Cloudlifter CL-1 Teardown + Custom PCB Build

[Bonfire]

Question: I presume these devices boost both noise and signal, and, perhaps, introduce some noise of their own - n'est ce pas?

Yeah surely both items you describe must be true. Putting it as close to the mic as possible probably is a good idea if noise is being introduced into the cable run. I haven't been able to perceive any noise being introduced by the device itself, but I haven't attempted to measure that scientifically. I'm sure it introduces some amount of noise, likely very small.

 

[Bonfire]

... For a one-off. How huge must the overhead on the real thing be, considering bulk discounts on components, and that the thing retails well north of $100?

I get what you are saying. I know it's likely MUCH cheaper for cloud to manufacture because they buy in bulk. To do the same, someone would have to commit to getting into real production where you are buying volumes high enough to get the price down. Seems like a big risk given the amount of competition and the uncertain future for mic activators. I've never done anything at scale before so I'm make some assumptions!

 

[Khron]

To do the same, someone would have to commit to getting into real production where you are buying volumes high enough to get the price down.

Well, yes and no. At least with reputable distributors, depending on the components, noticeable price drops already start from even 5pcs and up (thinking XLR connectors, for example), so not necessarily in the thousands. Although, of course, you get even better pricing per piece, the larger the quantity.

 

[Tubetec]

The way many people use microphones into an unequalised mic input on an interface is already problematic , if your using almost any mic in close on a vocal you need to get rid of some of that proximity bass boost before hitting the convertors otherwise your liable to get very unpleasent distortion on the peaks .

Something a bit like Sennheisers Mza-14 for releatively little in the way of complication in circuit terms gives very much more scope than the Cloudlifter . It does of course provide phantom power to the mic that precedes it , but in the case of a dynamic or ribbon mic the basic circuit without the phantom power section would be all thats needed . The lower part of the circuit runs directly off a 9v battery ,but it seems it might be possible to make it run off incomming phantom power too .

So you get three positions of HPF and three attenuation settings , if that could all be fitted inside a XLR barrel adapter including the switching and phantom power from the following preamp ,that would be very neat

 

[user 133392]

I just figured it out. "Fantasy Power" is the reactive component.

 

[Tubetec]

Its become clear to me a phantom 'like' hi powered source might do a whole lot better ,
maybe delivered from its own dedicated supply via a center tapped primary transformer instead of 6k8 dropper resistors , from a deskwide common 48v rail , it wont be compatible with regular 48v ,but at least if external standard 48v phantom power is applied it wont blow anything up , you just loose headroom . If high powered 48v line was applied to regular 48v gear it could would do damage

ever try the political compass game online ?
yeah it was Cambridge analytica ,
trying to get a bearing on your political fault lines for the purpose of world domination ......
Legions of foil helmeteers were duped

 

[MicMaven]

Legions of foil helmeteers were duped

You mean ... um ... these guys? James

 

[abbey road d enfer]

Something a bit like Sennheisers Mza-14 for releatively little in the way of complication in circuit terms gives very much more scope than the Cloudlifter

It's a different animal. When the Cloudlifter and its many siblings have put noise at the top of their concerns, it's not the case fo the MZA14. The presence of two 1k resistors at the input already increase the noise factor by about 10dB.
Clearly, the Sennheiser engineers have concentrated on the high-pass filter.
However, the use of single-pole switches have led to compromises. For example, the 18dB/octave roll-off that could be theoretically achieved is not; it's only about 13dB/8ve in the best case.
And the supposed flat position results in -5dB@100Hz, -14dB@50Hz.

 

[MidnightArrakis]

So you get three positions of HPF and three attenuation settings , if that could all be fitted inside a XLR barrel adapter including the switching and phantom power from the following preamp ,that would be very neat
View attachment 118790

[if that could all be fitted inside a XLR barrel adapter including the switching and phantom power] -- It "may" be possible to design a PCB using this circuit to fit within an "XLR Barrel Adapter" if using all SMD components of "Type 0402" or equivalent. I once designed a PCB for The Department of Homeland Security that was only 1.25" square and had over 200+ resistors and capacitors within the circuit and the only way to get everything to fit within such a small area was to use SMD "Type 0201" components.

Should you be unfamiliar with what the size of an "0201" component is.....pull out 5 hairs from your head and slice one of them lengthwise in half. Then, place 3 of the hairs vertically right next to one another and the other 1 and a half hairs horizontally across the vertical ones. The amount of vertical and horizontal area space occupied by where the hairs crossover one another is roughly the size of an "0201" component (about 0.020" X 0.010" or 20-mils X 10-mils). An "0402" component would be twice that size!!! Using all "0603" parts "might" be too large, but I don't know that right now.

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