A Budget Condenser Mic for EVERYTHING? The X1 A
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 12 июн 2024
- This is my first time using an sE microphone, and with its super affordable price, the X1 A fits into just about any audio workflow.
•sE X1-A Microphone: geni.us/LRLD3Z4 (Amazon)
•Rodecaster Pro II: geni.us/rodecasterpro2 (Amazon)
•Headphones: bhpho.to/3NmIbtL (B&H)gen
🎤 Other mics featured in this video:
•Rode NT1 5th Generation: geni.us/teFht (Amazon)
•Shure SM7B: geni.us/tepsm7b (Amazon)
•Rode PodMic USB: bhpho.to/3HlqwPQ (B&H)
•Samson Q9u: geni.us/samsonq9u (Amazon)
•Shure SM58: geni.us/fNPEFQG (Amazon)
•Lewitt LCT 240 Pro: geni.us/4fww (Amazon)
🎬 I edited this video (and all my videos) with Final Cut Pro. If you want to learn how I edit, check out my online course: learnfinalcutpro.com
🎙️And if you're interested in podcasting, I've also got a DIY podcast production course: podcasterplaybook.com
⏱️Chapter Markers:
0:00 - Let’s SE(E) What All the Fuss Is About
0:56 - What’s in the box?
2:34 - Initial Sound Test
3:53 - Dry Signal vs. EQ’d Sound Quality
4:57 - vs. Rode NT1 5th Generation
7:43 - Thoughts After Using the Mic for Podcasting
9:21 - vs. Shure SM7B
11:28 - vs. Rode PodMic USB
12:15 - vs. Samson Q9u
13:32 - vs. Shure SM58
15:07 - vs. Lewitt LCT 240 Pro
17:37 - Final Thoughts
-----------------------
Affiliate links earn a commission from qualifying purchases which helps support my channel at no additional cost to you.
---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL ----------
Patreon: / tombuck
Become a Channel Member: geni.us/joinchannel
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/tombuck
----------- CONNECT -----------
🎯 Subscribe! bit.ly/TEPsub
Instagram: @sodarntom
Main Site: himynameistom.com
Podcasts: himynameistom.com/podcasts
----------- MUSIC -----------
•Artlist.io (2 Extra Months Free): geni.us/ArtlistTom
•Epidemic Sound (30 Day Free Trial): share.epidemicsound.com/enthus...
----------- VIDEO GEAR -----------
•Ecamm Live for Streaming: geni.us/ecammtom
•Sony FX3: bhpho.to/3EJuBde (B&H)
•Sony a7SIII: bhpho.to/3f8mMlS (B&H)
•Sony a7IV: bhpho.to/33mOGZo (B&H)
•Sony 24 1.4 (Main Lens): geni.us/sony24 (Amazon)
•Tamron 20-40 2.8: bhpho.to/3sTzIDy (B&H)
•Zeiss 85 1.8: geni.us/zeissbatis (Amazon)
•Sirui Anamorphic Lens: bhpho.to/309H0rV (B&H)
•GoPro Hero 12: geni.us/zXnTsh (Amazon)
•DJI Mini 3 Pro Drone : geni.us/I2e0AB (Amazon)
•ATEM Mini Video Switcher: bhpho.to/2RVGI42 (B&H)
•Elgato CamLink: geni.us/vddHN (Amazon)
•YoloBox for Mobile Streams: bhpho.to/3pc8qHU (B&H)
----------- AUDIO GEAR -----------
•Sennheiser MKH 50: geni.us/mkh50 (Sweetwater)
•Sony Video Mic: bhpho.to/3ztb6Vb (B&H)
•Rode VideoMic NTG: amzn.to/2ZKrHTh (Amazon)
•Sennheiser Profile (USB Mic): bhpho.to/3JDWGrh (B&H)
•Rode Boom Arm: geni.us/shr0 (Amazon)
•Sennheiser Wireless System: bhpho.to/43JgqkL (B&H)
•Blue XLR Cable: geni.us/bluexlr (B&H)
---------- LIGHTS & SUPPORTS ----------
•Nanlite Forza 200 (Key Light): geni.us/9Ofr (Amazon)
•Aputure Light Dome Mini: geni.us/vf5O (B&H)
•Small Nanlite RGB Tube Lights: geni.us/nanlite (Amazon)
•Big Nanlite RGB Tube Lights: geni.us/pavotubes (Amazon)
•Aputure MC RGB Light: geni.us/IuE4 (Amazon)
•Rolling Camera Stand: bhpho.to/3PbJGg3 (B&H)
•Big Tripod: bhpho.to/3lRoTyz (B&H)
•Small Tripod: geni.us/oQOh3Az (Amazon)
•Travel Tripod: geni.us/nlUBm (Amazon)
•Motorized Slider: bhpho.to/3ztKMJA (B&H)
•Camera Backpack: geni.us/aEH2 (Amazon)
-----------------------
🎥 Check out my full gear list here:himynameistom.com/gear
-----------------------
- Who Am I? -
Hi! My name is Tom Buck, a lifelong A/V nerd and former high school Digital Media teacher. I started this channel in 2017 as a project to share my enthusiasm for everything related to audio and video production.
