Do you really need a Cloudlifter or FetHead? (ft. Shure SM7B)

In this video I explain in which situations you might need a Cloudlifter or FetHead.
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[@JulianKrause]

The FetHead Phatom (which passes on phantom power) is deliberately neglected it in this video as you don't need an in-line preamp with a condenser mic. With a condenser microphone the mic is mostly the limiting factor in terms of noise performance. So, even though a FetHead Phantom reduces the preamp noise, when you use it with a condenser mic it has next to no effect on the noise floor of the recording.

[@benjaminblumchentorooo8925]

My englisch is not the yelloe from the egg

[@Falco_perigee]

It's it possible to use both cloud lifter and fethead??

[@semilumi]

@@Falco_perigee For the same mic at the same time? No you cannot, and you wouldn't even want to. Both devices require 48V phantom power but wont pass it on, so the second device will not work. Even if it did, you'd had 52dB extra gain which is totally overkill and unnecessary when going into any microphone preamp input.

[@Falco_perigee]

@@semilumi 👍

[@electrisoma]

@@semilumi wait, if both need phantom power, then you can put the fethead phantom before putting a cloudlifter in the chain, therefor the fethead supplies phantom power to the cloudlifter. But this isnt very smart to do because this would raise the gain by around 50 db, making the recording way too hot

[@sullylastname7088]

Julian my mans, I really need you to start blinking more often :)

[@BlueNovaBeats]

Lol I’ve never seen anyone go over 30 seconds without blinking

[@atheonsorion2006]

@@BlueNovaBeats i think he does some of his explaining in separate recordings, i noticed it at around 1:41

[@ActuallySettle]

I'm pretty sure Germans just use eye drops, no use closing your eyes while you're working.

[@zogun]

lol

[@bebezer0]

😂😂😂😂

[@sylla2]

"CloudHead or FetLifter". Yeah, I heard that 😎

[@itwasntme4931]

Same hahaha

[@timotheusmiller]

It’s stressing me out. He’s a helpful genius tho

[@mcdebugger]

Yeah, me too! :))

[@megamaser]

He did this three times and the last time was obviously a joke. He's transcending the comparison videos by saying they're basically the same thing and it doesn't matter, but more importantly you need to decide whether you need it at all.

[@autiebleSam]

CloudFet LifterHead

[@MatthewChoDotCom]

this guy doesn't blink!!!

[@joshuajarman]

Gee. You are right 😳

[@skakdosmer]

Oh, yes! He blinks when you do!

[@jacoblucas5259]

holy shit

[@JustDavidMinistries]

Lau Bjerno 😂😂

True that..

[@RallenMan]

You have helped lift the cloud of confusion on the question. Excellent video.

[@cardbored_]

I didn't even throw a fet when I found out

[@MissthaufenGmbH]

6:55 "Cloudhead or Fetlifter"😂 8:06 " Cloudfet LifterHead"😂

[@hanglooserecluse]

MisthaufenGmbH ahahahahHa

[@chnacr2]

Stealing those for band names in the future

[@dharvell]

I bet he's making sure we're paying attention. Looks like we were!

[@johnyang799]

Now I realize this is intentional. What a legend!

[@bigtb1717]

Great stuff. I've been getting into audio recording lately, and I've noticed the same thing: Every time the SM7B is mentioned the immediate chorus is that you MUST get a FetLifter. I was planning on making a video with my thoughts on subject and had it planned when I saw this video go up. Your video is almost exactly what I was planning. You do such a good job explaining the point, i changed up my video plan a bit and just linked to yours in the description. I hope that's ok with you. I just figured there was no point in making almost the exact same video, and probably not even doing as good a job as you did. Cheers.

[@JulianKrause]

I liked your video very much and it was fully in line with what I expected. Thanks for the shout-out!!!

[@amplifier2]

I was thinking about this for a while. Makes perfectly sense.

