GEAR REVIEW
LAUTEN AUDIO LS-208 CONDENSER MIC | Michael Hodge
KEY FEATURES
• Front Address Large Diaphragm
Condenser
• Excellent off-axis sound source
rejection
• High 120 dB Dynamic Range
• 2-stage Low & High-cut Filters
• Road Case with Shock and Hard
Mount Options, Foam Windscreen
• Singing, Broadcast & Instruments
The first mic in the Lauten Audio Synergy Series
is the LS-208 professional front-address large-
diaphragm condenser for Vocals, Broadcast,
and Instrument applications. It is also capable
of handling very high-volume levels without an
internal pad.
OUT OF THE BOX:
The LS-208 comes in a sturdy foam fitted case,
containing an optional mount, and a foam
windscreen. It has a black matte finish with the
red Lauten logo. At the heart of this mic is a 1"
gold-sputtered diaphragm. Similar to the LS-
308, the mic base has two sets of attenuator
switches. The Hi-pass filter has three Low-cut
settings: Off, 120Hz, and 50Hz, and the Low-
pass filter switch has 8K, Off, and 10K. The
LS 208 has a cardioid pattern, requires +48v
phantom power, and has a frequency response
of 20Hz to 20 kHz. The circuit employs a JFET
transistor and transformer balanced output.
IN USE:
The LS-208 weighs in under two pounds and
has a sturdy shock mount. As a vocal mic
I found that it has a beautiful proximity effect
up close. It behaves a little more dynamic than
some other condensers. There is a smooth but
noticeable peak in the upper range 5kHz and a
rich low end, which made both male and female
singers sound good with minimal EQ. There is
a slight boost at around 6KHz. Immediately I
heard some similarities to a Shure SM7. By it could be a go-to. I have a lot of different
putting in the 10kHz low-pass, it gets a smooth types of vocalists in the studio, and I know
vintage vocal vibe. Hearing the singers talk several producers who will love this mic
on the mic, I’m sure the LS-208 would be a as a replacement for an SM7 vibe with the
healthy choice for broadcast applications. advantages of a condenser. It sounds very
Next, I moved to guitar amps. I placed it intimate and dynamic up close with a bright
halfway between the center of the cone and top end. I liked it on both electric and acoustic
outer ring, slightly tilted toward the center up guitars. Like I said earlier, it's a killer Tom mic
and close to the grill on an AC30 cabinet. It had too. If you are looking at a mic for any of these
a full spectrum with lots of low-end. I added the applications, I think you'll love it.
low cut at 50Hz and got a very tight low end
with plenty of chime on top. It’s one of the best $899.00 List / $599 Street
condensers I’ve heard at capturing high volume www.LautenAudio.com/ls-208
electrics. On an acoustic pass, the guitar fits
nicely in the mix using the 50Hz hi-pass filter.
I got a balanced, woody sounding tone. Next
up was on drums. On the kick, it does a solid
job handling the sound pressure like an EV RE-
20, and captured the wood tone of the drum,
and head very well. As a tom mic, the LS-208
shined with its tight cardioid pattern and off-
axis rejection. The FOH engineers at my church
love it and plan to buy several.
TAKE AWAY:
Overall, this is a very impressive and affordable
Condenser. There are numerous places that
November 2019
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