RODE PSA1+ Studio Microphone Arm

In this episode, we have a look at the RODE PSA1+ studio microphone arm for live streaming, podcasting, voice over recordings, or any other case where you need to capture great audio at your desk. This is an updated and more “premium” stand over the original PSA1+, one of the most popular microphone arms in the market.

Copyright 2021, Curtis Judd

#RODE #PSA1+ #MicrophoneArm

Index:
00:00 Start
00:12 Summary
00:22 Other studio arms I’ve used
00:28 HEIL studio arm
01:10 Yellowtec M!ka
02:49 OC White Ultraboom low profile arm
03:27 PSA1+ weight
04:03 Mic mounting mechanism
04:58 Isolation, movement, typing samples
06:28 Desk mounting hardware
07:06 Cable management clips
07:18 Parallel aim
07:30 Reach and range
07:43 Pricing
07:50 Branding is too prominent
08:11 Recommendation
08:32 Pleas buy my courses

[AndrewVanBeekOttawa]

This is a weird comment but I even watch your reviews when I’m not interested in the product. So clean and clear, information packed, accurate, and never a remotely annoying aspect. A lot of YouTubers would benefit by learning this.

[elephantgrass]

Again, the only youtuber I trust about audio gear.

[carlwingard]

Marketing team at Rode: "You know what would make the PSA-1 cool? A black wetsuite with lots of logos on it!" ;)

The PSA-1 is a really nice microphone arm.We use them every day with SM7B & MV7. The "+" really looks like added neoprene and branding.

Thank you as always for sharing your knowledge and experience. I do appreciate your channel.

[GregStonham]

The original Rode PSA1 is also solid enough to hold a lightweight mirrorless camera rig - they've been great for desktop streaming setups. I have two Panasonic G7 kit lens, in small rig cages, attached to boom arms via a ball-head out of the top of the cage.

[TheNotaRubicon]

Very happy with my PSA1 - Mine is about 1 year old and has shiny chrome knobs that often create glare from my lights so its nice to see that they have fixed that now with the black knobs.. When i first got mine it could not hold the weight of my RE20... took me a while to figure out that the tension is adjustable on the arm.. once i tightened it, it worked great.

[BrendanEvan]

Curtis respects our time more than most everyone else on YouTube

[alaneddy]

Thanks Curtis. I'll be replacing my old Rode arms with these as I've just bought a heavy mic. I like the solidity of this design. I noticed that Gerald Undone and Make Art Now's "Not a Podcast" gave you a well deserved mention as highly underrated. They classed you as essential film kit. I agree. I think you'll get a few more followers and thumbs for that. Thanks for all the great info over the years and also for your direct and personal advice. You go the extra mile sir. I look forward to the day when you are too famous to to answer my questions.

[cyberdefenseddi]

I agree. The OC white is the best boom arm so far. It ain’t cheep, but it pays back with positioning and it just works. You can tell its made well.

[parzi]

Got to say. Probably one of the best reviews I've ever seen. Getting right to the important stuf, nicely time stamped, great sound. And you said everything I needed to know. Great video Curtis.

[rockatanescu]

Awesome video, Curtis. Since I do own a PSA1 and this one looks identical except for the microphone mounting hardware, here are two tips:

* The upper tube of the PSA1 arm is hollow and you can route an XLR cable through it. There is even plastic hardware in place to protect the cable from being pinched by the arm joints. The only downside is that you need to solder the cable at one end once you're done, but you only need to do this once.
* If you don't like the branding, it looks like it's just a piece of cloth that's wrapped around the metal tubes. You can unscrew the silver rivets using a flat screwdriver which will allow you to take off the top and bottom joints (I believe that only the middle one has springs) and you can take off the branding.

[mogwix]

Quick note: the SM7B normally has the XLR connector facing towards the front of the microphone, not towards the rear. The yoke can be removed and flipped around however if you need it in a different position for different types of stands and mounts.

I already have the PSA1 and I don't really see a benefit to replacing it with this new one. It's great that Rode is continuing to update the products though.

[PatrickRambles]

Hi Curtis, this was an excellent review. I purchased the Ultima last week and I am in love with it. It’s so smooth and it stays right where I put it, every time. Amazing quality. Yes it’s expensive but worth every penny.

[DronieUp]

I was excited to hear that rode made a “new” stand. Then on closer look, it seems like it’s the same PSA1 with neoprene covers and new thumb screws near the mounting head.

[reinhardkotze]

Hay Curtis. i work at a radio station and we use the yellow tec arms with SM7b. at my home studio i use the PSA1 with Sm7b without the xlr issue . what you can do and what i did was unscrew the bracket on the mic and turn it around so the xlr will be on the front side. that is a "commen" practice in the industry but not so well known in the new consumer market that has spiked the sales of sm7b in recent years. give it a try. Ps just take note of the order of the washers and the placement bracket forks.
Side note: it does hinder the mobility of the mic slightly depending on where you place the mic, ither from above or below.

[tombuck]

They really did a great job on this arm! Almost as good of a job as you did on the review 👍
(I think that’s worded weird, but I promise it’s a compliment)

I also agree about the branding…I actually ordered some solvent to try and remove it 😬

[RennyChuggs]

Hi, im sorry if you already know this but it isnt really made clear by yellowtec! with the mika arm there is a little hex bolt in the bottom where the mounting mechanism is, you can use a hex wrench to turn that and increase tension for heavier microphones!

[AndrewC]

I'll be sure to send RODE a bill for the advertising!

[neiloler]

This was just the ticket, I’ve been hunting for a mic arm for a couple years, always going back and forth between super cheap options that seem to have a high rate of failure and expensive options that seem too much money for a simple concept. Thanks for reviewing.

[jannarkiewicz]

I have had this in my Amazon cart for 2 weeks - pondering. They will ship to Manila where I am at (for free). Dang this is solid. I guess I will pull the trigger.

[mr.bond]

That’s a beautifully made arm. But that branding is just too much.