Thursday, February 24, 2011

SomeAudioGuy Video Mini-Review: Cloud Microphone's Cloudlifter CL-1 Mic Activator

If you record with low output mics you'll always be craving more gain. The CL-1 is here to give it to you. For engineers using ribbon and dynamic mics, check out my review of Cloud Microphone's Cloudlifter CL-1 Mic Activator.



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13 comments:

  1. Excellent. Great advice and presentation. I'm going to refer everyone.

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  2. I'm glad you liked it!
    Thanks for recommending it to others!

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  3. I had a ribbin mic that I couldn't get enough sound out of. Even with 48v. It's boxed now and I've moved on to a large diaphragm condenser from Blue. Maybe the Mic Activator would have been a better choice. Mmm... Well, I'm happy with the Blue, it was meant to be.

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  4. Well, unless you have an active ribbon, then you're really not supposed to use phantom power with a ribbon...

    Glad you like the Blue. They make great gear. I just like having many different mics to play with... ;-)

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  5. Excellent, professionally done presentation. You presented your information in an entertaining way as well.
    BTW, the Cloud ribbon (without the active electronics) sounds wonderful and works beautifully with the "lifter/activator."

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  6. Thanks Robert.
    I'm breaking in a Cascade fathead right now, my very first ribbon. Kind of an odd mic to use on spoken word recording. Will probably be producing a video on that soon too...

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  7. Where's the phantom power for the Cloudlifter coming from?

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  8. Hey Scully.
    The H4n in the video is supplying phantom power, but any dedicated preamp or interface should be capable of driving the CL.

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  9. Hmm. Maybe I should get one. The SM57 sounds smooth with the H4n. I'm currently trying an SM57 with a dbx 286A + CL-1 to an Edirol R-09HR. I'm also swapping out the dbx for an Edirol UA25. In both cases it just sounds too... "dry." Your voice sounds smooth, and I don't think it's just your voice.

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  10. Whoa. Scully. Pump the brakes.
    If I find out that, with the gear you already own, you went out and bought a $300 portable recording unit to make an SM57 sound better, I swear to the god I don't believe in, I will find where you live, drive there, and deliver a swift kick up the arse.

    Couple things you can try:
    1- Play with mic position. It's sort of like a stage actor finding their light. Move around. Change the position and angle in your booth. Move the mic around. Find that sweet spot.
    2- Try different locations. Do you usually record in a small space? Go bigger. Typically recording in a large space? Go small.
    3- Check out your preamp settings. Maybe your dbx is hitting the compressor to hard? Maybe the de-esser or expander is getting in the way?

    I typically like to record as clean as possible. Usually I'll JUST go preamp, sometimes I'll throw in a compressor as a safety net, but I never use any other gear as an effect on spoken word.

    I'll always recommend working backwards. Disable everything you can to work with as simple a recording chain as possible, and with THAT see if you can achieve the sound you want.
    After that, then it's easy to replace a de-esser or compressor, since they wont be used to CREATE the sound you want, they'll only be there to protect it.

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  11. Will the cloudlifter allow me to get further from my
    dynamic mic ... sennheiser 421 ... And use it on a deskstand
    8 to 12 inches away from my mouth ? thanks

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    1. It will, but dynamics need a LITTLE proximity to help flesh out the sound. You'll lose a little of that "rich/warm" at that distance. You can hear what that sounds like in my tech review videos.
      Here's one I did on a tablet case: http://youtu.be/uJPXCdu7VHk

      I used an SM57 as an overhead, and it's not bad. It's picking up way less crap than a shotgun would.

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  12. AudioGuy - Can you recommend a good, inexpensive ribbon
    microphone (hopefully under 300 USD), and would
    it be worth it looking into the used market like
    shure 33, or the 333.

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