[@MattCitrano]

8:06 “So, do you need a CloudFetLifterHead?” I love how subtle this was lol. I thought you mixed them up earlier in the video by mistake but after hearing that I realized you knew what you were doing. As an owner/user of the XM8500, it holds up very well next to the SM7B in your demo here! Thanks for the helpful demonstration!

[@johannesmartinus5837]

If you need more gain for your dynamic microphone and were thinking about buying a cloudlifter as a solution then you could also consider buying a DBX 286s which has a high gain pre-amp (+60dB) and a very low self-noise and save money at the same time. Also, you can now enhance the sound of your signal at the same time. The only advance with a cloudlifter would be with a field setup in combination with a dynamic microphone.

[@JEAG]

It could also be really good for live setups in weird places with bad boards xD

[@Rs2006REMAKEVids]

Audient id4 + cloudlifter = $520AUD DBX286s = $339AUD

[@IPIRIEY]

dbx 286s many only last a couple years or so from reviews. Cloudlifters on the other hand last decades, and you never hear about ppl having issues 6-7-8 years later.

[@Magnulus76]

@@IPIRIEY My guess is if they are only lasting a few years, they are using bad capacitors.

[@MichaelVRybakMusic]

in the world of microcontent and constant rush for quick results, this is a gem. Thank you Julian!

[@lance134679]

Very useful. I use a Dynamite inline preamp with my passive ribbon mics because my preamp doesn't have quite enough gain for quiet acoustic guitar recording. It's the kind that plugs directly into the microphone, and is also useful for ensuring that I never accidentally have phantom power going to the mic.

[@markolinostyle]

Have you ever had an interview with a jet engine? Haha. I loved that joke.

[@JulianKrause]

Only once, but it was just yelling at me ;)

[@markolinostyle]

@@JulianKrause hahaha

[@threepe0]

Logic! Thank you! Every time I heard 'boost without increasing the noise floor' my snake-oil alert was going off. Thanks for making this clear

[@SoundSpeeds]

One of the biggest reasons I'll recommend people buy a mic activator is if they are using an interface with a preamp possessing less than 60db of gain. Many inexpensive USB interfaces only offer 55db of gain which may not be enough for users of the SM7b especially in LIVE applications like streaming or Q&Q podcasting. The Zoom H5 still has pretty good preamps compared to very cheap units. I've observed that higher gain on these cheaper recorders can push the preamps hard thus introducing more noise.

[@JulianKrause]

In some circumstances a recording device can have not enough gain and an in-line preamp can help. The SM7B is pretty much a worst-case scenario because of its low sensitivity. But I also have to say that at least all the devices I tested so far, had enough gain to get a typical dynamic mic up to a proper recording level. Of course, the distance of the sound source will play a big roll too.

[@SoundSpeeds]

@@JulianKrause Agreed. I've used the Tascam DR-40 for many of my tests intentionally because the preamps aren't great. If you can make something sound good on something like a Tascam DR-40 or Saramonic SR-VRM1 with the poor S/N, you can make it sound good on anything.

[@JoeLamOfficial]

“Interview with a jet engine.” 😂 Excellent video. Thank you.

[@spritual_enlightenment]

Because you talk about numbers, your video is easier to learn than Chris Judd's one. Thank u.

[@DilettanteXyz]

Hi, and thanks for this. I'd appreciate your view on three things. (1) Moving closer to a dynamic mic affects the frequency response ("proximity effect") as well as the signal strength. Thus the solution of moving closer might not work on all situations - especially when a singer wants to use the proximity effect at times but move away at other times to avoid it. (2) In live situations where the mic cable might have to be very long, use of one of these devices might also be helpful. (3) For a low-output instrument pickup going direct, use of one of these devices at the output of a direct box might be very helpful, especially if a long cable run is involved.

