sE Electronics X1a Review / Test (vs. AT2020, LCT240, NT1)

[@bivanzone]

May I say, we are really lucky to have a creator like you who has been reviewing mics so consistently for so many years. I genuinely cannot justify a single purchase without these videos. Thank you!

[@Podcastage]

Wow, thank you! That really means a lot.

[@sanjulianx]

@@Podcastagethis is real 🤴 I know really feel like the Austrian Audio is the best on the market Thanks to you. Will Sell my slate ml1 and my tlm102 to get it 😂❤

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

You are absolutely right. I watch Podcastage continuously. I under understand the tonal quality of at least 100 condenser and dynamic mics.

[@agoodmansaid]

Exactly what I was thinking bro

[@danmagoo]

Awesome mic, the best-sounding "new" mic review I've heard for a long time. And thanks for the bizarre comedy relief at 10:54.

[@techmed-rainer]

Danke!

[@Podcastage]

Thank you so much for the support Rainer! I truly appreciate ya. It helps so much in continuing to produce this content.

[@scooba789]

I feel like a lot of content creators sleep on the SE Electronics mics in general. I honestly don't think I've ever seen a Twitch streamer use one. IMO the X1S vocal pack at its new reduced price is the best value mic purchase right now. It comes with a shock mount and pop filter and sounds way better than it should, with a full bass, no mud and a nice airy top end without being harsh like the AT2020 or the Lewitts.

[@TheKuyaJep]

That mic has been on radar for awhile. I've been wanting to pull the trigger but I'm curious how it handles deeper voices. Would you recommend it for bass/baritone vocals?

[@Alexandra-Rex]

Happy to see some sE Electronics stuff again. Hoping for the T2 as well at some point :D

[@DeepFriedHallelujah]

I won’t be recording for the next year but I still watch your videos. Your process, humor, and musical arrangements are just plain comforting, having watched probably 70% of the videos you’ve ever made. I would also like to applaud the evolution of the composition of your music tests. Nobody wants bland music for a mic review so you delivering interesting progressions and melodies is appreciated.

[@Old_SnakeTwitch]

Sounds 2-3 times it's price, this has become my fav budget condensor. Also that sE4400a still sounds incredible

[@MoeThermodynamics]

I use this mic as my daily driver for any type of vocals and acoustic guitar. I love the fact it's not as bright as other entry-level condensers, might even use it for drum overheads without any issue

[@thebreakfastmenu]

I say "Hello, Neumann" along with you every time.

[@theglobalzrecordingproject]

I bought a pair of these when they first came out - 2018-ish? What stands out in my mind are the following: 1 - the mic is pretty diverse, I would say falling into the 'Workhorse' category. 2 - it has really nice clarity. 3 - the top end is tolerable. 4 - the price for what you get is impressive. Regarding the switch, I wholly agree - not only are they flimsy, but they also don't solidly 'lock' into their detents. As a result, they are easy to bump into a setting you do not intend to use. sE uses the same switch on their entire X1 line, (X1 A, X1 S, X1 R) and frankly, all of their X1 line is quite good if you can overlook the switches. They used to have a X1 D which I liked as well, but it is discontinued. Back to the X1 A... for another mere 80 Samolians, you can purchase the X1 S. The S is a superior mic in my opinion. Same body, same icky switches, but the tonal qualities are quite nice. Using an analogy, the quality bump you would get going from the X1 A to the X1 S is similar to the bump you get by going from the sE7 to the sE8.

[@DannyBrownPodcasts]

This is a great sounding mic, and at the price point could be a solid introduction to someone buying their first condenser mic, or an existing creator looking to add to their set-up.

[@adrianomoreira1341]

Incredible for the price. Another one that has a great price, and is as natural or more natural as this one, is the Tak55 from the Chinese company Takstar. Plus extra functions and accessories. Oh, the construction and the look are great too.

[@v_shkafu]

Yay, my boy sE x1 :D Looking forward for x1S and sE2200 reviews. Thanks for sharing!

