The Heil SB-2 is a small microphone boom arm by the brand HEiL sound. Compact and lightweight, it is ideal for travel and use in small spaces.
It comes with a number of features and additional parts that make sure it is compatible with almost any microphone and mount that has a standard thread, ensuring you can use it with your equipment.
A discrete design in black with a modern style provides a professional boom arm for use in podcasts, interviews, and recording.
The Heil SB-2 can reach a whopping twenty inches (20”) when fully extended, allowing it to quite literally go the distance.
Furthermore, it comes with a Heil ‘stealth’ C-Clamp with a brass insert and a 1.5” maximum opening, which makes it suitable for travel and remote podcast recording. If that isn’t enough, it also fits any brass-lined Heil mounting accessory.
Pros And Cons
Pros
- Compact and lightweight
- Easily portable for travel and remote podcasts
- Adaptable for any brass-lined Heil mounting accessory and standard-threaded stand or mount
Cons
- Not suitable for heavy-duty recording equipment
Best Usage
The Heil SB-2 is a small microphone boom arm with a compact design and extreme adaptability.
It is best used in interview microphone positions, and can fit easily into small spaces where overhead booms will not fit.
While designed to be used in tight spaces, it has many more applications than just that, and can be used as a viable alternative to a regular boom arm in many scenarios.
Although it is ideal for use as a travel boom arm, or in remote podcasts, it has a stem that threads easily onto any typical stand or mount. This allows you to use the Heil SB-2 in any way that suits your needs.
Adaptability
While the Heil SB-2 comes with a C-Clamp that allows you to use it on the go, it also comes with the ability to fit standard 5/8 inch stands and mounts.
This includes 27 thread mic clips and shock mounts.
A removable Teflon stem drives this adaptability, allowing the boom to attach to these standard-threaded stands.
This procedure is easily done, and allows for great freedom in the use of the Heil SB-2.
Along with fitting standard stands and mounts, the Heil SB-2 can also be used alongside all brass-lined mounts in Heil’s range. This includes, but is not limited to:
- The DT-1 Flush Mount that can fit through a 1.5” desktop hole
- The FL-2 Flange Mount, which rests easily on a flat surface
- The WM-1 Wall Mount
- And the RS-1 Riser Mount with a twelve-inch extension capability
Despite all of these potential uses, the Heil SB-2 doesn’t become a ‘jack-of-all-trades and master of none.’ Instead, it retains its great usage and reliability no matter what role you use it in.
Discrete And Compact
To aid in the management of your setup and devices, the Heil SB-2 comes with a cable management clip.
This helps to tie up any hanging cables, keeping your workspace free of wiring and clutter.
The management clip is molded to the side of the boom, allowing you to access it easily. The placement of the clip is perfect for dealing with the cable from your microphone.
Along with this clip, the Heil SB-2 comes with a ‘stealth’ C-Clamp.
This clamp features a brass insert and a maximum opening of 1.5 inches, allowing you to fix it securely while out of the studio.
The compact nature of the Heil SB-2 when combined with the included C-Clamp make it a perfect fit for travel and remote podcast recording, ensuring none of the comfort of recording is lost no matter where you are.
Despite its discrete size, the Heil SB-2 small boom arm can reach an incredible twenty inches (20”) in length when fully extended.
This gives you a range that can conform easily to your needs.
With all of these features and accessories, it is still easy to store and carry.
In a standard briefcase, the Heil SB-2 can fit with its C-Clamp and a slim-line microphone, such as many from HEiL sound’s own range, with room to spare.
Physical Features
Although its other features are already exceptional, the Heil SB-2 makes sure not to skimp out in the looks department.
Designed in a discrete black, in a modern style, the Heil SB-2 combines excellent features and adaptability with a gorgeous appearance to create a boom arm to be proud of.
With a length, width and height of 16.9, 4.5 and 3 inches respectively, the Heil SB-2 is compact enough to fit in tight spaces and for travel purposes without losing out on the strength and reliability of a larger boom arm.
And, with a one-year parts warranty and ninety-day labor warranty from products purchased from HEiL sound, Ltd., you know that you’ll be getting your money’s worth.
HeiL Sound
As a number of their other products have been mentioned throughout this product review, it is only fair to mention the company themselves.
Heil pride themselves on producing quality products such as the Heil SB-2, along with other microphones and microphone accessories.
There is nothing better to compliment the SB-2 small arm boom mic than a high quality Heil microphone to go with it.
In particular, their slim-line microphones work great with the Heil SB-2 for travel and podcasts.
Heil products are used by many professionals and Grammy-winning artists, so why hesitate? Don’t miss out, join in on the exclusive group of quality users that make up Heil’s customer base.
Final Thoughts
It is easy to see why the Heil SB-2 is the small boom arm of choice. More than the sum of its parts, the SB-2 comes with a C-Clamp that perfectly accentuates its use for travel.
It is adaptable enough to fit with any brass-lined Heil product, along with any standard-threaded stand or microphone that you might already own.
It is compact, discrete, and perfect for remote podcasts. Its small size makes it a perfect accompaniment for larger boom arms that have trouble fitting into tight spaces.
