Neat King Bee Mic (with comparison to Lewitt LCT 440 Pure)

[@annekedebruyn7797]

For your voice (and mine) I'd still get the 440. The king bee sounds like the roll off a bit at the low end while the 440 remains very open in the low end which makes it feel more "3D" for me. Kind of lowkey dig the bee design tho! Thank you for the review! It gets boring in lockdowns.

[@CGQuarterly]

WHERE THE HECK HAVE YOU BEEN?!? Glad to see you back, bud.

[@PandastcASMR]

For the Neat King Bee, do you use a Tascam or an Audio Interface? Also, do you use the same Mic Stand (OnStage On Stage MS7700B Tripod)? I really want to upgrade my recording set up. Please and thank you!

[@---pp7tq]

Stock King Bee popfilter makes its sound much muddier. It's good to detach it and/or replace it by your own.

[@bgedarkmatter]

So glad to see another video, I love watching them they're super educational!

[@eddie4a]

Hope all OK with you and your family & friends, Mike, it's good to see you again!

[@xray111xxx]

I bought 2 of them. To record audio systems and will use for training videos and my own videos. It is also the crazy looks. I have been in audio and music over 50 years, and this thing is crazy! But it does sound good. It is built like a tank, makes me laugh a little bit, and frankly nothing in my audio experience has ever done that. Having fun along with audio projects? Who knew? I will be recording a very high end audio system with these mics, and my friend can't wait to check out these mics. I may tell him to buy one for his work. Good to see you again. I love your voice.

[@MrSchism]

I've been deciding between these two. Thank you.

[@fgabrieltomas]

I bought this after this, didn’t use it until yesterday. I likey

[@yassharrathi1337]

thank you kind sir, i might get the 440 pure

[@k1eea]

You're back!!! Awesome!!! Thank you!!!

[@hoodoojones3919]

Great to see you again. I bought the LCT 440 Pure, still learning how to mix with it, but it’s dynamite. I can hear it’s character on your recording. I would buy it over the king bee, even at the $150 price difference.

[@marcchapleau8343]

Now... as a voice over artist, if you compare the Neat King Bee sound with the TZ Stellar X2's... what would be your choice and why?

[@Joey.Darkwoods-Studio]

Lewitt offer incredible products at such a great price!

[@mitschcrafter6766]

I still have to attend shool from home.. Sucks but I have to.

[@plainkady]

Such a great review. Love the way you do these comparisons. Funny and very detailed. Nice haircut btw! :) For an untreated room what budget dynamic cardioid XLR microphone do you recommend for podcasts?

[@Dracomies]

Yes!! I've been waiting to hear a review from you about this microphone. This microphone at $99 is STEAL!! It's a fantastic microphone at $99 and it's viable for voiceover if you get past its looks! Also the microphone sounds even better when you take off the STOCK Bee filter and use your own pop filter.

[@vibhorjambhulkar3932]

14:44 I cracked up as soon as I saw that cable XD

[@diegoaraujoshows]

Ahora mismo Mayo de 2021 el King Bee se encuentra discontinuado. Que opinan del Work Bee en comparacion con el 240 o el mismo 440? Agradezco su colaboracion.

[@thejonathandoan]

Great review!! How does the Bee sound with a different pop filter instead of the provided one?

[@coffeetimeWEC]

That’s it! I’m sold! You get a toy! 😁

[@thatlonzoguy]

The King bee is a sleeper mic.

[@dentboxhero1717]

As far as the price drop it was from Gibson's filing for bankruptcy. Neat is under the Gibson company.

[@damogold]

is this mark hamill?

[@_Trakman]

What preamp and/or audio interface did you use for this

[@EnglishEloquenceMoscow]

Zoom H5

[@curtisjudd]

It is unreal how well $100 microphones perform these days!

[@MrEddieG93]

@World Gang Watch nah, even now, NEAT is coming out with the King Bee 2 at just $129. NEAT is still a strong company and they know what they’re doing! Since the got released from Gibson, they were at liberty to sell their microphones cheaper.

