Mic boosters

Eric V

Eric V

Inquiring mind wants to know
What are your thoughts and experiences with mic boosters such as a Cloud CL-1 Cloudlifter, or Triton Audio Fethead? Currently I am using a Samson USB/XLR mic. I am using Reaper as my DAW and Windows 10, along with a Focusrite 4i4 AI. Is one of these worth the money to have on hand, or should I invest the money into a nicer mic? Any thoughts on the subject would be very much appreciated.
 
:thumbs up: RR.

Putting a CL or Fethead on such a mic it probably not going to gain you anything. All it does is boost the signal, so unless your recordings are buried in hiss from an extremely low output and a weak preamp, it won't do you a lot of good.

A good quiet condenser should give you a lot more for the money.
 
Why do you think you need a booster? What do you do with your mic? Voice...music...etc? What settings are you using in Reaper and your Focusrite that are producing unsatisfactory results? Is it volume only that you're wanting or is it tone or quality or some other thing?

You may not need a booster. You may need to "adjust".

2 cents worth of.....hey we need to know more.

Mick
 
I'm with Mick - I have an SM7B and nothing has made me want to invest in a cloud lifter - which seems to be almost 'demanded' by many. If I wanted to talk quietly at a foot away, I'd just use a different mic!

Dump the USB mic and start with a single conventional mic, and then watch the collection grow. USB mic collections end at one. Has anyone ever managed to record in stereo with two USB mics, even on a Mac?
 
Thanks for the input everyone. I just wanted to know what you thought about them, I am not buried under hiss or anything. I just was wondering about the benefits if anything. It seems to me the best path forward is to go with a good condenser. I will be recording guitars and vocals with a mic and everything else direct via line level inputs. Everything else I mentioned in the original post. Right now I am getting a good signal, but it looks like I can do better with a good condenser. Thanks for the ideas.
 
Guitars would be instrument level, I forgot to add that. I am using a Focusrite 4i4 and the keyboard part came out really well using line level. So the only thing I want to improve on at this point is the vocals. They are loud enough, but not as crisp as I imagine a condenser would deliver. The tone is ok, but I think it needs more high end or presence. Got it - ditch the USB mic.
 
I was going to suggest that you not limit yourself to looking at condensors, but if you want 'crisp', then yeah, that's probably what you're going to want.
Just be careful what you wish for. 😄
 
notCardio said:
I was going to suggest that you not limit yourself to looking at condensors, but if you want 'crisp', then yeah, that's probably what you're going to want.
Just be careful what you wish for. 😄
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Lol yeah, that's the story of my life
 
If you have a Focusrite, do yourself a favour and invest in any reasonable contemporary condenser mic. That is going to be a more versatile investment for you.
 
Eric V said:
Would a Shure SM 57 fit the bill?
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It was said that Prince recorded the vocals on the Purple Rain album with an SM57. I think that worked out ok for him. Different mics have different sound profiles, just like a Strat doesn't sound like a Les Paul or a Gretsch. The trick is finding the mic that gives you the sound you are after.
 
TalismanRich said:
It was said that Prince recorded the vocals on the Purple Rain album with an SM57. I think that worked out ok for him. Different mics have different sound profiles, just like a Strat doesn't sound like a Les Paul or a Gretsch. The trick is finding the mic that gives you the sound you are after.
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Perfect description.
 
Eric V said:
Thanks for the input everyone. I just wanted to know what you thought about them, I am not buried under hiss or anything. I just was wondering about the benefits if anything. It seems to me the best path forward is to go with a good condenser. I will be recording guitars and vocals with a mic and everything else direct via line level inputs. Everything else I mentioned in the original post. Right now I am getting a good signal, but it looks like I can do better with a good condenser. Thanks for the ideas.
Click to expand...
What do you mean by better?
With modern digital recording you want your signal to be loud enough that noise floor isn't an issue and not so loud that it's clipped or distorting.
If you're anywhere in that area then you're good.

These boosters are offered to boost the signal from the mic before the preamp, for cases where the signal is not far enough above the noise floor.
 
Steenamaroo said:
What do you mean by better?
With modern digital recording you want your signal to be loud enough that noise floor isn't an issue and not so loud that it's clipped or distorting.
If you're anywhere in that area then you're good.

These boosters are offered to boost the signal from the mic before the preamp, for cases where the signal is not far enough above the noise floor.
Click to expand...
Better than this USB mic. My signal is ok for now I think, enough to work with and learn.
 
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