Shock mount

A shock mount is a cradle, typically made of elastic bands or rubber suspension pieces, that holds a microphone without a rigid connection to its stand or boom arm. This isolates the mic from vibrations traveling up through the desk and stand, such as footsteps, a bumped table or typing on a nearby keyboard.

Without a shock mount, low-frequency rumble from these vibrations can transfer directly into the microphone body and show up in a recording as a dull thud or constant low-level rumble, which is especially noticeable with sensitive condenser microphones sitting on a desk stand rather than a floor stand.

Many condenser microphones ship with a matched shock mount included, while dynamic mics built for handheld or broadcast use, like many popular podcast microphones, often rely on internal shock isolation instead and do not need a separate cradle. Checking whether a mic includes one, or needs one purchased separately, avoids an unpleasant surprise after the first noisy recording on a shared desk with a housemate typing nearby.