[@77Cardinal]

Hi Mike. You do a great service to all of us who record voice overs. I started in 1980. Lots of changes just in the last few years have put some great gear on the market and your reviews help make sense of it all. I've been using a Neumann TLM 103 as my go to mic for probably 25 years. I like it. Until recently I felt it outclassed most other mics I had used and made my tracks stand a cut above. Which is why I bought one in the mid 90's. But it wasn't giving me what I wanted as I got older (I'm 60) and my voice had changed a bit. I thought I needed a new mic. But prices for a new tube Neumann are, well, shocking. So a couple of years ago I bought the UA LA-610 MKII tube preamp. Great gear that gave my TLM the tube warmth and compression I wanted and business picked up. But still. I wasn't getting what I wanted. So I pawed through boxes and found the mic that the Neumann replaced. It's a Microtech Gefell M900. I plugged it in, tuned up the pre-amp and found the sound I'd been missing. In your shootout between the the King Bee and the Lewitt what stood out to me was the "articulation" of the Lewitt. I'm not a technician, but I'll try to explain. The Lewitt capsule is fast enough in response that it picks up and sharpens the peaks for a crisper sound. In my opinion this is not a function of the electronics. It's the physical function of the membrane in the capsule. So the engineering of the Lewitt delivers clarity that picks up the "edges" and makes it sound crisp, and tight but not brittle or harsh. Try mixing that mic with tube gain. I'd bet the harmonics are wonderful. My Neumann was built after Sennheiser bought the company. My Gefell was hand built in East Germany. The point is, I don't need a brand name, I need a mic that flatters my voice. You make that point on a regular basis and it's finally coming home. Pick the mic that makes you want to go back in the booth and read the label on a mayonnaise jar. Sorry for the long rant. Glad you're here.

[@pingpongowo]

Mike: It comes with a toy Me: I'm sold

[@financialstablility7196]

*Me at 10:* "There was a toy in the cereal box, YAY!" *Me at 20:* "There was a toy in my new microphone, YAY!" We never grow up do we?

[@bryan-ag8833]

Yy researchers yyyyyyy yyyy

[@MrEmptyhead]

The base for the toy has the mic serial no on it

[@jamiemusictravel]

Hey long time no see! LCT 440 sounds fuller to me compared to King Bee and has smoother higher frequencies (cleaner). Thanks for the video and hope you’re safe at home!

[@techknowbabble]

I was just about to say the same thing and I just bought the Bee a few weeks ago. Gonna have to upgrade to the Lewitt when i can afford it! I wonder if there are plugins i can use to improve the sound of the bee!

[@jamiemusictravel]

TechKnowBabble Of course just an EQ from any DAW can make the sound much more better.

[@jamiemusictravel]

TechKnowBabble The sound difference is not obvious at all after mixing.

[@techknowbabble]

@@jamiemusictravel Good to know, i'm still learning the vocal chaining process. Dropping a video today so we'll see how i did, thanks for the info.

[@danielgaudet6114]

There's certainly a difference. Based on the EQ curve shown in the video, the Bee actually reduces the highs (but it's nothing that can't be changed with an EQ -- even one that comes with your DAW). I actually liked the sound of the Bee better, especially for long form narration. It's not as hard on the ears vs the 440.

[@RegularpeoplegamingRPG]

A Booth Junkie video will help make everything feel like normal, at least for a while. ♥️

[@bradfordc8011]

To me, I think I like the sound of the bee more. My ears tend to be a bit sensitive to higher end sounds, and the bee doesn't sound as bright as the lewitt. Felt nicer on my ears. Maybe not as full, but for that price it's totally forgivable.

[@danielgaudet6114]

Same here, especially for longer form narration/dialogue.

[@SRSBZZ]

That's surprising I preferred the sibilant notes of the lewitt and the bee sounded coarse and scratchy to me. Interesting!

[@unpublicized]

@@danielgaudet6114 what about for singing/rap vocals and voice overs do you think the lewitt is worth the extra $140? Or would the king bee suffice

[@adamgreenhill110]

@@unpublicized Any condenser will "suffice", you don't always need to spend more. But the Lewitt does sound better to me; the Bee is quite 'wooly' with a buzzy treble, and less detail retrieval. It sounds a bit more lo-fi to me. The Lewitt is a bit sharp, but EQ'd down it'll sound far better than the Bee (imo)

[@NerdyNomNom]