It's my goal for each video to be interesting/helpful/atleastmildlyentertaining, but I'm an enthusiast and not an expert. You can take a look at my About page to know more about my background, both personally and professionally: himynameistom.com/about
•My channel is open and welcoming to people of all races, ages, genders, and orientations. I’m glad you’re here.
•Read my Ethics Statement about objective reviews, sponsorships, and brand partnerships: himynameistom.com/ethics
-----------------------
Episode 384: A Budget Condenser Mic for EVERYTHING: The X1 A 
Кино
For anyone digging this mic, I’d say check out the X1s version. I believe it has some improvements and I found it to be a real sleeper. Wish I still had it.
(My X1s was def facing toward me with the pad and switches toward me. I think that one may have been assembled backwards lol)
Definitely feels backwards 😬
I've had the X1A since 2018. Fantastic mic! Their Dynacaster is a great mic too!
Great video as always Tom! Now while you may not know sE Electronics, they are actually the original manufacturers of the Dynamite Gain Boosters! I've used their mics for a few years now (including the vocal mics) on drums, guitar & bass amps, etc. and have always been super happy with the sound! As I'm currently building out a recording studio for myself, definitely going to be buying myself some of these and some new Lewitt Mics as well
Oh sweet! I had no idea about the Dynamite history. Can't wait to see your studio!
Now for $90 ish dollars thats impressive. I think the big boys should be thinking about how good the competition is getting for a fraction of the price. Great video Tom - Have a great Christmas and New Year
Happy Holidays to you too! It really is pretty wild how good some of the more budget friendly mics are now.
Mind blown! I would love to see your take on the Se V7 and the Se7. Great video!
I’d really like to dig into more sE mics since this one is pretty great.
@@tombuck I don’t want to speak out of turn but I’m pretty sure the Se V7 is Bandrew’s favorite $100 handheld dynamic. If not favorite it is still highly recommended.
That's definitely a ringing endorsement!
Thanks for the review Tom. I think you'd really like the SE Dynacaster if you ever get to try that one out
I definitely need to! Especially since I really like when dynamic mics have built in boosters.
I really love the way it sounds but I also love that red ! It’s so Red!!!
It’s b-e-a-utiful. 🤩
Good review! I'd be happy with the SE, adjusting the EQ is always required for developing a good tone for the speakers voice. Something I don't see enough of, is people actually making adjust the EQ on their mixer. More emphasis is always placed on compression for some reason. I've got other priorities as of now so I'm gonna just keep this item in mind for a future purchase.
Woooow! I loved the SE mic better myself than the NT1. Had more life and energy to it. Almost made the NT1 sound sM7B type of neutral sound …which is shocking that another mic can do that to a NT1. Lewitt still comes out on top for me for its out of the box default performance Wow…gonna have to try this one out myself!
The Lewitt is such a beauty. But yeah, I really like the sE overall, especially as a cool budget friendly option!
Sound Amazing 😮
Great video! Sounds very similar to the NT1A.
Seeing the mic for the first time here and how the end is shaped from cylinder into rectangle, immediately reminded me of old shaving machines. Even the way you hold it next to your face ;-) Anyway, great content as always, what a joy to watch and thanks for all the information shared in this video.
Haha, maybe it could help with the five o'clock shadow!
😂😂😂😂 keep it up Tom, I thought I was the only one that stuck stickers in a drawer for three years, and then stuck them on something, love the channel.
Is there any other way to use stickers? 😁
Bro, you guys may need to add on to the house for the Mic Room. You've got to be nearing the century mark! Great vid, great info.
Haha it’s getting close to that point 😅
The lewitt sounds amazing...might pick up one of those
As a Lewitt owner... You will NOT be disappointed.
It really is awesome, definitely one of my all time favorites!
I absolutely love mine. I got it black Friday 2 years ago for $119 with shock mount and windscreen. Later I got the metal windscreen and it is great.
@@TransplantHelper I’ve been looking for the metal windscreen. Where did you find yours?
It sounds like it has greater off-axis sound rejection than some of the others. Would be curious to see how it compares to the others. Very helpful for first podcasting across a table.
Dude you should test out the SE DCM8! I just got this mic recently and it is fantastic. Super versatile and a very good contender to high end broadcast mics.
