sE Electronics is a British-designed, China-built brand that’s been around since 2000. Their X1 series of condensers is the “starter mic with a real capsule” pick for a lot of project studios, and the Reflexion Filter (the foam-and-mesh shield that mounts behind the mic) was their invention before everyone copied it.
sE builds the capsule for every X1 by hand in their Shanghai factory. That’s rare at this price point — most budget mics use mass-produced capsules. The sound is clean and classic, often described as “Neumann-adjacent” for a fraction of the cost.
They also collaborate with Rupert Neve Designs on the RNT, RNR1 ribbon, and RN17 — premium mics that go head-to-head with Neumann at the top end.