RNT

A new flagship tube microphone from sE and Rupert Neve Designs

Delivers the pristine, musical sonic character and uncompromising performance of the world's most prized recording equipment.

RNT

A new flagship tube microphone from sE & Rupert Neve Designs

Delivers the pristine, musical sonic character and uncompromising performance of the world's most prized recording equipment.

Recommended Use

Vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar cab, orchestral + strings, piano, woodwinds, percussion, cymbals / OH, toms, room

Highlights

Fully discrete, Class-A electronics in both active stages

The finest true condenser capsule we've ever built

The same custom op-amps used in Rupert Neve Designs' flagship 5088 console

Switchable gain and a massive dynamic range

																				9-position polar pattern switch for precise balance between direct and ambient sound									

Inside the RNT

1″ TRUE CONDENSER CAPSULE

Hand-crafted and gold-sputtered, this is the finest and most complex capsule sE has ever built. We tune each refined electrode design individually in our factory to deliver supremely natural sound quality.
HAND-SELECTED TUBE AND CUSTOM TRANSFORMER

Unique tube circuit design optimized for driving the first custom-made transformer. Each microphone-grade tube is carefully selected and pretested in-house for stunning realism and depth in recordings.
HAND-CRAFTED METAL HOUSING & GOLD-PLATED XLR CONNECTOR

All-metal construction, gold-plated XLR connector and built with highest attention to detail, the RNT provides efficient rejection of any electrical interference and noise with a high-quality finish to ensure a great look for many years.
NINE SELECTABLE POLAR PATTERNS

Precisely tuned dual-diaphragm capsule design allows you to choose the perfect setting for every application while minimizing unwanted signal bleed with ease.

Inside the RNT floor box

DISCRETE CLASS-A AMPLIFICATION

Delivers the sonic character and performance expected from the world’s most prized recording equipment, with Rupert Neve Designs’ flagship 5088 console’s same operational amplifiers for enormous headroom, ultra-wide bandwidth, zero crossover distortion, and quality without compromise.
9 GRADED POLAR PATTERNS

With 9 graded steps through omni, cardioid and figure-eight patterns for a wide range of applications suitable for everything from delicate ambience recordings to close-miking of extremely loud instruments and voices.
ACTIVE GAIN STAGE WITH THREE LEVELS

Provides 24dB of extended dynamic range for a wide range of applications with discrete Rupert Neve Designs op-amp cards, suitable for everything from delicate ambience recordings to close-miking of extremely loud instruments and voices.
CUSTOM-BUILT AUDIO TRANSFORMER

Designed for sweet, musical performance and bulletproof isolation, this second transformer provides Rupert Neve’s legendary sonic character.

Specs

Components

Capsule Hand-crafted 1" True Condenser

Tube complement 1x 12AU7 / ECC82

Sound

Polar patterns 9 (Omni, Cardioid, Figure-8, plus 3 steps between each)

Frequency range 20 Hz - 20 kHz

Sensitivity 16 mV / Pa (-36 dBV)

Gain -12 / 0 / +12 dB, switchable

Max SPL 151 dB

Equivalent noise level 18 dB

Dynamic range 133 dB

Signal to noise ratio 76 dB

Low-cut filter 40 / 80 Hz, 12 dB / Oct, switchable

Power

Electrical impedance 30 Ohms

Recommended load impedance >1k Ohms

Connectivity 3-pin male XLR connector

Powering Provided by power supply unit (included)

Dimensions

Mic diameter 62 x 240 mm (2.44 x 9.45 in.)

Mic length 240 mm (9.45 in.)

Mic weight 989 g (34.89 oz.)

Floor box 356 x 135 x 100 mm (14.02 x 5.31 x 3.94 in.)

Floor box weight 3905 g (137.74 oz.)

