Studio Electronics sE4400a

Reviews | Studio Electronics sE4400a
94
U
ntil very recently, I have
relied on an sE2200a for
almost all of the vocal duties
carried out on the projects
I’ve produced in the past couple of
years and I’ve been extremely happy
with the results. sE Electronics have
successfully forged a reputation for
high-quality microphones at reasonable
prices, so it was with great interest that
I unpacked the 4400a, the latest in a
line of mics whose technology dates
back to the 2200a, which in turn was
released six years ago. Numbers alone
suggest that this could be twice the mic
of its older brother – could it be?
Big specs
Well, it’s certainly stacked with options.
Unlike the 2200a, the 4400a features
not one but two capsules, which in turn
allows for a variety of polar pattern
options. Cardioid, Hypercardioid, Figure
of 8 and Omni are all available from the
assorted switches on the microphone’s
body, which immediately means that
this is a mic which is going to have a
stab at recording pretty much any
source you can think of. The other
on-body switches include twin bass
roll-off options at either 60Hz or
120Hz, while there are also two pad
options for ‘on mic’ automatic gain
reduction at 10 and 20dB respectively.
The mic capsule itself features twin
diaphragms of one-inch in size and all
of this functionality is built into a
fl at-shaped design which echoes the
classic AKG 414 shape. All of which
makes it rather a surprise that the
4400a is so small – compact would
possibly be a kinder word but whereas
some mics immediately impress with
their size and presence, this is such a
modest affair that it was with a degree
of mild concern that I nestled the
microphone into its shock-mount cradle
– could this little microphone, despite
its feature-packed body, possibly deliver
a big sound? I needn’t have worried.
The sound of sE mics is hard to sum
up as it’s so transparent and natural but
all I can say is that the 4400a
continues sE’s tradition beautifully. It
doesn’t unnaturally colour vocal
recordings but the sound is clear and
tight and does what vocal recordings
really need to do – leave you with a
result that will respond well to any EQ
and compression treatment you have in
mind for the mix stage.
I tested the mic on spoken and sung
vocals with excellent results on the
spoken voice recordings, as well as on
acoustic guitar and violin. Across the
board I was impressed, with a very good
performance and full-bodied sound
emanating from the guitar in particular.
Going back to that shock mount for
a moment, this has been specially
designed to allow you to get the 4400a
into small spaces, so its potential use
inside drum skins or as an ‘effect
capturing microphone’ is enhanced
greatly by its size.
Conclusion
Whether you’re searching for a single
microphone to carry out all of your
recording tasks, or looking to add to an
existing library of models with a
microphone you can throw into a bag for
a session and pull out for almost any
application, the 4400a is defi nitely
more than capable for the job. sE’s
reputation will be further enhanced with
this model and deservedly so, for here is
a genuine all-rounder which performs
extremely capably with a bare minimum
of fuss.
Studio Electronics
sE4400a | £399
All-rounders are popular players. Can sE Electronics’
4400a bat and bowl? Jono Buchanan pads up…
VERDICT
BUILD
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VALUE
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EASE OF USE
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VERSATILITY
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RESULTS
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Plenty of options on board for a
true workhorse all-rounder. The
4400a is a winner.
SPECS
Frequency Response:
20Hz-20KHz
Sensitivity: 14.1mv/pa-34
± 1dB
Polar Pattern: Cardioid,
Figure 8, Omni,
Super-Cardioid
Impedance: ≤ 50 Ohms
Equivalent Noise Level:
17dB(A weighted)
Max SPL for 0.5%
THD@1000Hz: 130dB
Power Requirement:
Phantom power 48V±4V
Connector: 3-pin
WHAT IS IT?
A multi-pattern, dual
capsule microphone
from sE
CONTACT
Who: Sonic Distribution
Tel: [phone]
Web: seelectronics.com
HIGHLIGHTS
1 Surprisingly compact
2 Plenty of switchable
options to choose from
3 A genuine all-rounder
PRICING
Matched pair
£849
FMU213.rev_se 94 26/3/09 4:59:18 pm