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X = More
More Gain - The CL-X provides up to +36dB of ultra-clean gain, perfectly
suited for using low-output microphones to capture quieter source material
such as acoustic instruments, podcasting, ASMR, or even Foley. Now you
can fully take advantage of the beautiful tone of ribbon, dynamic, or tube
microphones in situations that were previously problematic due to the gain
requirements.
More Vibe - We partnered with CineMag to develop a custom nickel transformer
with very wide bandwidth, adding the element of dynamic character.
The more signal you feed the CL-X, the more the transformer dynamically
responds with just the right touch of saturation and harmonic content.
More Options - The selectable output attenuator allows you to decrease
the gain from the CL-X, yielding up to 12dB, in order to capture louder applications
such as an SM57 on a snare or loud guitar amp. Because this is
not a pad, but rather a reduction in output level, you can really lean into the
CL-X with a hotter source to hear even more harmonic content and transformer
character.
Capture Every Detail
Like all Cloudlifters, the CL-X dramatically increases the sensitivity of your
microphone in order to fully capture the nuance and detail of the source.
Many of the most incredible sounding microphones are the ones that need
the most gain. It can be challenging to capture very quiet sources with ribbon,
tube, and dynamic mics without hearing noise and frequency loss introduced
by many preamps being driven into upper gain ranges. With the
CL-X, the detail and nuance - the true character of your mic - comes right
to the foreground, in remarkable contrast to the tone achieved when pushing
a preamp to achieve a similar volume.
All Gain is Not Created Equal
The ultra-clean gain of the Cloudlifter coupled to your preamp offers a
sound that removes not only the noise, but unwanted coloration and frequency
degradation that occurs in proportion to the amount of gain provided
at the preamp or interface. Even with a preamp that imparts a desirable
coloration, Cloudlifters open up a different sonic option by having more of
the mic’s natural character sitting upfront. Now, with the CL-X you can
reach for the microphone that you love for its sound and tonal characteristics,
without the limitation imposed by the gain requirements.
Bring Your Mics To Life
Dynamic Mics: It is amazing how much ordinary dynamic microphones
can produce with the CL-X! With both higher sensitivity as well as significantly
reduced gain requirements, you’ll hear the character of your dynamic
mics like never before. Try a dynamic mic on high volume sources such as
a snare drum or a guitar amp with the output attenuator engaged to hear
that touch of transformer mojo from the CL-X; or, use your dynamic mic on
a very soft source which would never have been possible to capture without
the dramatic increase in sensitivity and ultra-clean gain the CL-X provides.
The results can be jaw-dropping, unlocking a whole new spectrum of
possibilities, regardless of whether you’re using expensive preamps or a
basic home studio interface.
Ribbon Mics: With the CL-X, ribbon microphones will deliver output sensitivity
similar to the best condensers while retaining that coveted sound that
defined the golden era of recording. Now, a quiet vocal or other low level
sound sources can be captured with ease, taking advantage of the beautiful
tone that only a quality ribbon mic can capture. Use your ribbon mics
with a Cloudlifter X to capture any source with absolute clarity.
Tube Mics: Tube mics also struggle with quiet sources. With the CL-X
they come to life, leaving the noise behind while unveiling the feeling and
richness of the true sound. You’ll immediately hear the difference when you
incorporate the CL-X into your audio chain.
Transformer Love
Audio transformers have played a pivotal role in capturing sound since the
early days of broadcast, multitrack recording, and even with today’s large
format recording consoles. Transformers can elicit more of the feeling and
punch of the source material, capturing the natural sonic characteristics in
a manner both dynamic and responsive in nature.
In partnership with CineMag, we began with the simple quest of innovation…
creating the ideal transformer as if we were designing a modern
recording console. It had to be ultra-clean, have very wide bandwidth, and
provide desirable dynamic responsiveness for today’s most demanding applications.
From the very first moment we heard the CL-X transformer integrated
into the Cloudlifter’s ultra-clean gain stage, we knew we had landed
on something really special. The beauty and dimension of this wonderful
transformer, amplified by the award-winning Cloudlifter circuit produced exactly
what we had hoped: ultra-clean gain with transformer love.
More Mic, Less Preamp
Simply put, all Cloudlifters give you more of the actual sound of the mic itself
while reducing coloration and distortion resulting from overdriving the
preamp's gain stage. By allowing the preamp to operate at lower gain levels,
noise floor, distortion, and other compromises to the frequency response
are dramatically reduced.
• Pair with dynamic, ribbon, and tube microphones
• Patented ultra-clean gain circuit eliminates capacitors in the audio
path
• Operates on standard +48v phantom power
• Safe for passive ribbons and tube mics! Does not pass phantom
power
• Increases microphone sensitivity and output level by up to +36dB
• Transformer-coupled design adds dynamic character responsive to
the input level
• Significantly reduces noise and unwanted artifacts by allowing the
preamps to operate in a more comfortable range
• Improves signal to noise ratio and microphone performance
• Rugged, portable, and road ready for studio and stage
• Free Lifetime Limited Warranty with product registration
• All Cloudlifter electronics made on the Navajo Nation in Arizona
• Entirely designed, manufactured and assembled in the USA
Max setting is great for
• Capturing quiet sources with low output microphones
• Podcasting, voiceover or dialog using dynamic mics
• Using battery powered shotgun mics to capture clean audio while
filming
• Live-streaming, gaming, remote conferencing
• Foley and nature recordings, where the natural tone of a ribbon or
dynamic microphone is desired
• Tracking delicate, difficult to capture sources such as a choir or string
section
• Vocals, piano, and acoustic instruments
Min 12dB attenuator setting is great for:
• Driving the input with hotter sources to hear more character
• Snare, toms, kick or drum overheads and room mics
• Louder electric guitar or bass amps
• Live vocals using dynamic mics
• Percussion, sound effects
• Driving very long cable runs in live venues