[@flexile7939]

i don't even need a mic now, but i enjoy watching this so much :D

[@hog6040]

what a PERFECT review. Instantly subscribed!

[@ivanzu2069]

Came for the mic reviews stayed for the pallet and ear hole cleansing.

[@meistudiony]

They certainly cheaped out on the clip. That looks like the worst brittle plastic clip that comes with mxl's. The phase shift on the rotation test was pretty wild, almost like a flanger sound. For $100 thats definitely someones daily driver. The dook dook resonance sound of the mic i found amusing for some reason lol. Its nice, bright but not overly bright like the 2020, i would certainly go for the X1a over the 2020, the 240. Very close to the original sound. Music test is a A++ as always.

[@sunnylee9371]

The SeX 1a mic, loved it 😂

[@Zaraan]

Thanks

[@Podcastage]

Thank you s much Saran, it really means so much!

[@tombuck]

I got the red version and it really is awesome overall (not sure that the color affects sound quality, but yeah).

[@YmirXIV]

sE is incredibly underrated, once I got my sE mic, I never looked back tbh

[@michaelritchie9634]

Dude! Yet another awesome review! Side note: do you have any albums available anywhere? Your playing and singing is top notch for sure!

[@Oddzey]

Picked one up recently, honestly I'm kinda glad they cheaped out on the accessories, the mic punches above and beyond it's price bracket. You pay for everything you get in a box of electronics so them putting all that money into the mic itself is nice, especially since most people are gonna get a shock mount for it anyway

[@dinixo]

this is my first xlr mic and i quickly fell in love with the brand!, i'm glad to see that you liked the mic too, and in my opinion it's one of the best in the 80-120usd price range. (i got it for sale at 80usd, nice). rn im waiting for my sE se7 to arrive to start recording instruments :)

[@baxxtian]

Thank you for the effort you put into these videos, amazing quality

[@pml394]

original composition ? I love that you have this music intermezzo in your reviews. Great review as usually.

[@Podcastage]

Yeah, the music in each video is original. It makes it fun and challenging for me each week. Thank you!

[@BamPlan]

guys he finally did it. I can stop commenting now!

[@uglyfingersmusic]

Love your reviews brother.

[@Podcastage]

Thanks so much that really means a lot!

[@caseyholford]

I had the X1 for a while. Pretty good mic!

[@mrandmrsbearau]

I use this mic for recording vocals and streaming. Great budget mic

[@winteryama]

I always go to your channel before a buy a new microphone for my voice work.

[@Tallstreehouse]

Super impressed with the electric guitar tones. As soon as I heard it I was like, dang this is $100? Those cheaper high mid forward mics seem to mesh well with electric guitar which I guess makes sense.

[@brandonhogue4135]

Very nice for the price! Been very impressed by SE. Please do a T2 or T1 review!

[@okamismile]

PLEEEEASE, REVIEW THE X1-S BY SE!!!! I would love to know your opinion on this mic!!! Great video as always, thank you so much, I love to watch your videos 🐱💕✨

[@johnheiser2604]

I had mine a couple of years along with another 5 SE's. They are all great mics even if the build of the X1 a is a bit fragile.

[@JoshuaGarcia-is2gn]

Finally THANK YOU!

[@squaredseas]

Used a pair of these for drum overheads and they never failed to impress me

[@dinixo]

what about kick drum? im planning to use it for kick and a sE se7 for overhead.

[@squaredseas]

@@dinixo I haven’t tried it for a kick but I imagine it would do well! Just make sure to not put it too close to the porthole so it doesn’t damage the diaphragm. A rule of thumb: put your hand where you are planning to put the mic in front of the kick and see if you can feel any strong gusts of air coming from the porthole. If you can then it might be too close!

[@dinixo]

@@squaredseas thanks for the advice!!

[@ZachariahConnor]

Bandrew, you should review the ribbon version, the X1R!

[@richpence]

1 sE Electronics X1a microphone is not a threat, but 37 sE Electronics X1a microphones is an army....

