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Cloudlifter CL-Z Mic Activator right angle view

Cloudlifter CL-Z Mic Activator

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$349.00
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Description

Cloudlifter CL-Z Overview

  Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter CL-Z Vari-Z mic activator showing large Z impedance control knob, gain switch, and high-pass filter toggle

Your Microphone Has More Than One Voice. Now You Can Access All of Them.

Every passive microphone responds differently depending on how the preamp loads its output transformer. At low impedance, the mic gets heavier, warmer, more present in the low mids. The proximity effect deepens. Transients soften. At high impedance, it opens up, loses some body, and gains clarity and air through the upper frequencies. Most engineers never hear this range because their preamp locks the mic into a single fixed impedance, and that's the only version of that microphone they ever know.

The CL-Z changes that. The large Vari-Z knob sweeps the input impedance continuously from 150Ω all the way to 15kΩ, and every position between those extremes is a different version of your microphone. Paired with up to +25dB of Class-A discrete JFET gain that keeps the preamp operating in its optimal range, the CL-Z gives vocal engineers and tracking engineers a level of tonal control that used to require owning multiple preamps with fundamentally different input topologies.

 CL-Z Cloudlifter in studio voiceover setup connected between ribbon microphone and preamp showing variable impedance tone shaping signal chain

Three Controls That Work Together, Not in Isolation

The CL-Z's design is built around the interaction between its controls rather than the individual functions of each one:

Vari-Z knob: Continuously variable input impedance, 150Ω to 15kΩ. Turning it down adds body, warmth, and proximity weight. Turning it up opens the top end and reduces transformer coloration. Every position is a valid creative choice depending on source and mic
High-pass filter (switchable): Variable -6 dB/octave rolloff, sweepable from below 20 Hz to approximately 200 Hz, linked to the Z knob. As impedance increases, the filter cutoff frequency drops. As impedance decreases, the cutoff rises. In practice, the useful range for most mics lands between 60 and 100 Hz, which covers room rumble, HVAC, floor vibration, and proximity buildup without touching fundamental vocal or instrument body
Gain switch (2 positions): +25dB MAX for full headroom with low-output dynamic and ribbon mics; +12dB MORE for louder sources, loud guitar amplifiers, or when introducing more of the downstream preamp's own color is desirable

The linked filter and impedance behavior means a single knob controls both tonal shape and low-frequency character simultaneously. For voiceover talent working in rooms without proper low-frequency treatment, this is particularly useful: dialing in the impedance to taste also progressively addresses the room's contribution to the low end.

 Cloudlifter CL-Z close-up of steel chassis with XLR male input and female output connectors and underside velcro bridge mount

The Gain Stage That Gets Out of the Way

The CL-Z's JFET circuit was specifically designed to have no resistors or capacitors in the direct signal path. Those components are where coloration, frequency degradation, and distortion enter a gain stage, and the CL-Z eliminates them before they can touch the audio. Two discrete noise-canceling gain stages handle amplification, and by the time the signal reaches whatever capacitors exist downstream in the preamp or interface, the signal-to-noise ratio is already high enough that their impact is dramatically reduced.

What you get at the output is more of the microphone itself: its actual frequency response at the impedance you've selected, its natural transient character, its real noise floor rather than the inflated noise floor of a preamp being pushed into its upper gain range. For elite voiceover work where every session is a close-mic vocal with a dynamic or ribbon, this matters in ways that become immediately audible when you pull the tracks into a mix.

