Lewitt

T
he Lewitt LCT 440
Pure is a neat
C414-esque design
which balances
weight with an
impressive robustness.
It comes with a quality
accessory set: bespoke shockmount
and pop fi lter, foam windshield and
leatherette bag. Right out of the box
the 440 feels like quality, to the
extent that it requires conscious
effort to prevent transference of this
feeling into the analysis of its sonics.
The LCT 440 is a simple
condenser mic: fi xed cardioid pattern
and no pad or low-cut controls. This
is unusual in the LCT range, with
only the LCT 240 Pro being similarly
switch-free. It can be benefi cial to
reduce the number of moving parts
in a mic: less to go wrong, thus
extending service life. The downsides
are that not all preamps do have
these controls, and that excessive
input level or low frequency content
presented to the preamp can cause
distortion. Swings…roundabouts.
To counter the inevitable
confi rmation bias highlighted above,
the 440 was tested against mics
I know inside out. The quick version
is this: it sounds great and responds
very well to a wide range of sources
without clouding or over emphasising
areas of the frequency spectrum.
The longer version is as follows.
On vocals, the mic presents a natural
and rich sound without harshness in
the sibilant upper-mids. The proximity
effect seems controlled, allowing
up-close work without bloating the
low-mids. The pop fi lter is a necessity
in this case, as the excellent low-end
sensitivity makes plosives a problem.
Good off-axis response (within the
really show up upper-frequency
phase-shift notches inherent in
condenser capsule response, and here
the 440 behaves unusually well – I
didn’t get upset and want to swap it
for a dynamic/ribbon combo). Respect.
All in all, the LCT 440 Pure is a
great balance of simplicity, robust
design and sonic performance. The
output level is high, which is coupled
with low self-noise, making it great
for quiet sources. Despite being a
single-pattern mic with no low-cut or
pad controls, this is an impressively
versatile mic, and it’s very well
priced indeed. Defi nitely a player to
watch in a very crowded fi eld.
usual cardioid ‘window') means
singing or talking across the mic
also helps mitigate this without loss
of presence.
The perceived richness, and
corresponding minimising of
sibilance, makes the 440 a little
darker than many when presented
with acoustic instruments. Whether
this is desirable or not will depend
on the instrument. I have a dull
acoustic that sounds best with some
lift in the upper-mids/early-highs,
and this needed an EQ boost with
the 440. The well-balanced low end,
meanwhile, meant the body of the
guitar was captured naturally, free
from boxiness. Bowed strings may
well benefi t from this characteristic,
as can drum overheads bombarded
with cymbals.
I generally avoid using condensers
on guitar amps, so inevitably I try
any review model out on one. The
Lewitt 440 Pure is one that
challenges my prejudice. Though the
‘sibilance dip’ identifi ed above is
noticeable in this role it is, again, not
always a bad thing and isn’t
immediately obvious. For clean
sounds, there’s plenty of punch as
well as clarity, and its happy getting
right up to the grille. Distorted tones
THE PROS & CONS
+
Well balanced
frequency response
Robust and
simple design
High-quality
bespoke pop fi lter
and shockmount
-
It could be
slightly more open
in the upper-mids
No pad or
low-cut controls
FM VERDICT
8.9
A well rounded mic
that’d be happy in most
roles on stage or in the
studio – especially for
vocals and guitar amps
The LCT 440 Pure is
a great balance of
simplicity, robust design
and sonic performance
Lewitt LCT 440 Pure | Reviews
87
FMU323.rev_lewitt.indd 87 9/6/17 10:35 AM