For the beginner, this stand will do just fine, and if it's not going to be roaded around. However, the mechanism feels a bit loose, and even when you tighten the knobs as much as you can there are still gaps everywhere, which can be very frustrating if you are pedantic about mic distances. I can also imagine that due to this, with time the joints will wear out and it will be harder and harder to get the stand to...well...stand the way you want it to. So beware, this may not be the best for touring bands, but does just fine for home studios or scenarios where it is not adjusted too often. I also wouldn't recommend it for very heavy mics, because the base isn't as heavy as some of the higher end K&M stands.