I have set of these but have only used them a couple of times. Once in an XY config for a 3 piece jazz band and once (XY as well) playing around here at the house with my kid on piano.

I think for the price point, they sound great. I love their size. I do not love the stereo bar that comes in the kit. It's basically worthless. I found these over at Shapeways, one for ORTF and one for XY, and they are perfect.

Still trying to figure out exactly where they will fit in with what I do. When I open my Pelican and see them sitting next to my AEA N8 matched pair, I usually reach for the N8s. I've been doing some field recording with them though and I like them there.

I think you're (smslavin) referring to the cardioid original sE8 pair...not the omni capsule version that this thread is intended to address ? Please don't say you're using omni mics in XY and ORTF ?

Originally I read your post as referring to the omni caps...and in that context, the stereo bar would indeed be quite useless for spaced omni AB applications...you'd want something which could accommodate the typical AB distances of 35-67 cms !

Maybe the best feature of your sE8 cardioid pair is the knowledge that, whatever their performance level now (which seems to hold much promise), you can always buy a pair of omni capsules for the preamp bodies....and effectively double their capability !

While we're discussing the cardioid version, here are a few (relatively bland capsule-type) reviews and comparison shootouts:

https://mixdownmag.com.au/reviews/st...r-microphones/

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/se-electronics-se8

MIC BLIND SHOOT OUT - sE Electronics SE8 vs Neumann KM184 SDC microphone

But we really should now revert back to the sE8 omni discussion....in deference to the thread title/intention

You are correct. Apologies for the derailment.

long time lurker here... but in this case I feel like sharing my impressions of the SE8 omnis. I think they really deserve it.
I've had the pleasure to work with them for a number of times. Just to put it into perspective; I'm usually not very impressed with anything other than the usual ("expensive") suspects (Neumann et al.).

In this case the SE8 omnis really really suprised me. The first time ever that I heard them was in the studio through the monitoring headphones (foldback - DT770) after I had put up the mics for a guitar tracking session. I was strumming a bit (simulating what the artist would play) and basically checking that the mics were up and running. I heard the guitar through the headphones and it sounded so incredibly NICE that I froze and immediately asked the assistant in the control room to tell me which mic I was hearing (I had set up multiple microphones).

He said "that's the SE8 omni" (mono), so I made him check the patchbay and the mic pre inputs because I couldn't believe what I was hearing was the SE8 omni. It was smooth, comfortably airy, with a very nice mid range resolution and an unfamiliarly incredible 3D depth (again - mono).

Subsequent blind tests confirmed my findings: I really like the sE8 omnis, a lot - to my ears they sound very expensive. Not something I can say about a lot of sub $500 mics, not to mention SDC omnis...


Again, these are my five cents, and I know I (unfortunately) have very high standards when it comes to microphones. I could list a number of well respected mics that just "didn't cut it" for me because in the end they were lacking either character or resolution, depth etc...


Hope this helps! (Oh and the pre was a DAV BG8)

Back to lurker land...

I'm glad I saw this post (and this thread). I'm in the market for SDC omnis and what I'm looking for is 1. affordable and 2. versatile. My uses will be for both field recording, where I like the low noise spec, and basement band room recordings where I'd like a stereo pair for the room. (If anything needs spots, I have other mics)

Before I heard of these I was considering Line OM1s, Rode NT5+45O, or AT 4022. The AT have lower noise, but cost more, the Line have higher noise but cost less. I'm sure the Line OM1 would be good for the band in the basement but I don't know about field recordings.

The sE8 seem to have a good balance. And I'm glad there's a few good reviews in this thread that they actually sound good, so that's what I'm probably getting.

Is it still the case that while you can buy a pair of sE8 with either cardioid or omni capsules, the company doesn't yet sell the capsules individually (like Rode does with the NT-45 O) ?

Back in post #5 I mentioned the cost of the SE8 with both capsules, which, needless to say, reflected their availability! For example, here for £129 (and in stock) excl. VAT: https://www.thomann.de/gb/se_electro...apsule_set.htm

Let us know how you get on with them.

Cheers,

Roland

...Thanks, very reasonably priced indeed !

Coincidentally (or not) matching the Rode NT45-O: at the same shop (Thomann) for example, £128 excl. VAT for a pair.

Cheers,

Roland

Yes indeed...that's about what I paid for a single NT45-O not long ago !

That's great to know the sE8 capsules are changeable! For me I think I'd only need omni, though on rare occasions it would be nice to have hyper or supercardioid (for if I was going to boom some interior dialog).

Edit to add: I really hope the self-noise issues that were reported have been fixed. That is concerning.

Judged by the packaging se8 omni comes in, a hyper capsule and even a fig-8 could be on its way - a sdc fig-8 in this quality/price range would be wonderful in my view...
::
Mads

Seems like you can buy the cardioid mics and omni capsules, not the other way around.

Don't know if I got your point, but it seems you can just get the omnis without buying the card capsules
https://www.thomann.de/it/se_electro...stereo_set.htm

As someone else said, the only concern would be about the actual self noise, which seems a bit more than what specs say. I remember that poster having measured them being some 19db self noise; don't know if refers to a first batch issue or it is just like this. Regarding the price a marched pair of se8 omnis comes at about 70 euros more than OM-1, so not that much.

Does anyone know the method to take your own independent self-noise measurement? If I order these from a shop that accepts returns (Thomann, Sweetwater), I'll try to verify the noise measurement, and if it's higher than stated I'll return them.

I have the Line Audio OM1 and had the NT5+45O. I would encourage you to try them and see for yourself which you like best. I personally would get the sE8. The OM1 is very linear, they can sound good, however they don't seem to take EQ well, and the sound really "fell apart" once I started getting into processing the signal (I remember tracking lots of guitar and cello with them). That won't happen with the sE8.

Nowadays I only use the OM1 for measurements and such, and on the long run I might sell them.

I don't have experience with the AT4022, but my experience with AT in general has been mixed, some mics were outstanding to my ears, others underwhelming and overpriced. And they are not far up on my "best bang for buck" list.

The NT5 omnis have a different character than the sE8 omnis, I can't say they are worse, I just like the sE8 omnis more.

All the best to you!!! Let me know how the chips fell!

Has any one put them up against the Beyerdynamic MC 910? I could use a pair of omnis with "more reach" than the OM1. I could a used pair of Beyers, but the se8 are still quite a bit more affordable....
I have some nice cardoid pairs (MK4, MC 930, CM 4), but CM1 are my only omnis. Mainly doing live recordings of jazzy things, so main use would probably be room/ambi rather than main pair.

I might get a pair of MK2 (whichever flavour) later on, but right now I feel my Schoeps-budget should rather go to towards MK21/22...

Cheers, Peer