Highlights

  • Up to +25dB of ultra-clean gain for any passive dynamic, ribbon, or tube microphone
  • Patented Class-A discrete JFET circuitry with dual noise-canceling gain stages; no resistors or capacitors in the direct signal path
  • Continuously variable Vari-Z input impedance: 150Ω to 15kΩ, for tonal shaping from warm and thick to open and airy
  • 3kΩ base input impedance circuit; Vari-Z knob modifies loading across the full sweep range
  • Switchable variable high-pass filter: -6 dB/octave, sweepable below 20 Hz to approximately 200 Hz, cutoff frequency linked to Vari-Z impedance setting
  • High-pass filter practical sweet spot for most mics: 60 to 100 Hz, covering room rumble, HVAC, floor vibration, and proximity buildup
  • Two-position gain switch: +25dB MAX for low-output passive mics; +12dB MORE for louder sources or adding downstream preamp color
  • Frequency response: 5 Hz to 80 kHz (-0.3 dB)
  • Recommended load impedance: greater than 5kΩ
  • Requires +48V phantom power (P48, IEC 61938); does not pass phantom to the microphone, safe for all passive ribbon and tube mics
  • Current consumption: 3.1 mA
  • Low output impedance for driving long XLR cable runs without signal loss
  • Compatible with dynamic, ribbon, tube, battery-powered, and power-supply-driven passive microphones
  • Rugged solid steel chassis, rubber feet, underside metal bridge for strap or velcro mounting in live environments
  • Dimensions: 5.35" x 3.43" x 2.6" / Weight: 17.3 oz
  • Handcrafted in Tucson, Arizona, USA
  • Limited lifetime warranty with registration

Cloudlifter CL-Z Specifications

Specification Details
Circuit Design Patented Class-A Discrete JFET, Dual Noise-Canceling Gain Stages
Maximum Gain Up to +25 dB (MAX position, with 5kΩ load)
Gain Switch Positions +25 dB (MAX) / +12 dB (MORE)
Variable Impedance Range (Vari-Z) 150Ω to 15kΩ (continuously variable)
Base Input Impedance 3kΩ
Recommended Load Impedance Greater than 5kΩ
High-Pass Filter Variable, -6 dB/octave, below 20 Hz to ~200 Hz (linked to Vari-Z knob; switchable on/off)
HPF Practical Sweet Spot 60 to 100 Hz (varies by mic output impedance and Z knob position)
Frequency Response 5 Hz to 80 kHz (-0.3 dB)
Input Connector 3-pin Male XLR
Output Connector 3-pin Female XLR
Phantom Power Required +48V (P48, IEC 61938)
Phantom Pass-Through No (safe for all passive ribbon and tube microphones)
Current Consumption 3.1 mA
Compatibility Passive Dynamic, Ribbon, Tube, Battery-Powered, and Power-Supply-Driven Microphones
Channels 1 (Single Channel)
Dimensions 5.35" x 3.43" x 2.6"
Weight 17.3 oz
Construction Rugged Solid Steel Chassis, Rubber Feet, Underside Metal Bridge for Strap/Velcro Mounting
Manufacturing Handcrafted in Tucson, Arizona, USA
Warranty Limited Lifetime (with registration)

What's in the Box

Item Details
Cloudlifter CL-Z 1x Single-Channel Mic Activator with Vari-Z impedance control, switchable high-pass filter, and 2-position gain switch
Documentation Warranty card and product registration information
Shipping

Shipping & Returns

  • We deliver all US orders in 3–5 business days
  • Free cancellations
  • Returns accepted within 30 days (unused items)

Order Confirmation

Once your order is placed, you will receive an order confirmation email. This confirms that we have received your order and have pre-authorized your credit card for the purchase. After confirming availability with our suppliers, we will proceed accordingly:

  • If your item is available and ready to ship within 1–2 business days, we will process the charge and arrange for shipment.

  • If your item is on backorder or unavailable, the pre-authorization will be voided and you will be notified by email.

  • Please note: While most items ship out within 1–2 business days, total delivery time is typically 3–5 business days, depending on your location and carrier handling.

Order Shipment

If your item is in stock and your payment has been processed, your order will typically ship within 1–2 business days. Total delivery time is approximately 3–5 business days from the date of order. Once shipped, you will receive tracking information at the email address provided during checkout within 24 hours of dispatch.

If you have not received tracking information within 3–5 business days of placing your order, please contact us at support@proaudioreserve.com.

