My sound kit (yep, that again, sorry), is pretty versatile.

I can go compact shotgun on camera, better shotgun, even better with mid/side, take it off camera, use a variety of X/Y, A/B, ORTF, multi mic or even direct feed options.

I am on the threshold of field recording, well entrenched in intimate music capture, can do a podcast, a panel, a concert, a band, a choir, work remotely with plans to fill the only hole (wireless).

In all this, one mic has been a standout.

The LCT 240 Pro.

The 240 is strong when compared to all the other mics.

• More detailed and brighter than the sE V7.

• Less aggressive and more delicate than the sE V3.

• More open than the TT1.

• More versatile than the MTP 440 (but a nice match).

• Deeper and less sensitive than the 040 Match.

• More versatile than any of them because not only can it do their jobs, but it also has that very condenser rendering all of its own.

There is still a hole though.

Really deep bass instruments, even people wanting to go full “radio voice” without resorting to proximity effect*, which is a cheat and easy to over use.

I had a second MTP 440 in mind, but have decided to go a little darker, somewhere between the DTP 340 REX, Lewitts true kick drum mic and the snare specialist 440. The DTP 340 TT is designed primarily for toms, which are the drum between snare and kick. Lewitt also rates it as a double bass, percussion, bass and guitar mic. Some even use them for acoustics, woodwind and brass, vocals even. I guess it could even be a poor mans sE7x.

The frequency chart reveals significantly deeper and stronger bass sensitivity than the 440, which drops out smoothly from +0db at 100 Hz. This one actually goes up from 100 to 200 Hz, holding on down to 50 Hz and spikes strongly at 2-3k, but drops right away after 10k in the higher frequencies. The only other mics I have that can go close to this bass performance are the sE V’s and maybe the TT1 that exhibit strong proximity effect* to achieve this.

Not heaps of comparison videos (a blessing possibly), but when compared directly to the SM57, it makes the 57 sound both thin and inwardly compressed. One guitar comparison in particular really highlighted the clean, open and clearly deeper bass notes.

The Lewitt thing seems to be modern, transparent clarity with brilliance. They are not to everyone’s taste, but if you prefer this type, they are premium.

It is half the weight of a 440, shorter and about the same price, so a good alternative to another MTP 440, sE V7x or even the classic SM57.

Am I done now? I actually have one more mic than I can run at once through the H8 (but could press the H5 into service and sync later), so yep, I am done, but a little more versatile and I feel safer. Too many mics means I am not forced to find a job for them all, just use the best set.

Oh, and I do need to do a new mic map.

*Proximity effect is when you get really close to a mic to enhance the lower frequencies. Over done it creates overloaded, muddy and hard to fix sound. Used well it enhances “radio voice”, but not naturally.