If you need a straight stand, the Shure S15A is great. Light weight and goes to 14 feet. Normally around $160, but Boynton Pro Audio has one on Ebay at the moment (which is rare):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7328379604&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

I got one from them this way, brand new, for less than $140 including shipping. Great guys.

If you need someting that can go both up and out, I like the Quiklok A50 ($179 at Sweetwater). It's a bit heavy at 28#, but that's because the legs are solid steel, and you need that weight at the bottom for stability. You can get lighter ones (like the A85), but then you need to bring sandbags if you are going to use the boom in any kind of forward position.

Hey Kevin,

This is something that all of us orchestral recordist deal with - the need for QUALITY high stands. Here are a couple options:

As mentioned, the Shure is fine as are the QuikLoks (the A85 is actually pretty decent and no sandbag is needed unless you use the boom) However they are very heavy and very difficult to carry around easily.

If you only need height (and for orchestral recording, you don't usually need to boom), here's a few other options -
AEA 15b - it's extremely light and very small folded up and it reaches to 14' 9". It's not the most stable stand for LDCs or multi-mic setups, but I've been known to throw up a pair of Schoeps on top of one of these. AEA also makes a few other heavier duty stands, but heavier duty implies bigger and bulkier.

Photo lighting stands are another excellent alternative. You only need to get an adapter to fit mic threads. Here's a great source for cheap, tall stands -
SPL 2384
and you can get the adapters from
http://www.cascademedia.net

There are also stands from Ultimate which can be had on e-bay all the time for less than $100.

The trick is, you'll really want a stand that can do 14' or more. Anything less than that, and you'll find yourself wanting more down the line.

Hope this helps,

J.

I don't know if it helps the poster, but, as I have occasion to do sound for a full-orchestra at times, and have yet to invest in any "high" stands, it helps me - thankx!

Teddy G.

How do you record orchestras without high stands???

You have to get at least a good 8 feet above the orchestra and since you often can't place your stands on stage, you have to have them down front - anywhere between 4 and 8 feet below stage level.

most of the groups that I'd be covering have stages no higher than 4 feet.

Then, at a bare minimum, you would need stands capable of at least 12 feet. However, since I've flown mics higher than 10 feet above an orchestra, I would still advise the highest and most stable stand you can afford both cost and space wise.

J.