In this article, we’ll explain why we don’t recommend the Blue Compass boom arm for the Shure SM7B, or any other microphone. We really wanted to love the Blue Compass; it looks great and has a clever cable management system. But there are 4 big issues that let it down.
Quick Answer: We don’t recommend the Blue Compass boom arm for the Shure SM7B as, despite its looks, it doesn’t perform the one job we expect it to do. No matter how much we tighten everything, the Blue Compass won’t hold the SM7B in the position we leave it.
- Shure SM7B: https://currentprice.io/shure_sm7b
- Blue Compass Boom Arm: https://currentprice.io/blue_compass
Find a better alternative to the Blue Compass in our best mic stand and boom arm for the SM7B showdown.
Blue Compass Boom Arm Camera Friendliness
While usability factors mean we don’t recommend the Blue Compass boom arm, some features do deserve recognition. The all-matte black finish of this stand makes it incredibly studio-friendly.
The shiny chrome components used by some other manufacturers can be highly reflective under lighting, creating glare and distracting highlights in your video content.
Blue Compass Boom Arm Design Features
Thought has clearly gone into the aesthetics of the Blue Compass boom arm; features like the recessed plastic tightening knobs fit in well with the overall look of the stand, striking a balance between form and function.
Blue Compass Boom Arm Cable Management
Cable management is one area where the Blue Compass boom arm gets things right. A recessed channel in the top of the boom provides a very clean and tidy way to run a cable to your SM7B.
This solution gives the same neat appearance as a stand with an embedded cable but with the added flexibility of using whichever cable you prefer. It also means you can use a USB microphone with this stand.
Blue Compass Boom Arm Size & Reach
In terms of overall geometry, the Blue Compass has the size and reach to accommodate all of the positions you would expect from a boom arm. Sadly, when it comes to actually using the Blue Compass boom arm with the Shure SM7B, you’ll run into some issues.
Blue Compass Boom Arm Desk Clamp
The Blue Compass only comes with a standard, screw-down desk clamp, while most other stands ship with one of those and a permanent mount that you install into your desk.
The included clamp offers very little protection, and we fear it will damage and mark any surface you secure it to. That’s a big problem if you move around or record at your client’s premises.
The clamp is also missing a tension screw to stop the stand from spinning in the mount. The clamp looks fantastic as it fits the stand seamlessly, but in reality, it just isn’t very practical.
Blue Compass Boom Arm Shure SM7B Swivel Issue
To be fair to the Blue Compass, a lot of different stands have this issue with the Shure SM7B. The SM7B’s stand-mounted XLR connector causes the XLR cable to get caught on the stand’s first knuckle.
It’s not a big issue if you can commit to keeping the cable on one side of the stand, but if you need to rotate the SM7B frequently, it’s going to annoy you.
One workaround is to use the Shure 3″ extension tube. However, this introduces other problems when using the SM7B with the Blue Compass; we’ll cover those in more detail a little later on in this article.
Blue Compass Boom Arm Shake
The Blue Compass has the same shake issue that you’ll find in a lot of other tube-style stands. Every time you touch or move the SM7B, the whole stand will shake for a few seconds before finally settling.
Shure SM7B & Blue Compass Boom Arm Lift, Drift & Sag
Some of the other problems we’ve mentioned are common in other stands, but this one is unique to the Blue Compass, and it’s the biggest shortfall of the Blue Compass design.
The Blue Compass boom arm doesn’t hold the SM7B where you position it. We made sure everything was tight and even played with the internal tension screw; no matter what we did, the Blue Compass wouldn’t hold the SM7B where we left it.
Position the arm low, and it springs up; position it high, and it sags down. It’s common to adjust your mic position while talking, but you’ll have to play with it even more to compensate for the floating and sagging, which is a recipe for distraction.
Blue Compass Boom Arm & Shure 3″ Extension Tube
The Shure 3″ extension tube solves the problem of the SM7B’s XLR cable hitting the stand’s tightening screws, giving you full and free rotation of the mic.
The added weight and increased leverage lessens the floating issue in low positions, but makes the sagging problem even worse as you extend the boom arm to an angle greater than 90°.
Blue Compass Boom Arm & Shure SM7B Pricing & Specs
- Shure SM7B: https://currentprice.io/shure_sm7b
- Blue Compass Boom Arm: https://currentprice.io/blue_compass
- Shure 3″ Extention Tube: https://currentprice.io/shure_3in
- Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro Headphones: https://currentprice.io/beyer_dt_990
- XLR Cable: https://currentprice.io/xlr_cable
- TRS Cable: https://currentprice.io/trs_cable
- Mic Stand: https://currentprice.io/desk_stand
- Rode PSA1 Boom Arm: https://currentprice.io/boom_arm
