As a camera operator, I am guilty of it. I bet you are guilty of it too. Do you know what “It” I’m talking about? Thinking about sound last. For me, the work is all about how it looks. Do the visuals match the story? And, I am wrong. We all know bad sound can ruin a production. Hell, we even ran into audio problems during our NAB 2019 coverage. We had lost a mic to travel damage. Well, K-Tek talks to me about why I should be investing in better sound equipment like boom poles.

“Sound Within Reach” has been K-Tek’s slogan since creating our first boom pole in 1996. K-Tek has always considered the boom pole to be an extension of the audio professionals arm. It is essential that the pole has a natural design that simply extends the reach of the microphone, quietly and lightly towards the sound or voice being recorded.

When choosing which boom pole is right for you, there are a lot of details to consider. Boom poles are made for various environments, a 20’ uncabled pole may be ideal in one location but a 6 section, cabled, 8’ pole may be ideal somewhere else.

K-Tek makes several different types of boom poles: K-Tek Klassic poles are graphite and modular, with varying cabling options. Avalon Graphite and Avalon Aluminum are simpler in design. The type of pole you choose will be determined by your specific needs and budget.