Month: April 2018

sE Electronics updated their $300 large diaphragm condenser microphone in November 2017. They updated the internals a little, added additional attenuation and high pass options plus include their Isolation Pack (shockmount + pop screen) in the deal.

I got a chance to put it through its paces and the results are in this video:

 

And here are the script notes:

Thanks sE Electronics for sending the sE2200 my way for this review. It’s a classy looking microphone that comes with shockmount and pop screen accessories. How does it sound? Let’s take a listen right away!

The drums and cymbals sounded great to me. My drums aren’t great but that’s how they sound and the sE2200 captured them quite nicely. Onto some guitar samples.

Whoa, whoa whoa. If you’re thinking Adam WTF is up with all the noise? Well, the guitar player had one of those instruments with built in digital effects. Now, I’m about to play the same tracks with noise reduction turned on which unfortunately takes most of the presence and high end out of the signal.

OK, now onto acoustic guitar.

Finally, the samples you have all been waiting for: vocals. Now, the release of this video was delayed for a few weeks because I’ve been trying to record a female vocalist and a nicer sounding drum set. Unfortunately I couldn’t make that happen so you’re going to have to settle for this…

Those songs sound like hits to me! Somebody sign that girl to a record deal before Warner Brothers does! Seriously though, here are the rest of the vocal samples.

Go right to looking at sE’s web site.

Final thoughts.

Record vocals on and off-axis (45 degree angle and out of the path of wind blasts). Also, with pop screen on and off.
Classy looks
Solid build. Switches don’t feel cheap.
Shock mount made it easy to position. Hard to twist knob sometimes when fingers were sweaty/greasy. Came with extra band.

Be mindful of the pop filter ridges. The sE logo should be facing out or it won’t go in properly.
Reminds me of an AT4040 but less harsh.Did not like it on my voice. Did not like the Proscreen XL with it.

I really wanted to love this microphone on vocals. If you boom it and use a dark/muddy mic preamp it works better.

Great clean guitar mic

Great for finger picked acoustic guitar. May be too harsh for picked.

Great for drum overhead or room mic. It has a lot of transient detail and low end so it should be fine for kick drum as well.

Couple it with a dull sounding preamp for best results. It did not go well with the Audient pres.

Here’s my review of the AZURE mastering equalizer plugin:

 

There weren’t really any script notes for this one. Other than it is based on the Knif Audio Soma passive tube EQ. It was created by Analog in the Box and Zino Mikorey.

Based on the D.W. Fearn VT-5 vacuum tube equalizer. Here is my take on it:

And here are the script notes:

Officially licensed D.W. Fearn VT-5 emulation.

The hardware will cost you $9,100. It’s handmade and not mass produced.

The plugin was two years in the making.

A very simple EQ. High and low shelves with separate cut and boosts. Mid-range cut.

Preamp on/off is the lamp button. Tube amps are used, much like a Pultec EQ.

Acustica recently added high quality plugin sets to their latest Core12 tools.

High cut for digital aliasing removal.

Here’s my review video of sE Electronics supercardioid dynamic instrument microphone, the V7 X!

And here are the script notes, as per the usual:

In this video I’m going to review sE Electronic’s V7 X super cardioid dynamic instrument microphone.

By request sE Electronics kindly sent me the V7 X to make this review possible. Let’s get right to the raw samples! First up, harmonica.

I thought it sounded pretty good although the highs would have to be tamed a little. Next up, acoustic guitar.

The acoustic guitar I used has a bright characteristic. I thought it worked well and if you’re looking for a more mellow tone then the V7 X would work well. Finally, let’s listen to it on rap vocals and drums. Bear in mind, the drums I used aren’t very good quality.
Now that you’ve heard it, let’s take a look at the marketing material on sE’s web site. *turn around in chair towards computer

Turn away from computer, look back at camera.

Final thoughts on the V7X? It is a solid instrument microphone. I’d certainly choose it over an SM57 for everything except vocals.

It feels like it could withstand a lot of abuse as well although I did not do a durability test because it had to be returned to sE in good cosmetic and working condition.

Is this $500 software compressor worth the price? Watch the video review here:

As usual, here are the script notes:

Softube, 1:1 digital code translation.
$10,000 hardware
Weiss can be purchased for $419 at EveryPlugin.com
DS1 sounds great on the mix buss. Sounds natural/transparent.
Works well on tracks as well, particularly vocals. Just automate breaths!
Missing AAX DSP.
You can get the limiter by itself cheaper.

It’s a de-esser, compressor and limiter.

Linear phase crossover filters

Touchscreen Controls

Upward expansion (helps with over-compressed signals)

Mid/Side

External Sidechain

Parallel Compression button

A/B comparison

Limiter gain reduction meter

Waveform Display View

3 Limiters: Hardware, Type 1 (highest RMS) and Type 2 (True Peak)

The easier to use MM-1 limiter is included

Knee adjustment

Bob Katz presets

3 page Options menu

Mouseover descriptions

Bob Ludwig mode…parameter settings are always displayed. Unfortunately they are in the shadow.

What makes this processor unique and work well is its release measurements/settings. You have four settings that control the release’s behavior. Average, fast, slow and delay.

Ganged mode? When stereo processing you usually keep this on. In

M/S mode it may be preferable to turn Gang off.

The Monitor button is very useful in M/S mode.