Cloud Microphones CL-Z CloudLifter Variable Impedance Mic Activator Cloud Microphones

The Cloud® Microphones Cloudlifter® CL-Z Mic Activator® uses phantom power from your preamp to solve an array of common issues with dynamic and ribbon microphones while maximizing your audio quality, making it a must-have box for your studio or live toolset. It’s designed to be a middleman between your mic and preamp, maximizing the signal quality by providing an additional +25dB of ultra-clean gain. This can dramatically improve the sound quality when using preamps that are noisy in their upper gain range, and with long cable runs.

The CL-Z provides a spectrum of new possibilities with its comprehensive feature set. Continuously variable input impedance from 150 ohms to 15k ohms allows for ultimate control over your microphones character, while the variable low-cut filter allows for custom tonal shaping and control over the microphone’s natural proximity effect. This is especially useful for voice and other sources where lower frequencies need a gentle or drastic reduction.

The CL-Z, like all Cloudlifters, requires phantom power to operate, yet does not pass phantom to the input. For this reason, Cloudlifters are an ideal solution for ribbon, dynamic, and tube microphones alike!

Features:

• High-Pass Filter frequency is variable from below 20hz to over 200hz
• Dual gain settings allow for a +12dB or +25dB increase
• Increases gain before feedback ratio in live & public address performances
• Easy to use self contained design requires only phantom power
• Compatible with tube, battery, or power supply driven microphones
• Protects any passive ribbon with no transfer of phantom
• Utilizes Patent Pending Class A ,Discrete JFET circuitry
• Rugged, road ready and portable, for studio, stage and broadcasting
• Free lifetime limited warranty for parts and labor, with product registration
• Handcrafted entirely in the USA

Upgrade the Potential of Your Microphone and Preamp
Cloudlifter® Mic Activators® use phantom power from your preamp to solve an array of common issues with microphones. Cloudlifters provide up to +25dB of ultra-clean gain, maximizing the microphones’ signal strength and clarity, which lowers the noise floor and amount of gain required with any preamp. By allowing preamps to operate in a more comfortable gain range, the frequency response remains more intact and the self-noise of the preamp is reduced.

Character Control using Variable Input Impedance Loading
The CL-Z provides up to +25dB of ultra-clean gain, variable input impedance and a variable high-pass filter. Having an input impedance control that is sweepable from 150 ohms to 15k ohms allows you to creatively load the microphones’ output transformer, with the result being a wide range of new tonal variations becoming available to each mic.

Variable High-Pass Filtering = Proximity Effect Control
The variable high-pass filtering works in conjunction with the impedance value, allowing for even more tonal shaping and control. When engaged, the frequency cutoff is affected by the impedance setting. This allows for a sweep-able frequency cutoff range from below 20hz to approximately 200hz, just by turning the “Z” knob. This can be especially useful for tonal shaping or reducing the proximity effect of a ribbon or dynamic microphone.

Variable Gain
The CL-Z has a two-position gain switch allowing for more gain, or the maximum gain available. Most of the time the MAX (approx. +25db) position will be used, however, the reduced gain setting (approx. +12dB) may be useful in situations where the source does not require as much gain, or where more of the preamps’ color from additional gain is desired.