The Distributor-Direct Advantage

To ensure you receive the most recent hardware revisions and 100% factory-sealed units, Pro Audio Reserve utilizes a Distributor-Direct fulfillment model. Unlike big-box retailers that may ship "floor models" or gear that has been sitting in general-purpose warehouses, your equipment is pulled directly from the primary manufacturer hub, serialized, and dispatched. This process ensures the highest level of quality control for professional-grade recording equipment.

Shipping Policy

We currently offer free shipping within the United States only. If the checkout process on our website allows you to enter a shipping address and complete your order, your location is eligible to receive delivery.

Changing Shipping Address

If you need to change your shipping address after your order has been processed or shipped, we will do our best to accommodate the request. Please note that address changes may result in delivery delays. Any additional costs incurred due to address changes, including carrier fees or rerouting charges will be the responsibility of the customer. No exceptions.

Shipping Times

All shipping times provided are estimates and should not be considered guarantees. Most orders ship out within 1–2 business days from the time payment is processed. However, total delivery time is typically 3–5 business days, depending on your location, carrier performance, and supplier fulfillment timelines.

We work closely with our vendors to ensure timely deliveries, but please note that supply chain disruptions, high-demand periods, or weather events may occasionally cause delays beyond our control.

  • To avoid misunderstandings: The “shipping time” refers to the total time from order placement to final delivery, not just when the item leaves the warehouse.

  • Cancellations: If you choose to cancel your order because it has not arrived within the estimated delivery window, you may be responsible for applicable shipping charges, restocking fees, warehouse handling costs, and other related fees.

  • Chargebacks: Customers who initiate chargebacks due to shipping delays without contacting us first may be held legally responsible for losses. We strongly encourage open communication so we can resolve any delivery concerns directly and efficiently via our Atlanta-based support team.

Delivery Options

  • Threshold Shipping: Your item will be delivered to your front door, porch, garage, or a covered entryway.

 

Why Buy From Us

We get it. You've got a lot of choice when it comes to online retailers.
Here's why we think you should shop with us at ProAudioReserve.

  • Free Shipping USA wide. 
  • 30 Day Easy Returns. Not happy with your product, we'll take it back noquestions asked.
  • Great Service. We pride ourselves on the best service, anywhere.

Reviews

Customer Reviews

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Description

Cloudlifter CL-Z Overview

  Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter CL-Z Vari-Z mic activator showing large Z impedance control knob, gain switch, and high-pass filter toggle

Your Microphone Has More Than One Voice. Now You Can Access All of Them.

Every passive microphone responds differently depending on how the preamp loads its output transformer. At low impedance, the mic gets heavier, warmer, more present in the low mids. The proximity effect deepens. Transients soften. At high impedance, it opens up, loses some body, and gains clarity and air through the upper frequencies. Most engineers never hear this range because their preamp locks the mic into a single fixed impedance, and that's the only version of that microphone they ever know.

The CL-Z changes that. The large Vari-Z knob sweeps the input impedance continuously from 150Ω all the way to 15kΩ, and every position between those extremes is a different version of your microphone. Paired with up to +25dB of Class-A discrete JFET gain that keeps the preamp operating in its optimal range, the CL-Z gives vocal engineers and tracking engineers a level of tonal control that used to require owning multiple preamps with fundamentally different input topologies.

 CL-Z Cloudlifter in studio voiceover setup connected between ribbon microphone and preamp showing variable impedance tone shaping signal chain

Three Controls That Work Together, Not in Isolation

The CL-Z's design is built around the interaction between its controls rather than the individual functions of each one:

Vari-Z knob: Continuously variable input impedance, 150Ω to 15kΩ. Turning it down adds body, warmth, and proximity weight. Turning it up opens the top end and reduces transformer coloration. Every position is a valid creative choice depending on source and mic
High-pass filter (switchable): Variable -6 dB/octave rolloff, sweepable from below 20 Hz to approximately 200 Hz, linked to the Z knob. As impedance increases, the filter cutoff frequency drops. As impedance decreases, the cutoff rises. In practice, the useful range for most mics lands between 60 and 100 Hz, which covers room rumble, HVAC, floor vibration, and proximity buildup without touching fundamental vocal or instrument body
Gain switch (2 positions): +25dB MAX for full headroom with low-output dynamic and ribbon mics; +12dB MORE for louder sources, loud guitar amplifiers, or when introducing more of the downstream preamp's own color is desirable

The linked filter and impedance behavior means a single knob controls both tonal shape and low-frequency character simultaneously. For voiceover talent working in rooms without proper low-frequency treatment, this is particularly useful: dialing in the impedance to taste also progressively addresses the room's contribution to the low end.

