sE Electronics and Rupert Neve Designs join forces for new signature series sE Microphones
Fall 2008

In one of the most exciting partnerships in manufacturing, the sE Electronics International group is producing a brand new range of Rupert Neve signature series mics under the sE stable for 2008.

"This association with Siwei Zou and sE will provide an ideal partnership in terms of sE masterly and enthusiastic commitment to innovation and quality that have also been my own hallmarks for more than 50 years"." Rupert Neve

The first of several mics being readied for production in this new sE series will be a state-of-the-art active Ribbon mic with revolutionary performance, provided by discrete circuits and purpose designed transformers by Mr. Rupert Neve. The capsule and manufacturing are being controlled by sE, whilst the electronics, and of course the transformer, are being taken care of by Mr. Neve.

The combination of a custom designed transformer and circuits from the man who has become legend in the world of solid state electronics, and a microphone and Ribbon from Siwei Zou, who in the relatively short history of sE has designed such industry standards as the multiple award-winning sE2200a and Gemini (not to mention the hugely successful Reflexion Filter), has given rise to a product which will surpass everyone’s expectations of what recording excellence can be achieved with a Ribbon mic.

Following hot on the heels of the release of the sE and Mr. Neve Ribbon will be a large diaphragm tube mic, and a solid state condenser. The first three mics will all share a common look which both gives a nod to ‘retro’ whilst still driving forward with sE’s modernistic ‘industrial chic’. In a word, the mics are BEAUTIFUL, the packaging will be second to none, and their performance will set new standards in the high end microphone market.

Rupert Neve says: “"Recent developments in the way that humans perceive sound are demanding significant advances both in performance and the philosophy of audio processing. That which was ‘good enough’ for light-hearted amusement fails to satisfy the thoughtful listener – in fact deficient sound quality has been shown to result in frustration, even anger. The experienced listener is aware of incredibly small Sound Pressure Levels that in many cases are beyond the conventional range of hearing.”

“I have worked for some time on the designs for a new range of microphones – the concepts of which are actually already being implemented in our own Rupert Neve Designs 5088 Console – namely utilizing Discrete Single-Sided Circuits and my custom designed transformers."

“This new approach to analogue sound processing needs extreme care in its manufacture and meticulous alignment of the embedded discrete opamps and the delicate microphone elements.”

Siwei Zou says: “I have, for many years, admired the work of Mr Neve, and now that we have a chance to work together I am able to realise a quality level in microphone technology that no other manufacturer to date has managed to achieve. The excellence we have worked so hard to achieve in production, design and capsule technology at sE, coupled with the best transformers this product area has ever seen, plus new cutting edge circuit board design, which from early tests are already proving to surpass anything I have ever heard before, means we are now able to produce high end mics, at a fraction of the cost of other high end brand models, but which have a sound and performance quality the likes of which this market has never seen before. This is a truly exciting time for sE and me personally”

Josh Thomas, of Rupert Neve Designs, says “We are extremely pleased to be working so closely with sE Electronics. Rupert has been studying the mic market for some years with the intention of working on a project like this. After putting a number of big brand names, and countless mics, through rigorous testing, and looking at the manufacturing techniques, build quality, and work ethic of these companies, it quickly became clear that the partnership with sE would be extremely interesting from both a design standpoint and for the market.”

He continues: “Where most manufacturers we looked into seem to be cutting corners in manufacturing, packaging etc, or subcontracting to OEM to save money, and blindly copy what has been done before, sE have consistently shown us a complete commitment to pushing the design envelope with hand crafted quality in all their products, and continual efforts to improve every detail possible in their product. sE’s ethos is less about making as much profit as possible, and more about making the best product they can, and frankly, that is precisely what Mr Neve is all about.”

sE Electronics’ James Young says: “It’s a huge honor for us that Rupert even considered us among the big players as a company he might like to work with. In the end there was no way we could ever compete with the kind of money that a large corporation could throw around to secure a deal, so it’s a testament to Mr Neve’s principles and dedication to his art that he chose to work with the company that he thought would build the best product, plain and simple.”

“We are all so excited about where this collaboration will take us and focused now on getting the first three products to market by Summer 2008 and then… Well, you’ll see!”

Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson Discover the Twin Delights of the sE Gemini

Engineer Sven Lens reveals how Snoop and Nelson’s latest collaboration highlighted just how great the sE Gemini mic sounds compared to much more expensive competition…

Sven Lens is one of Holland’s leading engineers. He’s an expert in Pro Tools, runs his own studio and works freelance in many other facilities across the country. Recently he was involved in an extraordinary recording session involving two international superstars from what you might call very different sides of the street. Rap superstar Snoop Dog and country icon Willie Nelson got together to record the track My Medicine and Sven was engineering the session and able to witness this meeting of very different minds…

“I was asked by Wisseloord Studios, a big commercial studio over here in Holland where I frequently work, to be the engineer for the session,” he says. “It went very smoothly. Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson are both very nice, talented guys, and easy going.”

As well as an sE Gemini, the studio had other mics available for the session, but Sven believes that the Gemini easily had the best sound.

“I had a couple of expensive mics from Germany and Latvia plus the sE Gemini,” he says. “From the moment my assistant talked through it [the Gemini], I knew it was something special. Actually, it blew both of the other mics away. I can hardly believe that the Gemini sounds so good. Willie Nelson also recorded another track with Snoop, which I actually like better than the one which is out right now, where he used the Gemini to record guitar and vocals, at the same moment, balancing his voice and his guitar. The Gemini was somewhere between his mouth and his guitar. It sounded awesome.”

“Actually, thinking about it,” Sven continues, “when people sing through the Gemini, it sounds like they are three feet closer to the mic compared to others, which gives you a more modern sound – that's addictive! I actually bought the Gemini I used with Snoop and Willie right after the session, since it sounded so good. It is my first [choice] mic for vocals now, so I don't have to look what the studio has for me, as I always bring my own Gemini!”

Sven is currently in the studio with up and coming Dutch band Terry Bogus and, since we interviewed Sven, we hear he’s already used his new Gemini with a certain Nelly Furtado – more on this later!

See the My Medicine music video here (sE Gemini appears at the 1:44 mark)

U2, Irish Legends Team up for "The Ballad for Ronnie Drew" using sE Gemini and Reflexion Filter

When the stars of the Irish music scene lined up to record The Ballad For Ronnie Drew, a ‘living tribute’ for the Irish singer and folk musician, they ended up with a fantastic song helped in no small way by veteran engineer Enda Walsh and his sE Gemini and Reflexion Filter…

Ronnie Drew is the legendary Irish folk musician, member of the Dubliners, solo musician and a man who quite clearly has many fans and friends within the Irish Music scene. Recent health problems triggered a gathering of these musicians – including international stars such as Bono, Sinead O Conner and Andrea Corr – to record The Ballad Of Ronnie Drew, already a smash hit in Ireland with proceeds going to The Irish Cancer Society.

They were using sE’s award-winning Reflexion Filter and Gemini II microphone during the recording of the song. Assistant engineer Enda Walsh – a big fan of sE products – was in on the session along with engineer Alastair MacMillan.

“Both Alastair and myself have previously worked, and continue to work, with most of the artists involved” says Walsh. “I started out working in studios and was honoured to do Front Of House sound for Van Morrison for 10 years, a position that gave me the privilege of working with Ray Charles, James Brown and many more.

“Alastair MacMillan has been a long time friend,” continues Walsh. “He has also used my sE Gemini II and Reflexion Filter on many occasions and was very happy for me to bring them along to the session. He, also, is a big fan of sE.”

“I love the natural sound of the Gemini II,” continues Walsh. “Not only is it my default vocal microphone, it is also my preferred acoustic guitar mic. I haven't tried it on piano or drum overheads yet but I have no doubt that it will deliver.”

And what did he make of the Reflexion Filter?

“It is just the best thing ever. I can't imagine why someone didn't do it years ago!”

So how did the big day go in the end?

