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 because its 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 publishes a real fit spec: large-diaphragm microphones from 18 to 68 mm in diameter.
- The Lyre clips replace elastic cord, and Rycote says the kit has proved harder-wearing than traditional elasticated mounts.
- 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 product page publishes no maximum microphone weight, so a heavy tube mic on a boom is a judgment call.
- The 18 to 68 mm range is broad, so measure your barrel and confirm the fit with Rycote before ordering for an unusual microphone.
- 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 base nut is 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
The 8 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Rycote InVision USM Studio Kit Our pick | RODE SMR | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Anyone with a side address condenser between 18 and 68 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 |
| Suspension type | Lyre clips, no elastic | Double Lyre, no elastic |
| Published mic diameter | 18 to 68 mm (Rycote product page) | Not published, RODE lists models |
| Published mic weight limit | Not published | Not published |
| How the mic attaches | Adjustable Lyre clips around the barrel | Clamping collar with locking nut |
| Pop filter included | Yes, universal pop filter | Yes, integrated metal filter |
| Stand thread | Not published by Rycote | Not published; base nut included |
| Replacement suspension parts | Lyres are structural, not a consumable | Not listed by RODE |
| Mount weight | 0.2 kg | 266 g |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Rycote InVision USM Studio Kit if
anyone with a side address condenser between 18 and 68 mm who wants one mount that will outlive several microphones.
Know before buying: rycote's product page publishes no maximum microphone weight, so a heavy tube mic on a boom is a judgment call.
Pick the RODE SMR if
rODE owners who want lyre style isolation and a pop filter as a single part.
Know before buying: rODE lists compatibility only with its own microphones: NT1, NT1-A, NT2-A, NT2000, NTK, K2, Procaster and Podcaster.
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).