Lewitt LCT140 Air Condenser Microphone
So-called finger microphones are used where it is necessary to record or amplify an acoustic instrument. The latest Lewitt LCT140 Air attracts attention with an exceptionally attractive price and high functionality.
Name "finger microphones» Derived directly from the English term "pencil microphone" and quite obviously describes the shape of the device. These microphones are also called small diaphragmthat is, those in which the capacitive capsule diaphragm has a diameter of less than 0,75”. In turn, microphones with a larger diaphragm (from 0,75″ to 1,2″) are called large aperture.
This division is purely arbitrary, but the presence of a "small diaphragm" can give the impression that there will be problems with bass processing. Everything is just the opposite. The small, lightweight diaphragm handles low frequencies very well. The small diameter also causes the diaphragm's natural resonant frequency to shift upwards. This is important because at frequencies four times the diaphragm diameter, the acoustic wave impacts the phase-aligned diaphragm and the capsule response is reduced by 6 dB/oct. with increasing frequency.
Switches on the cabinet allow you to activate a 12 dB attenuator, an 80 Hz high-pass filter, and a 6 decibel high-frequency boost (Air) function.
The rigidity of the diaphragm (due to its mechanical stress and acoustic stress on the back side caused by holes in the solid electrode) does the opposite: the response is increased by 6 dB/oct. with increasing frequency. The result is smooth characteristicsthe degree of smoothing depends on the structure of the capsule. Thus, the smaller the diaphragm diameter, the greater the chance of achieving smooth response and stable directivity.
The only problem with small aperture capsules low sensitivity. As a result, more amplification is required, which can increase the noise level. As such, each of the components used must come from the top shelf, so top-finger mics can be expensive; for example, for DPA 4006 we will pay almost PLN 9. How does a Lewitt product costing less than PLN 600 look like in this context?
Lewitt LCT140 Air – Design
Lewitt LCT140 Air its dimensions are standard for this type of microphone, but its low weight (only 66 g) is bewildering, suggesting that the body is made of plastic. There is nothing more wrong - both the body and the internal chassis are made of aluminum.
The electret capsule used in the microphone has a 17 mm diaphragm and a kidney pattern.
The main board of the microphone is densely dotted with electronics, in which it attracts special attention. MSP430 microcontroller. Why a microphone circuit that is essentially a miniature computer? Here it was used for a very prosaic purpose - as a control element for three switches: the character of the sound, the high-pass filter and the attenuator.
Savings turned out to be a key factor - using an actuator controller is much cheaper than using multi-pin switches. In addition, it greatly improves wear resistance. Lewitt has been famous for out-of-the-box solutions from the very beginning, and here we get the best example of that.
On practice
The 17mm diaphragm electret capsule has a relatively narrow kidney response, surprisingly coherent down to 125Hz, ideal for acoustic guitar, for example, even in interiors where the acoustics are far from perfect.
The use of a microprocessor controlling the switchable functions is a perfect proof of Lewitt's modern approach to its designs.
There are clearly marked switches on the body that activate a 12dB attenuator, an 80Hz high-pass filter, and a correction that increases the bandwidth from 5kHz (hence the Air in the microphone's name). The sound is very even, detailed and accurate, and the level of self-noise is insignificant if the microphone is used for sound sources that are no more than 1-2 m away from it. With distant aircraft and quiet signals, the noise becomes more audible, although it is still recorded so the sound remains useful.
Summation
LCT140 Air will not disappoint anyone. The ratio of quality and functionality to the price in his case is disarmingly high. If someone is looking for a branded and inexpensive microphone for recording individual acoustic instruments or even entire sections or instrumental and vocal sets, Lewitt will be one of the addresses to turn to first. Everything about this microphone tells us that it is quite modern, well designed and manufactured, and the experience and reputation of the manufacturer guarantee a successful purchase.
Price: PLN 599
Producer: Levitt www.lewitt-audio.com
Distribution: Mega Music www.megamusic.pl
