If you have a Shure SM7B and you're looking for that extra gain, I can't recommend the FetHead enough. It's a must have. Dynamic uses a voice coil and magnet, and it is a plug and play microphone; they don’t need external power to run. With an inteface like the 2i2, you may need to almost max it out. When you do this, you risk introducing noise. Some preamps are noisier than other so it’s up to you what’s acceptable with your particular setup. When it comes to boosters, the one that I always recommended for people was, of course, CL1 Cloudlifter. Which is a classic. By using the phantom power voltage of an audio interface or mixer, the Cloudlifter provides +25db of clean gain which boosts the level of classic podcasting microphones such as the Shure SM7B. This means that you can avoid having to crank up the preamps of your interface which risks introducing excessive noise.

It has the capacity of reducing the impedance load on the mic, resulting in improved transient response and the range will be extensible. I use this with my Shure Sm7b, whoa that girl is gain hungry, but the Fethead handles it like a boss, be it connected to my audio interface or straight into the mic, it really doesn't matter it feeds that mic with the gain it needs. In the end, the comparison between FetHead vs Cloudlifter should focus on your personal needs. The more you know about how these in-line preamplifiers work, interact with equipment, and affect music quality, the better. With our research, we hope to make it easier to decide between these two options.

The FetHead range contains models with different features for different applications. Models include the standard version, the FetHead Phantom which still passes phantom power to the microphone therefore making it suitable with condensers and the FetHead filter which features a high pass filter. For our comparison with Cloud’s CL-1, we’ll be looking at the standard FetHead. While, it’s nice to know what a microphone activator can accomplish, knowing it will work with the gear you already own is essential. The last thing you want to do is add incompatible noise to your setup. Here are the basic features of Triton’s FetHead: Comparing it with the same mic but without the FetHead, I'd have to keep my microphone gain on my Scarlett 2i2 on max. volume just to get the same amount of gain that I'd get at around 35-40% with the FetHead on the same interface. Being a dynamic mic, the SM57 does not need phantom power. Although it shouldn’t damage it, it’s advisable to have phantom power switched off when using this mic. What’s the Difference Between a Shure SM57 and an SM58?

Of course, the winner and the most popular mic was Shure SM7B– the legendary vocal microphone used by broadcasters and studios around the world. That’s not just my opinion; many people who were starting their streaming channels or podcasts grabbed a Blue Mic (Yeti or Snowball) or a similar USB microphone. The best preamps for the Shure SM57 include the Cloudlifter CL-1, the Triton Audio Fethead and the Golden Age Project Pre-73 MKIII Microphone Preamp. Older broadcast quality outboard preamps such as the Alice Mic-Pak also work great with the SM57. Cloudlifters benefit from the simplicity of their construction. The sturdy steel box sports just enough outlets and connectors to get the job done. This no-frills, high-quality design means that it can withstand show after show. It can be used for recording in rooms with harder surfaces and higher ceilings (such rooms have challenged acoustics).

Preamp with germanium harmonics

The frequency response range of the FetHead is larger than the CL-1. The FetHead is also, by and large, the flatter of the two responses, meaning that although this additional gain does bring up the noise floor somewhat, the gain is more transparent overall.

Good question! If you’re using an interface which is fairly standard in podcasting circles, a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 for example, it has preamps for each of the mic inputs built-in. These will be fine for a condenser mic which outputs a hot signal but to get to the level you need when using a dynamic mic, you’ll need to crank up the gain. There are no bells and whistles associated with FetHead and makes a great option for people using the ribbon and dynamic mic. Radial Engineering’s McBoost unit is the first in this roundup to have some additional features in comparison to the other models. There are switches to change both the load and level settings and also a gain knob to turn the gain up and down when the level switch is set to variable. Mic activators help us solve the gain problems of dynamic and ribbon microphone styles. One of the biggest draws of these devices is that they are considered a low-noise solution for quiet audio. This means you can spend more time recording and less in post-production working with audio you can barely hear.It’s a device that boosts your microphone gain with a clean signal, making it much louder at the source. 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. Those who enjoy the equipment side of podcasting though may be more drawn to the GAP Pre-73 Mkiii for the lovely warm sound it produces. Whichever you choose, all of these options will do a great job of giving your SM57 the additional is gain it requires. Frequently Asked Questions Does a Shure SM57 need phantom power?

This has been our head to head for the two most popular products in the mic activation market. As you can tell, there are pros and cons to both devices. If you can handle a little extra noise in your recordings then the FetHead is the obvious choice, with its ultra-transparent high gain signal boost. If you are less concerned about coloration and are looking for a product that can prescribe gain based on what your mic needs, then the CL-1 is the activator for you.With time, podcasters, YouTubers and online personalities started to upgrade their gear and moved from USB mics to standard XLR microphones, the ones that need an audio interface to work. I would recommend it to anyone who is in that situation with not enough gain to drive the mic, or just barely enough but getting lots of preamp noise. Mic activators have become really popular in recent years because of their convenience and relatively low cost (in comparison to outboard mic preamps which we’ll cover next). 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. The Fethead tends to retail at a lower price than the Cloudlifter too so definitely worth a look. Both are great options for use with the SM57.