Lewitt LCT 640 TS User manual

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RAW AND NON-DESTRUCTIVE
CAPTURE THE SCENE
MULTI-PATTERN FLAGSHIP WITH THE OPTION TO ADJUST THE POLAR PATTERN AFTER THE RECORDING
// LCT 640 TS
USER MANUAL

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// Index
1. Introduction......................................................... 3
2. Box contents ........................................................ 3
3. Features ............................................................ 4
4. User interface ....................................................... 6
5. Operating modes and setup ......................................... 7
5.1. Multi-pattern Mode.............................................. 7
5.2. Dual output Mode ............................................... 8
6. Important facts about polar patterns ................................. 9
6.1. How to read a polar pattern diagram ............................... 9
6.2. Most common polar patterns and characteristics ..................10
6.3. Technical background ..........................................11
7. How to create different polar patterns manually .....................11
8. Change pattern with the POLARIZER ...............................12
8.1. Installation MAC................................................12
8.2. Installation Windows............................................13
9. What to do with a Dual Output Mode? ...............................14
9.1. Automate/change the polar pattern after the recording .............14
9.2. Change the direction of the microphone, not only the polar pattern ..14
9.3. Stereo with only one LCT 640 TS ................................14
9.4. Stereo recording - the easy way..................................15
10. Stereo applications with two LCT 640 TS ..........................15
10.1. XY and Blumlein...............................................15
10.2. AB stereo ....................................................16
10.3. ORTF ........................................................16
11. Perfect Match Technology .........................................17
12. Safety guidelines .................................................18
13. Regulatory information ............................................18

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1. Introduction
Thank you for choosing the LEWITT LCT 640 TS! In return, we will make your life way easier. Recording
with the LCT 640 TS will offer you a level of exibility you wouldn’t have guessed being possible. There
are certain developments that fundamentally changed the way how things are being done – Think of the
difference of digital photography and analogue photography, or compare the jpg compression with the
possibilities the open RAW standard brought, enabling the photographer to change exposure and white
balance after the picture has been already taken. The LCT 640 TS provides such a possibility, but now,
for music production.
Using both outputs of the LCT 640 TS while recording is like capturing the whole session instead of
just recording an isolated source. It adds the freedom of changing the polar pattern dynamically from
cardioid all the way to gure-8 during post-production. In fact, while mixing your track, you could still turn
your microphone by 180° although you nished your recording days ago. And we haven’t even touched
all the possibilities of two LCT 640 TS in a stereo-stereo setup ...
You see, recording with the LCT 640TS can be different than using any otherlarge-diaphragm condenser
microphone: Record now, decide later.
2. Box contents
// LCT 640 TS microphone
// LCT 40 SHx shock mount
// LCT 40 Wx windshield
// LCT 40 PSx Pop Filter
// DTP 40 Lb articial leather bag
// Black military-grade ightcase

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3. Features
// Dual Output Mode
The LCT 640 TS provides the signal of the front and the back of the capsule
separately. That way any kind of polar pattern from omnidirectional to cardioid,
to gure-8 can be realized dynamically. And the most fascinating fact; you can
change the polar pattern after the recording during post-production.
// Customized or one-click
Plug in your 3-pin XLR as you would do with any other mic and you get a large
diaphragm multi-pattern condenser mic. Plug in the included mini 3-pin XLR and
experience all the possibilities of a true next gen recording microphone.
// Stereo functionality
Record stereo with only one LCT 640 TS. Just point the side of the microphone
to the source!
// The POLARIZER plug-in
The POLARIZER is a newly developed DAW plug-in. Change or ne-tune the
polar pattern during post-production, both on PC and Mac. The POLARIZER
supports VST, AU and AAX.

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// Low-cut lters
Low-cut lters eliminate low-frequency sounds to compensate the proximity
effect and reduce structure-borne noise.
// Pre-attenuation
Pre-Attenuation reduces the sensitivity of a microphone. Use it to avoid clipping
when recording very loud sound sources.
// Key Lock
Makes the 3 pushbuttons inactive, to avoid accidental change of settings.
// Status Indicator
If the input signal is very loud the electronics inside the microphone will distort - in
other words, the signal will clip. The Status indicator will blink red to alert the user
to adjust the pre-attenuation setting.
// Clipping History
Use the Clipping History to make sure your microphone has not clipped during
recording.
// Perfect Match Technology
Every single LCT 640 TS undergoes a series of measurements followed by
adjustment of the polarization voltage to achieve exactly the same sensitivity at 1
kHz in every microphone.

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4. User interface
1 // Polar pattern indicator
Use center pushbutton to select polar pattern; omni // wide cardioid // cardioid // supercardioid // gure-8.
Only available in Multi-pattern Mode! Not illuminated in Dual Output Mode!
2 // Low-cut indicator
Use left pushbutton to change the low-cut settings. Activate the low-cut to get rid of unwanted low
frequencies and structure-born noise.
3 // Status indicator
Illuminated white: Multi-pattern mode (standard operation) Illuminated green: Dual Output Mode Flashing
red: clipping occurs Not illuminated: key-lock active.
4 // Pre-attenuation indicator
Use right button to select the pre-attenuation. Use this setting to avoid clipping when recording very
loud sound sources.
5 // Pushbuttons
Key-lock: Hold the left pushbutton for more than 2 seconds. Now all pushbuttons are locked until you
press the left button for 2 seconds again.
Clipping History: Hold the right pushbutton for more than 2 seconds to enter clipping history. If the
status indicator ashes green/white no clipping occured. If the status indicator ashes red/white clipping
occurred. The illuminated pre-attenuation symbols show at which pre-attenuation setting the clipping
occurred. Press any button for more than 2 seconds to exit clipping history. Once you exit the clipping
history or remove 48V the history is deleted.
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5
A
4
B

