“It is no small secret that I am generally not a fan of low cost condenser mics, but the X1 has been an exception to that rule. It is the only low cost condenser that is a regular part of my production work.”

“It also goes up in every vocal mic shoot out we do for artists. On some artists the sE X1 beats out mics costing more than 10 times as much.”

– Ronan Chris Murphy, Producer / Engineer (King Crimson, Terry Bozzio, Ulver) – sE Artist

“We’d even say the mic outdoes other vocal mics costing far more.”

“…it’s no-brainer of a buy, especially if you’re just starting out.”

– MusicTech Magazine, July 2017 (full review)

“I enjoyed using the X1 S; it was stress-free and easy to use. I was surprised at how good the recorded files sounded for a mic in this price range. The filter seemed to help add depth and mid-range resolution in the recording.”

“…the X1 S is made for [our] busy world. It’s instant. Put it on a stand and you’re good to go. It doesn’t warrant any fuss; it just does it’s thing – and it does that thing very well, sounding smooth and expensive. It’ll possibly save a little studio time.”

“For a novice or for a producer/artist who doesn’t want to think too much about technical specifics, the RF-X is a good choice. Just set-up and focus on creating.”

“Excellent value for the price given the sonic capability and build-quality.”

“It’s good to know that hand-made instruments still have a role in an increasingly automated world. As usual sE’s marketing is factual and makes no false claims. sE’s informative website shows that they manufacture a range of mics from the budget X1 A to the Rupert Neve-designed high-end ribbons and lot’s of good stuff in-between. A proportion of that high-end instrument-maker expertise has filtered down to the X1 S.”

“sE Electronics have created a well-designed, well-engineered and stylish mic, hand-made from good quality components…a capable and classy sound. It sounds more expensive than the cost.”

– Gearslutz, August 2017, Arthur Stone

“The sE X1 has a more open quality, seems less colored and has a top end that you would normally associate with microphones about 5 times the price.”

– Russ Hughes, Pro Tools Expert

“I like sE’s X1 mic for its lively, in‑your‑face character, which still manages to avoid sounding strident. This is also a good all‑rounder for the kind of acoustic instruments that you find in a typical home studio.”

– Paul White, Sound On Sound

“The build quality, facilities and overall feel of this microphone are certainly beyond what you would expect considering the street price…perhaps it’s the fact that sE have a dedicated factory over in Shanghai producing this stuff, but I wouldn’t have been surprised if you told me it was twice the price if not more.”

– Mike Watkinson, AskAudioMag 

“Everyone should have one.”

– Ryan Hewitt, Producer/Engineer (Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Avett Brothers)

“The filter doesn’t seem to change the tonality of the vocals at all…it’s the closest thing I have found to having consistency when recording in several environments. It simply levels the acoustic playing field, regardless of where I decide to record.”

– Scott Hendricks, EVP A&R Warner Music Nashville / producer (Blake Shelton, Faith Hill, Trace Adkins, Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn)

“I use it to keep the bad out and the good in. On vocals in certain rooms, on guitar cabs, and even on drums (floor toms and kicks).”

– F. Reid Shippen, GRAMMY®-winning Mixer / Engineer / Producer (India.Arie, Ingrid Michaelson, Jonny Lang)

“I’ve used them on vocals and instruments alike where I either need more isolation from other sounds/instruments in the room, or I don’t like the character of the room and I’m trying to minimize the amount of room sound pulled into the mic.”

“You can never have enough tools and tricks to get the job done. This is exactly the kind of tool that, once you have it, you’ll use it over and over.”

– Neal Cappellino, GRAMMY®-winning producer/engineer (Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, Alison Krauss & Union Station)

“The RF-X Reflexion Filter does a great job of dampening room noise for vocalists, giving you a dry vocal sound to which you can add effects in the mix. In practice, we found it worked really well, getting the same result as far more expensive options.”

– MusicTech Magazine, July 2017