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OEM Microphone WebSite Link:
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China GuangZhou TianTuo Microphone Manufacturing Co., Ltd WebSite:
http://www.chinese-microphone.com/
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Headset Microphones, and Lapel Microphones, interview microphones,
wired microphones, musical instrument microphones, drum microphones,
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this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes 19th February 2006, 02:17 AM #1
kidvybes Gear nut Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 135 SE mics / Karma
mics ...well, it looks like more changes on the Chinese microphone
front...it's common knowledge among many "low-end theory"
mic-afficianados that one of the original German-trained chief
engineers at China's oldest manufacturing firm Feilo, by the name of
Sewei Zou left to form sE Electronics, producing some of the best
products to emerge from the Asian marketplace (I've read that sE
Microphones are the largest selling line of Chinese manufactured pro-
microphones in Europe)http://64.233.179.104/search?
q=cache...s&ct=clnk&cd=2http://www.seelectronics.com/
whatsnew.html...now it seems as though another change has ocurred and
a new line of mics has been established...enter Karma Audio:http://
karmaaudio.com/...all of the models seem to link to directly to (older
discontinued) sE models (sE2200/Karma K25A...sE3500/Karma K35A...and
so on)......so if "what goes around, does come around", it
look http://www.chinese-microphone.com/OEM-MIC.html s like sE got some
issues to cope with...not unlike Blue microphones and their Latvian
friends......time will tell if this Karma is "good" or
"bad"...if these mics are as good as their sE counterparts
(I have an sE2200A and it is an excellent mic!) then there are some
good savings on the new "Karma" versions...and they have a
"Lifetime" warranty (only as good as long as the company
lasts) as well as the same "Free Trial" offer that sE has
been offering......so, anybody else know anything about these
mics?...we have some sE retailers on this website (warhead for
one)...they gotta know something about this sE/Karma story...
__________________ reggae souljah kidvybes View Public Profile Find
More Posts by kidvybes 19th February 2006, 02:23 AM #2 treemind Gear
interested Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: seattle Posts: 29 that is
interesting stuff...i have the SE z2200 (not being made any longer) it
smokes! one of my favorite for male indie pop vocals. treemind View
Public Profile Visit treemind's homepage! Find More Posts by treemind
19th February 2006, 02:42 AM #3 warhead Jai guru deva om Join Date:
Feb 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 7,057 kidvybes, this is
literally the first I've ever heard of it so I'm asking sE about it.
In the meantime the things I have info on:sE used to have their mics
made at the Feilo factory (possibly others).sE got sick of the same
old copy / paste business tactics of factories like Feilo.sE started
their own factory, and build NOTHING for anybody else and have NOBODY
else building their mics. And now the speculation:These mics are
probably not modeled after currently produced microphones but past
models from factories like Feilo if they are being modeled after sE
mics at all.In the meantime I would suggest that it might be nice to
keep the "maybes" or "I thinks" type stuff off of
the forums. Just my $0.02, wait for facts.War __________________
Warren Dent Front End Audio Sells Gear I am truly at your service.
warhead View Public Profile Visit warhead's homepage! Find More Posts
by warhead 19th February 2006, 02:52 AM #4 kidvybes Gear nut Join
Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 135 Quote: Originally Posted by warhead These
mics are probably not modeled after currently produced microphones but
past models from factories like Feilo if they are being modeled after
sE mics at all.War War...the grill design is very similar to (or the
same as) the early Cascade MX56 tube mics which looked (other than
that "Darth Vader" grill) exactly the same as the sE z5600
(either built by sE for Cascade or sourced from Feilo while they were
still producing the sE product)......compare these:http://cgi.ebay.com/
Cascade-MX-56-Mu...QQcmdZViewItemhttp://cgi.ebay.com/ws/
eBayISAPI.dll...ayphotohosting...even the current Cascade V55 tube
mics come with 8-pin military-type screw-fit cables (just like the sE
Gemini) clearly marked "SE.Electronics" (could Feilo get
away with that?)......the Cascade V55 uses the same 35mm (oversized)