I’d love to see you do a comparison of the SE Se7 and the Seinnheiser mkh50. Picked up the Se7 years ago when I first learned about SDC mics. 🤙
When I started podcasting, I used an MXL and then moved to an SE X1. Never looked back. BTW SE do an excellent kit with a shock mount and metal pop filter for the mic.
Oh nice, I really want to get a shock mount for it.
Bro, I just wonder whats the mic stand that is supporting the "Rode NT1 5th Gen" Mic (5:07) and also whats that shock mount. Right now i hold a AT2020 with focusrite 2i2 4th gen. i am looking out for a short mic stand.... Big shout out to the in detail analysis. Just love it...
That’s a great little budget friendly mic from sE! It sounds really good. Did you check to see if it came in blue? Great review Tom! Merry Christmas to you and the fam! 🎄🎅🏼🎄(Would you have any idea where I might find SM7B vocal EQ presets for Logic Pro X?)
If there was a blue one I definitely would’ve jumped on it! 😁
As for presets, I’m not sure. But I am thinking of making a video that just breaks down all of the Rodecaster presets for anyone who wants to try and replicate them with other gear/software.
@@tombuck That’s a great topic for a video! (Does my channel get a shout out for promptin ya? 😂😂)
You definitely confirmed it's a worthwhile idea!
@@tombuck Perhaps you’ll get around to it after the holidays. 🎅🏼
I think it sounded great except for the handling noise. I guess I’ll stick to my lewett 240 pro and SM57.
I was interested in an SE condenser mic for vocals recording, several years ago, because I had read something glorious about it despite its $100 price. I never did, but I’ve always been curious
I love your content. I started a podcast a few months ago. I use a rode caster pro and dynamic mics. My podcast has 4-6 people all using the same mic. Am I better to use a dynamic or condenser. I was afraid of picking up too much background noise using condenser. Audio sounds decent imo. Merry Xmas happy new years. Keep up the great content
When you say the same mic, do you mean the same type of mic or literally a single mic? A single mic should be something with an omnidirectional pattern (many condensers do have this option), but for 4-6 separate mics in a tight location I would personally lean towards dynamics. 👍
@@tombuck yes. 6 mics identical brands and model
If i didnt live in New york i would pick this up so fast
X1 series has been always great mics, very underrated and very few reviews out there. I always though the strange body form has made the people to not like it, but the sound ... really haven't found a SE mic with bad sound, being Z5600 a classic in its day and Gemini II a stunning sounding one with a dual tube path.
Yeah, I'm really curious about other sE mics now. I've always heard great things, but never tried them myself.
@@tombuckGo down the sE rabbit hole lol. I personally own the v2 , v3 , v7 , DCM3. And I'm happy with them all 😁 And I still plan to buy the v7x , sEX1 & DCM8.
Hey Tom, I just stumbled upon your profile and you seem like an excellent genuine content creator. I'm in my journey to get my first ever? Microphone I'm between a RØDE NT-USB+ or Sennheiser Profile and or a Elgato Wave 3 but you might not be familiar with that one. Love to hear your HONEST advice :) thanks and Happy Holidays. (Oh and would you recommend a pop-filter with the Sennheiser Profile?)
Hey!
So this is all just my personal opinion, but I don't think you can go wrong with any of those mics. The Rode has a very rich and full sound (probably my favorite overall sound of the three), but the
Rode: Best overall sound in my opinion. Lack of gain knob is frustrating and the mic itself is pretty huge. The Rode software for EQ is awesome though if you like digging into apps and stuff.
Sennheiser: My favorite overall USB mic. It's simple, sounds great, and just works. I'm not a huge fan of HAVING to use software with mics, so I love that it has all physical controls. I've never used a pop filter with mine, so as long as you position it well it should be fine.
Elgato: I haven't personally used this one, but from what I understand Elgato uses Lewitt capsules, and the Wave 3 has a very similar (if not identical) capsule to one of my all time favorite mics, the Lewitt LCT240 Pro.
So again, you can't go wrong here. I would personally try to find reviews from people with similar voices to your own and see if you think one might sound best on your voice. Beyond that, it's also the holiday season, so you might find an awesome deal on one and then it might make sense just to get whatever is cheapest 😁
@@tombuck Thank you Tom for taking your time replying to me in such detail.
I appreciate it very much. Thank you!
Best wishes from Sweden!
*Rode NT USB+ cries in abandonment from the comparison* lol great video, Tom!
Haha, it definitely has a richer/more full sound, but I wanted to stick with a few XLR mics for this one.
Yup, ..thanks for the review 👍. But strange you had to flip the mic 180 because the regular x1's capsule captures sound from the side that says Se and has the switches on it.