[@JulianKrause]

1. Yes, the closer you get to a directional microphone the more proximity effect you are going to have. But you can counter that with an equalizer. Of course, if a talent is using a mic you just have to hope that they have a decent mic technique and don't hold the mic miles away from their mouth. 2. The Cloudlifter and FetHead are actually have a high output impedance which makes the signal susceptible to noise. Additionally, the cable capacitance in combination with the high impedance form a low pass filter. This means that on longer cable runs you lose the higher frequencies. So, even though a Cloudlifter or a FetHead increases the signal amplitude, it is not a good idea to run a long cable between them and the recording device. 3. Same as stated above. I would keep a Cloudlifter or FetHead as close to the recording device as possible. The SE Electronics DM1 on the other hand is purposely built to have a low output impedance. This device will increase the signal strength and has a low output impedance. The DM1 is preferably placed as close to the sound source as possible.

[@DilettanteXyz]

@@JulianKrause Hi, Thanks!

[@kintubeats]

Thank god for KZbin! How in the world would've have known all this without this platform, people really take youtube for granted these days! Great tutorial Julian, danke!

[@lumpyfishgravy]

Good video, solid logic although it only deals with noise issues. There are other reasons to consider a mic booster, following your first 3 points: 4. Live Work. Working with a low output dynamic can mean you're working at a low level overall. If you need to drive an aux or an effect whose performance depends on drive, a mic booster comes in very handy. You CAN daisy-chain channels but the output noise of many mixers is relatively high (around -100dBu) so you need to boost at least 40dB at the first stage, preferably higher. And you're creating a confusing situation. 5. ENG / Run and Gun. You'll be wanting to print straight to camera for minimal editing. 6. Long and / or interferency cables. All mic boosters give a hotter signal to mitigate interference - wherever it comes from. And some drive cables better than a simple dynamic mic, so you don't lose top end due to the capacitance of long cables. 7. Distributed Gain. Many (most?) mic preamps exhibit more distortion at higher gains. So, running a booster at +30 and a pre at +30 could well give you a cleaner signal than the pre alone at +60. Split the work. So it's not that you NEED a mic booster but for some situations, they're the obvious practical solution. And in a lot of situations, a booster isn't the answer but a decent condensor mic instead of the fashionable SM7B ;)

[@JulianKrause]

Good points! Regarding point 6 I have to add something. The output impedance of a FetHead is very high, this means that when you want to use a long cable you shouldn't put the FetHead on the mic. Yes, it does output a stronger signal than the mic itself but because of the high ouptput impedance you loose much more of the high frequencies. So, if you use a long cable run it is actually better to have the mic, with its low output impedance, drive the long cable and the FetHead should be placed right before the receiving device.

[@ramgopal.sharma]

6:55 "cloudhead or fet-lifter" 8:05 "cloud-fet-lifter-head" Hilarious 😂😂

[@pauliewalnuts1024]

Holy shit that "three" at 1:03, Inglourious Basterds flashback!

[@williamallen4607]

This was an excellent video! This is the first intelligent explanation that I have heard. Now I finally understand why I get such low levels from my SM7B into my Zoom H6. The sales girl at Guitar Center told me I might want to consider a fethead or cloudlifter, but I ignored her advice. I will be going back to the store soon. Thank you, Julian!

[@javilaroid]

Best video about this topic out there, life saver!🙏🏽

[@melchimichel3979]

This is very well done. However, you seem to assume that the only reason to use a FetHead/Cloudlifter is to reduce noise. In fact, in music recording, at least, these are primarily used with ribbon microphones, where they serve at least two additional important purposes: 1. For impedance bridging (i.e., to keep the preamp from coloring the mic due to source loading at low frequencies), and 2. To provide phantom power protection for ribbon mics that don't have it.

[@bearlyvaping943]

Clear and concise, thank you. I've just purchased a Scarlett 4i4 to go along with my Shure SM7B as my RC505 was struggling. Appreciated kindly sir.

[@Mr_G]

It's called LiftClouder!