cardioid capsule as the sE Gemini, but substitutes a transformer
coupled-output for the (much more expensive) Gemini's 2nd tube-coupled
output...http://www.cascademicrophones.com/
cascade_v55.html...Cascade's homepage:http://
www.cascademicrophones.com/(note the familiar statement, "...they
are built in the new Cascade facility and are not cloned or sold under
a different brand name."...recently their was speculation that
some of the T-Bone mics (from Germany) were also the same as the sE
(but again, Feilo may be supplying Thomann using older sE
designs)...http://www.thomann.de/thoiw2_the_tbo...info.html#fpix...so
it would figure that maybe this is Feilo's "revenge" on the
sE USA market...and the plot thickens...sorry to put up the info here,
but hey...everybody loves this stuff...foreign intrigue......don't get
me wrong...I own and recommend sE product on these sites all the
time...they make great microphones using very high quality components
(Japanese caps, unlike the cheaper Chinese-manufactured caps used in
many of the other Chinese mics) and unique and highly regarded designs
(like the Titan and the dual-tube Gemini)...personally, I wouldn't
hold it against them if they do some private-label product for other
lines, assuming they use their older, out-of-production sE designs
while keeping their newer innovative designs exclusive to the sE
line...business is business... __________________ reggae souljah
kidvybes View Public Profile Find More Posts by kidvybes 19th February
2006, 02:56 AM #5 warhead Jai guru deva om Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: South Carolina Posts: 7,057 We're speculating for sure, but
again it probably is the old designs. The reason sE started doing
their own thing a while back was they were tired of companies in China
taking their designs and re-branding them! So you won't find a current
sE mic with this happening as they do all their own research and
design, and implement and execute their own manufacturing processes
internally.I'm sure there was business lost due to sE pulling out of
those factories and this appears to be a slick way for them to regain
market share and ride on somebody else's designs...again.It happened
with PMI's Studio Projects C4's, and 797 Audio allowing Behringer to
have a branded version (reportedly similar but not exact?) of it from
the same factory from what I recall. There have been countless other
re-brandings going on from those factories over the years and even now
for sure.War __________________ Warren Dent Front End Audio Sells Gear
I am truly at your service. warhead View Public Profile Visit
warhead's homepage! Find More Posts by warhead 19th February 2006,
03:51 AM #6 ticohans Gear nut Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 116 Looks
like those Karma mics might be "borrowing" from the Charter
Oaks color scheme/style... ticohans View Public Profile Find More
Posts by ticohans 19th February 2006, 07:36 AM #7 ozraves Lives for
gear Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Oklahoma City, OK, USA Posts: 1,115
I actually spoke to Bob Reardon of Sonic Distribution (USA distributor
of sE) about this a week ago. These are not sE mics. sE mics are not
available for OEM. They don't do OEM. At this point in time sE designs
and manufactures its own microphones.I've got the current sE ribbon
mic here. It's not the same ribbon mic sold by Karma on eBay. I
imagine these Karma guys are getting OEM from Feilo.BTW, the sE ribbon
mic exceeds any Chinese mic I've ever used. They are awfully proud of
it as it's priced similar to its made in USA competition.
__________________
StevenMojo PieReviews, forums, blogs ozraves View Public Profile
Visit ozraves's homepage! Find More Posts by ozraves 19th February
2006, 04:25 PM #8 Labs Village Idiot Join Date: Apr 2004 Location:
Denmark Posts: 521 Quote: Originally Posted by ticohans Looks like
those Karma mics might be "borrowing" from the Charter Oaks
color scheme/style... It also looks like charter oaks is just another
"modded" chinese mic though, so..Gustav __________________
Musicstore.de Labs View Public Profile Find More Posts by Labs 19th
February 2006, 06:34 PM #9 7 Hz Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 899 You know the thing that REALLY pisses me off about all
these Made In China mics (apart from the sound sucking most of the
time)?It's all this mish-mash buy-rebadge-sell rinse and repeat
bullshit that goes on. Who really makes any of these mics? Are there
any REAL companies out there that make the mics they sell?? Or is it
all just OEM buy the things for peanuts, re-engineer them by changing
two resistors and a paintjob, then sell them on at a massive profit.
