CoolCat
Well-known member
I got the Cloudlifter from a suggestion here on HR, and I love it.
Looking at adding another I tried the Cathederal Pipes Durham mk2 , more than 50% cheaper and great reviews too.
Thought I'd add this,,,
Both are similar designs, they are gain circuits from Ribbon mics put in a box, powered off +48v phantom, a no hassle ps cable free and take up no room on the desktop. Clean clean gain, invisible to tone is the design goal.
>50% cheaper is the Durham mk2, so I can deal with that.
It showed up in a small cardboard box like the Cloudlifter.
Quickly noticed it doesnt have the weight of the Cloudlifter but its solid, like you could throw it on the ground and no problem solid...drive it over with a car and probably it will still work. The XLR are plastic, not the heavier metal type of the Cloudlifter. The huge let down was no rubber feet on the Durham...bummer...I need to go buy some $1.39 rubber feet.
My RADIAL JDI has a XLR similar to the Durham, so the plastic vs metal will be fine in a HR environment.
BUILD RATING: 4.5 of 5.........(Cloudlifter gets 5)
Now plugged into my interface mic inputs, the DURHAM 2 supposedly has 5 db more. I dont know and am not running Oscope tests.
Using my eyes on the meters and DAW waves and plugging in my SM58 and/or Fender P-Bass> JDI> DURHAM mk2....I feel there is a
but of a sound difference more than Gain. I prefered the Cloudlifter more. It seemed fuller for me. Made sure all the cables were the same using the same everything but swapping the DURHAM mk2 and CL-1.
SOUND rating: 4 of 5....sound is so subjective.
I'd like to try the SOYUZ Launcher, its hyped as a Transformer design with intentional color. But I didnt plan on spending $600 on small boxes?
To be honest, imo, the DURHAM mk2 is priced right to get 80% there, the CL-1 is $149, not $65....
so in Cost DURHAM gets 5 of 5 points...cost is not subjective. Clouud gets 3 of 5 on cost
Looking at adding another I tried the Cathederal Pipes Durham mk2 , more than 50% cheaper and great reviews too.
Thought I'd add this,,,
Both are similar designs, they are gain circuits from Ribbon mics put in a box, powered off +48v phantom, a no hassle ps cable free and take up no room on the desktop. Clean clean gain, invisible to tone is the design goal.
>50% cheaper is the Durham mk2, so I can deal with that.
It showed up in a small cardboard box like the Cloudlifter.
Quickly noticed it doesnt have the weight of the Cloudlifter but its solid, like you could throw it on the ground and no problem solid...drive it over with a car and probably it will still work. The XLR are plastic, not the heavier metal type of the Cloudlifter. The huge let down was no rubber feet on the Durham...bummer...I need to go buy some $1.39 rubber feet.
My RADIAL JDI has a XLR similar to the Durham, so the plastic vs metal will be fine in a HR environment.
BUILD RATING: 4.5 of 5.........(Cloudlifter gets 5)
Now plugged into my interface mic inputs, the DURHAM 2 supposedly has 5 db more. I dont know and am not running Oscope tests.
Using my eyes on the meters and DAW waves and plugging in my SM58 and/or Fender P-Bass> JDI> DURHAM mk2....I feel there is a
but of a sound difference more than Gain. I prefered the Cloudlifter more. It seemed fuller for me. Made sure all the cables were the same using the same everything but swapping the DURHAM mk2 and CL-1.
SOUND rating: 4 of 5....sound is so subjective.
I'd like to try the SOYUZ Launcher, its hyped as a Transformer design with intentional color. But I didnt plan on spending $600 on small boxes?
To be honest, imo, the DURHAM mk2 is priced right to get 80% there, the CL-1 is $149, not $65....
so in Cost DURHAM gets 5 of 5 points...cost is not subjective. Clouud gets 3 of 5 on cost
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