Lewitt LCT 1040 Review / Test (vs. LCT840, 940, U87, U67)

Today I review the new mic from Lewitt, the LCT1040. This is one of the most versatile analog mics that I have ever used. It gives you a tube and a fet circuit and you can blend between them. On top of that the Tube mode has 4 different voicings, you have 5 polar patterns, 3 high pass filters, 3 pads, and the ability to output tube and fet through two XLR ports. It's a crazy powerful studio mic.
HQ Audio Of Review: podcastage.com/rev/lct1040
Lewitt LCT1040 Info Page: www.lewitt-audio.com/micropho...
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00:00 - Intro / Price / Disclaimer
00:37 - Setup
01:07 - What’s in the Box
02:17 - Build Quality
03:12 - Features Walkthrough
06:16 - Specifications
06:37 - Polar Pattern Test (Tone / Rotation)
08:13 - Plosive Test
08:28 - Distance Test / Proximity Effect Test
08:49 - Background Noise Test
09:08 - Untreated Room Test
09:33 - Shock Rejection Test
09:51 - Mic Resonance Tap Test
10:11 - Voicing Demo
12:06 - High Pass Filter Demo
13:00 - High End Audio Interface Test
13:47 - High End Preamp Demo
15:00 - Intro to Comparison
15:42 - Newer WM007 Comparison
16:01 - Audio Technica AT2020 Comparison
16:22 - Neat King Bee V2 Comparison
16:47 - Rode NT1 Comparison
17:09 - Lewitt LCT440 Comparison
17:38 - Lewitt LCT840 Comparison
18:07 - Neumann TLM103 Comparison
18:30 - Lewitt LCT940 Comparison
19:05 - Telefunken TF51 Comparison
19:35 - Telefunken TF47 Comparison
20:13 - Manley Reference Cardioid Comparison
20:56 - Neumann U87 Ai Comparison
21:41 - Neumann U67 Reissue Comparison
22:17 - Music Test
25:29 - Pros & Cons
27:54 - Overall Thoughts
31:57 - Recommendation
32:33 - Outro
#Lewitt #LCT1040 #MicReview
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[@BoothJunkie]

Too bad you didn't go very in-depth on this one. I think this review was too-short by half. ;-) Great review as always Bandrew!

[@gaigedespain3857]

LOL it was only a matter of time before both of you make great reviews

[@thedillz2000]

Yeah Mike is right, we need the full un edited version of the review. All the tongue twisters, accidental plosives and pop filter drops while making the video lol.

[@paulward1586]

Ha!

[@matthewchanmh]

He should be doing a vid and going to post on Podcastage 2 i believe? 😂

[@casemcdonald2152]

You're just saying that, because you put a hell of a lot into yours. LOL I loved your review.

[@Producelikeapro]

Absolutely fantastic, thorough review Bandrew! You Rock!!

[@Producelikeapro]

@@lisan_al-ghaib I love Bandrew! He Rocks!

[@Podcastage]

Thanks so much Warren. That means a lot!

[@Producelikeapro]

@@lisan_al-ghaib yes!! Maximum Rockage!

[@Producelikeapro]

@@Podcastage thank you my friend for being so awesome!

[@sdrk_knight]

do the Maono AU PM461 usb mic next please!

[@gaigedespain3857]

i always listen to every comparison because your fast pace makes it easy to listen to, it is worth the ridiculous amount of time that i'm sure it takes to record and edit these videos

[@valerie98]

That review is as ultimate as it can be! Thanks for taking us on this journey with you!

[@jesusbulfranovazquezlerma8162]

Of all of your reviews this is my favorite one !!! And I think the “Tube: Warm + FET” setting sounds very organic !!! Love the intro !!!

[@TheRecordist]

Ahhh. I've been anxiously awaiting this review. I've been salivating for a month over this mystery mic due to Lewitt's superior mind-marketing strategery of barely visible silhouettes. Now at long last... revealed. I'm mega-impressed with your extensive review, Bandrew -- and elated by the sinister darkness that emanates from the tube of glory. I share your love of darker mics and this one blew my mind -- especially on the warm and dark tube settings. Excellent job, Bandrew and Lewitt. Outstanding.

[@LEWITT-audio]

Thanks for your feedback 💚

[@mbk337]

Man, this is such a beast. So many options and it sounds incredible.

[@VOByRobbins]

Incredibly detailed and useful review, between you and Booth Junkie-- you two are the besssst! thank you !

[@Podcastage]

You are too kind.