Bullshit to the whole lot of them. __________________ "You're
going to AMPLIFY this crap?!?!?" 7 Hz View Public Profile Find
More Posts by 7 Hz 19th February 2006, 07:57 PM #10 kidvybes Gear nut
Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 135 Quote: Originally Posted by 7 Hz
Bullshit to the whole lot of them. ...talk 'bout "bad
karma"... __________________ reggae souljah kidvybes View Public
Profile Find More Posts by kidvybes 19th February 2006, 08:01 PM #11 7
Hz Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 899 Don't worry, I just
had some good korma (for real ) __________________ "You're going
to AMPLIFY this crap?!?!?" 7 Hz View Public Profile Find More
Posts by 7 Hz 19th February 2006, 09:39 PM #12 ozraves Lives for gear
Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Oklahoma City, OK, USA Posts: 1,115
Quote: Originally Posted by 7 Hz You know the thing that REALLY pisses
me off about all these Made In China mics (apart from the sound
sucking most of the time)?It's all this mish-mash buy-rebadge-sell
rinse and repeat bullshit that goes on. Who really makes any of these
mics? Are there any REAL companies out there that make the mics they
sell?? Or is it all just OEM buy the things for peanuts, re-engineer
them by changing two resistors and a paintjob, then sell them on at a
massive profit. Bullshit to the whole lot of them. I don't like OEM
mics.sE went out and broke free of this OEM crap. They are doing their
own design. They are doing their own manufacture. And, here you guys
are with innuendo aligning them with OEM. I've got a current
manufacture sE ribbon microphone here. It's not an OEM mic. It streets
for about $849. I am almost to the point where I might be willing to
say it'll be the first ever time I've used a mic made in China where I
think it's quality in terms of design and manufacture genuinely
compare to those made in Japan and the USA. __________________
StevenMojo PieReviews, forums, blogs ozraves View Public Profile Visit
ozraves's homepage! Find More Posts by ozraves 20th February
http://www.chinese-microphone.com/OEM-MIC.html 2006, 12:48 AM #13
kidvybes Gear nut Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 135 Quote: Originally
Posted by ozraves I am almost to the point where I might be willing to
say it'll be the first ever time I've used a mic made in China where I
think it's quality in terms of design and manufacture genuinely
compare to those made in Japan and the USA. ...I'll alert the
media......sorry to be sarcastic, but it sounds as if you're saying
that if you found out that SE did do some contract manufacturing for
another product line, then that would somehow diminish the qualities
you're alluding to in the product you're praising...
__________________ reggae souljah kidvybes View Public Profile Find
More Posts by kidvybes 20th February 2006, 03:04 AM #14 ozraves Lives
for gear Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Oklahoma City, OK, USA Posts:
1,115 Quote: Originally Posted by kidvybes ...I'll alert the
media......sorry to be sarcastic, but it sounds as if you're saying
that if you found out that SE did do some contract manufacturing for
another product line, then that would somehow diminish the qualities
you're alluding to in the product you're praising... You've got way
too active of an imagination. All I'm saying is don't plug sE with
those guys doing OEM rebadges because sE is designing and making its
own mics. The guys at Karma seem to be yet another rebadge brand
getting mics from the Feilo factory. __________________ StevenMojo
PieReviews, forums, blogs ozraves View Public Profile Visit ozraves's
homepage! Find More Posts by ozraves 20th February 2006, 09:38 AM #15
Ol' Betsey Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: London Posts:
927 Quote: Originally Posted by kidvybes ...talk 'bout "bad
karma"... Quote: Originally Posted by 7 Hz Don't worry, I just
had some good korma (for real ) Classic.R. __________________ When I
haven't any blue I use red. (Pablo Picasso)A 'live' musician/producer
struggling with technology...Ol' Betsey Satan - The Original Flower
Shop 8 track - "She fought long and she fought hard..." Ol'
Betsey View Public Profile Find More Posts by Ol' Betsey 20th February
2006, 06:42 PM #16 kidvybes Gear nut Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 135
Quote: Originally Posted by Karma101 Hello I was invited to come in
here and clear some stuff up on KARMA MICROPHONES.We are made in the
factory in china that sound on sound wrote about and gave its review
on. Meaning we are made in the same factory that produces sE
Electronics. Actually our business partner owns the factory. So in
essence I guess you could say that we build the mics for sE.Yes we
offer a seven day trial and a lifetime warranty. The warranty is from
the factory itself.The microphones are not copies of any sE microphone
directly, but what we did on some of the models was make them better.
