What are you recording you need such a wide bar? What stereo technique are you using? Multiple arrays?

For most stereo applications a Sabra-Som ST4 is about as wide as you need. I purchased some cold rolled steel bar stock to make custom width bars for room arrays that are quite a bit further back from the orchestral stage, but for a main array the ST4 bar has been more than sufficient.

I made my own Decca Tree that I fly but if I did sound stage gigs (movies) I think the AEA Decca tree looks sweet. You can't go wrong with Grace though. I guess that's not much help but I kind of need a bit more info to get into specifics.

Unregistered, post: 364412 wrote: What's the most versatile?

Well, that's easy: The widest will be the most versatile. But the question you wanna ask yourself is, What's the most practical?

For me, I'd say for every gig where I use spaced omnis (A/B or Decca Tree) I do 15, maybe 20 gigs where I do X/Y or ORTF or M/S...configs where even 17" is more width than I really need. In fact, I'd say easily 85-90% of the live recordings I've ever made were done with either a Shure A27M or a simple Atlas TM-1.

iow, I don't need the most versatile stereo bar, I just need one that travels easily & sets up quickly/reliably.

+1. And often even when I use spaced omni's it's 12" or less. Or it's two completely separate mic stands.

I have the Sabra-Som and I bought some other lengths of hexagonal steel (which is not all that expensive). I have one that's 3', but I don't think I've ever used it. When I bought it I was going to try XY in the middle with AB on either end of the long bar. Haven't got around to it yet.