[@PeterLawrenceGray]

I LOVE your reviews. They are so thorough and informative. I can't tell you how much I appreciate and value these comparisons.

[@Podcastage]

That really means a lot Peter. Thank you for those kind words. I'm really happy to know there's value in them and that you're enjoying. I hope you have a great day.

[@Seitan-enjoyer]

Awesome and thorough review. The mic is really special!

[@Sr.LaGGarto]

Great review Bandrew, every new review gets complicated among many great sounding mics. I love the 1040, true flagship of a great brand like Lewitt. I also like the Lewitt 840, the Manley Reference and of course, the U67.

[@MrAltissimo]

I’ve been waiting for this review.

[@marteenmusic6002]

Superb review of a superb mic. Thank you, well done!

[@stevepetrinko]

Dude, you are the most awesome microphone reviewer I have ever encountered. Thank you for what you do!!

[@clarinetninja]

great work! I have seen a lot of reviews of this microphone, this was not just one of them - but the most useful. At the same time, I will never have the money to dedicate to this microphone so none of it matters!

[@osvaldodomingos9041]

It sounds so good and its so beatyfull. I totally fell in love with this microphone.

[@LBJedi]

Excellent excellent review; so thorough and entertaining👍 I think this mic is absolutely incredible. It’s a piece of gear that I firmly believe will push the industry to innovate. Very exciting😊

[@nixdskilly4786]

Nice review and kudos for going through all the tests 😂! The LCT1040 sounds quite nice compared to other mics, especially in tube warm mode!

[@GamelutioN1]

Love this microphone! :D

[@Tim_ArtistName_Tallent]

You’re the Ban, Drew ! Great detailed helpful review

[@QuantumGamingUploads]

Amazing technology from Lewitt. This Mic is beautiful and gives you a lot in the package despite what you may think of the price.

[@LEWITT-audio]

💚

[@IgneelS11]

@@LEWITT-audio SEND ME ONE! XD

[@kesamek8537]

Comparison with Austrian Audio OC818 is where I would look for this one. Always great videos, thank you.

[@pedroparussolo9723]

best video about the mic on youtube. very helpful! thank you for all of the comparsions, i loved the vocals on the Tube Clear... now im fucked up because i dont want the 640 anymore, i want this 1040 because of that setting haha!

[@CHR1TT3R]

The dark setting sounded crazy good on the electric in my opinion. Nice microphone, cool video. 👍

[@garbygarb31]

Good lord this is the best sounding mic I've heard on your voice.

[@damon_aaron]

Great review, Bandrew. Will you be updating your favorites list to include the 1040?

[@AR-bj5et]

Wow, I really dug the sound of that Manley, it felt so airy. It'd be awesome to see a full review of that someday too, I've not seen all that much else about it around but after hearing it here for the first time it really stood out to me. Awesome stuff, man!

[@BeresfordProductions]

10 seconds in and I'm already laughing! Great review as always!

[@yourforeignlocal]

Wow I love its sound and see-through design. The versatility is insane too! Btw, chair reviews when? :D

[@tombuck]

Tubular! It’s really an excellent sounding mic. 😎

[@RSPodcast44]

I love this mic and I enjoy your reviews, keep it up Bandrew 💙

[@Podcastage]

I love this mic too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it.

[@peterbrandt7911]

Excellent review, thanks!

[@remr90]

The dexterity and care to keep the equipment safe when he fell down *chefs kiss* that's based tour guy material

[@RouRou]

Surprised to see the Manley Reference Cardioid make an appearance, Bandrew! If I can recall, you'd had issues with your unit making noise quite a while back? Were you able to resolve the problem with the manufacturers? And any plans on doing a full review perchance? Lovely and insightful video as always! Thx for all u do :>

[@ThatLazyyGuy]

Absolutely amazed by the versatility of this microphone. Lewitt always seems to choose such a cool feature set to add into their microphones. I was also slightly taken aback by you using the Universal Audio with the NEEWER NW700 lol. Very nice.

[@CanarySoundsMusic]

Hello Podcastage, Keep up the good job you're doing. I so much love your reviews and they have guide me in make decisions in my audio production. Pleas could you do a review/comparison of Takstar SM8B and Behringer C1? I want to get one of these but I'm confused on which one to buy. Thanks

[@sulkanku8885]

Most complete test! Perfect it really help me😊

[@Leadvest]

Crazy specs, fit, finish, accoutrements, features on this, I wish some of these features were standard, others I hadn't even thought about before.

