Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter CL-Z Mic Activator
Signal Optimiser for Microphones
- Variable output level (+12 to + 24dB)
- Variable high-pass filter 20 Hz to 250 Hz
- Variable input impedance between 150 ohms and 15 kilohms
- Requires 48 V phantom power
- 1x XLR Input and output
- Steel housing
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Available since August 2013
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Item number 320775
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Sales Unit 1 piece(s)
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Channels 1
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Number of microphone inputs 1
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Instrument input No
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Tubes No
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Compressor/Limiter No
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Equalizer No
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De-Esser No
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Phantom power No
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Phase Reverse No
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External effect loops No
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Analogue Outputs XLR
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Digitale Outputs None
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Headphone connection No
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Level Meter No
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Design Desktop
Clean gain with impedance control
The Cloudlifter CL-Z is a single-channel inline mic activator with switchable gain and continuously variable input impedance – tools that go beyond simple level boosting to give engineers meaningful tonal control over tube, dynamic, and ribbon microphones at source. A More/Max switch selects between +12dB and +25dB of clean gain, while the Vari-Z control sweeps continuously from 150 Ohms to 15 kOhms, shifting the mic's character from tight and focused at the low end to full-bodied and open at the high end. A switchable high-pass filter adds further shaping at source, taming rumble or proximity effect before the signal hits the preamp. Like the CL-1 and CL-2, the CL-Z draws phantom power from downstream, blocks it from reaching the mic, and is manufactured in the USA in a solid steel housing.
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Gain and impedance at source
The CL-Z requires 48V phantom power from the downstream preamp or interface – no batteries, no external PSU. That phantom power never reaches the connected microphone, protecting ribbon and tube mics from damage while powering the gain circuit. The Vari-Z control is where the CL-Z distinguishes itself: Passive dynamic and ribbon mics respond audibly to the load impedance they see, and the continuously variable 150–15kOhm range covers everything from a tight, controlled low end to a warm, full-bodied character, letting engineers match or creatively mismatch a mic's specified impedance. The More/Max gain switch allows the boost to be paired with the source – +12dB for mics with moderate output or louder sources such as a snare-miked SM57, +25dB for the quietest ribbons or dynamics. Condenser mics, which require their own phantom power to operate, need a separate 48V source if used with the CL-Z.
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Who it's for
The CL-Z suits engineers who want more than a level fix – those who use ribbon and dynamic mics as tonal tools and want to tune their character before the signal hits the preamp. A vintage ribbon into a high-impedance setting takes on a different quality than the same mic loaded at 150 ohms; the CL-Z makes that difference accessible without additional outboard, and without the phase artefacts of a downstream EQ. The locking XLR connectors on input and output prevent accidental disconnection, and a rear welded bracket makes it easy to mount with the hook-and-loop fastener included. Four rubber feet provide stable placement on a desk or rack shelf. The CL-1 remains the simpler choice where fixed gain is all that's needed.
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About Cloud Microphones
US manufacturer Cloud Microphones has been developing and manufacturing microphones and microphone preamps since 2009. Company founder Stephen Sank draws on a family tradition in microphone design that now spans three generations. The range includes ribbon microphones that follow in the tradition of classic RCA models, while combining this heritage with modern design and the company's own patented technologies. Alongside these sits the Cloudlifter line of preamp units. Designed as inline devices, they use the phantom power available at microphone inputs to provide clean, noise‑free signal gain for dynamic and ribbon microphones, without adding unwanted tonal colour. Cloud Microphones has built its reputation not only on the exceptional robustness of its devices, but also on the fact that all components are manufactured in the United States.
For everything from podcasts to Bluegrass
Beyond vocal work, the CL-Z comes into its own anywhere a dynamic or ribbon mic's tonal character matters as much as its output level – close-miking a guitar amplifier where impedance loading subtly shapes the low-mid response, recording a Bluegrass session where a ribbon on banjo or mandolin benefits from a touch of added body, or anywhere quiet sources place high demands on both gain and character. The high-pass filter handles low-frequency rumble or proximity effect at source, cleaning up the signal before it hits the preamp rather than after. In any setup where a CL-1 would do the job but more control would be welcome, the CL-Z is the natural step up – a gain stage and tone shaper in one.
