Lewitt has been working hard for a few years now, in this industry populated by microphone manufacturers from all around the planet. If on the one hand there is a whole sector of highly reputable brands, mostly European & American, some of which gave the world, decades ago, the reference microphones – from the U47 to the C12, from the U67 to the ELA251 – , on the other hand we may find that the clones of these same models were opening a gap in the market with prices ranging from, say, a third of the prices of the originals, to a small fraction of them, mainly when it comes to Asian-made brands.
However, Lewitt has decided to go another route and, taking advantage of the experience gained by Roman Perchon during his time at AKG, they started to investigate and work hard, with the intention of being able to present original solutions to the market, above all, aimed at obtaining the highest quality, enormous versatility and enviable performance. And they have succeeded: from dynamic to condenser, whether with a small capsule to capture instruments or a large capsule to record vocals, Lewitt has been adding new models of indisputable quality and efficiency to its catalog for a decade now.
Although accustomed to such, we cannot fail to be surprised by what the brand presents us today: the new and revolutionary LCT 1040.
What is it about?
Well, from a microphone that gives you the power to create the sound you imagine. Imagine being able to get the perfect sound whenever you want. Like a painter, when he uses his colour palette.
The LCT 1040 will allow you to
- Record with the exceptional sound that only high-end components and a true 1″ condenser capsule will give you;
- Create the perfect sound for different vocalists and instruments, using 4 signature all-analog tube tones and a highly transparent FET circuit;
- Adjust all the settings from your listening point, with the help of a remote control.
The range of tube tones, developed in close collaboration with world-renowned engineers and producers, gives you a variety of possibilities for the sound you are looking for.
- Linear: the valve works optimally technically;
- Warm: with soft and pleasant highs;
- Dark: with controlled treble for bright sources;
- Saturated: With rich harmonics and subtle compression.
These 4 valve characteristics, 100% analog, are designed to cover all applications and styles recorded in the studio, from the most subtle violin to the most groundbreaking Rock voices. But, at the same time, the FET circuit, combining with the latter, will give extreme punch and precision.
As if this was not enough, it will give you the ability to control all its features remotely and from your listening sweet spot, that is, from your armchair in the very centre of your control-room. Installing the LCT 1040, with its respective power supply, in the recording room, from where the voice or instrument will be recorded, and removing the remote controller from the PSU, then interconnecting them through a standard microphone cable, you can choose and fine-tune your sound from your listening position.
It will also allow us to continuously control the polar pattern and even which of the two capsules is the front one, remotely rotating their relationship by 180º. And, in case of doubt – whether use the tube circuit, whether FET, or even a mixture of both – it gives us the possibility to record both on two different tracks and decide later. A true luxury!
Other than all that, we can still refer its careful presentation: a super resistant and practical case, where we find an shock-mount made of carbon fibre elements with a quick release mechanism and angle adjustment. As usual, it comes with a high-performance magnetic anti-pop that protects your capsule from both plosives and unwanted moisture, reducing condensation. Its dual-layer design integrates seamlessly with the stand and ensures clean recordings with any vocalist or genre.
Lewitt LCT 1040 Specifications
- Frequency range: 20 … 20,000 Hz
- Sensitivity: 17.2 mV/Pa, -35.3 dBV/Pa (cardioid)
- Self-noise: 10 dB (A) FET, 13 dB (A) tube (cardioid)
- Max SPL at 0.5% THD: 137 dBSPL (FET)
- Dynamic range: 126.7 dB (A) FET
- Low-cut: 40 Hz, 80 Hz (12 dB/oct), 120 Hz (6 dB/oct)
- Pre-attenuation: -6 dB, -12 dB, -24 dB
- Polar patterns: Seamless blend – Omni, wide cardioid, cardioid, supercardioid, figure-8
- Included: Shock mount, dual-layer magnetic pop screen, windscreen, 11-pin XLR cable, mic mount, mil-spec transport case
- Microphone enclosure: Zinc die cast
- Microphone dimensions: 196 x 65 x 45 mm, 7.7 x 2.6 x 1.8 in
- Microphone net weight: 652 g, 23 oz
- PSU dimensions: 240 x 170 x 47 mm, 9.4 x 6.7 x 1.9 in
- PSU weight: 2381 g, 68 oz
- Remote dimensions: 240 x 163 x 52 mm, 9.4 x 6.4 x 2 in
- Remote weight: 1952 g, 69 oz