What's in the box

RNT microphone

Custom shock-mount

RNT Floor Box (Power Supply)

8-pin cable (to connect mic to floor box)

IEC power cable

Wooden microphone box

Flight case

sE logo sticker

User manual with warranty card

Downloads

User Manual

Download

"I didn't realize how beautiful a vocal sound could be. It allows me to capture incredibly subtle and nuanced performances with the need for absurd compression. Whatever alchemy has gone into this creation, I am constantly in awe of it. I have never had a vocal sound as precise and dynamic, while still capturing 'me'."
— Devin Townsend, Singer / Guitarist / Producer - sE Artist
sE Artist
"I've worked with the best microphones in the world, and this is one of them now. It's great."
— Simon Franglen, GRAMMY®-winning Composer/Producer ('Avatar', 'Titanic', 'Skyfall') - sE Artist
sE Artist
“…while you don't have to have lots of high-end gear to make a great sounding recording, it just makes your job that bit easier — and the RNT just plain helped me out during its time at my studio, in terms of getting great results quickly.” a way that just worked in the song.”
— Sound On Sound, July 2019
Full Review
“…they'd done quite a big mic shootout before tracking the vocals and…they'd chosen the RNT for lead vocals on the whole album. There's no shortage of good mic options at my studio, but apparently the band especially liked how it helped the vocal cut through their big guitar sounds.”
— Sound On Sound, July 2019
Full Review
“I was impressed with not only the clarity and detail captured but also how easy it was to get the vocal to sit nicely in the track quickly.”
— Sound On Sound, July 2019
Full Review
“I don't like using the term 'musical' with audio equipment, but for all the singers I recorded with this mic, it framed the voice in a way that just worked in the song.”
— Sound On Sound, July 2019
Full Review
"On a recent vocal session the stand-out improvement against the studio’s in-house U87 blew everyone in the control room away. It only took two bars to agree that we were going to use the RNT.”
— Alexander Archer, VEVO DSCVR
sE Artist
"On a recent vocal session the stand-out improvement against the studio’s in-house U87 blew everyone in the control room away. It only took two bars to agree that we were going to use the RNT.”
— Alexander Archer, VEVO DSCVR
sE Artist
“Recording on the cardioid setting, the RNT is forward and transparent. Voices are articulate and crystal clear, with a nice proximity effect when positioned closer to the speaker or singer…amplified electric guitar sounds very true to tone when positioned close to the speaker cone of an amp, delivering an even frequency response without much colour.”
— Mixdown Magazine
Full Review
"…the RNT knew how to convince: not only did it reproduce the sound of the individual drums and cymbals naturally as well as detailed, but the specifics of the room were finely resolved.”
— Videoaktiv.de
Full Review
“The brightness of the mic brought the drum tone to life, as it added a little bit of sizzle and air around the close microphones.”
— Vintage King
Full Review
“Even with the added brightness, the cymbals didn’t become overbearing at all, as the high end of the RNT is very smooth.”
— Vintage King
Full Review
“The RNT made the acoustic sing, which is always what I’m looking for. When you can achieve that type of sound without any surgical EQ on the first positioning of the microphone, you know you have a winner.”
— Vintage King
Full Review
“I highly recommend giving the RNT a shot if you record a lot of acoustic music. It’s hands down one of best sounding mics I’ve used on an acoustic guitar and was so easy to dial in a “finished mix” tone.”
— Vintage King
Full Review

sE artists

From mainstage headliners to the biggest names in engineering, our artists rely on sE to bring their sound to life

How should I store my microphone?

We generally recommend keeping your microphone in its case or original packaging when it is not in use for more than a few hours. If your studio is very clean and safe, it could be OK to leave out on its mic stand when not in use, but if a mic is out of its case, it could potentially be exposed to dust, smoke, moisture, or humidity – which can damage the sensitive parts of the mic – so we recommend avoiding those things at all cost.

What are the differences between your microphones’ polar patterns? How do I choose the most suitable type of polar pattern for my recording environment?

