Now we know a bit more about the products and have analyzed how they work in a variety of tests, what have we learned? Well, the noise floor on the FetHead is higher than that of the Cloudlifter, however, that is to be expected as the FetHead provides a higher boost overall. We noticed an improvement on all tested microphones. A Shure SM57 for instance, sounds more responsive over a broader frequency range. When mated with a high-end dynamic microphone like a Sennheiser MD441, or Shure SM7 our FetHead really shines. In simpler words, if the recordings seem too quiet or turning up the volumes make the outcome noisy, you can use Cloudlifter to streamline the audio output. You should get an instant answer on whether your application has been successful, though in some rare cases Klarna or V12 may need to look at the application in more detail.

Mic activators though need to be used with the existing preamps of a mixer or audio interface and they simply boost the gain of the mic which avoids having to crank up the mixer/audio preamps to a level which could introduce a lot of noise. Although intended as an instrument mic, Shure’s SM57 makes for an excellent low cost dynamic podcasting microphone. In some circles, it’s even regarded as a viable Shure SM7B alternative. It has been integrated with the FET technology that is responsible for amplifying analog and digital signals. Having said that, it will be able to yield clean signals with improved sensitivity, low noise, and better transient response. For live broadcasters, the compact design of this mic activator can make all the difference. By providing a clean boost without complicating it, FetHead allows you to keep things simple while still achieving the most accurate audio possible.

TritonAudio FetHead In-Line Preamp Overview

FetHead can retain the signals at a microphone level, which makes it suitable for the input of the mic. Then, it changes the signal from the mic level to the line level. While you can argue the need for it in the studio, there is no doubt that the output impedance of 220 Ohms outperforms the Cloudlifter’s 3 k output by a significant margin. Verdict The Triton Audio FetHead is an economical, portable, and easy to use alternative to a Cloudlifter. It does exactly as advertised, and it does that as well, if not better, than the competition at a significantly lower price point. I highly recommend it to anyone who doesn’t want to pay extra for bells and whistles and just needs to cleanly boost their mic signal.

The direct-to-mic design might bother content creators who find it visually unappealing for close up videos. That being said, it’s hardly an eyesore and smaller than you might expect. One thing to remember is that these gain boosters need phantom power, just like condenser microphones. Even though your SM7B doesn’t need extra power, you need your phantom power when you connect it to FetHead. Cathedral Pipes have adopted the built-in circuit from “Seville” – one of their bestselling active ribbon microphones – to create the Durham MKII. That ought to vouch for the fact that it has enough juice for ribbon mics. PerformanceMcBoost is rugged, compact, and almost twice as heavy as others on this list. It features an all-steel case with powder coating that is clearly built to last a lifetime. It also features hand-matched transistors and dual FET class-A circuits for optimal performance.