Audio · Head-to-head
Rycote InVision USM Studio Kit vs RODE SMR
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Microphone Shock Mounts: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Rycote wins because it publishes a real fit range and a real weight rating, and because its moulded Lyre clips are structure rather than a consumable. The RODE SMR gets you the same no-elastic idea for less, provided your microphone is on RODE's compatibility list.
Rycote InVision USM Studio Kit
Buy itA universal lyre mount with a pop filter and no elastic to perish.
- Rycote's catalogue publishes a real fit spec: 18 to 55 mm barrel diameter, and microphones up to 750 g in vertical use.
- The Lyre clips are moulded Hytrel thermoplastic, and Rycote states the mount will never sag or need rethreading.
- The universal pop filter locks onto the mount's outer support ring and can stay there while you swap microphones in and out.
- Rycote's web page for this kit says 18 to 68 mm while Rycote's own catalogue says 18 to 55 mm, so measure your barrel and confirm before ordering.
- Mounted horizontally the supported microphone weight drops to 500 g, which rules out some heavier tube mics on a boom.
- Rycote does not publish a stand thread size for the USM, which matters if you are buying outside the US.
RODE SMR
Buy itA double Lyre mount with an integrated metal pop filter, built around RODE's own large diaphragm mics.
- The double Lyre suspension uses no elastic cord, and at 266 g the whole assembly is light on a boom arm.
- The microphone is held by a clamping collar and locking nut that spreads load over a large surface area, so it does not need over tightening.
- A 3/8 inch adapter and a base nut are included, and the integrated metal pop filter is easily washable.
- RODE lists compatibility only with its own microphones: NT1, NT1-A, NT2-A, NT2000, NTK, K2, Procaster and Podcaster.
- No barrel diameter range is published, so there is no number to check an unlisted microphone against.
- The frame is a reinforced polymer rather than metal, which reads as less premium next to a machined mount.
Side by side
| Rycote InVision USM Studio Kit | RODE SMR | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Anyone with a side address condenser between 18 and 55 mm who wants one mount that will outlive several microphones. | RODE owners who want lyre style isolation and a pop filter as a single part. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$ · mid-range |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Rycote InVision USM Studio Kit - A universal lyre mount with a pop filter and no elastic to perish. Choose the RODE SMR instead if rODE owners who want lyre style isolation and a pop filter as a single part.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Microphone Shock Mounts: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).