sE1a small diaphram condenser

[tangerine]

I'm going to be using two sE1a's for overheads at a gig I'm engineering tonight, a guy I know works at a music shop and is lending me two to try out. He is raving about them and I think I would be daft not to take him up on the offer, and at £69.00 each for a small diaphram condenser I think is well worth checking out.
This is the spec on them.

The sE1a


This end-fire small diaphragm condenser microphone really is astonishing value for money.

Great for drums, pianos, and acoustic stringed instruments the sE1a is a must have for any size studio.

Frequency Response: 30Hz-20KHz
Sensitivity: 10mV/Pa - 40 ± 2dB(0dB=1V/Pa 1000Hz)
Polar Pattern: Cardioid, Diversity
Impedance: ≤ 300 Ohms
Equivalent Noise Level: 17dB(A weighted)
Max SPL for 0.5% THD@1000Hz: 137dB
Power Requirement: Phantom power 48V±4V
Connector: 3-pin XLR

 

[tbone36109]

i have heard they are really good mics for the price, a little bright but still good. but i have been interested in them so please post some results!

 

[homestudioguy]

Save your money and get the SE3's!
(Maybe your friend could let you try them?)
I read one comment recently descrbing the SE3's to older Neuman K84's.
I have one and have used it as a single drum overhead and it works quite well.
BG\HSG

 

[Warhead]

Well, that was my comment on the SE3 vs. KM84's as I found them to share some characteristics anyhow. Here are some clips I posted:

http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=2079&alid=1506

You have to download them and load them into your DAW so you can split them to separate mono tracks if you want to properly compare them. As is, it's a stereo file that requires panning.

They're not identical, but the SE3 was certainly worthy of a comparison (especially at $299 each). The KM84 by the way was cleaned and serviced by Stephen Paul Audio and is up to snuff.

War

 

[Warhead]

The SE1A are certainly worth checking out, a decent entry level mic that won't blow your doors off but does a decent job.

War

 

[tangerine]

I used one as an overhead and one on the hihats at a gig I engineered the other night, I can not praise them enough, crisp and just the bollox of a mic for the price. You can also get them as a matched stereo pair to stop phasing if you haven't got a phase reverse on your desk which is quite handy.

 

[tbone36109]

cool, you wouldnt happen to have any recordings with it or did you just use it live?

 

[tangerine]

I've not used the sE 1a for recording yet but know they will do the job.