Does the Cloudlifter CL-1 Mic Activator make a difference with the Electro-Voice RE27N/D? I’ll test spoken word and noise floors with and without it, pushing a Mackie Big Knob Studio+ toward max gain (90–95%) without the Cloudlifter, versus 50–55% while using the Cloudlifter. See if the 2.5 dB noise reduction justifies the cost! Hack It, Test It, Trust It!
What You’ll Learn
- Spoken word comparison with and without Cloudlifter.
- Noise floor tests (81.07 dB vs 83.46 dB) in Adobe Audition.
- Why I used Audioblast HQ-4 Star Quad XLR for low noise.
- Setup tips with Mackie Big Knob Studio+ preamps.
- Is Cloudlifter worth it for RE27 vs RE20 or SM7B?
Products Used
Note: This review is unbiased; I purchased all gear. Cloudlifter reduces preamp gain but offers marginal noise improvement with RE27. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Here’s what I used:
- Cloudlifter CL-1
- Electro-Voice RE27N/D
- Audioblast HQ-4 Star Quad XLR 20 Foot
- Audioblast HQ-4 Star Quad XLR 2 Foot
- Mackie Big Knob Studio+
Compare XLR cables: See my XLR noise test video
00:00:00 - 00:00:23
I’m comparing the Cloudlifter CL-1 Mic Activator with an Electro-Voice RE27N/D, testing if you need it for voiceover recordings.
00:00:23 - 00:01:08
I’ll provide spoken word and noise floor comparisons with and without the Cloudlifter, using a Mackie Big Knob Studio+ at max 60 dB gain, then matching output with the Cloudlifter at 50–55% gain. Quality XLR cables matter—I’m using Audioblast HQ-4 Star Quad. See my XLR noise test video for GLS, Monster, and Blue comparisons.
00:01:08 - 00:01:38
Audio samples are unprocessed, with the RE27 in flat mode. I used a sine wave to match levels. First, spoken word without Cloudlifter: “Multicultural, multihistorical, spanning man’s faith across time, the final book is a controversial and blasphemous last chapter of humanity.”
00:01:38 - 00:02:00
Now with Cloudlifter at 55–60% gain: “Multicultural, multihistorical, spanning man’s faith across time, the final book is a controversial and blasphemous last chapter of humanity.” Next, A/B room noise tests.
00:02:00 - 00:02:50
Amplitude statistics: Without Cloudlifter, noise floor is 81.07 dB RMS; with Cloudlifter, it’s 83.46 dB. The 2.5 dB improvement is slight, barely audible, and costly for a sub-80 dB noise floor.
00:02:50 - 00:03:36
I like running the Mackie preamp at 50–55% with Cloudlifter versus 90–95% without—it feels better, but stats suggest it’s psychological. The Cloudlifter isn’t essential for RE27 like it is for RE20 or Shure SM7B, but it offers slight noise reduction and peace of mind if every dB counts.
00:03:36 - 00:03:50
Until next time, see you later!
Pixel Peddler
THE BALLAD OF
STEVIE PEARL