[@BenjieMoreno]

wow.. what a beautiful and gorgeous sounding microphone. this is the ultimate microphone. ULTIMATE.. and the chair wins too

[@korg47237]

Now THIS is a luxurious, sleek looking design I'd buy if I won the lottery.

[@who_is_dis]

Or just get a job? it's 3500 not 350,000

[@icaru920]

Again… microphone review god did it again… Awesome video!

[@eddiebob77]

Wow great review!! Can you do the new Lewitt Ray mic with Autofocus laser technology? I bet you would make the best review!

[@alexfont]

Brilliant review!

[@metaldefender49]

This is probably the coolest best sounding mic I've ever heard. I'll take this over an 87 anyday for the extra features. I'm thinking about selling my warm 87 ( hot roses ) and purchasing this one day. Just fantastic.

[@marcotronic]

Would have loved to hear a comparison between this and the Austrian Audio OC818. or OC18 which recently kicked my Neumann U87 AI off its throne which I have used for quite some time before.

[@filnn]

Very impressive microphone! and very much worth it's price.

[@AriZZ21]

Im happy the mail worked out, that "somebody else" has written in your name, so that you got this mic from Lewitt. ;D But now in seriousness. As allways love for you and your content. Greetings from Germany.

[@Leadvest]

The funny thing is that this one is like 7 times the price of that one.

[@AriZZ21]

@@Leadvest Yeah. Thats the cherry on the cake :D

[@Andrewc87563]

Seams like you would like a stereo pair for recording instruments Where's does this sit vs OC818 from Austrian Audio?

[@MarkCockram]

As expected, a thorough and detailed review. Excellent job, Bandrew! Such a versatile microphone. Slightly disappointed that you didn’t do a comparison with the Blue Yeti.

[@nvrmndtrebuchet]

Just trying to help out the channel. The tubes used for e88cc are also known as 6922 and 6dj8. Thanks Bandrew and Lewitt for the content of the video!

[@AironExTv]

Bar none, it's the smoothest pure mic sound I've heard in the last 25 years. What a fine piece of kit. If I want a neutral sound on a low budget I go Rode NT1. WITH a budget, this is the option that surpasses the U87 by a country mile for me. I get U87 recordings all the time (dialogue editor/re-recording mixer). I wish it was recorded with this thing. Well done Lewitt, and thank you for this detailed listen Bandrew.

[@coletterivers6897]

So you would recommend this over the U87?

[@AironExTv]

@@coletterivers6897 I‘d certainly compare the two. The Lewitt mic is far more flexible as well, so I am inclined to pick that if I can achieve similar recordings with it.

[@JuanNungaray]

🤣 riddin the new mic hype, lmao the best sounding mic out of all was the u67, now that is a superb mic.

[@JuanNungaray]

and yes the u87 still sounds better than the lewitt

[@JohnSmith-oe4bw]

Tube: Dark, with 25% FET, sounded awesome on your voice!

[@Lemonzify]

Gonna cop this for my ERP/ASMR VoIP sessions thanks

[@rafaelocandof]

I know that this is a review for the LCT1040, but those Telefunkens are truly something! Also, this mic sounds like a beefier, darker version of my LCT440 (which is a great albeit bright mic btw).

[@rhh1923]

I have seen many of these comparisions and I'm truly amazed of how good the Rode NT1 sounds, its one of the most flat sounding mic for under $500.

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

True NTI is miracle Condenser microphone. After NTI Just go for U87AI. No CM in between are usable.

[@clickingoftime1]

I'm wondering about the max spl... it says 137, but under 0 dB attenuation, so, if you set the microphone to -24 dB attenuation does it then have a max spl of 161?

[@leeg7106]

Love the dark mode, dark yet very rich.

[@DanBires]

The U67 is buttery smooth.

[@matthewwolf1793]

Great review. Any thoughts on this compared with the Austrian Audio OC818? Or even the 840 and 940 compared to the OC818? I have a 440 Pure, and while I like the brightness at first, it gets a little tiring after a while, plus I find it way too sensitive. Cheers

[@namelessdisciple7]

I love mine but I also feel that my voice needs that top end and I have a Summit 2ba-221 preamp that lets me dial in as much tube as I want (which takes a little of that edge off I suppose).

[@clickingoftime1]

do you make music too with all that bunch of equipment? or just reviews?

[@chriscutress1702]

It appears to be a fully versatile microphone and a true competitor for the Neumann microphones. Saying that I've never been disappointed by a Lewitt branded mic. Expensive but perhaps a better buy than the Neumann with options and pricing. Be great to see a pair in a stereo configuration. Time to buy some more Lotto tickets ...

