I haven’t had a lot of time recently to cover podcasting gear on T3. Partially because it’s always been a bit of a pet project for me, which means my ‘actual’ work always comes first. Plus, there hasn’t really been anything that caught my attention. That is until I received the Austrian audio specialist Lewitt’s latest innovation, the Ray.
You see, the Ray is the world's first microphone equipped with autofocus for your voice!
Using AURA technology, the microphone behaves similarly to your camera lens when it auto-adjusts to capture the perfect shot by dynamically adapting its levels and tone based on your distance from the microphone.
It's like having your own personal audio engineer, ensuring your voice is crystal clear whether you're right up close or kicking back in your chair.
I would like to stop for a moment to let the magnitude of this feature sink in. You might think it’s a gimmick, but this autofocus feature actually allows you to express yourself more freely when recording audio, whether it’s music or streaming.
Previously, you had to stay close to the mic for it to pick up the sound correctly. Now, you can move around and sing/talk freely, which not only makes recording audio more natural but also looks better on the camera.
With Ray, you no longer have to worry about maintaining the perfect distance from the mic or scrambling to mute it when you step away.
But wait, there's more! Ray also has another unique feature called ‘Mute by Distance’, something live streamers will appreciate. Using the buttons at the bottom of the mic, simply set your desired distance, and Ray will automatically mute or unmute your signal as you approach or move away from the microphone. Magic!
This feature makes a lot of sense once you consider who might use the mic. Being able to step away from the desk while you stream and have your voice muted can add another layer of intrigue to your live recordings. Let people guess how you made it happen.
Thanks to its 1-inch true condenser capsule and a cardioid polar pattern, Ray also ensures your voice takes centre stage while banishing unwanted background noise. With a low self-noise of just 8 dB(A) and the ability to handle sound pressure levels of up to 131 dB SPL, you can unleash your full vocal prowess without fear of distortion or interference.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think the Ray looks pretty sleek. It seamlessly blends into your setup with its compact form factor and included shock mount. Say goodbye to pesky low-frequency rumble and hello to uninterrupted audio bliss.
The Ray is available to buy now at Lewitt for a recommended retail price of $349 / €349 / £299. It comes with a shock mount and magnetic pop filter. For more info, visit Lewitt today.