“The recording day went very well,” replies Enda, “although it is somewhat of a blur, due mainly to the turnaround speed. Everything went very smoothly and everyone was 'more than happy' with the sE set-up, which is a tribute to you guys. Take a bow!”

you can see the video here…

Bono with sE Gemini & Reflexion Filter

Enda is also the owner and chief engineer of Amberville Studio. For more see www.ambervillestudio.com

sE Mics and the "We are Together" Project for the South African Agape Orphanage
When Ludwig Bouwer, owner and engineer at One Big Room Studios in South Africa, and the Soweto Gospel Choir were asked to get involved with the Agape Orphanage Project, sE were only too happy to help them out…

After playing keyboards and bass in various bands Ludwig Bouwer converted his love of music and technology into a career, becoming the owner and engineer at One Big Room Studios in Pretoria, South Africa. Nothing could prepare him for his biggest challenge, though, when the producer and two-time Grammy winner Robin Hogarth called him up and asked him to get help out with the We Are Together project, a recording and film about a choir at the Agape Orphanage. Suddenly he had to assemble 20 top-notch singers – including members of that choir and of the Soweto Gospel Choir – in his studio, and record them!

“The SGC (Soweto Gospel Choir) and the children from the orphanage had trouble getting together for one song, Thina Sonke, in the studio allocated to the bulk of the project,” says Bouwer. “Robin wanted to know if I was willing and crazy enough to squeeze 20 top-notch performers into my live room, and I said yes!"

“Then I realised that I didn’t have enough microphones to handle the choir and lead singers. I figured I needed seven similar mics, with figure of 8 patterns. The choir is split into four voices, and there were three lead singers on top of that. Incidentally, SGC record everything live with no overdubs – that's how good they are! The hunt for gear ‘favours’ was on. I knew that sE mics are excellent, having heard them before in other studios, so my first port of call was Turnkey Music, in Johannesburg. I managed to get hold of the owner, Peter Tuerck, who immediately offered "as many sE mics" as they could spare. Shortly after that, Paul Martin arrived at my studio with four sE Electronics Z5600 MKII's and three sE Electronics Z5600 MKI's, including three heavy-duty stands".

“The mics sounded beautiful,” Ludwig continues. “With almost no tweaking, the choir sounded great. I found the mics to have a lovely top-end, clear but not harsh. The low-end response was also great, especially considering that the choir was not exactly standing on top of the mics. With very little noise floor and good side-cancellation in figure-of-eight mode, it was easy to get good levels out of the mics. Overall, the sE Z5600's sounded like really, really good tube mics - which is exactly what they are!”

“The mics were almost ‘set and forget’. As long as you have some idea of what you want to pickup and what should be excluded, the mics just go to work. It was actually almost too easy to get a good sound. The figure of eight pattern has great side-cancellation. And the mics are very quiet – great for dynamic vocal work. I did not own any sE gear at the time, but it's on my list – the mics are just so excellent, every engineer should have some.”

The recording ended up being perfect for the project which has since received great reviews for its moving story about the children of the orphanage attempting to raise funds for the facility. Meanwhile Ludwig’s own band The Lemmings (www.thelemmings.co.za) are touring the States from September (“with sE mics, no doubt!”) and he has just finished a wonderful acoustic/alternative project for Namibian singer Andra (www.andra.co.za).

More about the We Are Together project at http://wearetogether.org/

More about Ludwig’s studio at
www.onebigroom.co.za

Bo-Ty Productions and Joanna Mosca use sE Gemini

Bo-Ty Productions is a songwriting/production team consisting of Robert Donzella and Tyrone Corbett. They have worked with artists from American Idol, groups signed to Wyclef Jean and artists with  J Records. Their catalog of music has attracted the attention of legendary songwriter Carole Bayer Sager and Grammy producer David Foster. Carole commented that their songs “showed massive talent”.

In addition to the production company, Tyrone has toured as a background singer with R&B/jazz singer Will Downing, Saxophonist extraordinaire Gerald Albright, Guitarist Norman Brown and more. He also provided background vocals for Folk legend Pete Seeger's project that received a Grammy for “Best Traditional Folk Album”.

Bo-Ty Productions is currently working on a variety of projects and shopping material to major label artists. They have an extremely eclectic body of work ranging from pop/rock, to R&B, to Country.

