Looked for something with a little less "zip" on the top end (kinder on violins), and at a price that meets my budget. Looked for months ...

The sE Electronics sE8-omnidirectional microphones perfectly "fill the bill". Workmanship is without flaws. Sound is world-class ... smooth and delicious. The bottom end won't quit.

Recording local professional symphony orchestra ... Main array is one AB pair in center (27-inch spacing) and wide flanks, 22 feet apart. Ensemble is 44 feet wide. Neumann KM183s on the woodwinds (a little more "zip"). All main array mics straight ahead and parallel with floor ... height was 10 feet. Distance from mics stands to first row of strings was about 8 feet. All SDC pressure microphones! No LDC! No cardioids! A first for me!

Easily the best recording of this orchestra in this hall!

I'll replenish my cache of Schoeps omnidirectional microphones someday and add more Neumann KM183s ... they look good on a resume and I love them!

All microphones have their place as selective tools. But frankly, these sE8s-omnidirectionals are possibly indistinguishable from the best microphones in performance and construction, at a fraction of the cost.

Thanks to Shelby for the usual amazing service. Sweetwater NEVER FAILS to deliver!

Read More Show Less

The sE Electronics, sE8/omni microphone is fantastic!

Experimenting with a classical technique for recording a Symphony Orchestra … an ARRAY (not AB with "outriggers") with left and right wide (1/2 width of the ensemble) with a center microphone to balance the middle out in the recording. The wides were 22 feet apart. In this case, I used a "split center", which is an AB pair in the middle, amazingly only 7-10 inches, and facing straight ahead. All microphones were facing straight ahead and parallel to the floor. Space between the musicians and my microphone stands were about 8 feet and the height was set at 10 feet.

A test recording with a center 67cm AB array sounded more interesting, but was discarded as "confusing and soloist unstable".

Splitting the center fill in a "three microphone array" is alway's advisable over a single microphone, as it discourages the intermittent manifestation of an annoying monophonic lump when using a static mix (if you constantly adjust your center fill during rendering, or under mix it's contribution, you can get away with a single microphone … the old Mercury Triad three microphone technique, required gain riding on the fly, as the records were cut).

Anyway, I was looking at four "pressure microphones", shy of investing $ for two pairs of Schoeps, that would yield a smooth, less brittle sound in the violins. Our Music Director forbids me to use my Neumann KM183 up close, because they sound "scratchy and distorted". The 183s are quite good back in the hall, on a Jeckin Disc, for example.

I'd buy omni capsules for my RODE NT5s … but backordered forever. I will, ASAP. I hear they are excellent!

My AKG 414XLS in omni pattern are OK, but seem to have some spurious sounds, possibly from diaphragm breakup. The 414s have to be applied to selected voices/instruments … IMHO, not a good general purpose microphone, especially on strings.

My RODE K2s are fantastic on strings (and almost everything) … but logistically a nightmare doing location recordings, as they are stupid heavy on top of a 10-foot stand and require AC for the power supply.

I listened to all the "shoot-outs" and demos on line, took a leap of faith and ordered two matched pairs of sE8/omni.

The sE8/omni diffuse field EQ bump is not as pronounced as the Neumann KM183s, therefore less scratchy. You can always tilt the microphones up, to kinda fix this, but I choose not.

I may be "full of blueberry muffins" but there is more than the factory curves and specs suggest (if you can believe them) … the sE8 microphones just sound bigger and more musical, to me.

I used the 183s on the winds, and the extra HF "bite" was an advantage.

So, a first for me, since 1969 … just six omnidirectional pressure microphones to record a Symphony Orchestra. No cardioids or figure 8s. No LDCs.

The pieces were the PROKOFIEV Violin Concerto #2 and SHOSTAKOVICH 5th Symphony.

The sE8/omni captured a smooth, delicious timbre in the upper strings and a HUGE, HUGE sound in the winds, lower strings and oversized bass drum.

I'm looking at constructing an "Onno Pipe" for my next microphone array … just to see, although I understand this arrangement needs careful tweaking for each venue.

Thanks to Shelby for always coming through and making it happen!

The sE Electronics sE8/onmi microphones captured all sounds accurately, musically and emotionally. They are capable of more, as music demands increase.

Read More Show Less