[@edclevel402]

Your tacit acceptance - with an air of almost... resignation? - of stickers is both comforting and even a little sad.

[@matthewg7069]

Stuck between this and rode NT1 (not the overly harsh NT1A!). This sounds so good on the acoustic i think it seems well worth it.

[@MatDuJardin]

sounds good love your music

[@campar1043]

what about the x1s?

[@kristinpaynemusic]

Great video. As a musician that is getting their first set up at home/desk. BUDGET BUDGET Which mic would you suggest I get? For vocals and other instruments, guitar, piano etc.

[@UndetectableBomber]

awesome quality for $100. sounds much better than the 2020. I think the Avantone CK6 may have sounded the best for the mics in that price range though.

[@Binxsen]

Hi, could you do a review of the Maono PD400X microphone ? I would appreciate it very much.

[@cunjoz]

I just bought this microphone a couple of days ago. Didn't have any real microphones before that one, but it seems like it's pretty good for the price.

[@coolgirlHK]

Oh yeah new video !!!!!🎉

[@xlilxillx]

everything with a k67 style capsule sounds amazing.

[@Arsonloke]

I'm impressed with that mic and for only 100 bucks it smashes its competition. It sounds pretty close to the rode nt1

[@tatorios507]

You are awesome, thank you for doing these reviews, i truly highly value them. May i ask, i'm looking for an affordable microphone with great background noise rejection as i have an ear disability that forces me to use PC speakers and i don't want the audio to bleed into my mic. I'd use it to record podcasts or just talk to my friends. Probably going for a dynamic mic, since i've heard shotguns are a bit too narrow. Thank you if you take the time to respond this.

[@Aman-ef9ey]

Hey buddy, can you please re-review AKG P120 in 2024....??? Comparing with lewitt 440, samson gtrack pro, and many more options.....??? Because I'm confused in between these....!!!

[@techmed-rainer]

I liked your music.

[@Podcastage]

Thank you so much Rainer!

[@esscce]

​@@Podcastagewhat is the song

[@Podcastage]

@@esscce Just something I wrote for the review video.

[@drakegostream]

Thank you for another amazing review! Although wasn’t that mic released like 7 years ago? Or is it another review “refresh” of yours? Kinda confused 🤔

[@Podcastage]

Don’t know when it was released. I reviewed the old X1, not X1a. I hadn’t reviewed this though, so I reviewed it. I review many mics that aren’t new releases at the time of review like the SM7b, SM58, AKG C414, U87, TLM49, E835, MK4, MKH416 etc etc etc.

[@drakegostream]

@@Podcastage that cleared up things for me, thanks

[@theglobalzrecordingproject]

I remember using a pair of these for a project recording a student chorus in 2019. I want to say they had been out for a year or two at that time.

[@N1NJ0J]

The sEX1a shure is sexier than most Shure mics

[@braulioacosta6816]

Just ordered it since I saw one being sold at around $78... Had my eye on the PROAR C414, but I just went with this one. Let's see how that goes.

[@mirzaangon]

please anything to replace the overabundant harsh shrill sound of AT2020s everywhere. That mic is way overdue for a for a replacement as the go to budget option

[@Aman-ef9ey]

And also please do review Samson CL8a studio condenser....this mic is not on your channel...!!!

[@davidefinland6886]

You should have sounded the bell on the Avantone...

[@kennethbailey7105]

*Sees Bandrew review an sE mic but still waiting till he reviews the sE T1/T2* 😬

[@PROzra4nij]

Wow, those first 3 electret capsule microphones sounds quite the same though

[@Lucymrngstar]

I bought this i was kinda shocked on how heavy it is

[@goblininthevoid3658]

can you try sE Electronics v3 in my country v3 and v7 have very huge price gap.

[@wondeersooftheewoorl]

Please review the nexadyne from shure!

[@Podcastage]

I bought one and will be reviewing it. I think I’m doing the SM4 first though.