"The sE Gemini was strongly suggested to me by a couple of colleagues in a newsgroup I frequent so I decided to take a closer look. Upon using the Gemini, I was immediately impressed by its sound and character. In addition to the tonal quality, I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to use the mic in a number of different capacities with the same pleasing results." - Tyrone Corbett

One of Bo-Ty Productions current clients is Joanna Mosca (pictured above). Tyrone says, "I used the sE Gemini recording the vocals of artist Joanna Mosca. She has received great reviews and has achieved significant air play in secondary Clear Channel markets with her single “Not Enough” which we co-wrote, produced and recorded. Our latest effort with Joanna is a Rolling Stones style cover of the R&B song “I’ll Be Around” by the Spinners. This song was released and received the honors of “#1 most added” it’s first week of release on FMQB.com. We cut all of Joanna’s leads with the Gemini, as well as the acoustic guitar  tracks for her project"

Joanna says, " While I'm not a technical person regarding music equipment, I always know what sounds good, and I'm very pleased with the results Ty and Bob get using the Gemini during our recording sessions.  Ty and Bob are the co-writers and producers of my project, and they, along with the Gemini, capture the essence of who I am."

Additionally Tyrone says, "I also used the Gemini on the song 'Satisfy You' the upcoming release by veteran singer Will Downing on Peak Records due to hit stores in October. Will D has a beautiful baritone voice and the Gemini served he and the song well. Whether he was in his famed lower register, or his brilliant falsetto, the Gemini did the job. To date, we’ve been using the sE Gemini on a number of our projects and it has become our “go to” mic for vocals and have found it works beautifully on guitar and violin as well. Although price is not everything, It is very satisfying knowing that such a quality mic can be had at  an affordable price!"

The Reflexion Filter wins Best Acoustic Product Award for 2007

sE Electronic's Reflexion Fitler beat tough competition to earn the Satisfecit Award for Best Acoustic Product at Satis 2007 in France.

The SATISFECIT award recognizes innovative products that solve problems, make daily work easier, and/or represent a dramatic improvement in cost effectiveness. Judges for the SATISFECIT award comprised a distinguished panel of French production, postproduction, and video professionals.

The SatisFecit awards, reinitiated this year to mark the 25th anniversary of SATIS, recognise the most innovative products on the market across three categories - Production, Post-production, and Broadcast.

A huge number of manufacturers, excited by this initiative, registered their products in this competition. From these entries a total of 51 products were short listed for the subject of careful study by the jury, composed of experts from the professional audiovisual community, and the public. From this final shortlist only 23 products were chosen for awards for demonstrating their innovation and competition to the highest possible level from the entire audio industry

James Young of sE Electronics says "We are extremely proud of this award. 2007 has seen us win a large number of awards for the Reflexion Filter, and sales now top 30,000 units. It is one of the most successful products in the audio industry during 2007, and sales continue to grow coming into 2008 as more and more people find it an invaluable tool in project studios, commercial recording studios, broadcast, voice over and many other areas.

He continues "it is a resounding endorsement of the Reflexion Filter that it is not only hugely popular product, but has also now gained the highest critical acclaim... a rare thing in our industry.

Multi-Platinum producer Val Garay says the sE GM10 "sounded beautiful"

After a recent recording session, recording guru Val Garay said:

"After using the GM-10 microphone on the new Bonnie Piesse project, (my newest artist), the mic sounded beautiful and it totally maintained the mic position throughout the all the sessions. I also see a tremendous use for this in a live application because it allows the artist to move around without compromising mic placement and sound quality."

Val Garay has had a distinguished career spanning decades. He is responsible for 13 number 1 hits, 80 gold records and an amazing 125 million records sold. Just some of the incredible artists he has worked with over the years: Jackson Browne, Neil Diamond, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Marvin Gaye, The Mommas and the Poppas, Dolly Parton, Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Rodgers, Linda Rondstadt, Reel Big Fish, Santana and James Taylor.

For more information on Val Gary go to www.valgaraydrums.com.

sE and Laughing Tiger Studios “team up” to capture Guitar Legend Carlos Santana Performance

Ari Rios owner of Laughing Tiger Studios, located in the San Francisco Bay area, reports on sessions with guitar legend Carlos Santana and the contribution sE microphones made to those sessions. Rios commented:

Working with an industry legend like Carlos and his team is challenging because of the depth of their experience and expectations but also tons of fun and an honor to boot.