Modifying them adding better quality parts so on and so forth. Also
all the mics when ordered come with a print out from the factory of
its chart it own little finger print.Why did we decide to come up with
our own brand. Well that is a long answer a very long one. Infact the
name of the company was created you can say from that answer. If you
contact us i will be glad to talk shop with you.We also decided when
we created this company to go back to the original idea we had when sE
was created in which they have parted from which is giving you the
best microphone for the best price. As you dealers know if you where a
dealer before 2004 and 2005 you know that they have raised there
prices a huge amount. What we are doing is going from the prices that
we feel you will be happy with. So that you, and your customers will
be happy with the price the performance and the product-line all
together.Any questions please feel free and email us
sa...@karmamics.com or respond on here.If any of you are from a
magazine and want to come and visit our factory as sound on sound did
then feel free and contact us we will arrange the date for you to come
visit.Take care all.~Karma Audio Productions, Inc. ...well, assuming
all this is accurate, the defenders of the sE OEM issue may need to re-
evaluate their statements...thanks to Karma Audio for "chiming
in"... __________________ reggae souljah kidvybes View Public
Profile Find More Posts by kidvybes 20th February 2006, 06:48 PM #17
Labs Village Idiot Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Denmark Posts: 521
Quote: Originally Posted by Karma101 The microphones are not copies of
any sE microphone directly, but what we did on some of the models was
make them better. Modifying them adding better quality parts so on and
so forth. Wow, even the marketing looks the same as with all the other
"we look exactly like 100 other brads, but we are special"
mics! Quote: Originally Posted by Karma101 Why did we decide to come
up with our own brand. Well that is a long answer a very long one. To
make money? Tell me youre in bussiness to make money, if not - Im
gonna have to assume you wont survive and not buy your product because
my warrenty will do me no good for an out of bussiness company who
wasnt in it to make money. Quote: Originally Posted by Karma101 We
also decided when we created this company to go back to the original
idea we had when sE was created in which they have parted from which
is giving you the best microphone for the best price. Yeah, Ive heard
that other companies. Especially SE are currectly trying to give me
the worst mic at the worst price, the best mic at the worst price, or
the worst mic at the best priceGustav __________________ Musicstore.de
Last edited by Labs : 20th February 2006 at 07:07 PM. Labs View Public
Profile Find More Posts by Labs 20th February 2006, 10:43 PM #18
ozraves Lives for gear Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Oklahoma City,
OK, USA Posts: 1,115 The only difference I see between the Karma mics
and any other OEM mic out of China is that the guys at Karma seem
intent on diluting the sE brand. Normally the guys doing rebadge tend
to want to dilute Neumann or AKG or something else. I guess the guys
at sE should take it as a compliment that someone wants to lay claim
that it sounds just as good if not better than an sE rather than the
it sounds just as good if not better than a U87. __________________
StevenMojo PieReviews, forums, blogs ozraves View Public Profile Visit
ozraves's homepage! Find More Posts by ozraves 21st February 2006,
01:18 AM #19 Karma101 Gear Head Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Santa
Cruz, California Posts: 45 Quote: Originally Posted by Labs Yeah, Ive
heard that other companies. Especially SE are currectly trying to give
me the worst mic at the worst price, the best mic at the worst price,
or the worst mic at the best price I never said any one was trying to
give you the worst mic for the worst price. If that is what you heard
then you have heard wrongly sir. I am not saying anything bad about sE
mics I have not said anything wrong about them. All I have stated is
that we make the sE mics in our factory. Which you all where saying
that they are the only mic made in the factory and that is not true
infact 4 brands are made out of our factory. Quote: Originally Posted
by Labs Wow, even the marketing looks the same as with all the other
"we look exactly like 100 other brads, but we are special"
mics! I never said what you are aying in this comment so This leave me
to ask you where you heard me say this Karma101 View Public Profile
Visit Karma101's homepage! Find More Posts by Karma101 21st February
2006, 01:24 AM #20 Karma101 Gear Head Join Date: Feb 2006 Location:
Santa Cruz, California Posts: 45 Quote: Originally Posted by ozraves
The only difference I see between the Karma mics and any other OEM mic
out of China is that the guys at Karma seem intent on diluting the sE
brand. Normally the guys doing rebadge tend to want to dilute Neumann
or AKG or something else. I guess the guys at sE should take it as a
compliment that someone wants to lay claim that it sounds just as good
if not better than an sE rather than the it sounds just as good if not
better than a U87. Well the only reason I have stated the sE brand is
to let you know where we have come from. It seems the you all were the
ones that started the talk of sE in this forum not I. I came on here
to clarify who we are and what we do.We are a mic factory that current
makes 4 brands of mics. We do make the sE microphones I stated this
because you have stated that they make only their mics in the factory
which is not a fact. Since we make them.If you like me to place a
comparison chart on here to other mics in the industry I will be more
than happy to. I think youare reading my words and placing what ever
meaning you want in them. I was not bashing anyone just stating a
fact. Karma101 View Public Profile Visit Karma101's homepage! Find
More Posts by Karma101 21st February 2006, 01:27 AM #21 Karma101 Gear
Head Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Santa Cruz, California Posts: 45
Quote: Originally Posted by kidvybes ...well, assuming all this is
accurate, the defenders of the sE OEM issue may need to re-evaluate
their statements...thanks to Karma Audio for "chiming in"...
