GEAR REVIEW
LEWITT MTP W950 MICROPHONE | Kent Morris
Handheld microphones designed for live use application generally adhere to one of two approaches : rugged and reliable at a good price point or esoteric and sparkling for a premium . The Lewitt MTP W950 certainly falls into the second category on price but retains the rugged reliability of an SM58 while adding a third category to its suite of tricks : innovation . Instead of relying on decades old design and technology , Lewitt , a relatively new entry into the microphone arena , has made its mark with thoughtful form factor design with an eye toward low profile video presence as well as inclusion of typically studio-only features concealed inside a stage-friendly outline .
As with many boutique mic makers , Lewitt began as a concept while the principal was employed at an established company , in this case AKG in Austria . While classic designs such as the C-414 remain relevant today , Lewitt ’ s founder , Roman Perschon , felt there was more to offer in live microphone manufacturing , especially after an auto accident led him to commit his life to the art of improving microphones . With the mentality of a start-up firm , Lewitt fosters a short hierarchy , creatively diverse workforce in Austria as well as at their manufacturing plant in China where automation is the goal in order to eliminate human error and inconsistencies . In fact , most models are instantly useable as a matched pair through polarization voltage manipulation to within half a dB across the production run , regardless of their “ matched ” status .
The Lewitt MTP W950 is a dedicated “ record ready ” full one-inch diaphragm true-condenser mic oriented specifically for professional stage use and comes to market with input from dozens of live sound engineers from across the world . The result of this intensive effort is a feedback resistant mic with robust build quality , a dual process wind and plosive filter system and switchable cardioid / supercardioid patterns
along with switching 12dB of attenuation and an engageable 120Hz high-pass filter . All three switches are located under the grille , meaning no accidental changes can be made mid-performance by the artist . The mic is also convertible , in the sense its capsule can be removed and used in many popular wireless systems without alteration .
In use , the MTP W950 will never be mistaken for a standard stage mic . It weighs almost a pound and is over seven inches long and two inches wide and is quite capable of muscling its way into the mix . In essence , it has gravitas . Initially , a vocalist using the W950 for the first time will be taken aback by its physical presence and then pleasantly surprised by the robust sound they experience when they engage the diaphragm . This mic makes itself known , both visually and aurally . It sounds “ big ” in every sense of the word . Vocals punch through the mix instantly with no need for a tight boost at 5kHz for air or a broad cut at 250Hz to clean it up . It just works . Sopranos soar through the mic with ease ; there is no brittleness or , conversely , heaviness in the tone . Altos sound full and rich with no hint of cloudiness . Tenors will love this mic for its ability to reproduce clarity without an accompaniment of harshness while baritones and bassists will appreciate the mic ’ s capacity to get low without proximity tricks or bottoming out the diaphragm . Lewitt has accomplished a nearly impossible feat : create a live mic that perfectly captures the entire range of human vocals and presents each as if the mic were designed solely for that voice .
At $ 799 , the W950 is not a mic bought by the dozen , but it is a mic bought to solve a very real problem : getting the primary vocals to lay properly in the mix without Olympic grade gymnastics ’ processing . It is highly conceivable to simply gain the W950 , engage its HPF at 120Hz and let it roll . It ’ s that good of a mic . It solves the problem every sound engineer faces of how to dial in the mix around the vocals when there are so many issues at play . If I had to choose one mic for this purpose , it would be the W950 .