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

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It has the highest side rejection of all polar patterns making it very useful to deal
with signals bleeding into the microphone coming from the side. In live recording
situations you can achieve fairly dry recordings although many instruments are
recorded in the same room at the same time. In comparison to all other polar
patterns it has the least bass response and it is the most sensitive to wind and
handling noise.
6.3. Technical background
Every multi-pattern microphone follows the same technical principle: two
diaphragms back to back with the electrode between them. Both sides have a
cardioid pickup pattern. Mixing these signals together with different levels and
phase creates different polar patterns.
// Distance factor
The distance factor describes how far away a directional microphone can be
placed in comparison to an omnidirectional microphone while preserving the
same ratio of direct and reected sound.
// Acceptance angle (-3 dB reduction)
The acceptance angle is the angle in which the sensitivity of the microphone is
not reduced by more than 3 dB. It is not recommended to place a sound source
outside the acceptance angle.
// Maximum reduction
The maximum reduction describes the angle with the least sensitivity of the
microphone.
// Rear rejection
Amount of dB the signal is reduced at the angle of maximum reduction.
7. How to create different polar patterns
manually with your LCT 640 TS
Of course you can select a preset polar pattern if your microphone is set to Multi-
pattern Mode, but let’s be honest - that’s boring. Wouldn’t it be much more
exciting to create the different polar patterns with the LCT 640 TS using your
mixing console or DAW? It denitely would ...
All you need to do is to record the front and back signal on two different tracks.
Make sure to set the gain on both input channels on your preamp to the same
value. Then it’s just a matter how you set the levels and if you invert the phase on
one channel. See the table below for the correct values.
Parameter Omni Wide
cardioid Cardioid Super cardioid Figure-8
Front Diaphragm Level 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB 0 dB
Back Diaphragm Level 0 dB -10 dB -∞dB -10 dB 0 dB
Front Diaphragm Phase 0° 0° 0° 0° 0°
Back Diaphragm Phase 0° 0° 0° 180° 180°
Acceptance angle
(-3 dB reduction) - 90° 65° 57° 45°
Maximum reduction - 180° 180° 126° 90°
Distance Factor *1 1,38 1,73 1,93 1,73

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8. Change pattern with the POLARIZER
We have come up with a more convenient way to change the polar pattern. Let’s
not call it laziness, let’s call it improved workow. To make it easier and more fun
to experiment with different polar patterns we created a plugin, the “Polarizer”. It
essentially does the same thing as shown in the table on the previous page, but
automatically. You can even create an automation track, making the polar pattern
change automatically according to your settings and track! It is compatible with
PC and MAC and available as VST, AU and AAX plugin.
8.1. Installation MAC (MAC OS 10.5 and higher)
// Download the MAC plugins here.
// Unzip the le.
// Double click the Polarizer.dmg.
// You will see 3 les (.vst, .au and .aax) on the left side with the corresponding
folders on the right side. Drag and drop the desired plugins into the folders. The
operating system will ask you to authorise the copy process, enter your system
password to proceed.
// Done!
// Plugin Locations
AAX: Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins
(only Pro Tools 10.3.5 and higher is supported)
AU: Macintosh HD/Library/Audio/Plug-ins/Components
VST: Macintosh HD/Library/Audio/Plug-ins/VST

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8.2. Installation Windows (works on Windows 7 and higher)
// Download the Windows plugins here.
// Unzip the le.
// You will nd a new folder containing three further folders. AAX, VST32, VST64.
// Now you need to manually drag the plugins into the corresponding plugin folder.
// Plugin folder locations
AAX: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Avid\Audio\Plug-Ins
only Pro Tools 10.3.5 and higher is supported.
VST 32 bit: This location depends on the DAW of your choice. It can be a custom folder anywhere on
your hard drive for some DAWs, others have specic folders. Please check out the user manual of your
DAW for information where to put the plugin les.
For Cubase it’s: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steinberg\VSTPlugins
VST 64 bit: This location depends on the DAW of your choice. It can be a custom folder anywhere on
your hard drive for some DAWs, others have specic folders. Please check out the user manual of your
DAW for information where to put the plugin les.
For Cubase it’s: C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Vstplugins\.

