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Lewitt LCT 140 AIR

68

Small diaphragm condenser microphone

  • Pressure gradient receiver
  • Characteristic: Cardioid
  • Pre-polarised 17 mm capsule
  • Dynamic range: 115 dB
  • Limiting sound pressure: 135 dB
  • Switchable EQ preset: Flat / Air
  • Switchable pre-attenuation: 0 dB / 12 dB
  • Switchable low-cut filter: linear / 80 Hz @ 12 dB / octave
  • Transformerless output balancing
  • Incl. Bag, microphone clip and windscreen
Available since July 2019
Item number 469180
Sales Unit 1 piece(s)
Battery Powered No
Directional Microphone No
Stereo Pair No
switchable lowcut Yes
switchable pad Yes
characteristic cardoid
Condenser Microphone 1
Incl. Clamp 1
Polar Pattern Cardioid
inkl. Clamp 1
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£109
Including VAT; Excluding £10 shipping
In stock
In stock

This product is in stock and can be shipped immediately.

Standard Delivery Times
Delivery approx. between Wednesday, 5.02. and Thursday, 6.02.
1

Professional mic for acoustic instruments

Lewitt LCT 140 AIR small-diaphragm condenser microphone

The Lewitt LCT 140 AIR is a fixed cardioid small-diaphragm condenser microphone - often referred to as a "pencil mic" - designed to capture the fine details of acoustic instruments with exceptional clarity and precision. Combining premium features with affordability, it rivals far more expensive industry-standard microphones, making it a compelling choice for musicians, producers, and sound engineers who demand professional results without exceeding their budget. Its lightweight aluminium construction allows for easy positioning, while the fixed cardioid polar pattern effectively isolates the desired sound source by rejecting off-axis noise. A standout feature is its dual sound profiles: The "AIR" mode introduces a boost in the high end for a vibrant, polished sound, while the "FLAT" mode provides a transparent, uncoloured response, ideal for natural-sounding recordings. Supplied with a foam windscreen, mic clip, and a durable storage pouch, the LCT 140 AIR is perfectly suited to both studio and live environments, offering remarkable value and versatility.

Dual sound profiles

At the core of the LCT 140 AIR is a gold-sputtered, back-electret condenser capsule with a 17mm diaphragm, offering a wide frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz and a maximum SPL of 135dB, which can handle even the loudest sources without distortion. Its cardioid polar pattern effectively isolates the intended source, rejecting off-axis noise and for added versatility, three recessed switches on the side of the microphone enable on-the-fly adjustments: An 80Hz high-pass filter removes low-frequency rumble, a -12dB pad reduces input sensitivity for high-SPL sources, and the AIR/FLAT switch toggles between two distinct tonal profiles. AIR mode provides a subtle high-frequency boost around 10kHz, adding brilliance and airiness to instruments like acoustic guitars, cymbals, and percussion, while FLAT mode offers a linear frequency response for natural, uncoloured recordings. These features make the LCT 140 AIR a powerful and adaptable tool.

Capsule of the Lewitt LCT 140 AIR small-diaphragm condenser microphone

Natural and dynamic recordings

The Lewitt LCT 140 AIR is excellent at capturing transient-rich and dynamic sound sources with precision and detail. Its sensitivity of 14.3mV/Pa ensures a robust signal output, while its transient response faithfully reproduces fast attacks and intricate tonal details. This makes it an excellent choice for snare drums, where clarity and punch are critical, as well as brass and woodwind instruments that require detailed articulation and tonal balance. The AIR mode's subtle high-frequency boost enhances the shimmer of cymbals and the sparkle of strings, often reducing the need for extensive EQ adjustments during post-production. Capable of maintaining clarity even at high SPLs, the LCT 140 AIR is equally effective for recording percussion, drum overheads, and toms. Its compact, lightweight design (weighing just 66g) allows for easy placement, even in tight or unconventional setups.

XLR output of the Lewitt LCT 140 AIR small-diaphragm condenser microphone

About Lewitt

Founded in Vienna in 2010, the midsize Austrian company Lewitt describes itself as the world's fastest-growing microphone brand, and indeed Lewitt has quickly made a name for itself among producers. The reason: The firm has a passionate team that produces remarkably transparent-sounding condenser microphones with low self-noise. Development takes place in Austria, but by producing the microphones in China, among other factors, Lewitt can offer its high-quality products at extremely low prices.

XLR connector of the Lewitt LCT 140 AIR small-diaphragm condenser microphone

Practical applications

The LCT 140 AIR thrives in diverse recording applications. For acoustic guitars, placing the microphone near the 12th fret captures an ideal balance of warmth and brilliance, with the AIR setting adding a touch of sparkle for enhanced tonal richness. In drum recording setups, its precision and wide dynamic range make it an excellent choice for snare drums, where using two microphones above and below the drumhead - aligned with mirrored angles and distances - ensures a well-rounded and phase-coherent sound. For hi-hats and cymbals, experimenting with placement between the bell and edge allows users to refine the balance between clarity and ambient resonance. This microphone also shines with string ensembles, capturing the interplay of tonal nuances in violins and cellos. Offering a balance of affordability, quality, and functionality, the Lewitt LCT 140 AIR is an invaluable asset for musicians and engineers striving to achieve professional results across a wide range of applications.

