sE Electronics sE8 Mic Review / Test (vs. sE7, SM81, KM184)

[@Malyarevsky]

Bought a matched pair of these couple of month ago after a long research. They also sound awesome on acoustic piano and personally for my implications this mics are definitely the best value of all small diaphragm condencers.

[@pangyre]

My view is they are only matched by high end ribbon as far as piano goes.

[@ObscureMics]

Loving these early releases. Thanks bruh dawg bro bruh breh

[@Podcastage]

Thank YOU Bark! Bruh bruh. I need to check the latest creator connection with Bronson.

[@patrickchase5614]

I've had a chance to play with the SE8 myself, and now I understand what they've done and how they've achieved such low noise figures from a "small-diaphragm" mic. The short version is that it doesn't actually have a small diaphragm. It's significantly wider than any others in my collection (Sennheiser 8000 series, KM184, NT55) and that comes with expected advantages and drawbacks, all of which are on display. It allows stellar performance on axis, with an EIN figure that's only bettered by the Sennheisers. It also means that the mic has a less uniform pattern at high frequencies, where the larger diaphragm's size becomes significant in relation to the audio's wavelength. We can see this even in SE's spec sheet, where the 4 kHz curve is down by 4 dB at 90 degrees, while the 16 kHz curve is down by 10 dB (effectively a 6 dB shift in frequency response). When I tried the mic I could hear that difference very clearly. especially compared to the Sennheiser 8040 (which has extremely uniform patterns even at high frequency) but even relative to the NT55. I would say that the SE8 delivers great value for the money, but no more so than the NT55, for example. If I didn't already have a pile of large-diaphragm mics and I had to use my SDC for everything then I could see its tradeoff being appealing, but personally I choose SDCs specifically when I need good off-axis performance.

[@Podcastage]

Great insight. Thanks for sharing your experience and use case with SDC and LDC.

[@AdamBA380]

@@patrickchase5614 wow that’s really helpful! Thanks!

[@IOSam]

I absolutely love this mic! Have used it in my last 2 videos (overhead boom) with very minor EQing and they have been the best sounding videos I ever had! I bought it after seeing it compared to other SCMs in one of your previous videos. Thank you!!!

[@steverok67]

What timing. I have a pair of these arriving tomorrow. Will be using them for acoustic guitar & drum recording, as well as recording my band live very soon, and whatever else I might dream up Love the channel, man.

[@LowCMusiq]

Bought a pair last year. Still can't believe how good they are. Really close sounding to the KM184s IMO.

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

Se is more clean KM is more balanced at all ends.

[@mustafaunsoy]

For all those flute and woodwind players out there.. if you can not afford a Neumann KM 184, this is the best microphone you can get. Trust me, I have been there. After buying (and returning some) SM 57/58, Beta 57a, V7, V7x, NT1A, NT1, NT5, Oktava MK012, ... This sounds by far the best on a flute (and probably other woodwinds).

[@karldejong5731]

Bandrew! I would be extremely stoked to see you demo the Universal Audio SC-1. Your mic demos are so, so incredible that I don't even want to think about buying a mic before I've seen you review it - and that SC-1 is very intriguing...;)

[@Gongtopia]

I've had a pair of these for almost 5 years now and I love them. They are great for almost everything. These are probably the best value in an SDC mic out there.

[@luciusblackmail8129]

I love the lyrics of that song, man you made my day.

[@Boofcan]

Hell yeah! I’ve been waiting for you to review this one !

[@mamad504]

Great review as always. I hope you also review the behringer b5, some people have compared it to se8 and it sounds almost identical with even less self noise..! Although se8 has lower self noise on paper, many people complain about it.

[@GamelutioN1]

Good to see that you're still doing this! I also noticed that you lost some weight... congrats!

[@kingsqueak2221]

I bought one of these a year or so before you did this, it's a flat out bargain for what it is, no pun intended. It has a nice tight pattern (the cardioid version) and great sensitivity. They are not a mic to speak directly into, they are ideally used several inches away and off axis from breaths. They have a nice large bubble for speaking. Being a sensitive condenser, they will pick up desk noises, keyboards and background noise within the pattern. They don't color the sound, if you use a mic like this, you "fix" coloration in post but you are starting with as much of the program material that is present as possible without the mic itself taking anything away or adding anything to it. They are not a forgiving mic, an SM-57 with a WS-2 screen on it as a contrast is far more forgiving for voice use but it is nowhere near a flat response.

