[Review&QnA] Cloud Microphones - Cloudlifter - CL-2 Dynamic/Ribbon Mic Activator Inline Preamp - Handmade in the USA
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[Review&QnA] Cloud Microphones - Cloudlifter - CL-2 Dynamic/Ribbon Mic Activator Inline Preamp - Handmade in the USA
About this item
- Ultra-Transparent World Class Design
- Ideal For Low Output Passive Dynamic/Ribbon Microphones
- Turns Phantom Power into +25db Inline Pre-Amplification
- Free lifetime limited warranty for parts and labor, with registration
- A Must-Have Tool for Dynamics and Ribbons
Reviews
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
You need a phantom power source before buying this!
I bought this to use with my RT 707 reel to reel player to record with mics. I bought this without realizing that I needed Phantom Power (which I luckily had). Please note, this does not work on condenser mics. But for what it is, it is pretty amazing.
The RT 707 did not have any substantial mic gain for my dynamic mics and that's where the CL2 does the job. The 25db of clean gain boost makes it very audible.
But if you're not looking for the gain boost, you might just be better off going for a mixer.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
) Cloud Lifters are particularly useful for situations where you need to place a ribbon ...
Use this and turn your SF12 into an SF24 for only $250! :)
Cloud Lifters are particularly useful for situations where you need to place a ribbon mic some distance from your preamp(s), and equally useful if the recording conditions require that ribbon mics be placed a little farther from the musician(s) than you'd like them to be, and even more so if the source is fairly quiet to begin with.
Ribbon mics produce extremely low level outputs, and even less in many real-life recording situations. That makes the signal somewhat vulnerable to noise pickup over long cable runs. The Cloud Lifter series raise ribbon mic outputs to condenser mic levels, as well as reducing the impedance of the line driver. Both help to minimize extraneous noise pickup.
They also MAY improve the gain structure of your signal chain. Some mic pres are substantially noisier when you try to get the last 10dB of gain out of them - as you certainly will, sooner or later, with a ribbon. Splitting the gain between what is essentially a line driver and the mic pre can result in a noticeably quieter path. Not always, but often enough to make these valuable tools.
As a note: The CL2 is bigger and heavier than you might think from the picture. Unlike the CL1, it does not have a strap, or other intrinsic way to attach it to a mic stand. You will want to place this on the floor, or velcro it to the base of your mic stand, rather than placing it as close as possible to the mic (where it actually belongs).
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Cloudlifter delivered the vocals!
I wasn't sure when I bought this but I needed something to boost the signal from our microphones. I had to turn the mics up all the way on the PA and gave us no good choices for mixing and the sound wasn't great. Put this in-line with our mics, turned on the phantom power for the mics - and boom! I barely have to turn up the volume on the mics and we can actually hear ourselves and sound amazing out in the audience. It's well made, does what it says it'll do and made a huge difference in our sound - this is the best piece of equipment I've bought in ages!
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Must-have studio tool
If you've ever used a ribbon mic on a quiet acoustic instrument like a violin or acoustic guitar, you probably know how beautifully the ribbon sound compliments the tone. You probably also know how difficult it can be to get a good level when you're using a ribbon on a quiet instrument. Even with a clean preamp, there's a point where adding more gain begins to add too much signal noise. The Cloudlifter solves this problem by amplifying the mic's signal before the preamp. Not only does your clean preamp sound better but now you can experiment with your noisier, more colorful preamps, too.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Magic
I use a rode procaster and they run very quiet. We have had to run these at nearly 100% to get a good volume. In comes the cloud booster and my life is forever changed. We not run the mics at 20% and they are hot, in all the right ways. It has totally cleaned up our production and post production. The cloud booster is a must for mics like the procaster, SM57b, or low gain mics. Amazing.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
It works good. almost too good
It works good. almost too good...I tested it on my SM7B as well as my refurbished SM58 on my Steinberg UR22 at a rate of 96k. This thing gets loud when in close proximity. I almost clipped with the volume not even half way up. Before buying this product, I woud have to turn the volume all the way up to get decent signal on my SM7B, and even then, there was heavy room noise.
If you need a boost, this will do the trick, Just make sure you have a decent compressor to go along with your signal chain.
Also, this product is american made in Arizona by people of the Navajo Indian Tribe. I live in California, I was amazed how it only took one day to ship, that is the fastest a product has ever been shipped to me.
