Want to 3D-print a holder for your Sennheiser XS Lav microphone? The flat-base STL is FREE. Download the free flat-base microphone clip on Gumroad for personal or classroom use, then add your own adhesive hook-and-loop fastener to mount it where you need it. The phone-overhang option shown below is available in a separate paid bundle.
This small clip also makes a useful design lesson you can hold in your hand. For my Sennheiser XS Lav USB-C microphone, two measurements shaped the fit: a 6.5 mm gripping diameter and 5 mm of available gripping length. The detail that keeps it in place is where the cradle ends.
Why the snap-fit clip must pass the midpoint
Matching the diameter gives the microphone somewhere to sit. Retaining it needs another detail: the sides of the cradle must extend above the circle’s horizontal centreline.
A semicircular cradle ending at that line leaves an open path upwards. It can support the capsule, but provides no geometric snap retention. Extending the lips beyond the midpoint makes the entrance narrower than the diameter being held. The lips flex apart during insertion, then recover around the capsule to resist it lifting out. That is the basis of the “click-in” action; an audible click is not guaranteed.
I used a nominal 6.7 mm cradle bore around the 6.5 mm gripping diameter and a 240° wrap. The 5 mm gripping length keeps the cradle within the available cylindrical section. Diameter, opening, wall thickness and material flexibility work together to determine the fit.
This follows the same habit I discussed in sizing a design around an accessory: start with the object that must fit, then build the surrounding form. The steel rule positioning block provides another example of a small retaining detail changing how parts meet.
Flat base or phone-overhang mount?
The free flat-base version is a straightforward starting point if you prefer choosing your own mounting position. It offers a 15 × 10 mm mounting surface for users who prefer adhesive hook-and-loop fastening, such as Velcro. The fastener is supplied separately; its thickness and adhesion need to suit the chosen surface.
The overhang version is my preference. It clips over the phone edge and adds rounded internal gripping ribs for extra hold. This version was designed around my 11 mm phone-and-case thickness. A different case can change the contact, flexibility and grip, so measure yours before printing.
Both versions have been printed, and the photographs show the microphone seated. Check the fit gently on your own print, keep the acoustic opening and phone controls clear, and inspect for cracking or looseness. Print material and tolerances still matter.
Get the free flat-base STL—or choose the phone mount
To try the design, choose Flat Base V3 — Free on Gumroad and enter US$0; a tip is optional. The download includes the STL, a print-and-fit guide and a personal/classroom licence. If you prefer the phone-edge mounting option, the US$3.99 bundle includes both the overhang and flat-base STLs.
Want to sell physical prints? Choose the corresponding commercial option: US$11 for the flat base or US$14.99 for both designs. Each allows up to 100 physical clips in total; the bundle shares that allowance across both designs. Designer credit is appreciated but optional. Digital files may not be resold or shared under either licence.
Get the FREE flat-base microphone clip STL on Gumroad
For design students, the lesson is practical: do not simply record a critical dimension. Explain what it controls. Here, a diameter establishes the seat, a length defines the available contact, and the lips above the midpoint create the retaining geometry.
#SennheiserXSLav #MicrophoneClip #SnapFitDesign #CriticalDimensions #3DPrinting #DesignAndTechnology #DesignJournalSOS
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