No problem my pleasure I will stop by on regular basis if you like.
Like I stated I came on here casue I was invited. Karma101 View Public
Profile Visit Karma101's homepage! Find More Posts by Karma101 21st
February
2006, 01:42 AM #22 kidvybes Gear nut Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 135
Quote: Originally Posted by Karma101 We are made in the factory in
china that sound on sound wrote about and gave its review on. Meaning
we are made in the same factory that produces sE Electronics.
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb0...chinesmics.htm...at the time
this article was published (2 years ago) sE was in control of this
factory...but even in this article it states:"Mr Zou went on to
say that it is not his intention to engage in competition at the very
low-cost end of the market, and the new SE Electronics range, which
has all been redesigned with new capsules and electronics, will not
include a replacement for the SE1000 entry-level model. OEM work will
be scaled down and none of the new SE microphone range will be
available badged by other manufacturers. This, he said, would enable
him to use high-quality components and manufacturing methods, and
every microphone would be individually tested."...so OEM product
even existed at that time... Quote: Originally Posted by Karma101 We
are a mic factory that current makes 4 brands of mics. We do make the
sE microphones I stated this because you have stated that they make
only their mics in the factory which is not a fact. Since we make
them. ...then my Cascade V55 with "SE ELECTRONICS" cables is
no coincidence?......and the Thomann product that so closely resembles
sE?... Quote: Originally Posted by ozraves The only difference I see
between the Karma mics and any other OEM mic out of China is that the
guys at Karma seem intent on diluting the sE brand. Normally the guys
doing rebadge tend to want to dilute Neumann or AKG or something else.
I guess the guys at sE should take it as a compliment that someone
wants to lay claim that it sounds just as good if not better than an
sE rather than the it sounds just as good if not better than a
U87. ...if the 4 brands of mics manufactured in this factory do not
share the same designs, the the terms "OEM" and
"rebadge" would not be valid......now, assuming this is
accurate information, doesn't that sE ribbon mic that "streets
for $849" still live up to your "I am almost to the point
where I might be willing to say it'll be the first ever time I've used
a mic made in China where I think it's quality in terms of design and
manufacture genuinely compare to those made in Japan and the USA"
comment?...I would hope so...the fact that more than one brand is made
in the same manufacturing facility should not reflect on the
manufacturer's ability to produce quality product...even in
China......I am sure that the Chinese manufacturer of the Chameleon
Labs 7602 mic preamp also contracts work for other product
lines...that doesn't diminish the fact that the 7602 is a damn nice
pre for under $800......so why all the angst?... __________________
reggae souljah kidvybes View Public Profile Find More Posts by
kidvybes 21st February 2006, 04:28 AM #23 homestudioguy Gear addict
Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 321 [quote=Karma101]We are a mic factory
that currently makes 4 brands of mics. We do make the sE microphones I
stated this because you have stated that they make only their mics in
the factory which is not a fact, since we make them. QUOTE]This is all
quite interesting in a positive way.If you have read any of the sE
Electronics/Siwei Zou related articles, there has always been a hint
of possible "others" being built but with a clear
understanding that there would be no specific sE rebranding such as
Apex as Nady as Carvin etc. I believe the Music Tech article also
mentioned that this factory et al was funded i http://www.chinese-microphone.com/OEM-MIC.html
n (large?) part with American Capital ie US buckaroos$$$ and at least
one of these articles mentions partnerships so on a larger scale none
of this should come as a shock. Karma 101 (are you by chance Warren?),
what other brands are now being produced out of this factory? Can we
assume, sE, Karma, Cascade? Another?FYI-Kidvybes, your "it's
common knowledge among many "low-end theory" mic-
afficianados that one of the original German-trained chief engineers
at China's oldest manufacturing firm Feilo, by the name of Sewei Zou