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

No naumann microphones are unbeatable.

[@muchammadnurwibowo8255]

Sounds the best on your voice LCT 840 & Manley Reference!

[@krakenjoques]

Brandon, that's awesome!

[@ThisIsTechToday]

This is so siiiick

[@donjenkins1181]

Wondering if you could review the rode ntk.

[@cbarchitect1669]

That was a great review of an astounding mic! I have one question: do you know how the Tube/FET voicing of the 1040 compares to the 940? The 940 also offers the Tube/FET as a continuous range, does it approximate the sound of the 1040 at half the cost? Now it's time for a nap...cb

[@jocblues]

For the price 940 all day!!

[@jermaineflowers1538]

Do you have a lewitt LTC 840 review?

[@pattalkstoparakeets2235]

The plosive rejection sounds really good on this.

[@rawclaw.x1]

Great review

[@Tim_ArtistName_Tallent]

Weird but when you said I love you it almost made me cry. Because I believe you meant it! Casually spoken, but sincere . Ok bye

[@metalplatedfacejob]

This is a fantastic mic for sure....the warm mode has a slight nasal sound to it however with your voice. Not saying it is bad, could be very usable in a lot of situations. Would like to hear this done with the mic set to clear mode on your voice, against the Manley and Neuman's...The Dark mode sounds awesome on the lead guitar tones as well as the saturation setting. You can hear the nasal tone on the AC guitar as well. Thanks for your content.

[@MixedbyToryG]

You've made a subscriber out of me from this video alone lol thank you!

[@JustMamba]

I wonder how this compares to the townsend labs sphere l22. I've heard good things about the sphere and it's half the price. Has tons of emulations and has rave reviews and you can change the emulation after recording as well as change the axis and a bunch of other stuff like recording stereo with a single mic.

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

BM emulations are better.

[@lidor2856]

great acoustic amazing sound

[@Rey7430]

imma need that godspeed, thanks...

[@GuitarMan54321]

I’m debating getting the 1040 and the 940. The 940 doesn’t have the “clear, dark, warm, saturated” knob. Can you tell me if the 940 sounds like it would be in the c, d, w or s setting if it were a 1040? Love your reviews!

[@zeitakulobusta9708]

those modes are a HUGE benefit, they just multiply all the other options and are truly different from each other

[@blueryxfalls7949]

How does it sound when you perform a gamer scream

[@galgogergo]

I would've really liked to compary the U67 reissue to the different tube saturation modes on the LCT1040, and try to match it as close as possible, to see if it's doable! And to see if it could even be a viable alternative of some sort...

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

No U 87 AI can't be beaten.

[@galgogergo]

@@HarvinderSingh-yy8th I was talking about the U67, not the U87

[@wilson-nc5jl]

Very good and carefulness

[@Kiradu95]

at 5047 or at 5040 please

[@OssianOtt]

Thanks for the test! I've not been particularly impressed by the sound of this mic from any clips I've heard so far. Hope to hear some examples from tracks with vocals recorded with this to hear it in these occasions aswell.

[@LEWITT-audio]

Thanks for your interest in the LCT 1040. You can check some sound samples in our rundown video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6nSnYCll8x5btE On the website (linked in the video description) there are also more sound samples. We're also working on dedicated sound sample videos that will be released soon.

[@TheActualJae]

This feels like buying a whole mic cabinet. And when you are working in a one person studio (like me) and you can realistically use a single mic over and over for various takes…. I think this is an amazing thing to put into the market.

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

Use budget Mojave MA 201 fet. Check review.

[@christianboddum8783]

I could listen to the electric guitar all day with that mic!!

[@TheRealTMajor]

Sounds phenomenal. The 840 sounded very nice in the comparison.

[@sinewavesstudio5447]

Loving this mic! Looks great, all the features remind me of like a hardware version of a slate mic in that you have multiple mics in one. Hardware being nicer than ITB for my preference.

[@WillCarterTech]

I’d be curious to find out why you lost your chapter markers. may be a good topic to cover on the banner says podcast

[@Podcastage]

I saw that earlier. Just checked again and I see them.

[@WillCarterTech]

oh weird. I had noticed it on a previous video last week, and just disregarded it. Then i noticed it on this video and thought, “hmm, i wonder if he got a community guidelines strike. Much the same as UFD tech, who lost their chapter markers.” But now that i have reloaded this video, the chapter markers are here. So it was simply my phone failing to load all the details of the page the first time. You can disregard my rambling now. Have a nice day.