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9. What to do with Dual Output Mode?
There is a million of awesome things you can do with Dual Output Mode. Let’s
cover at least some of them:
9.1. Change or automate the polar pattern
There are many reasons why you want to change the polar pattern after the
recording session, just to name a few:
// To add or remove room sound from the recording. You could, for example, leave
the vocals very dry during the verse, and then add substantial room sound for
the chorus to make it sound more open. The Polarizer plugin can be automated
to do this.
// Minimize bleed in a recording, by adjusting polar pattern in a multi instrument
session.
// Change the sound of the recording. Different polar patterns have different
characteristics and frequency responses.
// Compensate the movement of musicians dynamically - mind the acceptance
angle!
9.2. Change the polar pattern and direction
// Change the polar pattern and direction (0° or 180°).
// Crossfade between different polar patterns.
// Position the microphone between two vocalists for a duet - balance them later
on in the post.
// Same goes for interview or podcasting situations - balance the signal later on
in the post.
// Try to use one or two LCT 640 TS as drum room mics. Use the sound from the
capsule facing away from the drum kit pointing at the reective wall. If it is too
diffuse, blend in a bit of the side facing the drum kit.
9.3. Stereo with only one LCT 640 TS
Usually MS stereophony is only possible using two microphones. A cardioid,
supercardioid oromni for the MID-signal which points directly atthe sound source,
and a gure-8 turned sideways, for the SIDE-signal. With the LCT 640 TS you
can do something similar, but you only need one microphone!
Step by step instruction:
// Point the side of the microphone towards the source, using the dual output
mode.
// Record a stereo track with your LCT 640 TS.
// Make two copies of the track giving you three stereo tracks in total.
// Insert the Polarizer plugin on every track.
// Set one stereo track to omni, and the other two to gure-8.
// Pan the rst gure-8 track hard left and the second hard right.
// Link the channels.
// Switch the phase on one of the two gure-8 tracks.
// By changing the ratio between the omni and gure-8´s you can adjust the
stereo width.

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9.4. Stereo recording - the easy way
// Turn the side of the microphone to the sound source.
// Put the front signal on the left channel of a stereo track and the back signal on the right channel of the
stereo track.
// Change the panorama for both signals to adjust the stereo width. If the panorama is in the center,
the signal is mono (front + back = omni). If the panorama sliders are hard left and hard right it has the
maximum stereo effect.
10. Stereo applications with two LCT 640 TS
The LCT 640 TS is a unique microphone through and through. Its PerfectMatchTechnology combined
with the Dual Output Mode and the Polarizer Plugin opens a whole new world of possibilities for
stereo recordings.
There are two basic principles that allow us to record and more importantly hear stereophonic; we can
determine the location of a sound source by differences in level and time differences. Let’s briey go
over some popular stereo recording techniques.

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≥ 34 cm (13.4 in)
Left
Left
Right
Right
10.1. XY and Blumlein
The XY stereo technique is based on level differences between 2 directional
microphones. Their capsules are placed together as close as possible and one
microphone points right the other one left. The opening angle is variable but
usually at least 90°. XY stereo recording techniques are excellent for locating
individual sources in a recording and are mono compatible. A specialXY recording
technique is “Blumlein”, named after Alan Blumlein, a pioneer in stereo recording.
It consists of 2 gure-8 microphones with an opening angle of 90°. It is known for
it’s very balanced and natural sound.
The polar pattern used has a big inuence on the stereo image. To locate a signal
100% left or 100% right the level difference between the two signals must be 15
dB. A look at the pictures on the left illustrates what opening angles are necessary
to get the widest stereo image for different polar patterns.
With the LCT 640 TS it is possible to change the polar pattern during the mixing
process. This way you can adjust the stereo width by changing the polar pattern.
The polar pattern also denes how much sound you capture from behind the
microphone.
10.2. AB stereo
AB stereo uses time differences to capture a stereo recording. Two microphones,
usually omni - sometimes wide cardioid or cardioid are placed in parallel to the
sound source with a distance to each other of at least 34 cm. A distance of 34
cm results in a time difference of 1 ms. If the signal on the right channel arrives at
your ears 1 ms earlier than the same signal on the left channel it will feel like it is
only coming from the right channel. AB stereophony gives the listener a great feel
of the room sound while localisation of individual signals is not as precise as XY
stereophony. With the LCT 640 TS you have a great tool for AB stereophony as
you can adjust how much room sound you want to have in your recording, even
after the recording.

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≥ 34 cm (13.4 in)
Left
Left
Right
Right
10.3. ORTF
ORTF (Ofce de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française) was introduced by French
radio broadcasting engineers. It is a combination of level based and time based
stereophony. The capsules are placed 17 cm apart with an opening angle of 110°.
The result has all the qualities of both methods combined. By changing the polar
pattern you can change the stereo width and also the amount of room sound.
17 cm (6.7 in)
Left Right // AB stereo
// XY and Blumlein

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ListeningSound
Dry and direct Room sound
Recording
Omnidirectional
ListeningSound
Dry and direct Room sound
Recording
Supercardioid
Dry and direct Room sound
Figure-8
Dry and direct Room sound
Wide cardioid
Dry and direct Room sound
Cardioid
// XY stereo recording

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ListeningSound
Dry and direct Room sound
RecordingListeningSound
Dry and direct Room sound
Recording
Supercardioid
Dry and direct Room sound
Dry and direct Room sound
Wide cardioid
Dry and direct Room sound
CardioidOmnidirectional
Figure-8
// AB stereo recording

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ListeningSound
Dry and direct Room sound
Recording
Omnidirectional
ListeningSound
Dry and direct Room sound
Recording
Supercardioid
Dry and direct Room sound
Figure-8
Dry and direct Room sound
Wide cardioid
Dry and direct Room sound
Cardioid
// ORTF stereo recording