great Video! Now i know what i need to pay attention to. Does anybody know what kind of mic that is in the upper left? I've seen these Mics couple of times in bts footage but i could'nt find out what they exactly are. Thak's :)
No, they cancelled the line. There were several design flaws pointed out by pro boom ops so RRS cancelled the product line and stayed focused on camera support.
@@curtisjudd Hmmm, maybe too hard to break into the boom pole market for the ROI then. Tripods/monopods obviously have a much larger market than mic booms being much more specialized.
Except if you are using a cardioid or super cardioid mic, ( for interior dialogue), which need phantom power, and almost never com with internal AA battery capability,..at least not the affordable ones.
Hi adsertheblade - that is a c-stand with a boom holder and the RRS boom pole. Links are in the description for the holder and pole. C-stands are available at B&H, Amazon and any other film gear retailer.
I hope the K-Tek works well for you! Which wireless depends on budget and how many channels you need and how critical they are for your work. I use the Audio Ltd A10 wireless system. It is excellent but definitely on the expensive side. A more affordable option is the Sennheiser G4 system.
Curtis Judd awesome.... thank you so much for all your help... you really got me where I needed to be and dip wise... 2 last questions, have you ever seen a feature done with shotgun mic exclusively and no wireless system? Also Have you seen anyone in the industry use the Seenheiser G4 on a movie that made it to either theaters or Netflix?
These boom poles here are really made for hand held use. You can use them on a stand, of course, but they're rather overkill and expensive for that purpose. I don't know how much boom reach you need, but a stage boom mic stand - the $30 stands you see on stage for musical performances - should do just fine. If you need a longer reach, that may be a big jump in price.
Dayum, those seem pricey for what they are. Re: the smaller K-Tek, considering the size difference, what would your thoughts be on sticking a low profile 90 degree metal XLR adapter onto the bottom of it? Maybe even one with a short cable so that you could tape the male output to the bottom of the handle.
Hey Curtis, question: I used to boom in my film school using gloves, but my classmate said that it's mainly useless. I personally feel that using padded gloves like weight lifting gloves somewhat reduce the sound of handling a boompole, what's your take on that?
Is there a way to set up a K-Tek pole like the RRS pole with the cage and rear XLR? I’m getting ready to buy my first professional pole. The RRS looks amazing but the price point is to high at this point in my experience.
The K-Tek Klassic line of boom poles does have the cable exit cage option but I don't believe it has the 1/4" or 3/8" screw taps to attach a wireless transmitter. So you'd need to either attach the TX at the top of the pole or find your own solution for mounting it at the bottom of the pole. Best wishes!
Hi Vince, I borrowed the RRS poles for a couple of months to make this review. But they didn't convince me to buy them over my K-Tek Avalon so I'm still using those.
@@curtisjudd have you had any issues with tightening the knuckles? I just got a 110CCR and I really have to tighten mine so that I can release and extend other sections.
Great question. I haven't used the Airo so I'm not sure. I'm guessing that a pole from a company who specializes in boom poles might be a better option, but I don't have first hand experience to say for sure.
I love your channel, keep doing this, you help us a lot!! I have a doubt Curtis, I am gonna buy a microphone and I do not know which would be better for my purposes. I need a micro for voice (interviewds) and sound efects. My budget is around 300$, my options are deity d3 pro (location kit) or Rode Ntg4+ (xlr to jack). I would like to connect them via wireless with my rode wireless go. What do you think Curtis, which one could be better
@@curtisjudd that is so weird! I just rewatched the last bit, and I didn't notice it panning, but I could have sworn that it was on my first viewing. It must have been my TV that was doing it.
Yes, though I've struggled to get a signal without too much self-noise with the Connect system. Usually I want the boom sound to be as clean as possible as it is the primary sound source and I rely on the wireless lavaliers to be backup to the boom
Good stuff as always. The carbon RODE Pro boom is much much better than the first aluminium version. On my boompole I use a external canare cable L-2E5; so thin, so light, so good. In France, pros use VDB boompoles almost exclusively. www.vdbaudio.com/index.php?mode=products&type=cat&id=24
"really right stuff" is a repulsive company, as a creative professional i refuse to buy ANYTHING from them. instead, i will spend my money on companies without toxic politics...
I just googled and I assume you are referring to RRS’s support of California Proposition 8 in 2008? I would like to be clear that reviewing their boom poles is not an indication that I espouse their political views. Thanks for pointing this out so everyone can make a decision which reflects their personal beliefs.
Seems to me that they are a company dedicated to making properly useful stuff for photographers and the extended universe of cinematographers. To each their own opinion (company heads, employees and customers included), but I am fully in support of a company breaking the mold by their engineering prowess.
@@curtisjudd yeah, i appreciate your position (AND all your hard work) curtis. unfortunately i don't think it is cricket for corporations to espouse political beliefs -- especially political beliefs that are actively repressive of egalitarian human rights. they are the chick-fil-a of the camera industry. as far as i am concerned, the good people at really right stuff can aim their politically charged boom poles in a direction that teaches them a little more about human physiology...
@@punkrachmaninoff Totally understand. I'm concerned about the influence that companies have over the political process in the US. I need to stay away from politics on this channel for practical reasons but I completely understand your point of view. I've given some thought to how I might handle this in the future. Thanks again.