[@nickswiniuch6948]

*Shouted in German accent*

[@Frank-in-NY]

Thanks Julian. Loved the flowchart. You saved me a few bucks. I have a Motu M4, I don't need a pre-amp.😀

[@robertmedina3982]

A video about facts that’s really nice. The microphone part was an eye opening experience thank you.

[@wipeoutking]

Very helpful, and very well presented. You are a remarkably articulate presenter, especially assuming that English is your second language. Thank you!

[@greggpedder]

Julian speaks English better than a LOT of native speakers 😮

[@IOSGaming4Life]

Das war wirklich das beste Video um zu verstehen was es mit diesen Teilen überhaupt auf sich hat. Ich hatte vorher NICHTS kapiert. Danke!

[@sagesb5530]

A cloudfetlifterhead😂😂😂

[@gravierxnd]

XD

[@neildarlow]

I use an AKG D5 with a Zoom H5 for voice recording. The microphone sits on a Samson 20cm desk stand and has a foam muffler fitted. I speak over the microphone which is angled at 45 degrees from a distance of about 20-30cm. The AKG D5 has a quoted sensitivity of -52dBV re. 1V/Pa (2.6mv/Pa) which, I believe, puts it somewhere near the Behringer XM5800 in terms of noise performance. I record to peak levels between -12dB and -6dB (with a level adjustment of about 6.5 - 7) and find the noise level to be acceptable.

[@Mavstang73]

Whoa whoa whoa. Slow down there Mr Blinky McBlinkenlots. Only thing I heard was the sound of those eyelids slamming shut. Nevertheless another excellent video.

[@TonyBabarino]

Bahahahaha!!! Mr. Blinky McBlinkenlots!! I love it! Made me laugh out loud!

[@vmtz2001]

I had too much hiss with my sm7b with my apogee duet. I got a cloudlifter and still had hiss. It just amplified the hiss. Since then, I stick with condenser mics. But really liked how the sm7b sounded in a full fledged studio. That's why I bought it.

[@andyschar]

I'm using a Focusritre Saffire Pro 24dsp and I can confirm that to get a decent level, the preamp has to be turned all the way to 10, and it's super noisy at that point. I am now considering upgrading to a better audio interface, but my thinking is that most audio interfaces aren't going to sound great at high gain, so a FetHead or a Cloudlifter makes sense.

[@danielgaudet6114]

Hi Julian, I like how you changed the names of the mic activators at 6:51 to Cloudhead and Fetlifter :) -- I don't think most viewers noticed the change.

[@grahamhall2662]

Brilliant Julian thank you. I have the UMC204hd and Sennheiser e855 (1.8 mV/Pa), sounds great with normal speech level. I will save my money on your advice. Take care Graham.

[@poltermouse]

Cloudlifter does offer a benefit, especially with microphones such as the Shure SM7B. The extra boost delivers headroom, mitigating having to crank the dials up.

[@elvinnanodatron6409]

For those who wonder, you really need a Cloudlifter or FetHead if you want to record with your dynamic mic (tried with Shure SM58 and EV RE20) on a Zoom H4n, as it's preamp is really not that good in comparison.

[@JulianKrause]

Agreed, teh original H4n has quite noisy preamps. The H4n PRO is quite a bit better, actually on paar with the H5.

[@martingonzalez5327]

Thanks for the information, not many videos clarify whether a Cloudlifter or FetHead is needed.

[@redrobbosworkshop]

Another very informative video. On a different note, that 8500 held up remarkably well against the SM7B - I think I preferred it!

[@JulianKrause]

Yeah, that thing has a crazy high price to perfromance ratio.

[@TonyBabarino]

I own 3 of the 8500. Low price and excellent quality.

[@petrzajic4945]

This video is great. All the info I needed summed up in one really great explanation. Thanks for this! You helped me a lot here! :)

[@MoorePAHireInc]

Julian, thank you for this very thorough, and well-executed video. You definitely brought up some very valid points, and it was great to see (and hear) these side by side comparisons in action.