Weird. Maybe the S and A series are different? Or mine is just backwards...
This red color is terrible, but good sound. Your reviews is just too fun to watch man! So goooood!
Haha, thanks! The red color is definitely not for everyone, but I like it 😁
LoL Between crumpling stickers and throwing the boxes...
I would like to think, we all grew up.
😁
Hello Tom. Are there condenser microphones that don't pick up plosives or is this a myth? 😅
May I ask what is the microphone boom arm you using?
It’s the Elgato Wave arm. Took me a long time to finally give it a try, but once it did I really liked it.
Oh, totally configurable, acceptable as an entry level, the handling noise being almost the only thing keeping it "down there". That color is great but I'd prefered it to have been matt red 🙂 Handling noise is too much - even for that low price point, just sayin'. I have a client whom I'd definitely recommend this mic if they didn't want to have the mic outside the frame. Putting it on the list of good ones. Their sE Dynacaster sounded great in some tests online..
Hmm. This sounds like one of those studio grade condenser mics out there, And I think this one. Yeah, It’s going to be good for both talking to the camera and gaming. 😁
Oh! Btw, That crispy sounding of this mic really satisfied me when wearing headphones. 😄
Glad you liked the sound! I was really impressed by it.
The "B1" pun kills me right there LOL
The i have one of those I got it for free it was nasty.. removed the color and now it bare metalnwitj a brass grill.
Anyway the SE Dynacaster is my main mic it's really good, got a built in se Dynamite so no need for cloud lifter if you don't have enough gain.
you should check it out!
7:00 I heard less mouth noise with the Broadcaster than the NT1 preset
Interesting! I really like that preset the best with the X1.
Sorry for this comment on this video but do u know if its possible to plug the rodecaster pro 2 into my ps4 to use the microphone?
Hey Tom, can you recommend your favorite mic for precisely 200 dollars?
Not necessarily my favorite mic, but at exactly the $200 price point, you'll get a lot of versatility from the PodMic USB 👍
I think there's always been room in the market for microphones that emulate better sound for much less money. I just don't like how they're seemingly all pre-setup to have presence boosting and a bit of a high pass filter to achieve that "sound" everyone seems to want these days. I prefer a more neutral response and having the ability to work with that sound from the start rather than working from a baseline that's already processed.
wow how many you bought rode toys??
This might be a silly question but I’m a complete novice looking to get into streaming… but why does it not come with a wire?
That’s a great question! There are a lot of different quality cables in different lengths and even different colors, so people usually prefer to buy what they like rather than whatever happens to come with a mic (and the company saves costs by not having to include one too).
I appreciate it! I went with the Sennheiser Profile USB microphone based off your other video, just hoping a USB-C to USB-A wire works as I don't have a USB-C port in my pc. Thanks a bunch for all your content!! @@tombuck
For my use I will stick with my Podmic. The SE is great sounding but that hum/ring when it picks up vibrations is sooo annyoing. I couldn't deal with that.
I did buy the shock mount after making this and it totally solves the problem, but it does add another $25 to the price.
3:28 Oh!!! For those of us, who's a Crusader... Aka follows MxrPlays ...
That part is an old cringe nostalgia 😅😅😅
To my ear the microphone's dry signal sounded a little compressed. Didn't like it.
Haha yours has been assembled backwards... Mine is correct with the sticker facing toward me...
You mean it’s a special edition?! 😉
@@tombuck yes retro or "backwards" 🤣
I’m not going to lie, I almost didn’t click on this because the price and name of the mic made it seem cheap, but wow… I was wrong.
Those were my thoughts too, but I was happily surprised!
SM7B sounds like youre talking through a sock.
I only wish they made it a bit more red. It's so washed out and barely stands out.
Its quite sibilant. I got hints of ear fatigue listening to it at medium to loud volumes for the entirety of the video
I was happy with how it sounded for my podcast using the windscreen, but I do wonder if longer listening times could get fatiguing.
First!
Very interesting! Didn't expect that, while unboxing.. ..I understand the dude who bought several of them.. .But Lewitt i would buy, if i would buy one now.. ...If you can get hands in USA, on a Marantz, would be nice to see..
Marantz, eh? I haven’t heard of that- I’ll have to check it out!
@@tombuck Long history on pre-amps and amplifiers..recent years testing waters on microphones.. I think seriously underrated and for the price, toe to toe with higher category ones.. ..for 40 €, i bought Marantz Professional Pod Pack with fully adjustable stand and USB cable.. but my son and nephews don't remember where they put it when cleaned house.. ..very clean pre-amp for price..There are better ones now, i think.. ..Merry Christmas!
Very cool! And Merry Christmas!
usd148.39=myr690.85 hahahah