Klark Teknik MIC BOOSTER CM-1 Dynamic Microphone Booster with Preamp

I'm giving the Klark Teknik MIC BOOSTER CM-1 a full five stars. This little device has made a significant improvement to my streaming and podcasting setup.Likes: The CM-1 provides a very clean gain increase, and I've noticed no discernible added noise levels to my microphone signal. This clean gain is essential for professional-sounding recordings and streams, ensuring that my voice is clear and free of unwanted hiss. The build quality is also excellent; it's made of metal, has a good weight, and feels very solid and durable.Usage: I use the CM-1 with a Rode PodMic and a Wave XLR interface for both streaming and podcasting. It allows me to get a strong, clear signal without having to increase the gain on my Wave XLR to very high levels, which can introduce unnecessary noise.Conclusion: I highly recommend the Klark Teknik CM-1 to other streamers and podcasters who want to avoid introducing unwanted noise by overdriving the gain on their audio interfaces. It offers excellent performance at a very reasonable price, making it a great value for streamers and podcasters looking for a clean gain boost for their dynamic microphone. This is a fantastic and affordable solution.

What's not to like about an active mic booster that costs less than $50 and sounds like a million bucks? I have a Cloud Lifter and when compared side by side using multiple dynamic and ribbon mics, there is virtually no difference. The Klark Teknik (aka Behringer) CM-1 is well made, with all metal construction, rubber pads on the bottom, and XLR connectors which are not only soldered to the pcb board inside, but also screwed in securely on both ends...no worries about breaking the connections with regular use. The whole thing is just over half the length of a standard SM57 microphone and just barely wider, so it's a small footprint to say the least.Sound-wise, it adds a nice amount of gain with very little self-noise, and gives a slightly warmer tone to the mics I tested with it. In particular, I tried it out on one of my $5 Chure SM57's, which have no transformer in them, and was able to get a much better tone out of it than without the CM-1 in the signal flow. Not saying I'd use that mic for anything other than mic'ing the drums at a gig where the drummer doesn't know how to not hit the mics, but it definitively made it better. Even my $1k passive ribbon mics sounded better.It is important to note, through multiple tests both on the bench with meters and with actual mics, that no phantom power passes through this booster. You can not use it with a condenser or other active mic requiring 48v, but that also means it's perfectly safe for your vintage ribbon mics. (That said, I highly recommend doing your own tests on your own unit BEFORE plugging it into a passive ribbon mic...never know when you might get the one that was wired wrong from the factory!)Overall, I am very pleased with this purchase and it will be seeing a great deal of use in my studio.

very low noise floor i just wish it boosted the gain a little bit more.

Edit: This booster requires +48V phantom power from your audio interface to work. I’ve seen a couple reviews saying it didn’t work out of box, and mine didn’t either until I activated phantom power from my UM2. Without the +48V power, your mic will still work, but audio from it will be unchanged or possibly even a little quieter because of the added impedance (I assume. I’m not an audio expert lol)I’m using an Audio Technica AT2040 and Behringer UM2 usb interface. Before getting the CM-1, I had to set the UM2’s gain to 80 or 90 percent to reach good vocal levels. It wasn’t terrible, but I found the UM2 would introduce some static/noise at these gain levels and trying to remove it in post would result in robotic sounding vocals. With the CM-1 added in-line, I can now keep the gain well below 50% and get usable audio without the noise. There is still some noise, probably because I’m using cheap xlr cables, but with the booster is much easier and cleaner to remove in post. If you don’t want to invest in an expensive interface for your dynamic mic, this booster will get you much cleaner audio for a fraction of the price. Would recommend 👍🏼

Stopped working after a few months for no reason at all. Would not recommend.

So happy I found this. I was looking to buy a mic preamp since a long time but did not want to shell out a $150 for it. This is a great deal and the results seem to be same from what you get for the very pricey alternative.

Works great, good price.

This little guy is like protein powder for my mic—pumps it up and makes it sound swole. Plugged it in, and suddenly my dynamic mic is out here acting like it’s got something to prove. No more whispering vocals or shouting over background noise; now my mic picks up every syllable like it’s in a high-stakes drama. Perfect for anyone whose mic needs a little extra muscle. Trust me, with this booster, your sound’s gonna hit the gym and come back with a six-pack.