sE4400

Classic versatility at its finest

Hand-crafted with the highest attention to detail, built with a roadworthy die-cast all-metal housing, metal switches, and rugged spring steel wire mesh grille that can take a beating during day-to-day tour life. The sE4400 appeals with its down-to-earth elegance, offering discrete electronics prioritizing the features you really need.

sE4400

Classic versatility at its finest

Hand-crafted with the highest attention to detail, built with a roadworthy die-cast all-metal housing, metal switches, and rugged spring steel wire mesh grille that can take a beating during day-to-day tour life. The sE4400 appeals with its down-to-earth elegance, offering discrete electronics prioritizing the features you really need.

Recommended Use

Lead vocals, orchestral + strings, drums, overheads, electric guitar cab, piano, acoustic guitar, woodwinds, brass

Highlights
Hand-crafted true condenser capsule individually tuned in our own factory
Classic vintage sound and all-metal housing
Switchable pickup patterns, cardioid, omnidirectional, figure-eight, and hypercardioid
Innovative close-miking shockmount
40 / 80 Hz bass-cut filters and -10 / -20 dB pads
Available in a matched-pair configuration















Inside the sE4400

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    HAND-CRAFTED 1″ TRUE CONDENSER CAPSULE

    Individually tuned and cared for by sE’s skilled technicians, each sE4400’s hand-crafted, gold-sputtered, dual-diaphragm capsule captures sound sources of all kinds with breathtaking clarity and precision, be it in demanding studio or fast-paced live environments.

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    FREE OF THRILLS, NO LEDs. NO PLASTIC SWITCHES.

    Select between 4 polar patterns with metal switches, from cardioid to omnidirectional or figure-eight to hypercardioid, with a gold-sputtered, dual-diaphragm capsule for precision-based miking techniques to minimize signal bleed from unwanted sources in demanding studio or fast-paced live environments.

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    DENT-PROOF METAL HOUSING & PREMIUM FINISH

    Hand-crafted with the highest attention to detail, built with a roadworthy die-cast all-metal housing, metal switches, and rugged spring steel wire mesh grille, the sE4400 is built to last for years of demanding studio use and the day-to-day life of a touring artist.

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    SWITCHABLE PRE ATTENUATION PAD & BASS-CUT FILTER

    Select between two pre-attenuation pads for an extended dynamic range and compensate for loud vocals, guitars, drums, and brass instruments. With two low-cut filters, easily tame excessive low-frequency rumble and proximity effect and efficiently adjust for close-miking techniques.

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    AVAILABLE AS A MATCHED STEREO-PAIR

    Each sE4400 Matched Pair is rigorously tested, tuned in-house and sonically matched to ensure a virtually identical frequency response for balanced, consistent sound. Complete with a metal mic case, stereo bar, two shockmounts and two sE4400 microphones.

Inside the sE4400 Matched-Pair & Shockmount

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    CUSTOM SHOCKMOUNT+ CHASSIS

    The flat, round-edged chassis design and custom suspension mount allow the mic to be centered within the shock, used flat against a drum head or guitar cab, among many other use cases, and provides exceptional protection from low-end rumble and footfall noise.

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    TUNED & SONICALLY MATCHED IN-HOUSE

    Each sE4400 Matched Pair is rigorously tested, tuned in-house and sonically matched to ensure a virtually identical frequency response for balanced, consistent sound. Complete with a metal mic case, stereo bar, two shockmounts and two sE4400 microphones.















Specs

Components
Capsule Hand-crafted 1" Gold-sputtered True Condenser
Diaphragm Gold-sputtered mylar
Power
Electrical impedance 22 Ohms
Connectivity 3-pin male XLR connector
Powering 48V Phantom Power (P48 according to IEC 61938)
Sound
Polar patterns Cardioid, Hypercardioid, Omni-directional, Figure-8
Frequency range 20 Hz - 20 kHz
Sensitivity 25 mV / Pa (-32 dBV)
Max SPL 137 / 147 / 157 dB (0/10/20 dB Attenuation pad - 0.5% THD)
Equivalent noise level 13 dB(A)
Signal to noise ratio 81 dB
Low-cut filter 40 / 80 Hz, 6 dB/Oct, switchable
Attenuation pad 10 / 20 dB, switchable
Dimensions
Mic weight 290 g (10.23 oz.)
Mic length 146 mm (5.75 in.)
Mic width 58 mm (2.32 in.)
Mic diameter 29 mm (1.10 in.)
What's in the sE4400 box
sE4400 microphone
Custom shockmount + thread adapter
Metal case
What's in the sE4400 Matched-Pair box
sE4400 microphone (x2)
Custom shock-mount + thread adapter (x2)
Stereo mounting bar
Metal case

Downloads

User Manual
Download

  • "Having used the sE4400's for the piano parts on Coldplay’s latest album I wish I’d had them on piano duty for the previous record too."

    — Rik Simpson, Producer (Coldplay, Jay-Z, Portishead)

  • "Even if you're a professional with countless mics at your disposal, the sE4400 is still a great mic to have for location work or for hurried sessions."

    — Andy Hong, Tape Op
    Full Review

  • "when you won't have the luxury of setting up a bunch of mics to try out. Just mount up an sE4400 and hit record."

    — Andy Hong, Tape Op
    Full Review

  • "...these have been very, very good workhorse microphones. They’re very much the sort of thing you can put on overheads for drums, and they work even as a vocal mic very well."

    — Simon Franglen, Composer / Producer - sE Artist
    sE Artist

  • "I couldn't find anything that it couldn't cope with, and its ease of positioning for a large‑diaphragm model was a big plus."

    — Paul White, Sound On Sound
    Full Review

  • "If you need a large‑diaphragm, multi‑pattern capacitor mic that's almost as easy to position as a small‑diaphragm pencil mic, the SE4400, with its elegant shockmount, is a very practical choice in the mid‑priced section of the microphone market."

    — Paul White, Sound On Sound
    Full Review

  • "I liked the detail in the top end, which was present but never harsh. Male vocals sounded warm yet articulate, with a solid midrange."

    — Emile Menasch, Electronic Musician
    Full Review

  • "The 4400's low-mid response was terrific on cello, both bowed and plucked. The pair also worked well as room mics, capturing a nice sense of space and direction.”

    — Emile Menasch, Electronic Musician
    Full Review

  • “sE's reputation will be further enhanced with this model and deservedly so, for here is a genuine all-rounder which performs extremely capably with a bare minimum of fuss.”

    — Music Radar
    Full Review

  • “Whether you're searching for a single microphone to carry out all of your recording tasks, or looking to add to an existing library of models with a microphone you can throw into a bag for a session and pull out for almost any application, the 4400a is definitely more than up to the job.”

    — Music Radar
    Full Review
  • — Music Radar
    Full Review

  • “…the 4400a continues sE's tradition beautifully. It doesn't unnaturally colour vocal recordings, but the sound is clear and tight and does what vocal recordings really need to do - leave you with a result that will respond well to any EQ and compression treatment you have in mind for the mix stage.”

    — Music Radar
    Full Review
Related products
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.

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.