The gain is at half capacity in this graph, and even with a small boost, we needed to add 50dB of gain in postproduction to graph this chart. Now you understand why it is a Cloudlifter is necessary with a microphone such as this, let us take a closer look at just exactly how much of a difference a Cloudlifter makes.Īs you can see in the image below, we have recorded some room tone with the Procaster running straight into a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. But if you can get the right signal with preamps then why is the Cloudlifter necessary? Well, the trouble with preamps is that the higher they are pushed, the more noise and color they add to the signal.Ī Cloudlifter helps boost the signal before preamps can touch it meaning that when the signal reaches your mixer, there is less boost required, and therefore less noise and coloration. This is an incredible asset to your setup when using a dynamic microphone such as the Rode Procaster, as the low mic sensitivity leads to low output, which means without mic activation hardware you will have to crank up your preamps to get a decent signal.
The Cloudlifter mic activator is an inline signal booster that you simply attach in between your microphone and mixer, and once provided with phantom power will amplify your signal with clean and transparent gain. So why have we picked the Cloudlifter as our gear of choice when it comes to mic activation? Let’s breakdown why the CL-1 is one of the best low-noise gain boosters money can buy. What is a Cloudlifter and what does it do? The Procaster, being an evolution of the Podcaster, only improves on what were already incredible specs. This was Rode’s first venture into USB connecting microphones, and this high output dynamic microphone is an exceptional product. The next in line is the award-winning Podcaster. The first dynamic microphone produced by Rode was the M1, a competitor to the industry standard that is the SM58. The device weighs in at a hefty 745g with an all-metal casing, so you can bet this microphone feels like it is built to last. In terms of build quality, the Procaster is built like a tank. Special care has been taken by Rode to configure the Procaster’s frequency response to guarantee a near broadcast quality tone right out of the box. This is evident with the built-in pop filter and internal shock mounting, reducing vocal plosives and mechanical transmission in the low end, ensuring your vocals are as clean and quiet as possible. The Rode Procaster is a broadcasting microphone purpose-built for use with vocals.
Thanks to the passive nature of the microphone, it is a robust piece of kit that can easily endure a life on the road. The Rode Procaster is a trailblazer in the dynamic podcasting microphone market. Please assume all links on this page are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases when you use one of our links. Affiliate Disclosure: The Seasoned Podcaster is supported by its readers.