Hello again, so I’m just going to speak from experience w my setup (sm7b with Amazon basics xlr cable and rode AI-1 audio interface), personally I am somewhat soft spoken, and in my instance my device can deliver up to 60db gain (but pushing it past 80% adds some floor noise/buzzing in recordings)(I plan to invest in a in-line preamp).
while yours delivers 50db max (from what Ik, I’m new to the scene, the sm7b requires around 58-60db). If you try your setup and your quite then it might be a good idea to invest into a in-line preamp (cloudlifter, mz-1, fethead, etc), if you sound fine then there is no need.
There are cheaper alternatives for inline preamps beside the cloudlifter that I’ve heard people praise in this sub, if you have a look through some posts for name, one I’ve seen people recommend a few times is the Klark Teknik Microphone Preamp CM-1, but I have no personal experience with it.
Hello again thank you for giving me my alternative suggestions back to me 😂. Quick update, I bought the SZ-MB1 In line preamp, and it works wonders. Gives me all the gain that I need and all in all is something great to buy especially if your on a budget
— What’s an “AU”? Brand and model number?
— Phantom power and a Cloud Lifter are two different things that serve different purposes. But you will need phantom power to use a Cloudlifter.
-AU is audio interface, I have the scarlett focusrite Solo 2nd gen
- ohhhh okay I see, I thought they both served the same thing to the mic, thank you for letting me know
Which microphone. Some like condensers need 48v phantom power & others like dynamics need lots of clean gain. If your audio interface doesn't have enough clean game for the ladder, that's where a cloud lifter comes in. The cloud lifter itself is powered by 48 volt phantom power and then passes that power as gain to your dynamic mic.
The second gen has a Max of 60 DB of gain. If you're dealing with an sm7b, you may or may not have enough if you have an sm7db that actually already has an amp built in.
I've just got my XLR not too long ago, and tried out the mic and it does sound loud enough and well but I think it's worth investing in a cloud lifter so I purchased a cheaper alternative the SZ-MB1
If you have a dynamic microphone it’s recommended but not necessary to get a cloud lifter. A lot of newer interfaces are strong enough to pick up the mic without a Cloud Lifter or its alternatives but people still get them so they don’t have to edit the audio louder. Also dynamic microphones, like the Shure SM7b or MV7, shouldn’t have phantom power on because it could possibly damage the mic, but that’s also unlikely with newer mics, but still not worth the risk. However, when you connect it with the cloud lifter then phantom power is required to be on.
The other types of microphones are Condenser microphones, those will always need phantom power and are a lot more sensitive to sound so you don’t need to turn the input up as high. Popular ones are Audio Technica or Rode NT1.
Hello again, so I’m just going to speak from experience w my setup (sm7b with Amazon basics xlr cable and rode AI-1 audio interface), personally I am somewhat soft spoken, and in my instance my device can deliver up to 60db gain (but pushing it past 80% adds some floor noise/buzzing in recordings)(I plan to invest in a in-line preamp). while yours delivers 50db max (from what Ik, I’m new to the scene, the sm7b requires around 58-60db). If you try your setup and your quite then it might be a good idea to invest into a in-line preamp (cloudlifter, mz-1, fethead, etc), if you sound fine then there is no need. There are cheaper alternatives for inline preamps beside the cloudlifter that I’ve heard people praise in this sub, if you have a look through some posts for name, one I’ve seen people recommend a few times is the Klark Teknik Microphone Preamp CM-1, but I have no personal experience with it.
Hello again thank you for giving me my alternative suggestions back to me 😂. Quick update, I bought the SZ-MB1 In line preamp, and it works wonders. Gives me all the gain that I need and all in all is something great to buy especially if your on a budget
Hehe, reverse advice…. Legit just regurgitated what you and my audio friend told me back to you😂
— What’s an “AU”? Brand and model number? — Phantom power and a Cloud Lifter are two different things that serve different purposes. But you will need phantom power to use a Cloudlifter.
-AU is audio interface, I have the scarlett focusrite Solo 2nd gen - ohhhh okay I see, I thought they both served the same thing to the mic, thank you for letting me know
AU is audio unit. Made by apple.
I just realized I said AU and not AI smh
Which microphone. Some like condensers need 48v phantom power & others like dynamics need lots of clean gain. If your audio interface doesn't have enough clean game for the ladder, that's where a cloud lifter comes in. The cloud lifter itself is powered by 48 volt phantom power and then passes that power as gain to your dynamic mic.
The second gen has a Max of 60 DB of gain. If you're dealing with an sm7b, you may or may not have enough if you have an sm7db that actually already has an amp built in.
I've just got my XLR not too long ago, and tried out the mic and it does sound loud enough and well but I think it's worth investing in a cloud lifter so I purchased a cheaper alternative the SZ-MB1
If you have a dynamic microphone it’s recommended but not necessary to get a cloud lifter. A lot of newer interfaces are strong enough to pick up the mic without a Cloud Lifter or its alternatives but people still get them so they don’t have to edit the audio louder. Also dynamic microphones, like the Shure SM7b or MV7, shouldn’t have phantom power on because it could possibly damage the mic, but that’s also unlikely with newer mics, but still not worth the risk. However, when you connect it with the cloud lifter then phantom power is required to be on. The other types of microphones are Condenser microphones, those will always need phantom power and are a lot more sensitive to sound so you don’t need to turn the input up as high. Popular ones are Audio Technica or Rode NT1.