The sound of our “A” room at Laughing Tiger and the various “Iso” chambers was a big part of what brought Carlos’ team to select Laughing Tiger. The high ceilings and canted wall angles of our “A” room couple with the instrument tone beautifully. The size of the room allows the sound to breathe and provides considerable flexibility in instrument and mic placement, while not being so huge that the room sound becomes unmanageable.

I regularly find that many of my clients choose sE microphones for a wide variety of applications even given the choice of other well-known and revered classic mic’s. This time they made a great impression on Carlos who is very particular about his tone and took Santana’s engineer Jim Reitzel and his guitar tech Ed Adair by surprise. Everyone was absolutely elated by the combination of room tone and mic tone. Here are their thoughts:

Ed Adair, Santana's guitar tech. of 18 years said, " I have never heard the lows and highs of Carlos' guitar tone captured so accurately as they were in Laughing Tiger's "A" room with the sE mics we used.
 
Jim Reitzel, Santana's engineer said,

"Of all the mics we used on Carlos' rig, 85% of the blend came from the sE R1 and a Z5600a up close with the sE3 stereo pair about 4 feet back in the room. These mics are without a doubt  my favorite room mics. They have a full and natural sound that is equally applicable all the way from Carlos' blazing guitar rig to a Celtic harp.

 Ari Rios owner of Laughing Tiger says:

"sE mics have once again taken a session by storm. Carlos' legendary tone was captured faithfully in the room and he was smiling from ear to ear. Thank you sE, YOU ROCK!  Hats off to you.”

More information about Laughing Tiger Studios is available at www.laughingtiger.com  

Industry legend Don Was "incredibly impressed" by sE

Looking at Don Was's career it seems as if he has worked with everyone. Simply take a look at his track record: The Rolling Stones, Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Elton John, the B-52s, Iggy Pop, Ringo Starr, Jackson Browne, Brian Wilson and more.

After a recording session with the sE Gemini Don said:

"We were recording a saxophone overdub in an overly- reflective, live room...I am incredibly impressed by the seemingly contradictory combination of warmth, crispness and definition that was captured in the tracks....the songs we were working on had dense arrangements yet the sax cut through without ever sounding abrasive or disconnected from the rest of the track.....it was a beautiful, natural sound - we didn't even use any eq."

Below is a pic of Don Was with the sE Gemini:

Real World Studios Choose sE

Real World’s Studios take delivery of the sE range of microphones and conclude: ‘great results’, ‘the best
performance for the money’ and ‘build quality amongst the best out there’…

Real World Studios should need no introduction. This idyllic suite of top class recording and writing rooms has become something of a legend in its relatively short existence. Set up by Peter Gabriel, the complex houses the most state of the art equipment within some of the most beautiful surroundings the UK has to offer. The facility has recently taken stock of a range of sE microphones for its new Mill Side studio, as in house engineer Dom Monks and senior sound engineer Marco Migliari explains…

“Real World owns both a Gemini, an sE2200a and a pair of sE3s. (I also own a z5600a),” explains Dom. “Bruno Ellingham [another producer and engineer at Real World], first put me on to sE mics. He had a few on demo and was getting really great results from them.”

“The great thing about sE mics is their value for money. Because any producer or artist can afford their own sE mic they're not restricted to where they record, so it's that much easier to maintain continuity. And compared to other 'low cost' mics on the market they just sound more expensive.”

Marco agrees:

“We wanted to offer a selection of microphones that would both fit the budget and be rugged enough to withstand the abuse they're typically subjected to, and also deliver the best performance for the money.”

And both Dom and Marco are agreed that the build quality is another major plus point of the range…

“The value for money is obvious, but beyond that the sonics and the build quality are amongst the best out there for new mics,” says Dom.

“Also priceless are the rugged cases they come with, something that mics three times the price often don't have,” adds Marco. “The accessories that are included in the price such as cradles, mounting kits etc. have proved to be useful and reliable in all situations.”

In summary, then, it’s fair to say that the sE range has been a hit over at Real World…

“Whilst both the Gemini and the z5600a are both great work-horse mics,” says Dom, “I have had experiences where they are just better suited to a certain singer than some high-end vintage valve mics. I've seen this happen on other people’s sessions as well. They just suit some people’s voices better than any other mic.”

