 |
sE Electronics founder Siwei Zou shows a sample of the condenser
microphone diaphragm material fitted with rings that will be
part of small diaphragm condenser mic capsules.
|
by Frank Wells.
Shanghai--sE Electronics was founded by Siwei Zou in the year 2000. The enthusiastic and energetic Zou has a diverse background as a successful classical musician, conductor and composer, as an educator (including serving on the music faculty of California Sonoma State University), as an entrepreneur and as a recording studio owner/engineer. All of these elements play together in sE Electronics as PSN learned on a visit to the sE headquarters and factory in Shanghai on the eve of the company's 10th anniversary.
The history of sE is tied to the history of microphone production in China, which began nearly 50 years ago when East Germany sent microphone experts to provide training and education in manufacturing. Given the era and the source of expertise, it’s no surprise that initial designs were of the time period’s “Neumann-style” mics. According to Zou, very little progress was made in Chinese microphone design and production for several decades. When he started his own company, Zou brought in the most experienced individuals then working in Chinese microphone manufacturing, then hired, trained and educated the next generation of sE specialists.
For the first two to three years of operation, sE first used other Chinese OEM companies for manufacturing--a frustrating experience, as Zou could not completely control either quality or the manufacturing schedule. As he began adding manufacturing capability of his own, sE did some OEM manufacturing itself, as well as working on its own branded microphones. The turning point came when Zou brought in three British partners--James Young, Mitch Carey and Phil Smith--and made the deliberate decision to make and sell sE branded microphones exclusively—a painful decision financially, as it left lucrative OEM contracts on the table. After several years of marketing and steady progress adding to and improving the product line, sE has established a unique identity among Chinese microphone manufacturers. Zou believes his company is the only manufacturer in China that conceives, designs and builds its microphones totally in house, and further, sE is unique because of his strong musical background and the philosophy of treating a microphone “as an instrument.” sE’s product line is diverse and affordable, far from another lookalike brand, helping separate the company’s products from the sometimes negative reputation of its Chinese manufacturing brethren through consistency, quality and innovation.