If you buy this product, you will make america great again.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Wow! I think I now know what quiet really is!
I recently purchased an USB interface with very low-noise preamps, even at maximum gain. However, I wanted more gain for the dynamic mics I have got. After much online research, I decided to buy the CL 2.
There is no doubt that it brought me the gain that I needed for the mics. But what shocked me was what I found out after comparing level-matched tracks with and without the CL 2. It turns out the CL 2 tracks had even less noise! In fact, whatever noise that I could barely hear on the tracks without CL2 (and barely see on a frequency analyzer) was not present on the tracks with CL 2.
I think I now know what quiet really is!
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Couldn't be better!
Simple to install and use. Plug it in and you're ready to go. Lifts the signal from the mic with no discernible issues. A great product!
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Wonderful for dynamics and ribbons!
The Cloud Lifter is a great device. I often record quiet sources and sometimes I want the sound of a ribbon or dynamic microphone. Unless you have an adjustable output preamp that already has lots of clean gain, you're likely to have noise issues. The Cloud Lifter gives you the extra clean gain you need for these mics. It's transparent in its operation and easy to use. All you need is phantom power running to it. Great product and a life saver!
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Great amp for mics that DON"T need phantom power
Great amp for mics that DON"T need phantom power. If your mic needs phantom power find another amp, this blocks all power to the mic.
Question & Answer
Question :
What type of xlr cables should i get to use this? i have a shure sm7b. female to male? the from the cloudlifter to a scarlett 18i8 what cable to get?
Answer :
2 normal XLR mic cables will do it. One from the mic to the cloud lifter and one from the cloud lifter to the interface. The cloud lifter is designed to sit in between the mic and the interface. It’s powered by phantom power from the interface.
Question :
How many inputs in this mic Preamp?
Answer :
It's a 2-channel "pre-pre amp" It is not a substitute for a mic preamp. It is used in conjunction with 2 channels of mic preamps which can supply phantom power to this "pre-pre". It is designed to add an additional 25 dB of gain which is useful if one's actual pream has only moderate gain and you are using low output ribbon or dynamic mics. It will not work with a phantom-powered condenser mic or an "active" ribbon mic which require phantom power.
Question :
does it work with guitars
Answer :
I suppose it could work, but I don't see the benefit of doing so; perhaps it might even introduce distortion.
It is designed for low-output dynamic microphones and ribbon microphones.
It takes XLR input; not 1/4" jack input.
It doesn't have variable gain.
It has just 3000 ohm mic impedence.
It is designed to add additional gain for existing pre-amps that should already have enough gain for a guitars.
Disregarding the above, isn't typical instrument output levels around -20 dBu? The Cloudlifter provides 20 to 25-db of gain, which is designed to bring microphones that output -60 db up to around -40-db; With a guitar already around -20 db, a cloudlifter might push signal output over line level -- I would suspect that there might be distortion as a result. I wouldn't even recommend the Cloudlifter for most condenser microphones for this reason, as they too have a loud output already.
Ultimately, I don't know for sure, but I suspect the answer from most people will be no.
Question :
I see that it has 2 mic inputs. would this be useful for a 2 person podcast with 2 sm7bs?
Answer :
That would be a great use for it
Question :
If I plug in 2 mics together from it to a single plug in the Interface, does it actually act like a mic splitter to record in stereo instead of mono?
Answer :
It's not a splitter itself no. These are 2 distinct channels in and out. The idea is for you to connect one or two dynamic or ribbon mics to the input and then connect a mixer or preamp to the output. If you combined the signals at the output it can work but that will depend on the capability of the interface you are using.
Question :
can i use this with my wireless shure mic to sing karaoke
Answer :
yes. The XLR cable will go from the wireless receiver to the CL-1
Question :
Can you use a consider mic with this?
Answer :
If you mean a condenser mic, no, this is only for dynamic and ribbon mics
Question :
How many inputs in this mic Preamp?
Answer :
It's a 2-channel "pre-pre amp" It is not a substitute for a mic preamp. It is used in conjunction with 2 channels of mic preamps which can supply phantom power to this "pre-pre". It is designed to add an additional 25 dB of gain which is useful if one's actual pream has only moderate gain and you are using low output ribbon or dynamic mics. It will not work with a phantom-powered condenser mic or an "active" ribbon mic which require phantom power.
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