Cloudlifter Mic Activator Demo & Giveaway - Warren Huart: Produce Like A Pro 

Hi Friends, so many people I admire use the Cloudlifter. Simon Phillips, one of the greatest drummers I've ever met raved about it on not just Ribbons but SM57's, others have said it makes the SM7, one of the most versatile mics ever made an even better mic! So a special thanks to Cloudlifter for giving us one to try! I loved using this and will use it all the time from now on!! Please enter to win one of them here:- bit.ly/2QIwDlm

The top-end thing might be expected from a passive mic with a transformer output. Typical mic output impedance is ~200 ohms. Rule of thumb is to have an input impedance ~5x that, or 1k. Your Neve pre is right around that level on the 1.2k setting, but the 300R setting is going to load the mic quite a bit and reduce its ability to drive the input. (That is: Less output, easier to get into saturation, and a loss of HF.) The Cloudlifter CL-1 has an input impedance of 3k, according to a random quote I found online. (They don't list it on their product page... sigh.... I guess we're all too simple these days to be trusted with technical details. Less specs, more fancy scrolling effects! Behold, the mysterious magic box with magic in it which is magic. ... OK, I digress.) This is a high-ish impedance that should feel like a light and easy load to the mic's output transformer. There's some controversy over what an "ideal" input impedance is, as different mics will react in different ways. The more reactive components (caps, transformers, etc.) the more pronounced that effect will be. Active outputs (transistors, tubes) will care less. This is why some preamps have variable input impedance. It's not so much what is the "right" thing to do (otherwise, the only upper limit on input impedance would be determined by the tradeoff in noise), but the creative possibilities available by doing the "wrong" thing. The CL-1 output, for example, is active and so will not respond much to a change in input impedance of the upstream preamp -- ergo, you lose the "color" of the preamp's input impedance. Oh well. You will typically see a preamp top out at 50-60dB of gain, as 60dB is a multiplication of the input signal by 1,000 times. Amplifiers have a spec that is known as the "Gain-Bandwidth Product", which is basically a fancy way of saying that, as the gain goes up the bandwidth available decreases. Aside from any noise issues, this can be one benefit of using a pre- preamp like the CL. You're breaking that gain up into two stages, which allows the gain of your main preamp to be much more reasonable, and that keeps the amp within its prescribed GBP, and therefore stable. At above 60dB, any little thing is likely to set the amp off into oscillation, as it's walking a tightrope trying to react violently to anything happening on its input. There is also slew rate, which is how fast the output signal can change (expressed in volts-per-microsecond) to track the input when multiplied by some factor of gain. The higher the slew rate, the more quickly the amp can respond to changes. The more quickly it can respond, the higher frequencies it can amplify at high gain -- or, notably, a large signal at lower gain. This limit does not increase by stacking gain stages. It's often more a limitation imposed by the amp (or IC) designer to keep the amp from oscillating when triggered by a sharp transient, like a square wave with truly high bandwidth rising and falling edges. OK, well... that's a nerdy diversion that nobody asked for. :-) Carry on, guitar man.

Long time viewer, love your channel, but I'm ALWAYS blown away every time you pick up an instrument... you are SO FREAKING GOOD at playing.... man... I really appreciate your talent level.

Just got one, absolutely love the way it improves the level and sounds of the dynamic mics I never used because the signal to noise was too unbearable. I feel like I just got a bunch of new mics. You review pushed me over to pulling the trigger and wish I'd not waited so long.

Thanks for the demo. I've been meaning to check one out for some time, for the same reasons stated. Loved what it did to the R10!

On that Royer... WOW! I've heard a lot of great things about these, but never had the opportunity to use one... yet. Thanks for the insight Warren!

I have the Cloudlifter CL-2 (2 channel version) and LOVE it!! I would totally recommend getting at least two channels so you can stereo mic etc. Gives you SO much more volume without added noise or hiss and prevents you from having to crank your preamp and adding noise etc. They work Great with Ribbon mics and quiet Dynamic mics.... a real game changer really. The one channel will cost $150 so you may as well get the CL-2 right away for only $250 and have what you need

I use a couldlifter cl1 with my Shure SM7B and it gives me great results. The reason I bought it in the first place is because I had a really old interface from 1999 and had too much noise when cracking up the gain. Lowered the gain and volume, got the cloudlifter and suddenly I could record the most quiet parts without any additional noise, so it gives about 20-25db of clean gain for sure. Now I use it with my Babyface PRO, it's a little less diference then before because RME has some great preamps, but it still gives me a better and cleaner sound then if I just crack up the gain on the interface. So I use in this way: 60% interface, 40% cloudlifter and it sounds way better then interface on it's own with a cranked up gain. Those are my thoughts anyway... Used it on vocals and acoustic guitars so far.

What an amazing little tool. I'd describe its sound - especially on the Royer - as having more clarity. I know podcasters love it with a sm7b. Boy, it really adds more than just 25dB.

Very very helpful! Small quite amps with dynamic mic definitely benefits!