left to form sE Electronics..." is close. It was a Mr Pan who was
trained by East German Microphone Engineers who then taught Siwei Zou
about microphones and according to the Resolution Magazine Article, Mr
Pan now?/then provides weekly instruction to sE Engineers. Siwei Zou
is a classically trained bassoonist, conductor and composer with a
knack for business and wasnt able to get the level of quality from the
Feilio? factory he demanded.As far as sE not going low-level, the new
SE1 LDC selling for $169 shoots that comment out of the water.In any
event, I still love my SE2200-A and my SE3 is an incredible small
condensor.I was able to hear my sE2200-A along side an older (70's)
U87 recorded through an Aurora Pre on RADAR IZ via Mackie Monitors and
we had to listen fairly close to hear the differences. The U87 has
more "air" and bit more character per se but it was damn
close considering the massive price difference. __________________
HSGhttp://www.homestudioguy.com homestudioguy View Public Profile Find
More Posts by homestudioguy 24th February 2006, 02:09 PM #24 James_SE
Gear interested Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 9 sE microhones response to
bogus claims Hi all, My name is James Young, and I'm one of the owners
of sE Electronics International and the Shanghai facility which makes
our products. One of the Gearslutz regulars was kind enough to alert
me to this thread involving a new brand called Karma Audio. We are
contacting the people at Karma Audio privately to pursue some of the
incredible claims they have been making on Gearslutz forum, and we are
now looking for other incidences of such claims on other forums. In
the meantime I have been speaking with Jules of Gearslutz about
setting the record straight, since many of the claims being made are
quite simply untrue. As you all know, sE is not a huge company, but we
are growing fast and making a lot of good noise in the market because
of our products, and the man behind them, Siwei Zou. We've spent a
huge amount blood, sweat, tears and personal money over the last 4
years really establishing the line as a bigger player, and have
brought some real innovations, including products like the Gemini, the
Titan and the new Reflexion Filter… i.e. we are not an OEM or
copy company. sE Electronics and the facility we run in Shanghai do
not make products for anyone else. There is no link with Karma Audio
and sE, other than Waylon, who names himself as co-owner of Karma on
the Karma Audio web site. He used to be involved in distributing sE in
the USA when it was an OEM brand. Neither Karma Audio, nor any of
their representatives have ownership of sE in any way. Their products
are categorically not made in the same facility. Neither is their
facility the same one that SOS visited. I refer to comments made by
Karma101 in this thread: "We are made in the factory in china
that sound on sound wrote about and gave its review on. Meaning we are
made in the same factory that produces sE Electronics. Actually our
business partner owns the factory. So in essence I guess you could say
that we build the mics for sE." This is untrue. We are inviting
representatives from Karma Audio to review their comments, and retract
any false statements of origin and marketing. I hope they see fit to
do this on this public forum. What Karma101 has done is weave a number
of completely false statements, with some elements of truth, in order
it would appear, to capitalise on the success of Siwei's products. So,
again to set the record straight, here is the actual history of sE's
relationship with OEM manufacturing: Siwei Zou started his career as a
classical musician with the Shanghai Opera. He has, in his time, been
conductor of the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, a highly successful
Classical Composer, visiting scholar at the University of California,
and is currently a professor of the Shanghai Conservatory. In short, a
true 'golden ears'. In his role as one of the top Classical Musicians
in China, he was often sent microphones by the likes of Feilo, to test
and evaluate, and this led (in a very roundabout way) to his eventual
involvement with Feilo. Siwei was an advisor, helping Feilo to improve
the quality of their many OEM lines. In turn, he had an arrangement
for them to manufacture his own, sE, designs. This relationship ended
a few years ago now when, for various reasons, Siwei decided to start
his own manufacturing facility in Shanghai, called Heavenly Sound.
