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You're shopping for a LEWITT microphone and one listing is much cheaper than the rest. The photos look right, the packaging looks right. But if a deal seems too good to be true, it is - and the measurements show why.
A counterfeit looks like ours but measures differently.
Counterfeits copy the visible parts: our logo, our product photography, our packaging. What they don't copy is the engineering inside. Every counterfeit unit that has reached us for analysis has measured significantly worse than the genuine product, and the gap is large enough that nobody could mistake one for the other once you plug them in.
This is not subjective. It is a measurement difference, and it shows up the moment you start recording.
The technical differences between a real and fake LCT 440 PURE
We compared a counterfeit unit against eight real LCT 440 PURE microphones in the lab. Check out what we found below:
Sensitivity - how much signal the microphone produces from the same sound - is roughly 16 dB lower on the fake than on the real LCT 440 PURE at 1 kHz. In practice, you have to push your audio interface's gain much higher to get a usable recording level. That amplifies everything else, including noise.
Frequency response - how evenly the microphone captures different pitches - is uneven on the fake. It has sharp peaks in the mids and high end, and a thin low end. The result is piercing.
Self-noise - the noise a microphone produces with no sound source in front of it - is about 35 dB higher on the fake than on the real LCT 440 PURE. To your ear, that's perceptually around 11 times louder noise running underneath every recording.
Polar pattern - the directions from which the microphone picks up sound - is wrong. The real LCT 440 PURE has a cardioid pattern, designed to pick up what's in front of it and reject what's behind. The counterfeit rejects the back more strongly than it should and is more directional at the front, which means it colors sound differently as the source moves around it.
These differences are not unit-to-unit variation. A real LCT 440 PURE does not behave like the fake we measured. The counterfeit is a different microphone wearing our name.
A fake means no warranty and no support
We can't service or guarantee a microphone we didn't make. If a counterfeit breaks, malfunctions, or sounds wrong out of the box, there is no warranty path with us - nothing on our end ties that serial number to a sale we recognize. If you suspect the unit you've bought is a counterfeit, write to us and we'll help you confirm what you have.
The seller usually disappears too. Counterfeit listings are taken down and reposted under new names; the contact details that worked at checkout stop working a few weeks later. Once the listing is gone, your refund options are gone with it.
How to make sure you get the real thing.
The cleanest path is to buy from authorized resellers, which are listed on every product page at lewitt-audio.com. If a reseller isn't listed on those pages, they aren't authorized, and we can't vouch for what they ship.
If you're considering a listing elsewhere, two things tell you most of what you need to know: a price meaningfully below what authorized resellers charge for the same product, and shipping from a country that doesn't match the listing's claimed origin. Either is a reason to be cautious. If you're not sure, send us a link to the listing, and we'll tell you whether the seller is one we recognize.
What to do if you think you already bought a fake.
Write to us. We can help confirm whether what you have is genuine - sometimes a photo of the underside of the microphone or its packaging is enough to tell. If it turns out to be a counterfeit, contact the seller and request a full refund. If you bought through an online marketplace, the platform has a process for reporting counterfeit listings. Use it. That report also helps stop the same listing from selling another fake to someone else.
FAQs
Where can I buy 100% genuine LEWITT products?
Through authorized resellers, which are listed on every product page at lewitt-audio.com, or check the website of your local LEWITT distributor. That's the cleanest path. If you're unsure whether a specific seller is authorized, write to us and we'll confirm.
Can I tell from a photo before I buy?
Sometimes, but counterfeit listings often use our own photos, lifted directly from our site. Photos alone won't protect you. Price, shipping origin, and seller authorization are more reliable signals.
Does LEWITT offer any warranty on a counterfeit I bought by mistake?
No. We can't service or guarantee a product we didn't make. We can help you confirm what you have and walk you through next steps.
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If you ever want to check whether a unit is genuine, write to us. We are happy to help you figure out if it's real or not.