Do You Need a Cloudlifter for the PodMic & Rodecaster Pro?

Headphones are recommended to get the most out of this comparison. Using a Cloudlifter is a great way to add "clean gain" to your audio recording setup. But what if you’re already using the Rodecaster Pro and PodMic? These two are literally made for each other, so is there any benefit to adding a Cloudlifter?

This video shares a comparison for using the Rodecaster with and without a Cloudlifter. I also did an A/B test using a more traditional multi channel mixer to show the difference in preamp quality with the Rodecaster (which seems to have pretty incredible preamps).

•2 Channel Cloudlifter:

•1 Channel Cloudlifter:

•Yamaha Mixer:

•Colored XLR Cables (because I get that question a lot!):

•Tabletop Mic Stands (another popular request):

» Ready to start your own podcast? Check out The Podcaster Playbook, my step-by-step DIY course to help you launch your show!

•Time Markers-
0:00 - Head in the Clouds
0:53 - Does the PodMic Need a Boost?
1:34 - Cloudlifter vs. Fethead
3:28 - Build Quality & Setup
4:30 - My Equipment Setup
4:52 - 1st Test (No Cloudlifter)
6:21 - 2nd Test (With Cloudlifter)
7:16 - Rodecaster Cloudlifter Settings
9:27 - The Rodecaster’s Built in Preamps
9:58 - Using a Different Mixer (Yamaha MG10XU)
10:23 - The Magic of Phantom Power
11:32 - Yamaha Mixer without Cloudlifter
12:07 - Yamaha Mixer with Cloudlifter
13:46 - Making This Video Changed My Mind
14:30 - The Biggest Con: Price.
15:22 - So, Do You Need a Cloudlifter?
15:58 - How I Approach My Reviews

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– Who Am I? –

Hi! My name is Tom Buck. As a lifelong A/V nerd, I’m here to help you level up the audio and video quality of your streams, podcasts, puns, and videos. I was a high school Digital Media teacher for 11 years, and I started this channel in 2017 as a project to share my enthusiasm for digital media and teaching others while having fun along the way.

New videos are uploaded every Thursday morning, and more often when possible!

Episode 204: Cloudlifter with PodMic & Rodecaster Pro: More Than You Ever Wanted to Know
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#Rode #Audio #Podcasting #Rodecaster #Yamaha #Cloudlifter
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[tombuck]

Time Markers-
0:00 - Head in the Clouds
0:53 - Does the PodMic Need a Boost?
1:34 - Cloudlifter vs. Fethead
3:28 - Build Quality & Setup
4:30 - My Equipment Setup
4:52 - 1st Test (No Cloudlifter)
6:21 - 2nd Test (With Cloudlifter)
7:16 - Rodecaster Cloudlifter Settings
9:27 - The Rodecaster’s Built in Preamps
9:58 - Using a Different Mixer (Yamaha MG10XU)
10:23 - The Magic of Phantom Power
11:32 - Yamaha Mixer without Cloudlifter
12:07 - Yamaha Mixer with Cloudlifter
13:46 - Making This Video Changed My Mind
14:30 - The Biggest Con: Price.
15:22 - So, Do You Need a Cloudlifter?
15:58 - How I Approach My Reviews

[MsRobstar]

The cloud signal does sound way better!! As a audio engineer I have noticed over the years that better gain does help the mic perform better. With high-end mic pre’s I have learned that you are paying for the clean power. Great video 👍🏾‼️

[piratetech]

I think one of the biggest problems with the Caster is that I often heard hiss while monitoring that never showed up on the recordings. This is down to the headphone amp used within the unit itself. You kind of have to train yourself to 'ignore' which is incredibly difficult. But the fact remains the unit has class A preamps so any mic that draws less than 55db will be fine. If you were using a Heil PR40 or the SM7B I would say the cloudlifter would be a good shout! Love the videos as ever!

[vardhanmahajan]

I like how you keep your setups simple, I think that makes it easier to record more, and that makes me more consistent, that you for teaching me that, it has helped out a lot!

[MrWhizeGuy]

Thats why the klark teknik ct1 was made, i use it on my PodMic and it made that little differance aswell! For only 29$ its really good!

[EasyKill]

Today, we did test audio with the Cloudlifter and we were very impressed with the sound quality attached to the podmic. I tend to sound a little nasally on the mic, so the cloudlifter made a big difference. Although, I will need to readjust the levels for the next session.

[AthanCondax]

First of all, those XLR cables are really cool! I like how the purple background light is opposite of the purple XLR and the blue background light is opposite of the blue cable. Nice touch! I doubt that was unintentional. I know you pay a lot of attention to your setup and it's really nice.

[BasicFilmmaker]

Partly cloudy. LOL!!!! Nice stuff man. Next time, how about 5 seconds rippin on the drum set? 👍

[samfraulino]

You are the only video I could find that talks about the issue with the volume on the Rode PodMic and Rodecaster Pro. I have to keep my gain at 42-45 and then my volume on my slider level at 2 to 3 notches above unity level, that was baffling me and fucked up a few of my recordings. I just wasn't thinking the volume had to be so high along with thinking my gain level for each mic set at 10 above what comes standard. Thanks for demoing and your time on this, it helped me out and put me on the right track to solve my issue, Your channel is super rad.

[modifiedabsolute]

You don't have to have the Fethead directly into the back of the mic. You can have it between the XLR and the interface or even between two XLRs, exactly the same as the Cloudlifter

[traceysmiley]

I bought both the Rodecaster Pro, PodMic, and the Cloudlifter based on your videos. I definitely binge-watched a bunch of them. Thanks a lot, Tom!

[ChrisDavisTrumpet]

*THANK YOU MUCH* for testing the Yamaha! I have the same mixer and have been having trouble on video conferences with people saying they can't hear me. I came across the Cloud Lifter and wondered if it could solve my problem but was skeptical. So, THANK YOU!!!! A pleasant surprise in this video.

[gamerpoets]

Makes me happy when I stop in and see your channel growing. Keep going :)

[TomRafterytv]

Damn you Tom - you're killing my wallet man! I have a Rodecaster because of you. and now I have a Fethead because of you (I plugged it in to the back of the Rodecaster, instead of the back of the mic, so I don't see it). The audio quality of my two podcasts has gone way up though, and the Rodecaster has made my workflow so streamlined that I'm publishing 3 episodes a week, so thanks for that :)

[andyto]

Thanks for the breakdown Tom! Great info for someone like myself who’s new to audio

[mindbendernine]

"... Now you press the 48V phantom power and..." BOOM !

I can't tell you how many times I've done that personally. Great video, as always!

[bree_wolf]

I set my Podcast up using the Rodecaster Pro and the Pod Mic from all the information I learnt from your numerous videos on the subject. My brothers, who are my co-hosts, looked at me like I was an audio genius when I was implementing the settings 😂 Thank you!

[RyanWitherspoon]

Man the cloud lifter made a noticeable difference when you go between both mics

[taylorclarkjohnson]

“And that would be partly cloudy!” Ha! So cheesy… but I laughed. Yup. 😁

[denimandlead]

10/10 video, my man. I’m subbing because this has helped a lot with more than just pulling the trigger on a Cloudlifter