[@aoldatabase]

I always come to you when I’m not sure about mics. Thanks for all of the great reviews you have done!

[@HeikosGarage]

I have been waiting for this review. Thank you so much.

[@libertyDude1775]

Would love to see sE come out with a super & hyper cardioid capsule accessory add on for this microphone.

[@Podcastage]

Yeah, that is a little surprising they don't have that option. Looking at their offerings they only seem to have cardioid or omni SDC's at this time even on the RN17.

[@Behnam_Moghaddam]

Let's add a 8 to the set for M/S

[@AdamBA380]

I expressed this to them via email a couple weeks ago, and a rep from se quickly replied, telling me that they’re working on super/hypercardioid now, and to check back with them in 3-4 months when they can tell us more.

[@ferraz916]

@@AdamBA380did you have some news about the hyper/super cardioid capsules?

[@AdamBA380]

@@ferraz916 yeah I checked back with them about 3 months ago and they said that they’re working on a few other projects that have taken priority, but that they’re still a work in progress. So no timeline, unfortunately :/

[@chrischismsounds]

Your reviews are so thoughtful and enjoyable. Especially your video about diminishing returns buying gear. Thanks for sharing. Helps me so much when looking at new gear!

[@techmed-rainer]

Danke!

[@srenkrabbe2991]

Great review right down my alley - I just looove these Se8s - I have two sets of matched pairs of them - both a omni and a cardiod set - I use it for with great succes to record string quartets and small chamber ensembles. The omni and cardiods taped together in a A7B sets with the diaphrames aligned and the you can adjust the focus on and the space around the "band" depending on giving power to either the cardiods og the omnis. :-) They have a great and beautiful sound for classical recordings!

[@jacobisalemon]

Extremely good timing since i was looking to pick up a pair of these for field recording! Thank god you did that plosive test because now i 100% know i need to grab some rycote windjammers!

[@ajitbhasin80]

Are you using it for feild recording? if yes how is it?

[@jacobisalemon]

@@ajitbhasin80 yes I am, picked up 2 to do mostly ambience recordings and the occasional thunderstorm and have been nothing but pleased by them. Definitely want some good windjammers though because the ones they give are a little pitiful, but are useable if you have a bit of a barrier to block wind.

[@osvaldodurante6490]

Muy buen análisis. Very nice job. You are very clear. I´ve heard your voice recorded with the different mics. I used good audio tecnica headphones in a Macbook air (good sound) and as I said, differences were very clear.Thanks again

[@MattStevens9824]

I bought this and I love the sound! Better than my overheads! It gets in tight spaces in the field! It's a great complement to those who go out with handy recorders. The deadcats and windscreens are a MUST in the field My main gripe with it is I'm unable to make the the foam windscreen HONK. sE support promised me to send one that does.

[@WillianMaier]

Great review! Thanks for the comparison with the Lewitt 140 air

[@christopherkann9255]

I appreciate your SDC reviews, I've been trying to figure out what mics to get for field recording with my camera, when we go ride steam trains but it's nice to have a mic that works just as well in the home studio for acoustic guitar.

[@the_forgotten_times]

Glad to see the se8 getting some love. My pair are the first SDCs I ever bought and also the last. I recently picked up the omni capsules for a side project and they were also great!

[@Podcastage]

That makes perfect sense that it's the only SDCs you have, they are just insanely good and can do anything from my use of them. Those recordings you made sounded great too.

[@theglobalzrecordingproject]

Yup, I am a fan of the sE8. Good stuff, very pleasant sound and really appreciate how it manages the upper end. Nice to hear against some of the other logical contenders.

[@candinmuniz3225]

One small thing I love is the fact that the pad/high pass switches are neutral in the middle. I've had numerous occasions where I flip switches on the mic that end up at a stronger setting than what I desired. Or, it's hard to feel out which position the switch is in. Having the two settings above & below the neutral setting is a nice little touch.

