Recording - February 2012 - 25

I compared the LCT 640 side-by-side with my Brauner Phantom that is an ultrahonest, high-precision condenser mic that costs about three times what the Lewitt costs. The Brauner by nature is a very unforgiving mic that captures sources as they are and has long been a favorite of mine on high-end acoustic instruments. By comparison, I would call the Lewitt an honest microphone in that it really does not add anything to a source by way of tonality... it’s just not as brutal in its sonic depiction as the Phantom. To put the LCT 640 into context, let’s look at how it fared on various sources: Vocals: The results here depend on what kind of voice you’re working with and where you want it to sit in the mix. This is a great mic for tracking natural and nuanced vocal performances like you would expect in classical, jazz, R’n’B or softer rock. If you need an upper-midheavy or bright mic to let the vocal cut through a mix, this probably would not be my first choice. Electric Guitar: Here my thoughts are similar, this will not replace a good midfocused dynamic for crunching guitar or searing leads, but will work wonderfully alongside such a mic to augment the often missing low and high end, but in a nicely controlled and non-shrill way. On its own it works great in hypercardioid mode for

thick rhythm tracks, especially in styles like traditional jazz and blues, with a focused tone that retains its fullness and depth. Acoustic guitar: Again, if you want the acoustic guitar to sit nicely in the mix it’s a great choice, but not so much if you are after a bright, forward, jangly pop sound. Drums: This makes a very nice outerkick mic thanks to its generous pads, and the different patterns that allow you to subtly tune the microphone’s tonal and spatial characteristics. On overhead (mono as I only received one) it offers a noticeable yet subtle high-end taming effect. Here I found wide cardioid mode to offer a great blend of the special characteristics of omni, with the tone of cardioid. Strings: Just as the mic arrived, I received a call from our Editor Lorenz Rychner encouraging me if at all possible to try the microphone out on cello. In fact, he was all but gushing about its success in said application, and he rarely gushes over gear. Sadly I was not able to line up any cello sessions, but I was able to use the 640 on a violin as part of a violin/piano duet, and I will concur with Lorenz that if you do any sort of classical string recording this is a wonderful mic for the task! I used it in omni mode to compensate for the natural swaying movement of the violin player, and found

it to offer a nice natural tone with just the right amount of soft tempered highs to avoid the shrill drag of the strings. Final thoughts If you’d like to see and hear a little bit of what this mic can do, please note that we used the Lewitt LCT 640 in this instructional videos we just posted at www.recording mag.com/videos.html — as an example, check out Recording Acoustic Guitar–Part 2. While this mic is pleasing on just about every source, I will stop short of putting it in the “workhorse” camp, as it may be too sonically pretty for that designation. Unlike a vintage-toned tube mic that at its best may gel sounds together in a mix and bathe them in a vibe, the LCT 640 is better described as a mic that naturally allows sources to sit together in a mix in a subtly luxurious way. At $580 street, it’s probably that next step above entry level, yet still within reach of the serious hobbyist and project studio. If you are into any type of acoustic music, especially classical, folk or jazz, this mic needs to be at the tippy-top of your short list. Price: $580 street More from: Lewitt Audio, www.lewitt-audio.com
http://www.recordingmag.com/videos.html http://www.recordingmag.com/videos.html http://www.lewitt-audio.com http://www.BenchmarkMedia.com http://www.BenchmarkMedia.com
Recording - February 2012

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