[@AntonShields]

I really appreciated the analtical delivery. Thanks man..

[@koogan1965]

thank you. When i heavily compress my vocals there is a huge noise floor with the sm7b. You answered a question i had perfectly. I need a Fethead

[@RedBearAK]

The SM7B really seems to be the definitive popular low-output microphone that is always talked about in relation to needing an inline pre-preamp. I'm glad you finally got one to compare to your other dynamic mics. Interesting that it is usable with the Zoom H5 without cranking the gain all the way to 9 or 10. Ultimately you can almost just simplify the flowchart to the question, "Are you using an SM7B?" There's almost nothing else in common usage with lower output levels than the SM7B.

[@JulianKrause]

Haha, yeah the SM7B is really the worst-case scenario in terms of sensitivity.

[@lumpyfishgravy]

EV RE50, SM57 and Rode M1 all come close. But of those, only the RE50 could be a problem. The other two usually receive a good SPL ;)

[@johannesmartinus5837]

@@JulianKrause Have you ever tried the Golden Age Project D2 Large Diaphragm Dynamic Microphone?

[@JulianKrause]

@@johannesmartinus5837 No, I have not. It looks interesting!

[@metal571]

Answering all the questions like reading my mind, this is too funny. Definitely a major concern on anyone's mind buying an SM7B. And damn that SM7B sounds awesome...

[@JulianKrause]

My years of telepathy training are finally paying off!!! 😆

[@h.hristov]

@metal571 I see you again 😂

[@Irshaad88]

Wow. You just saved me some bucks man! Thanks. I bought a Shure SM7b and I have a Yamaha MG10XUF mixer. The Yamaha has great and super quiet D-Preamps with 64dbs. After watching your video I checked the preamp's noise rating which is at -128. So now I know I won't benefit from the SE Dynamite booster. I borrowed one from a friend, just to confirm, and it was actually a louder hiss than the mixers pre-amp. I don't even need to max out the preamp gain on the Yamaha to get to zero. Thank you so much for this. EVERY other person immediately tells you to get a cloudlifter/booster with the SM7b.

[@JackofSome]

Damn you Julian I can't stop saying FetLifter and CloudHead now.

[@robertocalderonabogado1427]

That Behringer mic sounds really good; even better than the SM7B

[@Sarah-who]

I learned so much with this video! Thank you so much, your explanations are veyr logic, clear and useful.

[@edzielinski]

Excellent video. The demonstrations and listening comparisons of the device in realtime along with the explanations for how and why they work is a very lucid. The flowchart is kinda cool too. I thought I understood the basics but after watching I feel much better informed.

[@TheBackRowShow]

This is an EXTREMELY helpful video! Thankyou

[@ASJerrell]

This video was scientific and funny. Great work. :)

[@EHBRod13]

This was an amazingly informative video. I loved how you explained all the technical aspects and demystified what we really need to look for when considering gain boosters. Subscribed.

[@EHBRod13]

Also, I have a few questions. How do you properly adjust your gain on your zoom H5 for your microphones? That is, what dB should my peaks hover around? Second, how do I find/calculate the noise floor (EIN) for my own recording device? I use the Zoom H6.

[@JulianKrause]

Hey, I set my gain in the H5, so that the audio level peaks on average between -18 and -12 dBFS. The H6 has the same Preamp noise performance as the H5. The measurement is not so trivial and needs specialized test equipment.

[@EHBRod13]

@@JulianKrause Thank you!

[@inancgumus4125]

You never blink your eyes! 👁 Good info though, thx!

[@CoreyWilson]

Inanc Gumus maybe he’s just blinking when you’re blinking 🧐

[@inancgumus4125]

@@CoreyWilson I resynchronized my blinkings and watched it twice. No, he doesn't. :)

[@basarat]

Spot on advice with excellent examples. Thanks 🌹

[@davideob6355]

Thanks Julian for a very helpful demo and explanation for this SM7B owner. I appreciate your clear, logical approach. Excuse me now while I go find a jet engine to interview!