[@benoittissier58]

Was looking forward to that even though I already have more mics than I need. Did you measure the self noise ? I saw the many comments saying the actual self noise is definitely higher than the specs.

[@v_shkafu]

Sweet sounding mic. I'm not the music guy, but for spoken word it works very well, imho. Thanks for sharing!

[@PeetSneekes]

Hurray! The sE8 review hit the channel! Supports all my findings! Thanks!

[@UnboxerofWorlds]

Dang dude - that guitar was actually kind of haunting.

[@curly_]

it sounds realy great, the Austrian Audio CC8 and the SE8 are the best Mid Budget Mics, that are absolutely on par with Neuman KM184

[@chaddonal4331]

Disagree. Clear order: KM184 > CC8 > SE8. (Stellar - Superb - Great)

[@zacalakemusic]

You are getting even better at this.

[@NightmareFactory830]

Haven’t watched a video in awhile, but you’re looking so healthy! Great video as always

[@MrVleker]

These sound pretty good! Just ordered a pair. I disliked most of the other mics and I'm pretty impressed with the quality for the price. It sound quite similar to the MC930 to me. I really like the SM81, maybe I like that even more but it's double the price here. I also like the 184's but they are way outside of my budget so I think the SE8 are a great starter set for me.

[@hayleypardinan]

Hmm. Se8 might be in the 'cant go wrong' category, where sm7b is also in. Thank you for the vid! Waiting for more condenser mics that are ridiculously high quality but low price mind blowing haha

[@ElvenSpellmaker]

It'd be great to have a video on _why_ you would use an SDC vs a _"normal"_ Condenser (with comparisons) as I can find very little proper information online really.

[@LTPottenger]

SDC is more accurate and a little better for instruments or shotgunning

[@jasonmusic9938]

that sounds incredible, cant wait to have them as overheads or omni rooms

[@Solid_Brass]

I can also recommend it, especially packed as "SE Electronics SE8 Stereo Set", which comes in a nice alu-case.

[@jezamania]

Thanks, I appreciate your in depth reviews.

[@Podcastage]

Thank you for watching. Glad you’ve gotten something out of them.

[@Mikey__R]

Honestly, it's not far off the quality of the Shure! I was considering getting a pair of these, now I'm convinced.

[@muziky2k]

I'm really starting to like small diaphram condensers. Good video.

[@D_Mal_Music]

I have just ordered that microphone...based on your review!!! I hope i did a good choice!!! I mainly want to make bouzouki recordings...Greek bouzouki!!!🎶😊🎤

[@EastboundStudios]

Looking forward to try these on acoustic sometime. I have the sE 4400a and its giving me pretty good recordings for acoustic. Have yet to find some SDC's that sound as open as the 4400a. Have tried a pair of LA120's and a pair of KSM141's. Almost make it sound contained or bottled to me. I was thinking maybe the sE 8 will be better a little more open on the top with less self noise.

[@MatDuJardin]

lately, the songs are awesome much love

[@GrandNebSmada]

I can't believe how similar it sounds to the SM81. However it seems like there's a very slight lift around the 2.5k range that I don't really love but it's very subtle.

[@pangyre]

sE8 is one of my favorites. A/B’d against any SDCs it either wins, ties, or *barely* loses to mics 4-10 times more expensive.

[@thebusinessfirm9862]

I have one of these mics, it’s awesome. Thanks for the video, mate. Regards from South Australia. 👌🏽

[@meistudiony]

Man... the SM81 always is my pick in these SDC comparisons. I dunno what it is about that mic, its just sounds "right". The music tests just keep getting better and better. When is the album dropping?! The capsule is the same as the BL8 boundary mic... hey... i never see you doing boundary mics... hmmmmmm. Mic sounded really good though.

[@Podcastage]

The SM81 is awesome for sure. I have never really looked into boundary mics honestly, so I don't know what I'd use them for in my use case. Conference calls? Don't people sometimes use them in kicks?

[@meistudiony]

@@Podcastage yes popular as a kick mic, conference calls, we use one as a talkback mic in the studio. Can mount them to desks, walls, ceilings. Some sound amazing, many sound like trash.

