X1 S

The X1 S is a large-diaphragm cardioid condenser with a hand-crafted 1 inch true condenser capsule, individually tuned at sE's own factory. It covers 20 Hz to 20 kHz with 30 mV/Pa (-31 dBV) sensitivity and gold-sputtered diaphragms, aimed at people who want one studio mic that handles everything from a whispered vocal to a snare drum.

Two numbers define its range. Self-noise sits at 9 dB, low enough that quiet acoustic passages and soft vocals record clean with no audible hiss. Max SPL reaches 160 dB with the -20 dB pad engaged, which is more headroom than most sources will ever need, and the 151 dB dynamic range that comes with it means you are not choosing between quiet detail and loud capability.

Filters add practical control: switchable 80 Hz and 160 Hz low-cut points clear rumble and proximity buildup at two different depths, and 10 dB or 20 dB pads step down output for close work on loud sources. The cardioid pattern rejects the rear, which helps in rooms with untreated walls behind the performer.

Recommended sources include vocals, drum kit, overheads, room, acoustic guitar, electric guitar cab, orchestral strings, piano, woodwinds, and brass. It runs on 48V phantom power through a 3-pin male XLR into any interface or mixer. At 169 mm long, 58 mm in diameter, and 445 g, the hand-made metal housing sits in the included microphone stand clip with a thread adapter for both common stand sizes.