[@JulianKrause]

Don't get to close, jet engines can be quite aggressive ;)

[@skinnyTheCat]

Wonderful and very helpful video Julian! Thanks for all your great and honest reviews and videos. You have really helped me in getting the practical and theoretical knowledge on so many subjects around home studio & recording! Thanks! :) Pls keep doin these great videos!

[@Tysto]

I bought a Fethead for use with my Lewitt MTP 550 DM because I had to have the gain turned up nearly to 100% on my PreSonus Studio 24C interface to get a usable signal, and if I went all the way to 100%, I would get audible hiss. The Fethead allows me to have the gain set at about 60% with a considerably louder signal, even when the mic is several inches from my mouth. That's important, because before, with the mic a couple of inches from my mouth, it inevitably caused some plosive pops no matter and captured some proximity effect. The levels I get now are still lower than what I got with my Samson USB mic, but the noise is so much lower it doesn't matter.

[@samueltaylor2757]

Great video. I think that your analysis works well for recording but I think some people may want to still consider a pre-amp for live situations. Personally, I've found a fet head useful with a low noise Audient id14 interface. The problem is that the gain isnt quite loud enough for some consumer sofware unless you use the 10dB digital lift. For post production I completely agree with you and I think its still usaeable like. However, its nice to have the additional hardware gain when using a low sensitivity dynamic mic.

[@41ace68]

Straight to the point thanks now I have time to leave a comment for once

[@tstankie]

Great video. And I'm shocked how slight the difference was between the sound of SM7B and XM8500.

[@Emayzin]

Honestly, even with the SM7b and a Focusrite 2i4 setup I'm able to get the gain to around -12 to -18 dB for rap vocals with much less noise than with a Fethead or SE DM1. This is with the Focusrites preamp maxed at about 90%, so not even fully maxed out. I'll probably keep the Fethead for recording quieter signals with the SM7b, but this video saved me from irritating noise that goes along with vocals that are loud enough for my mic and preamp combo without an inline booster. Returning the DM1, so you saved me money!

[@MikeG-js1jt]

you said "a FET lifter" oh man I laughed!

[@wb5mgr]

Great video, I think way too many people buy these devices that don’t need them just because of what I call “groupthink” or stuff that you hear on forums or around the water cooler. That being said, there was one aspect that you left out that should be considered when looking at an in-line preamp as a solution. That is the case of in live sound if you are running an extremely long line of several hundred feet or more and a mic level signal is inappropriate or you are just having noise issues from other closely coupled lines for example. If you were to install something like a fethead or cloudlifter in line very close to the source, it can boost the signal up a lot closer to line level which will give you a lot more noise immunity and therefore allow you to retain a lot more signal at the other end of the line greatly improving your S/N ratio. We would often times use multichannel versions of something like these to boost signal on long runs across a venue where you might have a microphone hanging from a ceiling for ambient crowd noise and the cable up there might be over 1000 feet back to the booth.

[@88ueshiba88]

i'm enjoying soo much your channel, please keep it going!

[@astasuleo]

Julian, very nice video. Congrats.

[@TruePilotUK]

would not wanna be in a staring contest with this dude

[@JTCPingas]

I use an SM7B with the Rode AI-1 at 100% gain. Output is slightly on the low side with peaks between -18 and -12db, but it's perfectly manageable.

[@JulianKrause]

Absolutely, that's because the AI-1 has an Eqiovalent Input Noise of -128dBu(A). The preamp in this device is pretty low noise! Peaking around -18dBFS is totally fine for dialogue ;)

[@joelonsdale]

Great video that cuts through the gear-lust...

[@gochurra5702]

Sooo pro straight to the point thank you so much !!!!

[@tobagomango]

Thanks Julian, helpful and comprehensive!