I have the CL-Z model and use it with an SM57 to mike my amps. It puts the SM57 right in the sweet spot for gain without having to run my preamp gain on my Apollo way up. The icloud does it with no noise that I can hear. I can actually change the tone slightly with the impedance adjustment too which is just icing on the cake. The icloud made several of my dynamic mics that I wasn't using sound good enough that I'm back to using them again. Worth the money.

Love you warren. A wonderful sounding mic. It has a wonderful dynamic range the attack with the cloud lifter (if you want so increased a lot).

Great review, Warren. Loved what it did with the Royer ribbon -- that could be a winning combo. And thanks for sharing your guitar techniques and deets with us! :)

I picked one of these up last week, worth every penny.

I bought one when I purchased some Cascade ribbon mics (it was recommended by Cascade) but I never thought to use it on a sm57 or SM7. Will have to try it tonight. Good tip. Thanks

I also use mine on my SM7B and it's brilliant!

Very interesting. It was awesome watching you just melt away on the guitar and the cloudlifter was pretty impressive on the ribbon. would love to hear it on a snare. A great and informative review. Cheers!

Wow! I always wanted to hear how these affect the sound and I'm liking it! Great review! Crossing my fingers to win the Giveaway!

Cloudlifter is a go to with my SM7b when I'm recording anything with that mic

I have a CL 4 in a rackmount. One of the things I have found is that a firmly hit snare plus Sm57+cloudlifter gives way too much gain to avoid digital clipping. This is where its use could be more for using dynamics and ribbons as room mics. Even on a medium-volume guitar amp, your signal can get very hot!

Thanks to Paul White's (SOS Magazine) personal recommendation to me at AES in New York in 2011, I've been using Cloudlifter on all of my ribbon and dynamic mics. They make a huge difference, and they're indispensable to any studio or home music creator. Once you use one it's impossible to live without it.

Wonderful improvement on the Ribbon!

*In my DAW/Digital Mixer - Saw Studio and SAC, I have no need for that device, all I do is BOOST the gain in the system and BAMM. I think it has 20+db of additional gain, above what ever preamp. Truth be told with a simple BEHRINGER ADA8200, I get all the gain I need and analog silk smooth, with the audio engine architecture!*

I use a CL-1 with my EV RE-20 for VO work. I actually have an incredibly clean SSL preamp, but the CL-1 just adds a life to the mic that I can get elsewhere.

Interesting trying it out on the Vox Brian May. I love Vox amps in general, but that thing is harsh, shrill, and papery. Then again, it's also really a practice amp. I had it for about two years and never used it for anything, not even practising.

Definitely worth doing. Noticeable difference. Imagine the guitar on RS 'Angie' if it had gon gone through that thing?!?! Now I know what to save up for!

I love your musical OCD, Misty to the blues in 3 seconds!

to my (youtube jacked) ears, I think you said it best: it makes the mic sound more "dynamic" somehow. At first there was this evenness, almost compressed leveling going on, and then the cloudlifter gave it some range-y detail. Not "better", per se, because that's a contextual thing, but appears to be a great option to have at the ready in case you want to switch it in. I like!

Hello Warren, thanks a lot for the marvelous pedagogical work you are accomplishing in every of yours videos ! As beginner I appreciate a lot ! 👏 Would be amazing one day to get your overview on the CLOUD 44-A microphone, I’m dreaming about search kind of review about this mic by an expert like you ! Marc 😎

Glad to Hear you back. Love the information that you shared this clip. :)

Nice video, thanks Warren. Your video was an eyeopener for the cloudlifter (what a promising name).

I have seen a few of your videos, but I didn't know you could shred. keep that up!

Hey, I love the word warm. It actually makes sense. The one I hate is round.

Wow! That guitar playing on this! Kinda stunning. 💥🌟😀

A lot of people seem to love the Cloudlifter on SM7bs as well!

Came here for the gear review...but what insane playing (noodling?) from Warren There's a reason he's one of the top producers in the world

Good video, I've been wanting to get one of these.

I love my 2 channel version, I bought mine right after you visited Simons studio.

Love Yamaha acoustics.. I’ve been meaning to get a cloudlifter for my Shure SM mics because my Audient iD22 only has 80 dB of gain so I pretty much need to crank them up all they way. That’s what plugins are for though lol

It'd be fantastic to get tips on how impedance affects sound on pre-amps. I've heard all sorts of crazy stories about impedance and pre-amps.

I love my Cloudlifter. I use it a lot. There's a lot of mics that just need a little more gain. They go great with most Shure mics, especially SM-7B's and S-55's. Wonderful vid, my good chap.

Wow, beautiful sound!! :0

Hi Warren, great review, it certainly gives more umph!, I like it, cool guitaring, thank you, all the best, Darren Ross.

Hi Warren, love your channel and thanks for this video. I am purchasing the sm7b today and wondering do I need the Cloud Lifter if I already have a mic preamp such as the Presonus TubePre? Thanks again for a great video.

trying the cloudfilter CL-Z with variable impedance.

I like this mic! Great video.

He’s a monster! Hats off buddy!

When using it with a passive ribbon mic, make sure everything is set up properly before you turn on the phantom power, because phantom can damage a passive ribbon.