[@jloiben12]

Ahh yes. The “oh you think Pelican cases are good” case. Love to see that

[@nickr3526]

UA SD1 review incoming?

[@DanielSilva-te1ww]

Bro, the sticker assault was uncalled for :)

[@keithgendler8727]

Great work, Bandrew. Shouldn't they have called this one the Chameleon? Almost impossible to do comparisons when with the right settings tweaks, it can sound like any one of a thousand different microphones. The FET ouput gives a built-in standard to compare the tweaked primary against. Owners of this mic will never be without options.

[@Podcastage]

Well said Keith.

[@nellyps3]

Really enjoyed dark setting with the guitar 🎸

[@Kragatar]

Why not use the high-end preamp normally, and use the 18i20 as your comparison?

[@Podcastage]

Consistency and comparability from video to video. I put a poll out a year or so ago and people were not on board with the idea of switching interfaces for reviews.

[@Hargucci]

Hey man great vid! I wanted that sticker tho 😢

[@DanzeMusic]

Great review! I love my LCT940, so versatile, not really sure if I need the LCT1040 but it does look very attractive. Saying that, I haven't disliked any of the microphones I own, just that certain mikes are better for certain genres or voices, I mean even the SM58 can sound better than the U87 in certain conditions and for certain genres. My 2 cents. 😘

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

You LCT 940 sounds better than LCT 1040. But U 87ai remains un- beaten.

[@arkha7666]

Hi @Danze how you rate LCT 940 for lead vocal with thin voice or mid / honky voice? i plan to buy it if it doesn't exaggerate that bad

[@le-jont]

Manley its crazy good and well detailed

[@Podcastage]

It is, but I had some serious issues with my Manley Ref Card.

[@CodeVenomSnakes]

I am getting this mic for gaming for KZbin and Twitch.

[@user-md2jb6kk4f]

Could anyone correct me? I hear that Levwitt 840 sounds closer to 1040 than 940.

[@BeauStephenson]

Man, I really struggle with Lewitt. Because on the one hand, they're amazingly designed, built solid, and are a crazy value for the sound quality. On the other, they never beat out the competition for me. Mojave microphones, for example, are in the same price range (except for the MA1000 and their new 37a Sony inspired mic) and have more character and life to them when shooting out recordings. Gefell is another great example. But, I still recommend Lewitt to people because their 140 pure is under $200 and sounds like an $800 microphone. I'm waiting for them to drop a model that really does it for me sonically. I'll buy it in a heartbeat!

[@ArtVandelay592]

Also the Soyuz 017 Tube is only $500 more. Not nearly as versatile as this, but man that tone is to die for. But yeah, I do like Lewitt a lot as a company and I think the 1040 deserves to becomes a staple in studios for that versatility and because it just sounds damn good imo.

[@BeauStephenson]

@@ArtVandelay592 I totally hear you on that. I've found over the years I prefer to have a few microphones that blow me away at whatever it is they do, and then have a bunch of all-around mics that work in a lot of situations. This would definitely be that for me. But I don't think it would ever win on elements that are front and center in a production, like vocals, guitar, piano, etc. But maybe I'm wrong on that. It's just between this video and Warren Huart's really in-depth video from last week, nothing really sound inspiring. I know someone is rolling their eyes at me right now, but I swear, there are mics that just make your hair stand up on end on the right sources.

[@catojrgensen8912]

@@ArtVandelay592 $500 for the Soyuz 017?? Eeerrrrmmm.... WHERE?! I think you're a digit short here, my man.

[@ArtVandelay592]

@@catojrgensen8912 I edited the reply. I meant to say “$500 MORE”

[@officialWWM]

@@catojrgensen8912 he said it costs only $500 more than THIS mic! Read it again!

[@mhsandifer]

I like it, but the pricing puts it out of reach for me. I'll have to stick w/ my ATs and post the signal it in the box

[@rajnasimmusic]

Can you make a video on LCT 940? How different is it from 1040 as its half the price compared to its big brother?

[@Podcastage]

I have it and will eventually review it. I'm slowly working through my back catalog.

[@rajnasimmusic]

@@Podcastage Sure. Thanks. I feel 940 is good enough for half the price of 1040. Would love to know the similarities. I am a vocalist and would need it only for that. I am currently using 440pure and it has given me amazing results over the past two years.

[@yeahthatsright33]

My end game mic 🤤