horukuru,
Is the 8x32 SV on loan or did you buy it? I asked because you said the HGL is your backup on birding tours.
If you did buy it, will the SV EL replace your SE as your main birding bin for tours? I'm surprised that the SE has survived this long in a climate that's almost always hot and always humid.even with your "dry box". They are sealed well for a porro but they still have external focus, so air, dust, mold, moisture, etc. can get sucked inside.
I'm not surprised about your comparison of the SV EL and SE. Someone else who compared the two bins had similar comments. I'm not sure if you have the latest 8x32 SE (550xxx)? It has better coatings than the previous models. Contrast is excellent. However, the EDG is slightly better due to the ED glass, but probably also the coatings. It seems that Nikon reserves its best coatings for its top roofs.
I noticed the same difference when comparing an 8x32 HG to an earlier 8x32 SE (505), the HG was made before the SE, AFAIK, yet had better contrast and more vibrant colors. So again, Nikon reserved its best coatings (and perhaps glass) for its roofs.
I did find that the latest 8x32 SE (550xxx) is pretty close in terms of contrast, still not quite as vibrant in colors as the HG/EDG but very good. Ultimately, the SE fit my budget better than the EDG (and fit my hands better too even with the original EDG I open bridge model). In my climate, and for my fair weather birding habits, the SE is more than good enough, for me, it's excellent.
How about the difference in depth perception/3-D effect? Do you find that lacking in the SV EL or not? The 8x32 EL WB I tried was surprisingly better in depth perception than other 8x30/32 roofs I've tried including the 8x30 SLCneu, but still behind the SE. In that regard, that old adage applies: "The view through a good porro is hard to beat."
Brock