The King Bee honestly sounds less present in my opinion. Also, it almost makes you sound kind of... more nasal? Something about the upper mid area sounds a bit strange to me. Either that or it's something in the bass that's throwing it off. Thought I would comment mostly to let you know that you, sir, have the absolute best channel related to audio and voice over that I've ever found on KZbin. I bought my RODE NTG2 based on what you said about it relative to it's price and how it sounded in your video. It sounds distinctive, but it sure ain't bad. I'm building up my entire voice over business pretty nicely now, and you were by far my biggest resource when I was studying and researching how to get started. You're a fantastic guy, Mike. You're helping real people in real ways, since you're the only person I've seen explain things like EQ, compression and other basic stuff in a way newcomers will actually understand. Booth Junkie is one of my favourite ever KZbin channels for a lot of reasons, but helping me break into a career path I can realistically see myself in for the rest of my life might be the biggest one. Thank you.

[@adamgreenhill110]

100% agree. The Lewitt isn't just "higher treble" - if you EQ them the same, the Lewitt has better detail retrieval, with more natural sound. The Bee is quite wooly in the bass, nasally with "buzzy" treble (ironically... It's a buzzy bee)

[@garystackhouse5787]

I think what has you confused with the King Bee can be summed up in three letters. It's F U N. It's also, for the (current) money, one of the best bang-for-the-buck mics in my mic closet. Neat was originally a part of the Gibson guitar family. Gibson financed the R&D and tooling up for the company, then promptly went bankrupt. The guys who started the company with Gibson were able to buy the company at a hugely devalued price, which is perhaps why they can offer these prices. The Worker Bee, with a slightly smaller diaphragm (and accompanying slightly smaller PRICE) is also a helluva deal... a little less proximity effect, but still smooth and quiet. In 30+ years of broadcasting, production, and voiceover for some of the biggest companies on the planet, using everything from U87's and TLM103's to SM7b's and RE20's, these NEAT mics are some of the best values I have EVER seen... and perhaps the first "budget" microphones that I would call useable in a professional environment! Great channel... keep up the fine content.

[@cmcasadoiro]

Hi! I was wondering, perhaps you could help me... I would want to buy a microphone to start a podcast and record some vocals and guitar. I am a mezzosoprano. Would you recommend the King Bee or the worker bee? Thanks a lot!

[@PatrolNation]

The Bee mic case is most likely supposed to be a bee hive.

[@Kragatar]

Yes. The question is... why? Aside from giving it to your kids to play with, there's not much purpose to it.

[@utubewillyman]

Too bad they don't fill it with honey.

[@CybertroninfiniteOfficial]

@@Kragatar Theme of it

[@seandaeley7079]

Great to see you back at it, Mike! I don't know if you knew, but the King Bee was originally priced at $349 when it was first released under Blue/Gibson, but when Blue was purchased by Logitech and Gibson went bankrupt, Neat branched out on their own and offered it at the current incredible price! BTW, if you're still accepting mics to review from viewers, I'd love to send you my Gefell m930 to test against your TLM 103! Warmest Regards, Sean

[@thecyberquake618]

LCT440 sound a bit fuller, but I feel you could add a tiny bit of EQ to the king bee and get a similar sound. I'll play around with it since I ordered one. Too bad from amazon it won't arrive for several weeks. Look forward to working with it

[@geekcommentator8567]

I don’t think I’ve ever just straight up thanked you for your quality content, thank you sir

[@lelouchlamperouge8286]

Booth Junkie, teaching us what a cardioid pattern is since 2016

[@MichaelW.1980]

It's too bad, there never was a review centered around the Lewitt LCT 440 Pure. The way things are, this pretty much is the only sound check we have on it from you, Mike. And I don't know what to think about it. Not about a missing review of the LCT 440 Pure, don't get me wrong. I mean the sound of it. I have listened to your voice on the LCT 440 Pure and on the LCT 540 S. And I cannot help, but finding the LCT 440 Pure to be a bit unpleasant on your voice. The LCT 540 S was much more smooth on the highs... And so does the Neat King Bee for that matter.

[@ArtVandelay592]

Hey Mike, now that you have a U87, I’d love to see a comparison between it and the TLM 103. There’s not much on KZbin comparing the two microphones directly and it’d be a very interesting video.

