SE Electronics X1a
Cardioid Condenser Microphone
The SE X1a is a fixed-cardioid, medium-diaphragm, side-address condenser microphone. It is a continuation of SE’s budget X1 line, and sister mic to the original X1, the X1t, the X1r, and so on. It is the lowest priced mic in the series; SE bills it as an entry level mic that “you’ll want to keep”. Like all SE microphones, it is manufactured at their facility in China.
The X1a has a newly-designed medium-diaphragm capsule, measuring 17mm in diameter. SE promotes the X1a as having an “extended dynamic range,” and the medium diaphragm would indicate a higher SPL handing ability than a standard 25mm (1-inch) capsule. Sure enough, the X1a can handle up to 150db by using the switchable -20db pad.
There is a bright red plastic resonator disc covering the capsule. This disc, similar to the one used in the Oktava MK-319, acts as a passive acoustic equalizer device, contouring the capsule’s frequency response.
In addition to the -20db pad, the mic has a 6db/octave 100Hz bass rolloff. Both the pad and the rolloff are accessible from switches on the front of the mic body.
As for the X1a’s construction, it has an all-metal body, gold-plated XLR connector pins, and — for plosive protection — a foam windscreen inside the grille. The mic’s circuit is manufactured using surface-mount technology.
The X1a is sold with a mic clip.
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The mic was released in 2016.
Specifications
| Pickup Patterns | Pads & Filters |
|---|---|
|
Cardioid
(20 mV/Pa; 20 - 20,000 Hz) |
|
| Capsule Dimensions | Impedance | SPL/Noise |
|---|---|---|
| Diaphragm diameter: 17mm |
50 Ohms (Low) | Max SPL: 150 dB Self-noise: 16.0 dB(A) |
| Weight | Length | Max Diameter | Interface(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 390g (13.76oz) | 169mm (6.65'') | n/a |
|
| Power Specifications |
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