Audio-Technica: AT8741 Mic Clip

This little bad boy is a total life-saver. Ever had a problem putting your Audio-Technica 40-series mics close to drums because of the shockmount? Or perhaps close to another mic in a coincident arrangement? Enter the AT8741. Available as a special-order item from A-T retailers, this is a hefty little mic clip that grips to the bottom of the mic, just above the XLR jack. This area of the mic is just too short for most mic clips to accommodate-a pain for me to deal with for years. I've tried fitting all types of clamps and other shockmounts on these mics, and everything has either failed or seemed too precarious. While I love the 4050's supplied 8441 shockmount, the 4047's shockmount is a real drag. The AT8741 fits right into place on both mics and allows these mics to go places they never could before. The clamp will open wide enough and close tight enough to accomodate a number of other mics as well. I tried it on mics from Shure, AKG, and Neumann and found it to be an excellent fit for many models. (Sorry, MD 421 owners! No go!) At $29 list, it's not exactly cheap, but it's certainly cheaper than having to replace a shockmount-should you need to-and it will definitely afford you more positioning flexibility. ($29 MSRP; www.audio-technica.com)