[@JulianKrause]

Glad it helped and thanks for the support!

[@TonyBabarino]

I’m excited that he used the same mics I use; XM8500! I have 3 of them. Low price, excellent sound!

[@taurus3973]

This analysis assumes that all inline preamps are equally transparent in the signal transmission, which isn’t the case. My Fethead, for example, introduces very subtle but real tonal changes in the (singing) vocal. Whether such changes hurt, help, or are neutral to the sound quality is for each individual to decide.

[@Stevesmith-yw7cr]

One word......YES. Excellent video. Thank Q !!!!! PS.....love my Cloudlifter.

[@ronaldlabarbera6675]

Your awesome sauce brother. Thank heaven your not into 'R'n'D' developing the newest hi tech weapon...lol. We need more of people like you...Down to earth and truthful. BTW, I'm not buying either after I order a new mic tomorrow. You got to love marketing...N.O.T. Keep the great work up...

[@teashea1]

excellent as always

[@DM-lv7tl]

This dude does not blink.

[@totallyfrozen]

You are discussing this from the perspective of using the device to lower the noise floor. That’s not what it they’re for. They are signal boosters which makes it possible for you to turn down the gain on your preamp. THAT is the only way that it helps to lower noise floor. The issue is, does your preamp have enough gain for the dynamic mic you’re using or do you need to max out the gain? Regardless, if you have a noisy preamp, a fethead or CloudLifter won’t fix it. If you have a good preamp, but need more gain to keep the noise floor down, then these can help.

[@thewhiskeycowboy-official]

Correct! This is the first time I have seen someone suggest buying these to "reduce noise" . You buy them to increase signal boost without also increasing all other existing noise (from equipment or mic itself). The reason people get a lot more noise when NOT using them is because they are pushing their gain too high and thus can now hear the noise it brings forward. IMO he is simply working the issue backward and confusing the matter for piratical applications. He is correct that it depends on the mic, but it isn't about NOISE, but about signal strength. Again, he is making the issue more complicated than it needs to be, and virtually ignores the real reasons why you use these devices.... it isn't simply 'about noise". Noise is the side effect of the "problem".

[@totallyfrozen]

TheWhiskeyCowboy Yes! Thank you. What viewers might want to know is that a device that is designed to lower noise is a Noise Gate. They should also make sure they aren’t having noise problems from improper grounding of equipment or RF (radio frequency) interference. Noise comes from many places. The only thing the fethead or CloudLifter are designed to do is boost the signal to the preamp if you have a preamp that is too weak for your mic. Read the specs of your mic and preamp to make sure that the impedances match.

[@simonbarth3181]

You forgot something. The inline preamp will be before the cable which connects the mic to the interface/preamp. A conventional preamp will sit AFTER the cable. you will therefore boost the noise that is added at the lenght of the cable. With a inline preamp you first boost the signal, and than the cable will add noise and stuff. But since you didnt boost it after that, it will now not be as much of a problem. I dont think that is important for everyone, but it might just be another application. For example if you use very long cables on a stage or have a lot of problems with interference from magnetic fields in your recording area.

[@ruinfox4108]

such a great video. straight to the point and very informative

[@davidglabais4919]

I have a Presonus Studio 26c and a Shure SM7B mic. In this case. I need a Cloudlifter. Thanks for the great vid and info!

[@aghudumokowa]

I use the Cloudlifter with my Sennheiser MKE 600 (condenser mic which uses batteries) plugged into the Tascam DR40 and it makes a huge difference with respect to noise.

[@JulianKrause]

That's true. The reason for that is, that the preamps of the DR40 are very noisy. Normally when using a condenser mic you are limited by the noise performance of the mic and not the preamp. But because the preamps in the DR40 have such a high amount of noise, it is audible aven though you are usung a condenser mic. And that's why the FetHead phantom is halping you keeping the noise down.