68 Customer ratings

4.8 / 5

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47 Reviews

T
This is the one mic you need to record an acoustic guitar the way it should be
TheGreatJayGatsby 29.10.2020
I'm amazed! This little feather-weight condenser mic sounds like a miracle. It makes you feel like you just got away with a huge bargain, or maybe the guys at Lewitt made a mistake and put a much more costly diaphragm in this one.

No, seriously, you have to give it a chance. A huge thanks to Warren Huart at Produce Like a Pro for the hint.

I previously used a Rode Nt1 or an Aston Origin for recording acoustic guitars. I've also tried a SM57. However, after trying virtually any position on those three mics, I could never come up with a sound that I actually liked.

The reality is: you CAN record an acoustic with a large diaphragm mic, or with SM57, and I'm sure it can be done rather well, especially if you posses a very expensive mic, but a small diaphragm is especially made for this purpose. The fact is: this sorts of mics don't pick up much bottom-end, so it's virtually impossible to get bass booming, unless you place the mic directly in front of the sound, a few inches away, I guess.

This little wonder also has an high pass filter, however, just to make sure. You can disable it if you don't need it. It can also be used with drums and there's an attenuator for that purpose, which takes off 12 Dbs "for distortion-free recording of high SPL instruments" (says the instruction manual).The sound function lets you switch between "Air" (a little boost on the high frequencies) or "FLAT" (as in flat Eq).

I'm not going to elaborate further on the quality of sounds this little things is capable of, because, really, it's stunning. Comes with a mic clip, a bag and a little windscreen.

Pros
-Unbelievable price/quality ratio
-Clear, crisp sound and Acoustic guitars
-Lightness

Cons
-None
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Ja
Solid buy
Just a customer 20.01.2020
Out of the box, this mic feels surprisingly light, which was slightly disconcerting, but so far this has not posed any problems. All the switches are affirmative and secured correctly. So overall, no complaints. Seems to be solid.

Mainly I'm using this mic to record handheld percussion and acoustic guitars so far. It seems to me to give a very forward, present sound and works really nicely with some light compression. Noticeably more complimentary than other similar mics I have. (akg c1000 v1)

It also has really good side and rear rejection. This is the biggest bonus for me. Obviously important in untreated rooms, and live use. In the mix, you really hear whether the difference is. I seemingly have more detail apparent, and things sounds more polished before I apply any eq.

So a really nice mic in my drawer. No doubt after more time working with it and comparing to my other mics, I'll find things that it's weaker on and the others might do better. But all in all, a great mic. If you only have room/need/budget for 1 mic for recording. This will do you handsomely.

Now here's my only gripe, and hence the deduction of 1 star overall. I have no use for the 'air' feature. In my application, it just makes everything brittle sounding. I've only tried it on acoustic guitar. Without the air setting, fantastic. With it engaged, to my ears at any rate, it adds nothing I want.

So that said, I would still heartily recommend this mic. For some applications the Air setting must be good, indeed I've heard demos where it seems to add a lovely shimmer. But it's not something I'm using, but this does not put me off at all.
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J
Awesome, affordable mic
JavierCarrillo 23.12.2020
Context/Use:
I was looking for a mic to give me a great recording for my acoustic guitars. I had used in the past large condensers but, given the limitations of my home studio, they would catch weird resonances than then I would try to fix "in the mix" (requiring a lot of time and guess work from my side). As you may know, while in some cases you can enhance some things in post-production, the best approach is to get the right sound "at the source".


Clarity:
Enter the Lewitt LCT 140 AIR. The recordings (the source material) it gives me are massively better than what I would get with a single LDC. This is because, the LCT 140 AIR being a small diaphragm condensers, captures better the transients/dynamics of the strings and also has a narrower polar pattern (so, my - not awesome - room does not play such a big role anymore).

Furthermore, the AIR function of this mics gives you something that sounds "like a record" already, without the need to do much work in post/in the mix.

Pros
- awesome sound, with the AIR function it "like a record"
- AIR function can also be deactivated (in case you are looking for a less bright/present tone)
- high-pass filter- in case you want to eliminate some rumble and your interface does not offer this or you don't have an external EQ or can't/don't want to do it in post-production)
- simple to use (the AIR and high-pass filter are easy to understand and enable/disable)
- comes with a mic holder and bag

Cons:
- none really. If you want to be super picky, because the mic is so light, it might not work on a spring arm (like the Rode PS1). Not a big deal though, you can use a standard mic stand (even the cheap ones will hold it, since it's so light).

All in all, I'm very happy with this mic. I doubted for a couple of months whether to buy it or not. I'm happy I did.
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SG
Lightweight, great sound, travels well
Steve Galloway 04.08.2020
I ordered the Lewitt 140 Air on the basis of a review by producer and YouTube commentator Warren Huart to cope with a lute I needed to get good detail from in a live production. Neither Huart or Lewitt disappointed. The mic picked up fantastic frequency range and incredible detail from this string instrument in a large medieval church where we recorded accompanying vocals on other mics.

I have surprisingly used the Lewitt 140 Air out of desperation in an outdoor situation because every other mic I had on site was too heavy to risk on a boom, and despite some competition from well know mics for outdoor voice, the Lewitt trumped everything else. I don't know if I could do that again, but it saved a second trip to run the track again.

The machined aluminium case feels reassuringly solid despite the microphone's nominal weight and it feels like you could run over it with a car. I am not going to try that, but Lewitt has my attention and I think the Lewitt 140 Air competes with similar microphones that cost even three times its price. So glad to have it aboard.

The pop filter fits a little loosely and might be something that gets lost on the road, but I am not marking the microphone down for that.
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