[@MrEmptyhead]

As an owner of both the Worker Bee and the King Bee I can attest to their quality. The King Bee unusually has a transformer output stage, something I haven't seen in any other mic in this pricing tier, the self noise is almost non-existent, on the down side, this is a very heavy mic and you need a robust stand if you want to avoid sagging. The Worker Bee is much lighter, dispenses with the transformer, but is capable of handling highly energetic noise sources and as such is great for use on cabs, brass, drums etc, as well as being a pretty decent instrument mic. For voice work the King Bee is a much better choice than the Worker Bee as it has a larger more sensitive capsule (34mm vs 24mm) and more detailed pickup.

[@DreamPrincess010]

Compare the TLM 103 vr LCT440 PURE

[@matthew.datcher]

I picked up a couple King Bees a while ago because I heard how they sounded and I thought that they were going out of business. Thankfully, Allen told me otherwise. Of course, the next thing I'd like to see is a head-to-head between the King Bee and your TLM103.

[@WorldV1ralDa1ly]

How lucky, would u mind gifting me and my little brother one of them perhaps?

[@pakozdiattila]

For my ears the Lewitt LCT 440 is the winner via the Audio Technica ATH R70x headphone.:)

[@chrisbarleta]

I'd like to know the thought process behind the design of the King Bee. I propose an hour-long Front Line investigative documentary on the subject.

[@eugenes6370]

An interesting observation... 1) Many people here in comments are praising the sound of the Lewitt 440 for its richness in comparison to the "dull" and "opaque" sounding King Bee. The 440 is a bright mic (look at its frequency response - above the 10khz region); 2) Many people "condemn" the sound of the Rode NT 1-A for its "excessive" brightness and harshness (look for the Mike's video comparing the NT1-A to the NT1). The frequency response of the Rode NT1-A is quite similar to the one of the LCT 440 pure - both are "hyped" in the treble region. 3) Many people here in comments stressed on the "dull" sound coming from the King Bee. At the same time, if we look at the Mike's video comparison between the CAD e100 v CAD e100s - many people there praised the "smooth" and "mellow" sound of the vintage CAD. Even though the frequency response of that mic (e100) shows that it should be far more "dull" sounding than this King Bee. Conclusions: - it is either the frequency response of the microphones are: 1) "smoothed out"; 2) lying to us; 3) are not properly measured etc.; OR - many listeners are tone deaf; - the sound is a so subjective thing that many people prefer the "presence boosted", crisp and clear sounding modern mics while at the same time praise the "venerable richness, fullness, mellowness, smoothness" of the sound of the "vintage classic" from the XX century - even if these two sounds represent the two opposite lines of the spectrum!; - the mic is not important and any decent one (starting from 100 USD or 250 USD whatever) will do the job. P.S. Nice video, btw.

[@adamspeaking373]

There are a number of factors that go into how people hear these microphones. I’ve been using the King Bee for several months. I’ve noticed that it’s very easy to add a little brightness to it, and that when one finds the sweet spot on this mic it sounds incredibly smooth. The king bee originally sold for $350, but when their parent company filed bankruptcy they bought their company from their parent company. Apparently they got such a good deal that they were able to sell their mics for $99.00. At least for a while.

[@VOByRobbins]

Thanks Mike, got the King Bee on Ebay and just got the lewitt --- adding to my mic locker!! but the king bee is amazing for VO work, I've won several auditions recently with it and I have very expensive mics. :) wow!!!

[@adamgreenhill110]

Ironically, the Bee sounds quite "buzzy" in the treble for me...

[@snaxmiller]

So you can't seem to get King Bee's anymore and they're going for 400-800 on Reverb and Ebay, insane. Glad I got mine in January.

[@JoeJacksonJr]

That Bee sounds really really good. I think the Lewitt has a little harshness to it. But the Bee doesnt.. I dont mind the colors, but man the King Bee is just so large for my taste..

[@Nopulu]

funny, i hear the opposite

[@Superoeli]

I received this microphone literally 2 days ago and I love how far they went with the bee theme, although I get why some people don't like it. This microphone was such a big upgrade from my xm8500.

[@CybertroninfiniteOfficial]

how well does it work for vocals?

[@ganaorganador]

It feels like if the King Bee is a hypercardioid patern, don't you think???

[@SoundcastStudios]

the lct is a tad bit too bright for me. I prefer the king bee since i can eq in more top end but removing extra top end is a bit more difficult. I could see the lewitt being too much for certain singers who get loud. King bee for me, just for the sake that it's not overly bright

[@rectape]

Soundcast Studios exactly my toughts. People always prefer brighter in direct comparison but when you add all the sauce at mixing it can gets really harsh.

