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Lauten Audio LS-308 Large-diaphragm Side-address Condenser Microphone

Large-diaphragm Condenser Instrument Mic with Second-order Cardioid Polar Pattern, 135dB of Dynamic Range, Swing-arm Mount, Threaded Hard Mount, Foam Windscreen, and Road Case
$498.00

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Lauten Audio LS-308 Large-diaphragm Side-address Condenser Microphone
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The Large-diaphragm Condenser for Challenging Environments

The Lauten Audio LS-308 is a noise-rejecting, high-dynamic-range, large-diaphragm condenser microphone that’s a real problem-solver in challenging scenarios where isolation is desired but difficult to achieve. Featuring a second-order cardioid polar pattern with 270 degrees of off-axis frequency rejection and ultra-high dynamic range, the LS-308 is designed for use in situations with leakage-prone, close-proximity sources — for example, tracking electric guitars in front of a live drum kit or miking the bottom of a snare. Constructed from top-drawer components and outfitted with frequency-shaping low- and highpass filters, the LS-308 offers excellent handling characteristics with its internally shockmounted transducer element that minimizes rumble and handling noise. The Lauten Audio LS-308 ships with two different mounting options, a foam windscreen, and a road case.

270 degrees of off-axis rejection

The LS-308 is designed for use in environments with multiple sources in close proximity. Offering 270 degrees of side and rear rejection that attenuates off-axis sound by up to 25dB, the LS-308 is the perfect choice when isolation is essential. What's more, the LS-308's powerful off-axis rejection lends a dark, ribbon-like character to everything the mic captures. At Sweetwater, we've found that this timbral side-effect really smooths out harsh-sounding sources. That said, we wouldn't recommend the LS-308 for most vocal applications.

Independent frequency-shaping filters

You'll appreciate the LS-308’s independent multi-stage low- and highpass filters, which help you balance your recordings at the microphone, assisting you in capturing the purity of a performance without having to apply inordinate amounts of corrective EQ. The 2-stage highpass minimizes low-frequency mud and structure-borne rumble as well as proximity effect, while the 2-stage lowpass helps to tame excessively bright sources.

Mic anything — no pad needed

You may have noticed that the LS-308 doesn’t have a pre-attenuation pad — that’s because it can handle sound pressure levels upward of 135dB. The circuit also allows for an ultra-wide 120dB of dynamic range. These features make the Lauten Audio LS-308 ideal for capturing high-dynamic sources in loud onstage or studio environments. So go ahead and mic those tom toms or monster guitar amp stack — the LS-308 can take it!

Lauten Audio LS-308 Large-diaphragm Condenser Mic Features:

  • Second-order cardioid polar pattern with 270° of off-axis rejection
  • Provides superior isolation in noisy, close-quarter environments
  • 135dB of dynamic range without the need of additional attenuation
  • Internally shockmounted transducer element minimizes rumble and handling noise
  • Frequency Range: 20Hz–20kHz
  • SPL handling: >135dB (0.5%THD at 1kHz)
  • Independent 2-stage low- and high-cut frequency switches
  • Internally shockmounted pressure gradient condenser elements
  • Swing-arm mount with 135° of movement (removable)
  • Included road case, swing-arm mount, threaded hard mount, foam windscreen

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Tech Specs

  • Microphone Type: Dual-gradient Condenser
  • Polar Pattern: Second-order Cardioid (270° side/rear rejection)
  • Diaphragm Size: 1.25" (32mm)
  • Frequency Range: 20Hz-20kHz
  • Max SPL: 135dB SPL
  • Output Impedance: 150 ohms
  • Sensitivity: 10.5mV/Pa (-40dB)
  • Self Noise: 15dB A weighted
  • Low Cut Filter: 50Hz, 120Hz
  • Connector: XLR
  • Color: Black
  • Power Source: 48V phantom power
  • Dimensions: 7.25" x 2.46"
  • Weight: 1.25 lbs.
  • Included Accessories: Windscreen, Mic Mount, Flight Case
  • Manufacturer Part Number: LS308002

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5/5

ACOUSTIC PLAYERS DONT GET LEFT BEHIND HERE

I am an acoustic ONLY player. Always in search of a mic setup that disallows extraneous racket and feedback from mics.
Well, guess what. CRANK IT ON UP if need be. Lot's of chatter about drums and toms and stacks and such. UH ! ! !
Well. I am a small amp firm believer for tone and lack of stage volume as it is.My fav setup is a low stage volume (where musicians can actually talk amongst us) and let the FOH do all the work.
BLISS has taken me over with the potential of this mic for acoustic amp users for live and recording without all the bleed over from the rest of the world.

Music background: Bum
Rated 5/5

Loved it so much I bought a second one

We have a home studio and decided to buy one of these for my drum kit to see how noise-rejecting it actually is. Not only does it reject unwanted sounds wonderfully, the mic also sounds really good. Tried it on a rack tom and I couldn't believe how well it worked, so I got a second one for my other rack tom. These mics really make it easy to capture and edit a great-sounding drum performance. I won't be taking them off the kit anytime soon!
Music background: artist, producer, educator
Rated 5/5

One of the most underrated mics on earth!

I love this microphone! I have never in my life seen a microphone that allows me to both close-mic a guitar cabinet, or mic spoken word at a distance. I've had success with this microphone in nearly any application. I tried it 4 ft away from a minister in a live and very reverberant setting. Yes I had to crank the gain, but I was able to use it effectively with very little EQ and no feedback. Run it through a germanium mic pre with a lively EQ lightly kiss the top end. Use that set up with a female vocalist and be ready for your mind to explode. Put it on the bottom of a snare and you can almost count the number of rasps. Brilliant.
Music background: Live sound: 25 year veteran.
Rated 5/5

Super unique and incredibly useful

I've had excellent results with the LS-308 on quite a few sources, especially when requiring significant off-axis rejection. Recently I've been using it on the batter side of a non-ported bass drum with better results than almost anything else I've tried in that position. Great rejection of the snare wires and a really excellent transient response, with no signs of overloading or distortion. Also really enjoying it on snare bottom as a great way to reject the direct kick sound, without having to resort to heavy gating, therefore maintaining the snare wire response to the kick drum. In a live tracking environment I've had great results using 2 LS-308s on guitar cabinets positioned right next to each other. The same can be said for horn sections in close quarters. Amazing separation and a very pleasing frequency response without any of the overly harsh top end. An incredibly useful tool, especially in tricky mic positioning situations.
Music background: session drummer, producer, engineer
Rated 5/5

Warm sound with incredible rejection

The 308 is not right for everything, but man the rejection is just insane. We've used it on guitars with live drums in the same room and you could barely hear the drums... It pounds on bottom snare, toms and kick beater too. HUGE low end and takes EQ like a champ. It does run dark tonally, but it's incredible how it only hears what you point it at. That last part takes some getting used to because your "go-to" sweet spots for other microphones won't work at all... like at all. You have to experiment a lot. Definitely a learning curve to get the most out of it at first, but dang this thing really is a problem solver. Also, the wind-screen is pretty ugly. Not sure what I'd use it for...
Music background: Recording Engineer
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