Great product and revieuw!

try the 57 on the acoustic with it.. takes on a more condenser mic sound..

I know the focus here is studio mixing but I’m curious about your thoughts on adding a cloudlifter (or other recommendations) to the output of my Shure Wireless 58 for lead vocals (my vocals) during live shows. Maybe this is completely off base, I’m just a fan of the channel and have yet to find a resource I like/trust for good live sound tips. The problem I’m trying to resolve is consistent vocal presence. I’m a rock tenor with some natural vocal compression and when I hit certain resonance areas my vocals tent to disappear in the mix. Looking for ways to make mixing my vocals easier on sound guys. Help!

Thanks for this video, I've been eyeing devices like this for a pair of old RCA DX-77s but never had a chance to try one. I assume that the CL is in effect a neutral sounding "wire-plus-gain" type micpre. However, with the CL being the first ( transformer-less relatively high impedance) device the mic's output transformer sees, wouldn't one forego the sonic signature a transformer input micpre or switchable impedance micpre would impart on the signal were it connected directly to the mic. I guess what I'm asking is whether the CL will sound different plugged into a high quality micpre vs a cheap interface micpre ( an interesting comparisson test to do) and what would it mean to folks who like to use their high-dollar micpres as tone shaping devices. Would the CL turn expensive character pres into generic gain stages?

No probs.....great channel btw

Put a few couldlifters in series, won’t even need a preamp, can go straight into line-in

I dont mind the term warm. A lot of good things are warm. Food, tea, women. Why not guitars?

Whew... you certainly embrace the "scratch" in scratchplate. Experimenting with a sixpence? 😃

They make a 4 channel rack mount box as well for those that want to use it on multiple mics (i.e: Overheads, and snare)

I've recommended these to people and haven't even had a chance to use them myself. LOL!

Awesome video & giveaway as ever Warren :).

The red special!

What are the speakers next to the genelec speakers

Nice chops bro...!

Hi mate! We know (theoricaly) that it doesn't work with condenser mics, but: Can you used that kind of devices with condenser mics in some positive ways? Thanks a lot.

Hey Warren you have a new set of 5" next to ur genelec's. What are they and why do you like them? Thanks

Hey, Warren. I love your videos and the community you’ve created. I have one suggestion though. When you fast forward the videos, could you please mute the audio and play some music instead? When listening on earphones, it’s a bit too much high frequency. 🙈 Thanks so much for the great content! God bless.

Damn Warren, we've been watching your videos since you had 49k subscribers, if you're ever in London again come visit us!

Hey Warren, nice, but what about trying the

Hi Warren. Nice review :)! I've used the cloudlifter myself a few times with the cheap t.bone ribbons (RB500's), and they really do the job. How terrified would you be to use the cloudlifter with a coles? I ask because I myself find myself pretty terrified... especially when I ain't got a grand to replace one... On a side note, could you do a review of the t.bone ribbons? I've heard Chris Tsangarides say glowing things about the RM700's in a magazine interview.

I want to try the cloud lifter on my Fender Rhodes Electric Piano I heard it will work

Awesome! Love it on the acoustic! The Brian May guitar seems to have a fairly short neck, or is that just me? Never got the chance to play it.

It may be time for an "Adjective Definition In Context Of PLAP List". List items like Warm, Smooth, Brittle, etc.

Hey Warren! Radial has a similar device called the McBoost that does a similar thing, but offers more controls, including impedance selection! In theory, this should make it more tuneable than the Cloudlifter. Maybe worth a check-out?

Mr Heart I have a question I think it may help audio engineer's can you do demo's on mic's that would sound better with cloud lifter? My mixer only has 15 vaults and I connected a phantom box and connected to Focuseright 3gen and quality sound very much cleaner. But my Samsung C1 goes perfect with the mixer alone.

Really digging the tone with the Brian May gear. That said i am hearing a lot of amp noise when you are playing. Are you not fond of noise gate pedals or you just " going with the flow". Not bad talking you by any means. Just curious. By the way QUEEN RULES.

You've got some cool licks / riffs in the first third of the video (that's all I've seen of it at the time of this comment).

Spot On Rkid

I like riff at 5:00 is it yours?

Cathedral Pipes, cheaper alternative, still a quality product.

Sooooo when can we actually enter the raffle?

"Louder is better, David. On this planet, louder is better."

That Yamaha sounds great! I have new respect for that brand now; always thought of them as cheapo guitars!

Had some gipsy jazz feel for a second. Little Django?

new monitors? what are they?

I´ve used the Cloudlifter for many years now... Let me tell you foks this... THROW YOUR FREAKING MONEY AT THEM... that´ little devil does more for ya mic´s then anything else and can be used on most anything with a low input. Clean Ultra gain is what we need, and this provides it :-) -they could charge much more, then what they do at the moment, it´s well worth it.. I´m using it on the dynamic mic Shure SM7B...

damn you got some chops!

💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

the only time a cloudlifter should be recommended is when it is being used for it's intended purpose, which is for boosting the gain of ribbon mic's and block phantom power from harming them. There are a lot of guys out there who don't know what they are talking about posturing themselves as professionals

I can not hear any difference.