FetHead offers a strong signal without the needing to crank your preamp. In your search for solutions to passive ribbon or dynamic mics, you’ll likely come across many articles recommending preamps. These are honorable mentions, however, they are often too expensive for many newcomers to the music industry. One of the biggest worries with mic activators is that they will skew the frequency response. However, this is not an issue with FetHead, as it adds controllable clean gain up to 27dB. In setups with long cables, however, FetHead does help reduce noise as well as Cloudlifter does. Verdict 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.

Many dynamic and ribbon mics have low sensitivities and need at least 60 dB of gain for good results. 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. Although the Cloudlifter CL-1 is a great product, there are other options to consider. Whether you’re looking for a solution at a lower price point, require more gain than a Cloudlifter provides or you need some additional features, hopefully this roundup has given you some ideas and helped you to decide which one is best for your needs.

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Triton Audio has created a powerful little device it’s FetHead (and FetHead Phantom for condenser microphones) that allows an artist of any budget to reach their fullest potential. Overall, the key differences in the FetHead vs Cloudlifter debate come down to small use-case differences. If you’re constantly performing on the road in small venues, FetHead’s portability may convince you. 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. Our FetHead Transformer will get you an instant ‘radio’ voice that works wonders on podcasts and voice-overs. After extensive tests and prototyping we came up with a very portable solution to get a stellar sound with just a regular dynamic microphone. Get a produced sound within seconds.

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. Do not fear however, for TritonAudio have released the "Broadcast" FetHead which has a fixed gain, no matter what the input impedance. It's nearly double the price however, so those like myself hoping to save a much loved but underpowered preamp may feel the investment would be better spent toward a mic pre upgrade. Dynamic microphones such as this though do require more gain than a typical condenser mic but with gain can come noise and with noise comes more clean-up work in post, so it’s important to select a good preamp with a decent amount of clean gain. Your Fethead will latch straight onto any XLR equipped microphone, or anywhere else in the signal path between microphone and preamp/mixer.The electronics are housed in a robust metal chassis with a balanced female XLR input and a balanced male XLR output, rugged enough for use at home, in the studio or on tour.

Some ribbon microphones do not tolerate phantom power, FetHead's circuit uses Phantom power but shields it from its input (and the microphone's output). As a result, it offers effective protection to the microphone.

Because Cloudlifters offer a drastic, almost night-and-day difference with a certain type of passive mic, many audio professionals swear by them.

Cloudlifter alternatives include the Triton Audio FetHead, the Cathedral Pipes Durham, the Radial McBoost and the sE Electronics Dynamite DM-1. All are inline mic activators which provide a similar amount of gain for low sensitivity dynamic and ribbon microphones. The FetHead requires phantom power, so it works using balanced XLR connections, and you can’t use it with a USB-only mic. Attach FetHead onto a balanced microphone cable and plug it in a dynamic microphone, switch on phantom power and enjoy FetHeads Natural open sound! This lightweight, portable, and easy-to-use activator adds gain without distorting the audio. If you have a low output ribbon or dynamic mic and an eye for simplistic, no-frills gear, FetHead should meet your needs and more. Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter