I love a good microphone and am always wary of gimmicks. So when I was sent this microphone and told that it uses sensor technology to precisely adapt to speech level, tone, and distance from the microphone, my first thought was, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
It only took me 60 seconds of testing to believe it! This Lewitt Ray mic impresses in a way I never thought was possible. But before we get into it, here are its characteristics.
Three Takeaways About the Lewitt Ray Microphone
- Lewitt Ray (with Aura technology) retails for €350.
- This microphone can automatically detect your distance and adjust levels accordingly, ensuring consistent audio throughout your recording.
- The Lewitt Ray may not have the warmth of a much more expensive microphone, and due to its current popularity, it may be difficult to obtain.
Lewitt Ray Microphone Specifications
- The Distance Mute feature allows you to set a specific distance before the microphone automatically mutes.
- Distance detection to keep your voice at the same level.
- Separate mute button.
- 1″ condenser capsule with 8 dB(A) self-noise.
- Withstands levels up to 131 dBSPL.
- Completely analog signal.
- Gold plated 3-pin XLR connector.
- Powered by 48V phantom power.
- Cardioid sensor circuit.
- Ready to record.
- Price 350 euros.
The box contains the microphone itself, a magnetic pop filter, a windshield, a stand and a bag for the microphone.
First of all, this is an XLR microphone, which means you can’t connect it directly to your computer. Instead, you need to connect the microphone to an external audio interface and then connect it to your computer via USB-C. One such audio interface is the Lewitt Connect 6, which costs €300. You can also use a cheaper interface like the $115 Focusrite Scarlet 2i2, which I’ve used as a bridge for years.
The feature I was most interested in was the Aura technology, which automatically adjusts the level and pitch of your voice based on the physical distance between you and the microphone. The mic’s press release explains that it’s similar to photo autofocus, but for your voice: “You can naturally move in front of the mic and your sound [de la voix] will remain the same. »
To test it out, I plugged everything into my MacBook Pro, attached the microphone to a stand, and sat down to see how it worked. Many podcasters have a hard time understanding how distance affects sound. They move closer to the microphone or further away from it, and each time their sound becomes louder or quieter. It’s very embarrassing and I’ve heard it too many times.
My Lewitt Ray microphone test setup. Jack Wallen/ZDNET.
Lewitt Ray solves this problem and does it much better than I expected. After pressing the record button, I leaned over the microphone and moved away about two feet without changing the sound level once. I was immediately surprised to see that the volume indicator had not changed. On any other mic these levels would drop as I moved further away, but not on the Ray.
This fact alone amazed me.
I’m not going to tell you that the Lewitt Ray sounds better than my CAD E100S microphone. There shouldn’t be, since this is an entry-level microphone. The CAD E100S was much more expensive and had wonderful warmth, while the Lewitt was a bit clinical for my taste. But the downside is that my DAC can’t sense my distance, so if I move away from the mic the volume will drop, and if I get too close (without lowering the volume) the levels can clip.
That’s not to say the Lewitt’s sound is mediocre. This is not an option. In fact, the sound I got from the Lewitt was very, very good. However, be careful. If you’re in a noisy room, you’ll find that the further you are from the microphone, the more background noise it picks up. The reason for this is obvious: the further you are from the microphone, the more Ray increases the recording level. If you are close to a microphone in the same noisy room, it will pick up less background noise.
I conducted the test in my office, where I hung a curtain to reduce noise, and also where I have an aquarium with a capacity of more than 208 liters. When the curtain is down, my DAC can barely pick up the sound of the aquarium (and the fans powering the lights).
In a quiet room with good acoustics, this microphone is simply irreplaceable. If you’re serious about your podcasts, you’re probably already recording them in a room with low background noise.
Lewitt Ray Microphone Buying Tips
If you find that your podcast recording levels vary because you can’t stay a consistent distance from the microphone, this Lewitt Ray may be the perfect solution for you. Sure, you may have to boost the bass in post-production to get a little more warmth and depth, but not having to spend hours adjusting inconsistent volume levels makes this mic worth its weight in gold.
Remember, if you choose this microphone, you will need an interface that allows XLR connections, otherwise you will have problems.
Source: ZDNet.com
Related Posts
Relive the best car games of the 90s on your iPhone!
discovery of the first rocky exoplanet atmosphere on Kankri 55 e
