Cloudlifter CL-Z - Vari-Z Mic Activator - Variable Impedance Control Microphone Preamp

Own Your Tone: Experience Ultimate Control

The Cloudlifter CL-Z is a unique device that offers exceptional control over your microphone's tone, without any phase alteration. It's a little like an EQ, but with a continuously variable high-pass filter that allows you to tighten, widen, and gently shape the sound in the direction you desire. This is particularly useful for controlling proximity effect with ribbon mics, as the clarity can be dialed in effortlessly. With tube condenser mics, the variable impedance "Z control" works like magic to tame sibilance without affecting phase.

Wiley Ross from the University of Arizona explains the Cloudlifter CL-Z, a product from the founder and CEO of Cloud Microphones, Rodger Cloud. Cloudlifters are designed to work with any dynamic or passive ribbon microphone, turning +48v phantom power into up to +25dB of ultra-clean gain. They also seamlessly integrate with tube condensers.

To use a Cloudlifter, simply place it between the microphone and your preamp/interface using XLR cables. Enable the +48v phantom power and then dial in the gain to find the sweet spot. Unlike many cheap boosters, the Cloudlifter circuits are transparent and clean, avoiding the added color or noise that can come with gain increase.

In fact, Shure licensed the technology from Cloud for their new SM7dB's active circuit, recognizing it as the best solution. The Cloudlifter is hand-built in the USA, out of Arizona steel, with circuit boards sourced from the Navajo Reservation.

Cloudlifters are essential tools for studio/home engineers, podcasters, musicians, voice actors, ASMR artists, live sound engineers, and worship services. The product line has expanded beyond the classic CL-1, with the CL-X Series offering multiple channels, variable impedance, and selectable gain stages.

The flagship CL-Z Series is known as the "Ultimate Cloudlifter," providing the most control over gain and tone. It features a custom Cinemag transformer that adds harmonic content, as well as the versatile Vari-Z knob for shaping your sound at a sonic level.

Whether you choose the original CL-1, the CL-X with extra features, or the top-of-the-line CL-Z, a Cloudlifter can elevate the performance of any microphone in your locker. You'll hear more of the true character of the mic itself, as the Cloudlifter provides clean, transparent gain without compromising the audio.

Cloud Microphones is a boutique brand based in Tucson, Arizona, dedicated to bringing the warmth and soul of vintage recordings into the modern era. Their passion for microphone technology, combined with a commitment to quality American manufacturing, has made the Cloudlifter line a staple in home and professional studios worldwide.

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