“They're easy to position and have all of the on-board options you'd need to do a good job, like roll-off filters, pads and changeable polar pattern,” concludes Marco. “The package was just right: good quality mics, solid build, a selection of useful and lasting accessories and a decent aluminium case for each mic or pair. Add this to a competitive price, and you've got an easy decision in your hands. I particularly like the tone of the SE2200a – it's hard to find another mic in the same price range that could deliver a better performance.”

For more information about Real World Studios go to www.realworldstudios.com.

Chops Horns use sE

Chops Horns is a group of music entertainment professionals with over 20 years of experience in the recording industry. They have an extensive background and have recorded for artists in every genre of music including R&B, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Funk, Rap, Hip-hop, Latin and Adult Contemporary. Chops has a distinguished discography with artists such as The Rolling Stones, George Clinton, Bob Dylan, Sting, Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys.

At a recent recording session Chops used the sE Gemini microphone with the sE Reflexion Filter:

"I really enjoyed using the sE Gemini microphone. I noticed that it handled the highs and the power of the trumpet well. It also handled the lows of the Alto Flute. It gave both horns a very natural sound, like the old school tube mics. " - Dave Watson of Chops Horns

For more information about Chops Horns check out www.chopshorns.com.

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Amy Wineshouse uses sE2200a

Chart-topper Amy Winehouse uses the sE Electronics SE2200a while performing her song "Love is a Losing Game". To check out the video, follow the link below.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4L9-AvjsB6g

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Bonsai Music Choose sE

Bonsai Music produce music for prime-time US TV shows and have their own artist roster and choose two sE favourites, Reflexion Filter and Gemini for their recording needs…

It’s taken a lifelong obsession with music and years of dedication for Andrew Crutwell-Jones to realise his dream – running two fully equipped studios that produce bespoke soundtracks for TV, film, multimedia and recording artists.

Bonsai Music Production may have been producing music professionally for just five years, but their rise to the top has been nothing short of remarkable. They now count such world-famous clients as 19 Management and the Fox Network amongst their roster, as well as up and coming artists Amy Studt and Zeebra.

Andrew’s rightly pleased with this success – not bad for a man who kick-started his career writing for the BBC a few years earlier due to “severe lack of income”. From tiny acorns do mighty oak trees grow! Bonsai now offers a main studio equipped with the kind of gear their a-list clients expect, including the ultimate recording combo – the Gemini dual-valve microphone coupled with the award-winning Reflexion Filter.

“When we’re in the studio we need to rely on gear that’s robust. Gear I can experiment with, but ultimately gear that’s of a rock-solid quality so I know I can use the end results.”

“The Reflexion Filter is what I turn to when recording vocals and guitar. When I need to get an amazing closeness on certain tracks....it’s the only way to get the sound I’m after.”

“But the Gemini is so versatile, it’s not only good for vocal recording. I’ve done some pretty far out things with the Gemini and it always gives great results. One time I miked up the end of a tunnel made of breeze blocks, stuck an amp at the other end and hit record. Fantastic, really dark distant guitar sound that’s great to mix in as an effect. The Gemini and Reflexion Filter are just a great combo!”

“These days recording is often a case of style over content, but producing music shouldn’t just be about the equipment you use and the latest plug-ins. Producing should be about getting the best from an artist. In my opinion there’s an abundance of things we can do now when it comes to recording, but the key is always the song.”
“And this is why I like sE gear – it always does what it says on the tin, but so much more besides.”

For more information about Bonsai Music go to www.indemandmusic.com.

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Grammy Nomitated J Moss debuts at #1 with the sE Gemini

J Moss is a Grammy-nominated gospel R&B singer based out of Detroit, MI. On his latest album, V2... The J Moss Project, he wanted to capture the most powerful and soulful tracks possible. That's why he chose the sE Gemini for all of his vocals! The album was recently released and debuthat ted at #1 on the Billboard Gospel Album charts.

