The most basic model of microphone stand is the Straight Stand which traditionally is made from a length of steel tubing screwed into a heavy metal dome shaped base with telescopic height adjustment and a threaded top to accommodate a microphone adapter.
However over the last 20 years the solid base has been replaced with a tubular folding tripod style base, which makes the stand lighter and easier to disassemble and transport from place to place. Straight stands are typically used for vocal microphones and radio speech broadcast or for microphone placement in front of guitar speaker cabinets, occasionally they may also be used as ambient microphones in studios or to pick up audience applause.
