Clean gain without the Cloudlifter price tag

The Klark Teknik CM-2 is an in-line microphone level booster: it sits between a gain-hungry microphone and your preamp, runs on phantom power with no external supply needed, and adds up to +25dB of clean gain before the signal ever reaches the preamp stage. If you've heard of the Cloudlifter, this is the same job for considerably less money. I own both the two-channel CM-2 and its single-channel sibling, the CM-1, so this review covers the pair.

Klark Teknik CM-2 mic booster wired into my rack with XLR in and out

Why a mic booster at all?

Very gain-hungry microphones force a choice. Unless you own top-flight preamps, the only way to reach a healthy level is to drive the preamp well into the top of its gain range, and on budget and mid-range preamps that upper zone is exactly where the noise and grit live.

A mic level booster solves this properly. The booster provides the heavy lifting cleanly, so the preamp can sit comfortably in the low, clean part of its range. The practical result on my own recordings: a lower noise floor, because I no longer have to drive my preamps as hard.

How they sound

Transparent. That's the whole point, and the CM-1 and CM-2 deliver it: they add level, not character. The microphone still sounds like itself, just properly loud and noticeably cleaner.

The details

  • Gain: up to +25dB of clean boost per channel
  • Power: 48V phantom power, no external power supply needed
  • Connections: XLR in / XLR out per channel
  • CM-2: two channels, Amazon ASIN B08BRZM3RL
  • CM-1: single channel, Amazon ASIN B08BS125D1

One channel or two?

Buy the CM-1 if you record one mic. Buy the CM-2 if you run two gain-hungry mics at once, or want a spare channel. There's no sonic difference between them in my use.

Verdict

These are the rare budget boxes that do exactly what they claim with no caveats. Transparent boost, lower noise floor, and your preamp gets to stay in its comfort zone. If you own an SM7B or any other gain-hungry dynamic and you're not running boutique preamps, one of these is the cheapest genuine upgrade you can make to your signal chain.