Here is what his producer, Paul "PDA" Allen of Pajam Records, has to say about the sE Gemini:

"I've been recording and mixing for 17 years now and I've used a wide range of great mics that are usually very expensive. Not until now in my career as a producer/engineer have I experienced the best of both worlds: A fantastic, dynamic mic with incredible presence and brillance in its distinctive sound at a wonderful price. It allows for a natural sound without adding eq and has a very responsive diaphram without the need for adding heavy compression. Very plug & go friendly.

"I've used this mic on all of the artist I've produced in the last 6 months: Patti LaBelle, J Moss, Vanessa Bell-Armstrong, Dave Hollister, 21:03 on their new single "Still...", and of course my debut album (in stores fall of 2007). I thank sE for continuing to introduce high end products that work well with both professional and home pro studios. With the other list of technologies that I've used faithfully (Telefunken, Neumann, Sony) sE has become one of my favorites. The Reflexion Filter is a nice addition that will soon be a studio standard.

"Remember to use your gifts, talents & abilities beyond the limits."

For more information about J Moss, PDA and Pajam Records, visit www.pajam-music.com and www.insidejmoss.com.

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Ari Rios chooses sE microphones at Laughing Tiger Studios

Ari Rios is a producer, engineer, vocalist, musician, and the owner of Laughing Tiger Studios in San Rafael, CA. Having worked with artists like Train, D'Wayne Wiggins, and Maria Muldaur, Ari is a guy who really knows his stuff! That’s why he’s been choosing sE microphones over his trusty studio classics. Read what he has to say about the R1 Ribbon, sE3, and Gemini:

R1 Ribbon
"I loved the guitar tone I was able to get with this mic! It fills out the SM57 beautifully. I'll most likely always use it in place of my usual 421/409 from here on out. I also tried it on the bottom of a B3 Leslie cab and it did really well there.""

sE3
"I shot out the sE3 pair with my KM84's on various acoustic guitars and found that I liked the high end of the sE3's much better. We also found that that they were very quiet when recording an extremely soft acoustic guitar. Using them as overheads produced a really nice sound: Lots of detail and a smooth low end. The roll off switch is a nice touch too."

GEMINI
"We shot out the Gemini and my newly repaired U47 on a female blues vocalist. We all ended up picking the Gemini because its high end response was similar to what we wanted the vocal EQ to sound like in the mix. The low end response was quite pleasing as well.(Very comparable to the U47 in fact) I'm affectionately dubbing it "The Gem" for short! I also told Jerry Harrison's engineer ET Thorngren about choosing the "Gem" over the U47 and he was very excited to hear it for himself."

For more information about Ari and Laughing Tiger studios, visit www.laughingtiger.com.

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Jim Mola keeps his sE mics in constant use

Jim Mola has been in the music scene for over 30 years as a drummer, percussionist, vocalist, voice over artist, arranger, and producer, working with some of the greatest names in the industry. He was introduced to sE while recording his vocal for Robert DeNiro's film "The Good Shepherd". Jim's vocal was initially tracked with a C12. When he returned for a second session a few days later, he spotted two Z5600a's sitting in boxes. When he asked the engineer about the sE mics, Jim was told "Well, if we had had these a few days ago when we started tracking, you would have been singing through the Z5600a instead of the C12."

"That was enough of an endorsement for me. I got my Gemini immediately after that and it's in constant use in my studio, appearing on radio and industrial spots all over the country.

"Vocalists & voiceovers are a big part of my studio's business, and the Gemini is always where I start with clients. It's warm, clear, and full and makes just about anything sound beautiful. In fact, I was working with a young singer recently and I actually wanted to try another flavor on him and he refused! He was in love with his voice through the Gemini. Needless to say, he got his way.

"But the big surprise has been my R1 Ribbon - I use it for VO and also as a vocal mic when it calls for a special kind of character. It takes EQ beautifully and is always smooth and pleasing to the ear.

"We use the Z3300a's for drums, mostly toms, in our drum room and they're amazing. They sound expensive but they're inexpensive enough where you can buy several for multi mic situations. That's what we did, and we're really digging their performance. We've also used the Gemini for percussion overdubs and were really surprised at how well it performed in place of the usual small diaphragm condenser.

"I just got a Titan and am looking forward to putting that through its paces - what I've heard of it so far tells me that it has something totally unique in the sE lineup."