AEA TRP/R84 Ribbon Mic Survival Kit

The AEA TRP/R84 Ribbon Microphone Survival Kit (RMSK) is this year's most complete package for your new or existing customers. Experience the unparalleled quality of AEA ribbon mics with this Ready-to-Go package. The RMSK comes complete with AEA's TEC Awards nominated TRP ribbon preamp, and either an AEA R84 Big Ribbon mic, plus $260 of free gear: a SMT-2 Stereo Mic Template for easy stereo recording, and a custom AEA case with room for a second mic. Space for a second mic lets you sell the Ribbon Mic Survival Kit to both existing AEA owners as an expansion pack, or to new users as a great starter set.

The AEA TRP/R84 Ribbon Microphone Survival Kit Includes :

    * AEA TRP Ribbon Mic Pre Amp
    * AEA R84 Ribbon Mic
    * Free AEA SMT-2 with R84 adapters (Stereo Microphone Template)
    * Free Posilock angle positioner
    * Free Custom AEA Case with room for two mics


The AEA R84 :
The AEA R84 Studio Ribbon Microphone is an affordable Large Ribbon Geometry (LRG) microphone suitable for use by the most demanding audio professional or hobbyist. This "R84 Zone" is for you and other users to share your experiences. We expect to expand this area with practical illustrations, guides to tracking situations, and actual recording experiences. Our intention is to encourage and support your success and satisfaction as you become familiar with this mic's unique features.

If you are new to ribbons, you are in for a treat! Experienced users have discovered the R84 is an outstanding general-purpose microphone, ideally suited for solo and accent work. It is hard to find an application where this mic does not shine. It is a fine example of the natural sound and figure-8 directional sensitivity a quality ribbon mic delivers.

AEA R84 Features :

    * Pure natural sound, just as you hear it when you're placing your mic in the studio.
    * Quick smooth transients that capture the feeling of being there without sounding like a recording.
    * Extended bass and treble that captures the details without shoving anything in your face.
    * A figure-eight pattern that focuses your recording on the sound you want.


We believe you will enjoy the confidence this mic inspires. It's a forgiving tool that makes your recording work easier, as it literally sounds good on everything. Try it first and you'll usually like it and find it sits well in the mix. When time is scarce and quality necessary, put the R84 to the test. Our users' experience is that you'll use it more and more (in pairs too!). Then it will start to really grow on you.



The AEA TRP :
The AEA Ribbon Mic Preamplifier is an ultra high-gain and impedance, minimal-path FET mic pre designed by Fred Forssell. This low-noise two-channel preamp is for ribbon, moving coil, and tube microphones that do not use or want phantom power. This allows for improvements in minimal path circuitry and also rids the unit of phantom-power blocking capacitors. Zener diodes on the input protect the input stage if external phantom power is applied.

First stage gain is set from +6 to +63 dB by a 12 position Grayhill switch. Another 20dB of gain is available after the output level potentiometer. Polarity reversal and high pass switches on the two channels are complimented by operating and overload LED metering.

AEA TRP Features :

    * Switched Gain and Continuous Level Controls
    * Phase reverse and high-pass switches
    * Anodized gray and black matte finished aluminum
    * Laser engraved legends and single line schematic
    * External power supply for minimum noise


Have you ever wondered if you were using the right preamp for your ribbon mics? That perhaps the mic pre you were using wasn’t able to pass along as much of signal it was receiving from the microphone as possible? Like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, you can make it fit—but only by changing the shape of the peg into something, well, more circular.

Most preamps are typically geared towards the needs of condenser mics. But if you’re micing with a ribbon, you’re probably doing it because you want to hear the smooth, open tone that a ribbon gives you. However, if you’re using a mic pre designed for condensers, you might be trying to fit a ribbon-shaped sound through a condenser-shaped hole, and throwing away much of the ribbon’s tone in the process. In fact, you may have never heard everything your ribbon mics are capable of.

The AEA TRP is the first mic preamp designed specifically to fit the needs of a ribbon mic. First, the JFET discrete front end provides 83dB of gain. We made that gain as quiet as physically possible, so we left out the phantom power circuitry and gave it an external power supply. The TRP’s 300 kHz of bandwidth makes it well-equipped to handle fast transients and the Low-Energy-Storage (LES)TM circuit topology allows it to recover instantly from overloads, providing you with everything you need for 192 kHz high-resolution recordings.

The AEA TRP is optimized for ribbon, moving coil, and tube mics that don’t need phantom power. It allows you to hear more of what you want to hear and less of absolutely everything else. After all, if you own ribbon mics, don’t you want to be able to really use them?

AEA R84 Specifications :
Operating Principle    Velocity/Ribbon microphone
Frequency Response    20 Hz to above 20 kHz
Maximum SPL    165 + dB SPL above 1 kHz for 1% third harmonic
Output Sensitivity    -52 dBv/Pa
Output Impedance    270 ohms nominal
Recommended Load    1.2 K ohm or greater
Powering    Not required or recommended
Polarity    Pin 2 high for positive pressure on front of microphone
Connector    XLR-3M wired to a 3 meter captive cable
Off Axis Response    Polar Pattern: Native bi-directional pattern
Horizontal: Level changes with angle, frequency response is consistent, –35 dB null at 90 / 270 degrees
Vertical: Level changes with angle, reduced HF response above and below 0 / 180 degree axis, null at 90 / 270 degrees
Transducer element    Ribbon Thickness: 1.8 microns ( .0000018 meter ) of pure aluminum
Ribbon Width: 4.7 mm
Ribbon Length: 59.7 mm

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AEA TRP Specifications :
Gain    >83 dB at 1 kHz, balanced in to balanced out
EIN (weighted noise figure)  -130 dBu, 150 Ω input
THD at 1 kHz     0.005% with 22 Hz to 22 kHz bandwidth
Frequency response    down 3 dB at 6 Hz and 300 kHz
Balanced mic input impedance    >30,000 Ω
Balanced outputs clip level    above +28 dBu, 100k load
Positive polarity    pin 2 on XLRs, tip on ¼ “ stereo jacks
Unbalanced XLR output load    reduces max level by ~6 dB
Unbalanced ¼” TRS outputs clip level    above +22 dBu, 100k load
Microphone input electronics    DC coupled
Mic inputs protection    zener protected from external P48 DC / shut off while external DC is present
Level Meter :
  * Green LED snaps on at ~ - 5 dBu
  * Yellow LED is variable brightness from ~ 0 to +20 dBu
  * Red LED snaps on at ~ +20 dBu
High-pass filter    12 dB per octave and -3 dB at 100 Hz
Power supply    provides two 17.25 VAC outputs
Phantom Power    None
Gain switch    12 position Grayhill series 71
Output level control     detents at 12 noon
Polarity invert & high-pass     pushbutton switches
power supply (P.S.)    External for minimum noise
P.S. input & output cords    6 feet long each
115 VAC P.S.    uses male grounded Edison power plug
230 VAC P.S.    uses male recessed IEC power plug
Chassis P.S. input    female 7-pin circular DIN jack
Power-on indication    front panel LED
Chassis    aluminum with rugged extruded endcaps
Size    half-rack wide, rack unit high 8.5” x 8.5” x 1.7” (36.7 cm wide & deep, by 4.3 high)
Weight    chassis: 2 pounds, P.S.: 1.5 pounds (0.9 Kg, P.S.: 0.7 kg)
Finish    tough, textured, black & gray powder coat
  * Options:    Dual TRP steel 1 RU rackshelf mounting