Cloudlifter CL-1
The magic microphone activator for demanding dynamic mics.
Our verdict
Worth it if you already own an interface you are happy with and a single microphone lacks gain. If you are starting from scratch, put the budget into an interface that supplies that gain natively: you will save a box and a cable.
What the community says
The Cloudlifter exists for one reason: to give roughly 25 dB of clean gain to a demanding dynamic microphone without adding hiss. It is the standard answer to the SM7B problem on an entry-level interface, and the unit is described as transparent. The most common criticism is not about effectiveness but price: many argue it costs less to change interface than to stack an external preamp.
DL« Effective and transparent, but it is a patch: weigh it against the price of a high-gain interface. »
Quick specs
Strengths
- About 25 dB of clean gain: the answer most often given to dynamic microphones lacking gain on an entry-level interface.
- Reputed to be transparent: feedback mentions no audible colouration, which makes it a sonically risk-free addition.
- Powered by the interface's phantom power: no extra mains adapter to plug in.
Limitations
- The cost relative to what it delivers is the main complaint: several reports advise investing in a high-gain interface from the start instead.
- It requires an extra XLR cable and adds a box hanging off the microphone — a detail that shows on a boom arm.
Who it's for
- +Shure SM7B owners
- +Studio podcasters
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