[@Solami987]

Got my King Bee today, I love it, its my first $100+ mic and for the money, I don't think I could have picked a better voice over mic to start with (after trying a cheap USB mic for a week). I only dropped it once while setting it up haha. I have seen review after review comparing the King Bee to way more expensive mics, and that's rare to see.

[@MrSchism]

Remember: the King Bee used to be a $300 mic and was considered worth it. It's no surprise that it's well received at the current price.

[@IshaanNigamOfficial]

I am a singer and I am confused between AKG P220 and LEWITT LCT 240 PRO. I need it for my home vocal recording and have a untreated room. My vocal timber is in mid-highs. I have AUDIENT EVO 4 interface.

[@galeriaproductions70]

I literally just received my King Bee today.

[@CybertroninfiniteOfficial]

how is it

[@jkingraptores]

@@CybertroninfiniteOfficial i also did.. i find it like im singin with inside a cilinder.. but... i haave to buy a real antipop, and i think i gotta put asolation to the walls. illse what happen there.. if you want i can send you these first recordings ive been doing

[@CybertroninfiniteOfficial]

@@jkingraptores sure

[@stevenkapute1846]

JoaLB can you please send them to my email!!!!!! I’m considering get it. [e-mail]

[@diegoaraujoshows]

Right now May 2021 the King Bee is discontinued. What do you think of the Work Bee compared to the 240 or this 440? I appreciate your collaboration. ThankYou

[@darrylsmith3102]

The LCT Has a better High-End. Would be great for recording an Orchestra, Particularly Strings & Wind instruments.

[@EmanueleMoriero]

Right! I use it as a room mic for my drums, fantastic microphone

[@sirnigelcogs]

The King Bee was $300 when it first came out, then Neat was bought by Gibson, and now Neat is independent again. As for the XLR cable, one of the reasons it's so big is because it's a star quad cable so it has twice as much wiring, which helps to reduce interference and noise even more than a regular microphone cable.

[@sotnat9834]

Lewitt LCT 440 Pure wins in audio quality ! I own it also, bought it last year new and i'm so happy and satisfied !

[@KristianDowling]

Anyone else want to buy every mic Mike speaks into? As good as he is, he literally makes. every mic sound incredible...to the detriment of his credibility lol! Just like a great photographer shooting great pictures with any camera.

[@MightyGazelle1]

Just recently acquired the Rhode NT1, thanks in part to your glowing remarks about it. Thank you, I love it!

[@danboud8135]

My daily driver! You have chosen, wisely

[@RobKristjansson]

Me, too!

[@tomjohnson6675]

I have been using my NT1 for 3 1/2 years. So far I have no reason to replace it.

[@mfkrwill]

I've really been debating on picking up the king bee since I need a solid condenser mic. I have the yeti pro but it's been lent out to a buddy. I think I'm going to pick it up along with a drum mic kit and a new interface when I pay my sweetwater card off.

[@jacobgriffin2941]

Honestly for $130 it's a pretty good deal especially with what comes in the box. Sounds better than those blue mics to me which can be more expensive. This vs the Lewitt, the King Bee sounds better to me for deeper voices and the Lewitt emphasizes the highs a bit more. My headphones aren't top tier though so I could be wrong :P. BTW welcome back Mike! Stay safe out there brotha.

[@GaryLindsayExaminer]

Damn you, Booth Junkie, you’re turning me into a Booth Junkie, JUNKIE! Okay, I’m gradually collecting equipment for when I finish my book and record my own audiobook, and now you have me looking at Lewitt!!! Have you tested the LCT 840 yet, or the tube by itself on the LCT 940? I’m curious how those would effect Voiceover, from the Booth Junkie perspective.

[@andrewr4792]

The man has audio in his last name. He was literally born to do this.