There are no real “right” or “wrong” answers to this question, as different patterns will just provide different types of sounds, and whatever best suits your particular song is usually the right answer! With that said:

Cardioid – Generally best for recording vocals or other single sources, when you don’t want to hear much of the room sound around the source.
Omni – This is good when you want a less focused, more “roomy” sound. Think distant drum mics in a great-sounding room.
Figure-8 – Since this pattern lets the mic “hear” on both sides – front and back – and reject the sounds on either side, it’s handy if you want to record two sources at once from a point in between them, without hearing what’s off to the sides.
Hypercardioid / Supercardioid – More directional than Cardioid, this is good for spot mics, when you want the sound to be very focused.

My guitar amplifier / drum / horn is VERY loud, and I am concerned about the risk of damage due to loud noise.

For the most part, sE mics can tolerate extremely high SPLs (typically over 135dB) and will be fine in front of even the loudest sources – yes, even our ribbon mics. If in doubt, you can check the specifications on the individual product page.

I have one of your tube microphones, and it comes with a separate box that I plug the mic into. Do I need a separate mic preamp for this setup, and do I need to turn on phantom power on the preamp?

You do need a mic preamp or audio interface, as the power supply box only outputs mic-level signal (not line-level). However, you do not need to turn on the phantom power on your mic preamp or interface, as power is provided by the mic’s power supply itself.

Which sE mic is best for recording vocals / drums / guitars / etc.?

Check out our Find Your Mic page to find the perfect mic for your application.

How do I clean the microphone from spillage and dirt?

If your microphone has come in contact with dirt or another removable substance, we recommend cleaning it with a very soft, slightly damp cotton cloth. Do not open the microphone up to clean the inside, and make sure you NEVER touch the capsule itself. Cleaning a capsule should only be done by highly trained professionals in a “clean room” environment. If you suspect your capsule needs to be cleaned, please contact [email protected] so we can recommend an authorized local technician.

RNT

RNT

Inside the RNT

1″ TRUE CONDENSER CAPSULE

HAND-SELECTED TUBE AND CUSTOM TRANSFORMER

HAND-CRAFTED METAL HOUSING & GOLD-PLATED XLR CONNECTOR

NINE SELECTABLE POLAR PATTERNS

Inside the RNT floor box

DISCRETE CLASS-A AMPLIFICATION

9 GRADED POLAR PATTERNS

ACTIVE GAIN STAGE WITH THREE LEVELS

CUSTOM-BUILT AUDIO TRANSFORMER

Specs

Downloads

"I've worked with the best microphones in the world, and this is one of them now. It's great."

“…while you don't have to have lots of high-end gear to make a great sounding recording, it just makes your job that bit easier — and the RNT just plain helped me out during its time at my studio, in terms of getting great results quickly.” a way that just worked in the song.”

“…they'd done quite a big mic shootout before tracking the vocals and…they'd chosen the RNT for lead vocals on the whole album. There's no shortage of good mic options at my studio, but apparently the band especially liked how it helped the vocal cut through their big guitar sounds.”

“I was impressed with not only the clarity and detail captured but also how easy it was to get the vocal to sit nicely in the track quickly.”

“I don't like using the term 'musical' with audio equipment, but for all the singers I recorded with this mic, it framed the voice in a way that just worked in the song.”

"On a recent vocal session the stand-out improvement against the studio’s in-house U87 blew everyone in the control room away. It only took two bars to agree that we were going to use the RNT.”

"On a recent vocal session the stand-out improvement against the studio’s in-house U87 blew everyone in the control room away. It only took two bars to agree that we were going to use the RNT.”

"…the RNT knew how to convince: not only did it reproduce the sound of the individual drums and cymbals naturally as well as detailed, but the specifics of the room were finely resolved.”

“The brightness of the mic brought the drum tone to life, as it added a little bit of sizzle and air around the close microphones.”

“Even with the added brightness, the cymbals didn’t become overbearing at all, as the high end of the RNT is very smooth.”

“The RNT made the acoustic sing, which is always what I’m looking for. When you can achieve that type of sound without any surgical EQ on the first positioning of the microphone, you know you have a winner.”

“I highly recommend giving the RNT a shot if you record a lot of acoustic music. It’s hands down one of best sounding mics I’ve used on an acoustic guitar and was so easy to dial in a “finished mix” tone.”