[@Podcastage]

@@meistudiony Thank you sir. For my applications and my tests, I can’t imagine the boundary mics would be much use or would be a good representation of their capabilities. PS: Thank you very much for the kind words about the music tests. I do have a goal to release an EP this year. I only have one of the songs mostly arranged, need to get 2-3 more songs arranged and then mixed and mastered.

[@7171jay]

@Podcastage I'd say boundary mics would be a waste of your time and not all that great for the channel. Boundary mics or PZM mics are odd beasts and while they have some use as an in kick mic or for some oddball studio uses they are generally a bad choice or at least a serious compromise for many other things. Having used them a bunch in conferencing situations even good sounding ones provide excessive room and background noise due to the idea that one or two can effectively capture a number of presenters seated at a table. This type of situation is a real compromise over individual mics as you end up hearing too much roominess as well as side conversations, and people generally mucking about clicking pens, shuffling papers, and clicking keys on laptops.

[@meistudiony]

@@7171jay thats exactly why i think he should look at them. For some mounting one above or below a monitor might work and for others… well we then know why NOT to buy one.

[@aRandomHomelabber]

thanks! nice comparison as always

[@ryan_454]

Great sounding mic at the price point-- tough to go wrong with the sE8.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Is it just me or is creepy Bandrew the best Bandrew?

[@fluphybunny930]

Love the SE8 and wish I didn't sell mine even if I couldn't find a use for it

[@funtsittavaa2nd]

Hooked up as overhead mic for some time now and really like it. Funny point on the name is that in finnish, adding the name and number ”se” and ”kasi” to one word means messed up in the head 😁

[@artysanmobile]

The se8 is an impressive sounding microphone. It is unfortunately heavy in the very low end which you can hear by comparison to the Beyer and KM184 which are very well balanced microphones. That can cause problems with preamp overload, even within the mic. I would prob never take it out of 80Hz HP. The rest of the response is really great. Hopefully SE will address the bottom boom. It’s a lot of mic for $280.

[@chaddonal4331]

These are such great reviews. This sE falls in nicely behind the Neumann, AKG, Austrian Audio, Beyer, and Shure (likely in that order). But at its price point may be the value king. Can you please review the Lauten Audio La-120 v.2? It seems to be the closest competitor at the same/similar price point to the sE8.

[@patrickchase5614]

You need to review a Sennheiser 8040 or better still a DPA 4011. Or maybe a Shoeps for something with more character. You could use it in place of the U87 as a "closer" for SDC reviews.

[@adamw.4427]

Great review, seems awesome for untreated space.

[@dumdubbs2427]

I always love the styles of music you play in your tests! What genres would most of them be classified as? Like the interesting guitar chords being arpeggiated, what style is it?

[@AskMrScience]

Can't fault the sE8 for anything here. I'm surprised that the Lewitt AIR sounded a bit thin, at least for vocal applications.

[@Podcastage]

The Lewitt is certainly an upper frequency focused mic and on voices like mine, it's not the best fit. It can give that really lively and exciting sound though if that's what someone's going for.

[@Bloor005]

Spicy music test! I love it. Still prefer the (helloww)Noiiimann though.

[@oXjqd8ljGAUCx5Hy1oicy2Sc]

The SE8 sounds the best, flat, weighty and warmer than other small condensers. The Neumann microphones really shine in the highs, so... Looking at the specs, I was surprised to see that the sensitivity is very high!

[@joibjalla]

SE Electronics seem to have great mics at nice prices. Awesome!

[@BronxEMS]

Great review thank you!!!

[@artem.boldariev]

Thank you for your thorough reviews! You have a new subscriber! I am looking for a generic microphone that would work well in an untreated room for the cases that include video conferencing. Would you recommend this one (sE8) or its smaller brother sE7? Also, I have been eyeing Aston Spirit, but I am not sure how well it would work in my case (and if it is a bit over the top). Having switchable patterns is a nice feature, though. P.S. Nice to see Casio G-shocks in the wild!

[@stevenneaves8079]

Honestly the se8 sound fantastic and I’m in the market for a couple of SDCs but the se8 just shows me how much of a value the sE7 is! Also saw someone mention the Behringer b5, anyone have any thoughts on that? My rabbit hole started with the Behringer c2 then moved to considering the Presonus pm-2 and I think I’ve now settled on one of those first three 😂

[@HighlyAkicktive]

I have the sE7 and am very happy with it!