Heavenly Sound is owned by sE Electronics. Siwei Zou and his family,
myself and two other UK partners own sE Electronics International. No-
one else is involved in any way in ownership of the company. In the
first year of manufacturing our new sE product line, Siwei continued
two old relationships with Thomann (T-Bone mics), and Cascade, both to
allow for a smoother transition for those brands in finding new
production partners (as they are old friends of Siwei's), and to allow
for a growth period of our own brand so the facility was able to
support itself as we grew business. Those relationships are the only
ones, and neither company has had product manufactured at Heavenly
Sound for some time now. Today, as was always our dream, we have the
only western owned mic facility in China. We do not make products for
other companies. We do not re-badge products for the sE line made
elsewhere. We only make our own products and we are very proud of what
we've achieved in a ridiculously short time. We have taken not only
SOS to the factory, but also two German Magazines, the French KR
magazine, Audio Media, Resolution and Music Tech Magazine, as well as
several large European dealers. We've done this in order to help
spread the story of what we are doing, and to genuinely be open about
what we are doing, why and how. Everything about what we have achieved
is based on hard work, innovation and a lot, a LOT of personal belief
in what we are doing. Our workers are employed on long term, and in
some cases life-long contracts, something unheard of in OEM
facilities. They are paid very well, have transport laid on to and
from work, free lunches etc. We even run a further education program
for those manual workers who don't have a proper education. In other
words, we are investing in people, not using them. Our products are
all made in-house, even flight cases are made by us and not sub-
contracted. We will shortly be putting a virtual factory tour on the
sE web site so you can all see the entire manufacturing process from
start (raw materials like brass rods for chassis) all the way to
capsule assembly and completed products. All our machinery is brand
new, all electronics are assembled in clean rooms, as are the capsules
(again unheard of in microphone OEM) We have recently even invested in
building a full anechoic testi
ng chamber at our facility. Again, we are not about making as much
money as possible and running after two years. We really believe in
what we are doing, and we are re-investing every cent we make into the
facility, and making better and better products. I am very happy to
personally answer any questions my posting may throw up (I'm sure
there will be questions!!), either on the Forum itself, or at my
personal email address, which is james AT seelectronics.com Thanks to
you all for reading this post, James www.seelectronics.com T: +44 (0)
1582 470 260C: +44 (0) 7967 60 11 74 Last edited by Jules : 24th
February 2006 at 02:12 PM. James_SE View Public Profile Find More
Posts by James_SE 2nd March 2006, 12:43 AM #25 Karma101 Gear Head Join
Date: Feb 2006 Location: Santa Cruz, California Posts: 45 Retraction,
Apology, and Truth Hello everyone my name is Waylon Ford; I am a
partner in Karma Audio Productions Inc. I used to be a partner of Se
Electronics USA till we were caught in a web of politics, lies and
deceit. We were underhandedly forced out of our company and were never
compensated as agreed upon.So when we were approached by Wang Qin Tai
who was the partner of Heavenly Sound to start up a new company with
his factory, needless to say we were game. I had been working on new
designs during this time away from sE Electronics and was more than
happy to partner up with a professional partner and create great
products again.At the moment I thought that what he was saying was
that he and Siwei had a disagreement and wanted to start up another
line of product in his factory that he had built.
http://www.chinese-microphone.com/OEM-MIC.html So I asumed that this
factory was the factory he built in his partnership with Siwei. That
was all on me, and was my mis-understanding and is where I was wrong
in what I stated before. What he was indeed saying was that he (Mr.
Wang) and his entire crew which were the technical team and brain of
all the creations that have brought sE to the new era had split and
were opening up a new factory and wanted to join up with us a full
partners in this new venture and factory.So basically I am here to
state that I made a mistake in saying that we are the factory that
makes sE Electronics microphones and I am being man enough to say I
apologize and retract my statements. What I now know I should have
said is that we are the team of people that made sE Electronics who
they are now we are the group of people in the US and in China that
designed the new microphones and named them and in essence gave birth
to them. We took a company then known as Silicon Entourage Electronics
in the year 2000 and in 2001 brought to life SE Electronics and in
2003 created the sound performance and visualization of SE you see and
know of today. It was our hard work and desires that brought it, a no
name company Silicon Entourage to a proud well-made product, company
and factory now called SE Electronics.I hope you all except and
understand my mis-understanding of what was said to me. Dan Richards
has KARMA on his workbench and will give you a review of our mics and
we will take it from there. I know what we are capable of and so
should you. After all you all have seen what this group of people can
make in the past just imagine what we can do in the future.PS. James I
have never heard from you call me if you wanna talk here is my number.
