SE Electronics X1A

I have used some of the more expensive SE mics in large live recording sessions and found them to be excellent. So, when it came time to buy a new mic for my home studio, I chose SE. The X1A is an entry level mic, so I figured it would be good, if not quite as good as the others I had used. I was right, the X1A is a good mic, but lacks some of the magic of it?s bigger brothers. That said, I am still pleased with my purchase. I used it for backing vocals and was surprised at how I could sing really close without the pop problem?I am an experienced studio singer so I do know how to sing close to a mic. Even so, I was impressed. Later, I used the X1A to record a female vocalist who I?ve made a couple of albums with. In this scenario, the mic was a little less impressive and required a pop shieled. It lacked life, if that makes sense. Adding a little top brought up the sibilance, and I found I had to lose some 300 Hz ish to lose some mud. I would have loved to boost some 2k5, but my preamp only has 1 swept mid so I couldn?t do it whilst recording?I did it on play back and the sound was fine.

In summary?This mic has the unique ability to make vocals sound up front, but lacks that certain sparkle that I was hoping for. I am happy with my purchase overall and will happily put this mic in front of any instrument that comes through the door.

Pros:
Great build quality.
Usable if slightly different sound
Reasonable price for the home budget

Cons:
No pop shield included and it needs one
Would like a more positive ?feel? on the switches

Addendum...11/7/17
OK, I've used the mic on several things now and I get what they've gone for...The sound of a valve mic. Makes perfect sense once you think about the sound that way.

Colin Owen
His Place Malvern

i am using this microphone for my home studio (podcasts, vocals and acoustic/electric guitar recording). This microphone works amazingly even with the cheapest audio interface possible (Behringer UM2). The clarity and quality of the recorded audio is great for the price of 100 euro (described as entry level microphone).
Probably the only two "cons" of this product are the fact that the attenuation and low-cut switches are a bit "wobbly" and the fact that it doesn't come with a protective pouch.
Generally this is a great versatile microphone for a great price.

I was searching for a spare mic to use on my desk arm for quick demos and similar (not a fan of the sound profile of dynamic mics like the Shure SM7B). I wanted the sE X1A due to my overall appreciation for sE microphones and the convenience of its built-in low-cut filter and integrated pop filter.

The X1A doesn’t include a pouch or a microphone holder with a locking mechanism. While the overall build quality is decent, the switches on the microphone feel less durable.

After comparing options in this price range, I decided to go with the AT2020 instead. I found the AT2020 to excel in sound quality—not so much in terms of frequency characteristics, but in overall reproduction clarity. The X1A introduced distortion when I tried some more gritty rock vocals on it, whereas the AT2020 delivered a much cleaner and more accurate sound. Although I had to purchase an additional pop filter for the AT2020, its superior audio performance made it a worthwhile investment.

That said, the X1A is still a good beginner microphone for its price range, especially for users who value additional features like the dB pad and low-cut filter.