[@seanwebb605]

Do you know of a microphone with a filter to change Canadian to American? Some of us are thinking about doing voice over work for American clients. It would be helpful to have a filter or a preset so that we don't have to fix it it post.

[@OlexanderZnaharenkoUA]

Nice sound. A bit hidh frequencies too much. 😊 Good wishes for you.

[@jtwilliams4208]

in your opinion, is there a difference between mics made in like 2024 vs a mic made in early 2000s? Like a sm57 for example?

[@Podcastage]

Analog mics? Not really. There may be new technology available in new mics, but they function the same; XLR out to preamp.

[@jtwilliams4208]

@@Podcastage Right thanks. I've just read on a few places online that people think some of the newer shure mics for example are not as good as some older years. Would love to hear a 2024 57 vs an early 2000s to really hear if there's any differences.

[@seanwebb605]

Imagine that the pizza comes delayed and it's not prepared. Like some sort of sad meal prep kit where you have to make the pizza and cook it.

[@michaelj.4187]

you wild and crazy guy...

[@2011studies]

With the Chinese clones, Mic wars has officially began. Or else, they will not survive.

[@ajleung]

I am looing for a pair of microphones to record grand piano, X1a is defintely on the list. Any good recommendations cost USD150 or less for one (~USD300 in total for 2)? Thanks all

[@Cwahsawnt]

I'm kinda late but I have a question (for anyone really). I have a quiet voice, but also have a window a/c unit about 7 feet from me. I've been using a shure sm7b (cloud lifter -> interface) and to have it with enough gain to hear me, it also picks up a decent amount of background noise. I've had issues with Nvidias noise reduction so I don't wanna go that route. Should I just go with a dynamic mic?

[@artysanmobile]

Re your brilliantguitarvaganza: Scene: Female Lead swims out too far into black lake with questionable motive. Loses will to go on and slides beneath the surface. Below surface: Dark sepia tone closeup as her lifeless body transforms, growing gills on her neck, dorsal fin, and scales. Narrator: Sings incongruously about pizza brands. Film studio: Producer green-lights it, then shouts PSYCH!! Picking up pizza, and fade to black.

[@DapperDanLovesYou]

Time Preservation Society Reference??

[@DapperDanLovesYou]

Also, this mic sounds quite solid! Competing above its price point :o

[@Podcastage]

No reference intended. What part of the video would be a reference?

[@DapperDanLovesYou]

@@Podcastage Ah! I thought it was the "Analysis!" part at the end 😂 But I suppose that might have been _another_ reference! Or just a silly thing!

[@Podcastage]

@@DapperDanLovesYou No reference. Just trying to find words that had an S so I could get more exaggerated with that voice.

[@FX-ri3dn]

Has anyone noticed that when using this microphone, it records a high-pitched sound around 12,500 Hz when singing loudly?

[@ben81]

👍🏻✅

[@tundranocaps]

I'd be careful if you have pronounced Esses, the sibilance is definitely more noticeable on this microphone.

[@jibinjacob.]

X1A sounds similar to the Rode NT1.

[@mycosys]

Dont worry - Funhouse Bandrew cant hurt you

[@Podcastage]

THat’s exactly what he wants you to think. Whatever you do, don’t look under your bed.

[@taunbeddes7055]

Have you ever put a lot of time into composing your music for the video but then been like, damn, I wasted some quality music on a really crappy mic? This mic is not crappy, though.

[@Podcastage]

I have thought “why am I spending so much time on this, no one will see it.” But then I realize I’m doing it because I like it. So I don’t think it’s a waste even if the mic isn’t great. It’s just an excuse to write some music and try to one up myself and make something I enjoy.

[@Bloor005]

Sooooo sibilant. But that price. 😅

[@artysanmobile]

Polar response is pretty awful, with loads of ultra high end at 180º, and a bad body resonance at a bad frequency. I like many SE mics but it’s a big nay on this one, even at $100. Their SDCs are quite good.

[@nightsheart6929]

🍕Pizza

[@madden8368]

sub 20 minute gang 👇