Cloud Microphones Launches First 500 Series Preamp

22/07/2026 10

Tucson, AZ (July 22, 2026)—Marking the company’s first foray into 500 Series preamps, Cloud Microphones is launching the new True Blue 520 preamp, the result of a collaboration between the company and Tim Spencer, founder and designer of True Systems.

Intended for use in recording and live sound settings, the True Blue 520 sports a patent-pending touch interface, Cloud Touch, which aims to eschew the noise of mechanical push-button switches by using a capacitive, touch-sensitive illuminated surface on the front of the unit instead. A variety of functions, including gain, high-pass filter activation, and phantom power all can be set from the front panel.

Offering a 76 dB gain range, the unit’s performance is safeguarded by two seconds of Blink-Delay circuitry, wherein specific features are only engaged after a mandatory two-second hold. Providing protection for sensitive ribbon mics when engaging +48V phantom power or high-gain ‘Lifter’ mode, the Blink-Delay circuit is complemented by automatic phantom power switching that disengages +48V components and eliminates all capacitors at the input while in ribbon/dynamic mode. A rail-to-rail protocol resident in the architecture additionally ensures ultra-high 28 dBu internal headroom and maximum input/output levels.

Instrument DI In and Thru jacks act as a split, with DI In being routed to the preamp core while the Thru jack can pass the instrument signal along to either an external amp or along an additional DI signal path.

• Mixing The Midnight on the Move

Cloud’s continuously variable HPF adjustment offers fine control over LF signal content. With nuanced attenuation between 25 Hz and 420 Hz, it effectively removes low-mid frequency “mud” and plosives from vocals, and tames boomy frequencies when capturing bass and acoustic instruments.