 Cloudlifter CL-Z close-up of steel chassis with XLR male input and female output connectors and underside velcro bridge mount

The Gain Stage That Gets Out of the Way

The CL-Z's JFET circuit was specifically designed to have no resistors or capacitors in the direct signal path. Those components are where coloration, frequency degradation, and distortion enter a gain stage, and the CL-Z eliminates them before they can touch the audio. Two discrete noise-canceling gain stages handle amplification, and by the time the signal reaches whatever capacitors exist downstream in the preamp or interface, the signal-to-noise ratio is already high enough that their impact is dramatically reduced.

What you get at the output is more of the microphone itself: its actual frequency response at the impedance you've selected, its natural transient character, its real noise floor rather than the inflated noise floor of a preamp being pushed into its upper gain range. For elite voiceover work where every session is a close-mic vocal with a dynamic or ribbon, this matters in ways that become immediately audible when you pull the tracks into a mix.

Highlights

  • Up to +25dB of ultra-clean gain for any passive dynamic, ribbon, or tube microphone
  • Patented Class-A discrete JFET circuitry with dual noise-canceling gain stages; no resistors or capacitors in the direct signal path
  • Continuously variable Vari-Z input impedance: 150Ω to 15kΩ, for tonal shaping from warm and thick to open and airy
  • 3kΩ base input impedance circuit; Vari-Z knob modifies loading across the full sweep range
  • Switchable variable high-pass filter: -6 dB/octave, sweepable below 20 Hz to approximately 200 Hz, cutoff frequency linked to Vari-Z impedance setting
  • High-pass filter practical sweet spot for most mics: 60 to 100 Hz, covering room rumble, HVAC, floor vibration, and proximity buildup
  • Two-position gain switch: +25dB MAX for low-output passive mics; +12dB MORE for louder sources or adding downstream preamp color
  • Frequency response: 5 Hz to 80 kHz (-0.3 dB)
  • Recommended load impedance: greater than 5kΩ
  • Requires +48V phantom power (P48, IEC 61938); does not pass phantom to the microphone, safe for all passive ribbon and tube mics
  • Current consumption: 3.1 mA
  • Low output impedance for driving long XLR cable runs without signal loss
  • Compatible with dynamic, ribbon, tube, battery-powered, and power-supply-driven passive microphones
  • Rugged solid steel chassis, rubber feet, underside metal bridge for strap or velcro mounting in live environments
  • Dimensions: 5.35" x 3.43" x 2.6" / Weight: 17.3 oz
  • Handcrafted in Tucson, Arizona, USA
  • Limited lifetime warranty with registration

Cloudlifter CL-Z Specifications

Specification Details
Circuit Design Patented Class-A Discrete JFET, Dual Noise-Canceling Gain Stages
Maximum Gain Up to +25 dB (MAX position, with 5kΩ load)
Gain Switch Positions +25 dB (MAX) / +12 dB (MORE)
Variable Impedance Range (Vari-Z) 150Ω to 15kΩ (continuously variable)
Base Input Impedance 3kΩ
Recommended Load Impedance Greater than 5kΩ
High-Pass Filter Variable, -6 dB/octave, below 20 Hz to ~200 Hz (linked to Vari-Z knob; switchable on/off)
HPF Practical Sweet Spot 60 to 100 Hz (varies by mic output impedance and Z knob position)
Frequency Response 5 Hz to 80 kHz (-0.3 dB)
Input Connector 3-pin Male XLR
Output Connector 3-pin Female XLR
Phantom Power Required +48V (P48, IEC 61938)
Phantom Pass-Through No (safe for all passive ribbon and tube microphones)
Current Consumption 3.1 mA
Compatibility Passive Dynamic, Ribbon, Tube, Battery-Powered, and Power-Supply-Driven Microphones
Channels 1 (Single Channel)
Dimensions 5.35" x 3.43" x 2.6"
Weight 17.3 oz
Construction Rugged Solid Steel Chassis, Rubber Feet, Underside Metal Bridge for Strap/Velcro Mounting
Manufacturing Handcrafted in Tucson, Arizona, USA
Warranty Limited Lifetime (with registration)