[@FamousTVvoice]

The Bee is far more natural sounding and would allow a producer to work from a safer starting point with regards to processing. The 440 is a typical modern sounding, super hyped, in your face sounding mic, which isn't terrible - depending on what your v/o is going to be used on. For a narration, I'd say the 440 could be distractedly harsh, though for commercial and promo, it could be really nice. If fact, I'm sure some producers would hear the 440 as someone having been heavy handed on their EQ, which is often frowned upon. ANYWAY, the Bee doesn't have any special characteristics other than sounding un-hyped and pretty good for it's price point. The 440 is something I think I'll try out, with the curiosity of how my Fearn or Neve will enhance it. I enjoy your video's, Mike. Regards, D

[@icneo9738]

How does the sound of the King Bee compare to the Blue Ember?

[@badmiddens]

Just so you know, Neat was created by the Blue mic people, under Gibson's umbrella. Then Gibson went into bankruptcy, and Neat broke off, and cranked the prices on all of their products wayyyy down. They probably are just recouping investment and Gibson took the hit. I grabbed one at 99 bucks! Make no mistake, they wanted to sell this sucker for 350 all day long. Look at the Bumblebee usb mic. It's fantastic sounding for a usb. 200 originally, now 89. Sorry for the novel!!

[@f5770]

The Neat seams to be just a little bit muffled to your amazing voice, compared to the Lewitt. But both are pretty good! Bad for european people, the Neat is sold for 250 € and not for 100€ , the price is quite similar to the Lewitt. The new box isn't so full of those craps inside :-D it is just a paper box. Anyway good job man! Good video for voice over mics.

[@WillJukedTheBox]

the kind bee sounds better for voice in my m50x's. it's much warmer and less harsh in the sibilant treble/presence region which is ideal for voice. the lct is too harsh, needs some treble rolled off for sure.

[@Barryalston]

Mike so good to see you back! So, I went and bought a King Bee based on this video. No I didn't go out, I managed to get one delivered. Got it for a crazy £89 on amazon UK. What they've changed to get it to that price is the boxing it's now in a cardboard box rather than the plastic. But we're buying it for the mic not the boxing, right? Oh and the toy of course! I've been playing with it for a couple of days, and done two voice track shows with it. I'm using a Focusrite solo gen3 as the interface. All i can say is I love it! The tone is great, the noise floor is amazing. I've even managed to get it into my Sub-zero Isoball, as i don't have a full booth, which improves the sound even more. It's really is a insane mic for the price I love it. Thanks Mike, absolutely spot on review!

[@Sam-Gold]

Are there any other vocal microfones in this price range that have such a big 34mm membrane and transformator with that super deep and voluminous sound like a ribbon mic? I'm searching since days but can't find anything that comes close, either from the membrane size or the sound, maye the Tbone SC450 and the Rode NT1A have a bit similar deep sounds but not really that similar.

[@vasylsaftiuk1867]

definitely lewitt is lighter, more compact, has better and cleaner high end frequency than King Bee provides. But come on! $100! Seriously? xD

[@83donpablo]

Amazing haircut, my friend. You look heaps younger. Got my first senn mkh 416 and a zoom h5. Looking forward to playing around with them. Keep up the great work. You're the greatest!

[@vishnus.p.4007]

Both of these microphones are value for the money. But if you want the most silent and natural sounding microphone suitable for all sorts of recording then its Rode NT1 !!! For similar pricing Rode NT1 is an all rounder!!!

[@craigwallis2794]

I watched about 5-6 King Bee Comparisons along with a lot of mic comparisons in general... You did a GREAT job on the KB comparison and all your comparison vids (Love your vids/channel btw-awesome, all of your comparison vids are by far the best). I bought the KB and i have it ($99 :) Bought the Motu M2 also..still waiting for that (cv19 really messing with shipping times -and lives:( and still waiting on my Bee Line xlr cable. Soooo, I haven't been able to use the mic yet.. but very excited too. I will be using Reaper..ty. Brand new at this and I've never done vo before so watching your vids has really been helpful. Oh... I just informed the wife that i will be taking over the master closet for my vo booth..lol. Thank You Mike. Truly and Greatly appreciated.

[@Desertskunk]

I love the series and I love all the comparisons. It helped me pick my own recording microphone (A Rode NT1). I do think a really nice addition here would be perhaps a video series on things to look out for or common mistakes that beginning voice actors run into trying to find voice acting work! I may have a microphone, I can record and edit fairly well, but I can't find any place that isn't shady, or doesn't expect you to pay hundreds of dollars just to get started. What kinds of tips and tricks in finding work an established VA would have to offer, certainly interests me!

