US company Cloud Microphones has expanded its Cloudlifter family of mic boosters with the launch of the new Cloudlifter X, which offers a custom-designed Cinemag transformer along with two selectable output levels that expand the range of output gain offered by the CL-1.

‘Our customers love the CL-1 for its ultra-clean, transparent gain,’ says CEO, Rodger Cloud. ‘With the addition of a custom transformer, the CL-X will respond to different sources and input levels, returning ultra-clean gain with varying levels of character and mojo. We like to say that the more signal you give it, the more love it will give back.’

The nickel-core Cinemag transformer offers high bandwidth at normal input levels, and can also provide a variable amount of harmonic content and saturation as the input signal is increased, adding extremely musical flavours to the CL-X’s output.

Derived from the two-position More/Max switch found on the Cloudlifter Z, the default setting (up to 12dB) on the CL-X is intended for use with hotter signals like a Shure SM57 on a snare, whereas the ‘Max’ setting (up to 36dB) is suited to quieter source material such as acoustic instruments, podcasting, ASMR and Foley.

‘The CL-X is the perfect companion piece for CL-1 owners,’ Cloud says. ‘The additional gain settings – neither of which can be found on the CL-1 – combined with the sonic flavour of the transformer opens up a whole new world of Cloudlifting possibilities.’

More: www.cloudmicrophones.com