What's in the Box

Item Details
Cloudlifter CL-Z 1x Single-Channel Mic Activator with Vari-Z impedance control, switchable high-pass filter, and 2-position gain switch
Documentation Warranty card and product registration information
Shipping

Shipping & Returns

  • We deliver all US orders in 3–5 business days
  • Free cancellations
  • Returns accepted within 30 days (unused items)

Order Confirmation

Once your order is placed, you will receive an order confirmation email. This confirms that we have received your order and have pre-authorized your credit card for the purchase. After confirming availability with our suppliers, we will proceed accordingly:

  • If your item is available and ready to ship within 1–2 business days, we will process the charge and arrange for shipment.

  • If your item is on backorder or unavailable, the pre-authorization will be voided and you will be notified by email.

  • Please note: While most items ship out within 1–2 business days, total delivery time is typically 3–5 business days, depending on your location and carrier handling.

Order Shipment

If your item is in stock and your payment has been processed, your order will typically ship within 1–2 business days. Total delivery time is approximately 3–5 business days from the date of order. Once shipped, you will receive tracking information at the email address provided during checkout within 24 hours of dispatch.

If you have not received tracking information within 3–5 business days of placing your order, please contact us at support@proaudioreserve.com.

The Distributor-Direct Advantage

To ensure you receive the most recent hardware revisions and 100% factory-sealed units, Pro Audio Reserve utilizes a Distributor-Direct fulfillment model. Unlike big-box retailers that may ship "floor models" or gear that has been sitting in general-purpose warehouses, your equipment is pulled directly from the primary manufacturer hub, serialized, and dispatched. This process ensures the highest level of quality control for professional-grade recording equipment.

Shipping Policy

We currently offer free shipping within the United States only. If the checkout process on our website allows you to enter a shipping address and complete your order, your location is eligible to receive delivery.

Changing Shipping Address

If you need to change your shipping address after your order has been processed or shipped, we will do our best to accommodate the request. Please note that address changes may result in delivery delays. Any additional costs incurred due to address changes, including carrier fees or rerouting charges will be the responsibility of the customer. No exceptions.

Shipping Times

All shipping times provided are estimates and should not be considered guarantees. Most orders ship out within 1–2 business days from the time payment is processed. However, total delivery time is typically 3–5 business days, depending on your location, carrier performance, and supplier fulfillment timelines.

We work closely with our vendors to ensure timely deliveries, but please note that supply chain disruptions, high-demand periods, or weather events may occasionally cause delays beyond our control.

  • To avoid misunderstandings: The “shipping time” refers to the total time from order placement to final delivery, not just when the item leaves the warehouse.

  • Cancellations: If you choose to cancel your order because it has not arrived within the estimated delivery window, you may be responsible for applicable shipping charges, restocking fees, warehouse handling costs, and other related fees.

  • Chargebacks: Customers who initiate chargebacks due to shipping delays without contacting us first may be held legally responsible for losses. We strongly encourage open communication so we can resolve any delivery concerns directly and efficiently via our Atlanta-based support team.

Delivery Options

  • Threshold Shipping: Your item will be delivered to your front door, porch, garage, or a covered entryway.

 

Why Buy From Us

We get it. You've got a lot of choice when it comes to online retailers.
Here's why we think you should shop with us at ProAudioReserve.

  • Free Shipping USA wide. 
  • 30 Day Easy Returns. Not happy with your product, we'll take it back noquestions asked.
  • Great Service. We pride ourselves on the best service, anywhere.

Reviews

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)