[@edmedlin9018]

Another reviewer concluded both that, electronically, the King Bee and Worker Bee are identical to legacy Blue microphones, and that the Neat mics and legacy Blues sound better than the current Blue equivalents. He then went on to say that he thought Neat had gone out of business, and when I attemped to purchase a King Bee, one after another vendor site either didn't list them, indicated they had been discontinued, or said they wer out of stock, back ordered, and/or that the had no clue if/when they would be in stock. The good news is that that an e-mail to Neat yielded a very prompt and upbeat response-- they are still in business, and they issue re the King Bee is that they sold their entire stock. The soon will be producing and shipping more.

[@TheZeroSbr]

LCT 440 Pure smacks the King Bee no contest. It's good for a $100 mic, but it's still just a $100 mic.

[@J0elPeters]

Hey Mike, I was picking between the Bee and the AT2035. I bought a 35, did I make a good choice?

[@WorldV1ralDa1ly]

King Bee is Better

[@BluD]

I don't think I'd tell a difference if you switched microphones and didn't tell me. Both sound phenomenal.

[@denisepaulk4027]

What microphone would you suggest between the Stellar X2 and the King bee?

[@TorrellesEdit]

King Bee sounds opaque, muddy almost. LCT sounds way fuller, too bright for my taste. I'ts night and day imho.

[@Dracomies]

You have to take off the Bee pop filter and use your own pop filter for it. Sounds way better with a different pop filter :)

[@cresshead]

no longer in stock or available, i guess the pandemic has restricted manufacture and shipping.

[@KaraokeLatino]

I SEE YOUR VIDEOS, BUT YOU WOULD ALSO HAVE TO PUT A LITTLE REVERING TO BETTER APPRECIATE THE QUALITY Lewitt LCT 440 THANKS I WAIT FOR YOUR RESPONSE I HAVE ACTIVATED THE NOTICE OF YOUR VIDEOS

[@RobKristjansson]

You know, a little bit of black gaffers tape around the body, and you've got yourself a a perfectly presentable piece of quality kit at an awesome price!

[@Mumpmander]

My wife saw your/this video last year and has been saving to get the "King Bee". Today she finally was ready to go for it, and now it is out of stock everywhere, or maybe even discontinued 😞 such a bummer! PS.... she loves all your videos 😀👍

[@cavemanmasters]

LCT 440 is sibilant (pay close attention to his esses) and harsh (nasal frequencies). King Bee is warmer, and more even sounding with less edges.

[@RDelacroix]

With the size of the KingBee it takes less engineering to make a better sounding mic making it more cheaper to produce. The Lewitts are much smaller, making it sound great would take a lot more engineering to fit it in a comparatively smaller package. I think that’s the main reason for the price difference. I could be wrong but that’s just my opinion. Anyway cheers and thanks for the video.

[@RobKristjansson]

🤔 never thought of that... now I'm wondering if anyone has torn it down, a la Gamers Nexus.

[@RobKristjansson]

If memory serves, Podcastage's theory was that Neat's ownership changed, which gave them more pricing freedom.

[@Niidea1986]

Easy, they were charging 350 usd but nobody liked the appearance until homework became a thing.

[@fgabrieltomas]

The LCT 440 sounds more pleasing to me

[@cloud9photography126]

The Lewitt is very knifing and harsh in the upper mids the bee sounded much better

[@RobKristjansson]

Here's my theory on the King Bee price change; the look is a sales killer at $300 + USD, because the "garish" look does not scream professional microphone, and at that price point, your primary market is going to be buying it for that purpose. The $100 + USD price, on the other hand, hits the hobbyist KZbin vlogger/streamer looking for an upgrade's price sweet spot, and that market has tons of room for loud looking gizmos.

[@skaboosh]

Merde...I just got the pure mic and in this I don't like it's sound comparative to the king bee

[@SenZubEanS]

Mike!!! Why you gotta stay away so long my man?!?! We miss you, keep the vids coming!!

[@benantell5452]

That cable is going to be easy to find. Stryper, yeah I listened to them back then...they had a bee-ish sound.

[@AngelGranados]

I like the sound of both but the lewitt in some frequencies sounds as if your vocal cords are "scraping"

[@ricardocorazon6533]

What do You think about neat bee worker? At2020 vs bee worker, which is better for voices ir acustic instrument?