[@_stevek]

Bandrew found a box of toys from his childhood in the closet and decided to show off his train whistle.

[@_oriTech_]

Hello Neumann... this sE8 sounds great. as u said, the value is there and would its kind of a no brainer. would love to hear opinios on the Sennheiser XS Lav and in general what lavaliermic you would recommend in different priceranges. best regards from germany. as always... nice video.

[@innerpower-meditation]

Hi! Why i hear noise when i record with this microphone? In your video is so good sound. 🤔

[@JypsyRoseYoga]

Thank you so much for this video …. I am new to this just a question is the microphone attached to a speaker?

[@RolandDobbins]

A very interesting comparison would be against the MKH50.

[@alanshewitt]

The only comparable mics, sound-wise, in this shootout were the Beyerdynamic and the 184. Really impressive.

[@Venomancerous]

Hello. Wanted to ask which usb microphone to get? I have blue snowball ice from 2015 or 2016 and want an upgrade. Also want microphone who can be good quality even 1-2 feet away, which you suggest? Yeti? I also have scarlet i can plug mics there too but prefer USB. Or maybe i should look for shure? Ice is good but old.

[@Pierre-Leloup]

Excellent review, I was already tempted by these SE8s, I'm even more tempted now, I don't think the cheapskate in me will resist for long 😆 Thanks

[@peterpeper4837]

2:32 fear and loathing in las vegas

[@NickArcade]

I hope you can make an honest review of the SteelSeries Atlas and Atlas Pro some day

[@adrifauzan]

i hope someday you will make a video about the best microphones for streaming or gaming

[@somethingredcinematography9734]

Thanks for this video. Man, I need help, I'm looking for the Shure SM57, the SE 7 or the AKG p170. Please help. I want to use it for podcast, voice over and filming indoors with no acoustic treatment. Thanks in advance.

[@mmmikem]

Any interest in the Mkh50? Would love to hear your take on it!

[@travis.napier]

Is there any reason someone wouldn't use this or the Se7 in a normal untreated room, gaming/discord chilling setting as a day to day mic?

[@stupendousmusic4190]

sE mics are fantastic🤩 Definitely review the RNR1 and the RNT1. I'm, a big ribbon fan, and the RNR1 is in a class of its own. The RNT1 can keep up with all the famous desirable expensive tube mics.

[@nicolasiancu7959]

nice video where did you get the whistle from the intro from?

[@LTPottenger]

MXL R77 review would be great.

[@Old_SnakeTwitch]

Ever think about trying Line Audio CM4?

[@ItsMorningstarr]

Hey Bandrew, which do you believe is the best dynamic usb microphone?

[@blanccc]

Could anyone explain why you would buy this microphone (or those in similar styles) in a matched pair?

[@espion2KX]

Do you have any mic suggestions for drum kits? Asking for a friend

[@dampy2006]

Can you please review the Rode XDM 100?

[@drakegostream]

Hey Bandrew! I think that's rather Rode M5, not M2 at 6:30 ! I know for sure since I recently got pair of those! I liked SE7 based on your comparisons a bit more honestly, but then I saw Rode M5 at my area for just $160/pair so it was a no brainer for me! Cheers!

[@zogun]

Se8 or Rode NT5?

[@brett1934]

Can you please review the rycote SC-08

[@OlexanderZnaharenkoUA]

Ou, hello there! 😊 A new video, a new portion of good mood. 😁

[@tomsiegel9759]

I own a pair of these. I have always felt like I got a ton for the price! That said, I think I somewhat disagree on the vocals. I mean, I would use it on vocals, but I don't think it shines there.

[@sevildogan8279]

is that hello neumann a seinfeld reference

[@djmidnightwolf]

Wow. Sounds great. Why did I watch this. I WANT IT

[@MakesBadNoise]

those are some spicy guitar chords - don't those cost extra?

[@isfp잇프피]

waiting for comparison with nt5

[@mikebauer6917]

But I have a matched pair of SE7s. GAS attack imminent...

[@Podcastage]

You’re fine with the sE7.

[@frankcoffey]

The sE8 is by far the best choice to mic a wooden train whistle...