[@BrandonKennedyUFX]

Awesome video dude! This was really helpful. I just got an H4n Pro and am making videos with an SM7B in a studio where it’s not in frame (and thus a few feet away from me). The preamps are totally ruining the audio quality, been searching around all night trying to find the answer. Thanks for making it really clear!

[@IBQ1]

For any future watchers wondering, the rodecaster pro 2 has 131.5dBV EIN, rendering a cloudlifter or fethead useless.

[@isabellalipoveci8394]

the fact that yoou never blink, kinda creeps me out

[@churlishbeardo]

Simply “moving in closer to the microphone” will give you an undesirable proximity effect when the vocalist eats the mic; as you demonstrated. It’s rarely easy. ;)

[@churlishbeardo]

Oops, I meant to say “directional mic;” that Behringer’s a cardioid, like the Shure, right?

[@G_handle]

Correct! Though the point is valid, that one way to increase level is with amplification, another is with a louder source, yet another is with a closer source to the microphone. If proximity effect is a problem, (though for me it’s usually the plosives that get you, you can correct a lot of p.e.) you can back off to where it’s not, or engage a low cut, or switch into Omni. But increasing the source, and decreasing the amplification helps the Signal to Noise Ratio of the signal chain, but also, and often more importantly, the signal to noise ratio of the room. I call this unofficially the Source to Room Ratio. No matter what microphones you are using, unless you’re in an anechoic chamber, there will be room noise, and it is often higher than the noise floor of the equipment, so when you amplify the signal, you are also raising the level of room noise being picked up by the microphone. However, in some cases, the room sound IS the Source, such as drum overheads and room mics. You are deliberately recording the natural sound of the room, but then again, you are also usually recording close mics on each of the drums so that you can control the amount of dry/wet in the mix.

[@RonnieLeBlancMusic]

thank u man! love your content!

[@ceilingsintheireyes6288]

Great video, love your voice and accent, really easy to listen to. Thanks for the video!

[@punknugget561]

Appreciate the help, but it DEFINITELY helps with my system. I to audio voice over work and when using it with the M-Audio AIR 192/4 and Motu M2 USB Audio Ineterface, without using a Cloudlifter, you can HEAR the differnece. You NEED this if you desire to REDUCE the Gain which will reduce the FUZZZZZ (background noise). But that's up to you. Every system is different and so is every setup, so you have to test it out yourself. Hope this helps. Later...

[@ArchaicTTV]

agreed, you 100% need a cloudlifter with the SM7B, this video is very confusing.. SM7B was impossible to hear without it using just the PreSonus audiobox usb 96

[@stuartbakervideo]

Awesome video mate, thank you

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

Thanks, man! This was a tremendous aid!

[@thelinthicums3295]

(The one downvote? From Fethead corporate. Triggered.)

[@peteconz]

lol

[@antoineinniss5586]

@Recycle Bin can you list some mixers (not too expensive, I'm on a budget) that can offer low noise quality with a dynamic mic....I'll really appreciate it, thanks

[@totallyfrozen]

Antoine Inniss kzbin.info/www/bejne/inOwh4CZmph_e68

[@Godzillah]

Some people have hiss problems with sm7b but I haven’t had that problem with scarlet 2i4/ sm7b yet I turn volume max and it sound fine no clipping could be just their interface or sound card. I need to mention that hissing noise is not always due to microphones. Volume is low I have to max pc and mic but it sound fine. If u have low volume just speak louder lol.

[@ayurvedamentor]

Hello Julian! Thanks for creating videos with great technical details....I have few questions.... 1. Some of the good preamps are... Focusrite 2i2, MixPre3, Audient id4 and Dbx 286s 2, Dbx: -125dBu, 22Hz-22kHz, 150Ω source impedance 3 Audient; ein

[@BenjieMoreno]

I appreciate your review Julian, cheers!

[@Kurzei]

Now I really want to hear an interview with a jet engine hahaha

[@Creator_Nik]

Great Video! You helped me a lot