Recording - November 2014 - 40

B Y PA U L V N U K J R .

sE Electronics

sE X1R Ribbon Microphone

A company with a history of startling new ribbon designs presents an entry-level model
sE manufactures microphones at price
points from beginner-friendly to world-class,
all of which are designed and manufactured from stem to stern in the company's
solely-owned Chinese factory. It's worth noting that practically nothing on an sE mic is
outsourced from anyone else, nor do they
sell OEM parts to any other manufacturer,
Chinese or otherwise. This holds not only
for sE's mics but for its other products as
well, such as the oft-imitated Reflexion Filter,
the first mic-isolating "portable vocal booth"
on the market.
In addition to the company's broad line of
condenser choices, sE also makes some of
the most unusual modern ribbon microphones on the market. The sE ribbon line
started with the now-discontinued R1 and
RT1 which sE claimed to be the first tubebased ribbon to hit the market, and followed with the high-end sE RNR1, an active
ribbon microphone designed in conduction
with famed gear designer Rupert Neve.
Back in our May 2011 issue, I had the
pleasure of introducing readers to the sE
Voodoo Series of ribbon mics. With both
active and passive models, the Voodoo
Series features an unusual physical tuning
design that works incredibly well. The
passive sE VR1 is still one of my favorite
modern ribbon designs; I use it often on
drum overheads, close up on toms, and
on room mic and saxophone duties.

The sE X1R is the newest ribbon microphone design from the folks at UK-based
sE Electronics. As its X designation
implies, it's part of the company's valuelevel X Series, which also includes the
cardioid sE X1 condenser, the sE X1T
tube condenser, the titanium-diaphragm
sE X1D drum mic, and the sE X1 USB, a
self-contained USB microphone.
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RECORDING November 2014

The modern ribbon sound
You may have noticed that I keep using
the word "modern" as I talk about sE's ribbon mics. That's because historically, ribbons are very neutral and linear designs.
This gives them a smooth and natural
sound, yet it is a sound that often comes
across as "dark" to our ears... because ribbons are being mentally compared to current condenser mic designs, which typically sound brighter due to upper-end presence boost. This perceived ribbon "darkness" is often what we associate with vintage recordings, especially pertaining to
vocals and brass instruments from recordings of the '30s, '40s, and '50s.

On the flip side, many current ribbon
manufactures like sE have been crafting
ribbon mics that are more open and airy
with an almost condenser-ish upper end
signature. That's what I mean by a "modern" ribbon sound, and this is definitely
the camp that the new X1R falls into. This
is not a bad thing at all, just one flavor vs.
another. It's something you should be
aware of, assuming you didn't hear it
instantly the first time you used it!
The X factor
The X1R makes use of the same body
and grille design as the rest of the X
Series, and if I did not tell you that it was
a ribbon mic, you would probably assume
from its appearance that it was a common
condenser.
The mic measures 61/2" tall by 21/4" at
its widest point and it weighs just over a
pound. Like the rest of the X Series it is finished in matte black with a red embossed
sE logo and a black double mesh grille.
The X1R is a passive ribbon mic with a
figure-8 polar pattern. The ribbon motor uses
a 2-micron aluminum ribbon element with a
frequency response of 20 Hz-16 kHz ±1dB,
a sensitivity of -55.3 dB 1V/Pa ±1dB, and
a ≤200 ohm impedance. It can also handle
a max SPL of 135 dB, a respectable number
even for a modern ribbon.
The X1R is an entry-level ribbon and
comes in a fairly bare-bones package; it
ships in a foam-lined cardboard box with
a standard sE mic clip. However, as part
of the X Series, it can easily be used with
the sE Electronics Isolation pack ($40),
which includes a custom shockmount and
detachable metal pop filter.
Proximity, sound, and choosing sides
Most classic ribbons are known for
exhibiting a huge proximity effect that
varies from model to model. This proximity
effect is what we hear as a low-end/bass
buildup that becomes more pronounced the
closer a source gets to the mic. The proximity effect of the X1R is not as huge as you
might find on a vintage-styled large ribbon

Recording - November 2014

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