Waylon FordKarma Audio Productions, Inc.1.408.446.2928http://
www.karmamics.com-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A
little history lesson in the matters of sE Electronics, USA and sE
Electronics.In 2004 after four years hard work to re-build and re-
brand the sE Electronic brand microphone and tons of money spent on
the marketing. James Young in the UK and Siwei Zou formed a company
called sE Electronics International. They used a very low and dirty
way to get rid of sE Electronics USA. The sE Factory was created by to
partners. Siwei Zou and Wang Qin Tai. Mr. Wang is the person who was
responsible for the new technology and designs that have in
conjunction with se electronics USA moved sE to the next level of
performance. Mr. Wang is the partner that has the extensive technical
knowledge and has all the best technicians in Shanghi. In March of
2005 due to a personal conflict of a business matter Mr. Wang
separated himself and his team of technicians from Siwei Zou and the
sE Electronics Company.Mr. Wang then merged with what used to be sE
Electronics USA to form a microphone company and factory that would 揂?
stay on the track of producing new and better quality microphone
designs and 揃?supply them at the price that every-one could afford.
Which was the original goal of sE Electronics, but as we all know they
kept raising the prices to the dealers, which caused them to have to
sell them at a higher price to the customers. So hear we are a
westerned owned mic company and factory in shanghai, china and we are
called KARMA AUDIO PRODUCTIONS INC. There is a reason why they chose
to call the company KARMA. Karma has since contacted the old sE
Dealers, and they have all shown much support to the newly established
company. We have had mic shoot outs with many brands not just sE and
Karma very often the one on the top, not only in sound and
performance, but in all scenarios the cases, the shock mounts, the
bodies, and the power supplies are all very superior to all other
brands. Every karma mic comes with a lifetime warranty and the
actually printed response chart which sE would never supply. Karma101
View Public Profile Visit Karma101's homepage! Find More Posts by
Karma101 2nd March 2006, 01:12 AM #26 max cooper Lives for gear Join
Date: Aug 2004 Location: tx Posts: 8,822 Quote: Originally Posted by 7
Hz It's all this mish-mash buy-rebadge-sell rinse and repeat bullshit
that goes on. Who really makes any of these mics? Are there any REAL
companies out there that make the mics they sell?? Or is it all just
OEM buy the things for peanuts, re-engineer them by changing two
resistors and a paintjob, then sell them on at a massive profit. Gee,
sounds like 99% of the consumer electronics industry. max cooper View
Public Profile Find More Posts by max cooper 8th March 2006, 10:08 PM
#27 asylumdigital Gear nut Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 108 How is it that you just found out where your factory is?
Hmmmm...... __________________ peace!Scott SlagleAsylum Digital
Recording Studioshttp://www.asylumdigital.comMYSPACE @http://
www.myspace.com/scottsatasylumdigital asylumdigital View Public
Profile Visit asylumdigital's homepage! Find More Posts by
asylumdigital 8th March 2006, 11:09 PM #28 OVERNIGHT Gear addict Join
Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 301 Another Blue/Red daytime TV drama. If it
weren't for these tennis matches it might get dull around here.
Seriously, some funny shit. Wasn't it true, back in the 80's and early
90's, that only 3 or 4 factories built all the VCR machines in the
world? I've heard the same is true of DVD machines but have no way to
know if it's still true. It does go to show though, in a rapidly
growing market, keep your knives sharp and remember that marketing is
king. __________________ For hand puppets, fisting is a life force.
OVERNIGHT View Public Profile Find More Posts by OVERNIGHT 9th March
2006, 03:15 AM #29 natpub More cowbell! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location:
Austin, Texas Posts: 1,708 Quote: Originally Posted by OVERNIGHT
Another Blue/Red daytime TV drama. If it weren't for these tennis
matches it might get dull around here. Seriously, some funny shit.
Wasn't it true, back in the 80's and early 90's, that only 3 or 4
factories built all the VCR machines in the world? I've heard the same
is true of DVD machines but have no way to know if it's still true. It
does go to show though, in a rapidly growing market, keep your knives
sharp and remember that marketing is king. I think you mean Blue/
Violet, as Blue actually makes Red, IIRC. __________________
Vibrational Arts, Inc.Blue Sky WaySonic Sorcery StudiosAustin, Texas/
Columbus, Ohio natpub View Public Profile Find More Posts by natpub
9th March 2006, 03:56 AM #30 OVERNIGHT Gear addict Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 301 Quote: Originally Posted by natpub I think you mean Blue/
Violet, as Blue actually makes Red, IIRC. OK yea, what you said, who
cares. Bring on the fireworks! Yo sE, Karma said you had a nappy
weave! __________________ For hand puppets, fisting is a life force.
OVERNIGHT View Public Profile Find More Posts by OVERNIGHT Page 1 of 2
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