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5. Operating modes and setup
Unlike other microphones, the LCT 640 TS features a Dual Output Mode that
records the front and back diaphragm of the capsule individually. Ok, that maybe
does not sound as spectacular as the bold font indicates, but it denitely is. Put
in other words:
Recordings done using the Dual Output Mode can be manipulated in a unique way.
Even after the recording session, you can ne-tune the polar pattern seamlessly
all the way from omnidirectional to gure-8 as well as turn the recording direction
of the microphone by 180° as if you have used these settings during the actual
recording.
Adjusting room sound post-recording is just one ofthe many practical applications
that immediately come to mind. You can even x things thought to be unxable:
reduce bleeding, etc. Unique stereo setups are made possible; creative freedom
have never been as big using just one single microphone. Of course, the LCT
640 TS can be handled as a standard multi-pattern microphone as well. The next
section will explain how to set up the microphone for the two modes:
5.1. Multi-pattern Mode
In this mode your LCT 640 TS is being used just like any other multi-pattern
condenser microphone. The LCT 640 TS is automatically set to this mode using
only the standard 3-pin XLR plug.
// Use a 3-pin XLR cable to connect the LCT 640 TS to your microphone preamp,
mixing console or audio interface.

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// Turn on 48 V phantom power.
// Status indicator is illuminated white, stating that the microphone is in Multi-
pattern Mode.
// Choose one of the ve preset polar patterns by pushing the center pushbutton.
// Adjust the settings on the microphone to your needs.
See section 4. User interface for a walkthrough of the UI elements.
5.2. Dual Output Mode
Now this is where the magic starts. Set to Dual Output Mode the LCT 640 TS
enables you to change and ne-tune the polar pattern of your mic at any given
time before and after the recording.
// Use a standard 3-pinXLR cable to connect outputA to yourmicrophone preamp,
audio interface or mixing console.
// Use the included adapter and a standard 3-pin XLR cable to connect output
B to a second channel either on your microphone preamp, audio interface or
mixing console.
// Turn on 48V phantom power on both channels!
// Press and hold center pushbutton for 2 seconds to enter dual output mode.
// Status indicator will light up green.
// Make sure that the input gain is set to the exact same value on both channels.
This is essential to create the polar patterns later on.
// Use your mixing console or DAW to create the polar pattern or use our Polarizer
plugin here.

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// Attention
It takes up to 20 seconds till the microphone reaches its full sensitivity after 48 V.
phantom power is applied.
It takes up to 20 seconds till the switch between polar patterns is complete!
Always apply phantom power to output A for standard operation.
Always apply phantom power to outputs A and B in Dual Output Mode.
6. Important facts about polar patterns
It is important to understand the basic principles of polar patterns to get the best out of every recording.
The polar pattern of a microphone determines the sensitivity on different angles. In other words, it denes
how much of the signal will be picked up by the microphone from different directions. By selecting the
right pattern, you can avoid unwanted sound sources to bleed into your signal, adjust the mix between
dry and room sound or change the frequency response and handling noise sensitivity.
6.1. How to read a polar pattern diagram
First of all,you haveto be able to read a polar pattern diagram properly. It contains all necessaryinformation
you need to foresee the result during recording. Think of a 360° eld surrounding the microphone. 0°
is the “front” of the microphone and the angle where the microphone has its maximum sensitivity. The
scale of the circle consists of smallercircles, each representing a 5 dB decrease in sensitivity.The decibel
(dB) is a logarithmic unit to compare two values. If the specication of a cardioid pattern microphone
states it has a rear rejection of 25 dB, it means that the most sensitive part (0°) and the least sensitive
part (180°) are compared. For (sound) pressure, current and voltage +6 dB is double the signal strength,
+20 dB leads to 10 times the signal. A typical rear rejection for a cardioid pattern is about -20 dB. Sound
coming from the back of the microphone is picked up at 1/10th sensitivity relative to the front signal.
0º
-5 dB
-15 dB
-20 dB
-10 dB
30º330º
60º300º
90º270º
120º240º
150º210º
180º

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6.2. Most common polar patterns and characteristics
// Omnidirectional
The omni pattern has the same sensitivity to sound pressure coming from any direction. Therefore,
recordings being done in a bad sounding room using an omni polar pattern might not lead to a satisfying
result. In most live situations where the picked up signal is monitored and played back through the PA
feedback will denitely occur. It will shine in good sounding rooms and time based stereo recording
techniques. The omni pattern picks up very high frequencies with more directivity leading to higher side
rejection of the signal for these frequencies (this effect turns the omni into gure-8 at the 16 kHz mark).
An omni pattern provides the best bass response, attest frequency response, and is the least sensitive
to handling or wind noise in comparison to all other polar patterns.
// Wide Cardioid
A mix between omni and cardioid with all their characteristics.
// Cardioid
The most commonly used polar pattern is most sensitive at 0° and least sensitive at 180°. You cannot
go wrong using this for most recording applications. It is easy to get a dry signal as the cardioid pattern
blends out a bad sounding room, a noisy fan in the background, etc.
// Supercardioid
Supercardioid is even more directive than a cardioid pattern having a bit more side and a bit less rear
rejection. It is very useful in live situations as it allows for very high gain before feedback. It also keeps
the signal very dry; you get mainly the direct signal from your sound source.
// Figure-8
The gure-8 pattern has the same sensitivity at 0° and 180°, it is the least sensitive at 90° and 270°. It is
often chosen for various stereo recording techniques (Mid Side, Blumlein). It can also be very helpful in
situations where you do not want a signal coming from a 90° angle to bleed into the microphone.
Cardioid
Figure-8
Omnidirectional
Supercardioid
Wide Cardioid