AEA N8 and KU5A Ribbon Microphones on a Classical Guitar
AEA N8 Nuvo Closeup
Ribbon microphones have a very long history, invented in the early 1920s by Telefunken in Germany, and have been used in countless historical recordings of all genres. An ultra-thin ridged aluminium (usually but not only) ribbon is placed between the poles of a magnet that translates vibrations (sound) to voltage.
Recordings made with Ribbon microphones sound very natural, have a full low-end, smooth mids and attenuated highs. They are never over-analytic if anything, they offer a relaxed presentation, making them excellent for instruments which mechanical sounds, like fretting or bowing, can be distracting. Furthermore, their pure characteristics and the bi-polar pattern generate a feeling of "being there" in the room with the musicians.
Ribbon microphones can be quite fragile and require a lot of attention even on how you store them; additionally, being passive they need a lot of very clean gain from the preamps otherwise the can appear noisy, especially with soft instruments and dynamic styles. The advances in HiFi recordings and playback systems, and their inherent downsides pushed Ribbon microphones out of fashion for several decades.
The last decades the trend seems to have shifted, at least partially. Musicians and engineers lust for the added warmth that Ribbon microphones exhibit naturally, and digital environments sometimes lack. For more than 20 years, AEA has dedicated its resources in developing and manufacturing high-quality Ribbon microphones that enable the listener to experience recordings as if he is in the same room with the musicians, and with the recent products, they hope to eliminate some of the inherent issues of this technology.
Nuvo N8 - Active Ribbon with an Extended Top-end
AEA Nuvo N8
Derived from the very well received and fantastic R88, the N8 is a mono version of the former with an added active circuit, meaning that it requires +48 phantom power to function and in exchange, it provides a higher output, making it less dependent on the preamp, and subsequently delivering cleaner recordings. The AEA TRP2 stereo preamp that I use, is specially designed for the AEA Ribbon microphones, and with its extremely clean hi-gain performance and high-impedance, it should deliver stunning recordings.
AEA designed the N8 to be used as in far-field applications, thus making it a better match for acoustic and classical recordings. And in contrast to vintage ribbon microphones, which can sometimes sound dark and murky, the N8, and the R88, capture plenty of high-end and present a controlled low-end.
Unfortunately, KMR Audio (AEA's European distributor) couldn't provide me with a pair to test some of the stereo arrays, like Blumlein or M/S Blumlein that Figure-8 Microphones excel, but I'm excited nevertheless.
KU5A - A Super-Cardioid Ribbon
AEA KU5A
The KU5A is a rather unique design in the world of Ribbon microphones, as not many non-bipolar Ribbons exist, and even less Super-Cardioid. The bi-directionality of most Ribbon microphones can sometimes be more of a burden than a blessing when used in smaller-unattractive sounding rooms. The KUA5 is a front address Super-Cardioid, that eliminates the room and presents the ribbon smoothness and warmth in all its glory, with the benefit of a detailed, extended top.
A high-pass filter of 6dB per Octave at 283Hz makes the AEA Super-Cardioid suitable for close-miking any instrument and the transformer-based, active electronics allow it to function perfectly with any decent preamplifier.
The attributes of the KUA5 make it a perfect choice for concert applications, both for amplifying the classical guitar along with recording purposes. Notably, if you play in an ensemble, The Super-Cardioid pattern will minimise the bleed from other instruments into your amplified sound. Ribbon microphones are also more forgiving than condensers, which can be a huge advantage in live recordings.
Lastly, A common issue with live acoustic recordings is that the Audience can sometimes be as loud as the instruments, the KUA5 will make sure that less of these distractions will find their way to your recordings.
Other Things
AEA KU5A Flight Case
AEA attaches the cables to the microphone on some of their products, and the KU5A is one of them, I'm not sure what to feel about this "feature" as it is nice to have, but makes the transportation awkward. The microphone itself is very well made, the built-it yoke is very sturdy and makes positioning very easy, and the is shipped in a very durable flight case. For concerts or location work, the flight case is undesirably big for the sole reason that it has to have space for the long cable.
N8 Case with Mount and Sock
The N8 is shipped with a durable plastic case which is very convenient for location recordings and for storing the microphone, a shock-like fabric cover to protect the microphone from dust, and a rubber mount that takes the place of a more regular spider mount and takes care of the low-end rumble and vibrations. The small size and weight of the N8 is also worth noting, as well as the standard XLR output, granting easy transportation and effortless positioning.
Conclusions
With active electronics for fewer noise-related headaches and an extended top-end, AEA carries the natural and calm presentation of vintage ribbon microphones to the demands of a modern workflow. Both the N8 and KU5A are excellent ribbon microphones that share the same DNA and are designed for particular situations.
If you want to remove the "room" from your recordings, the KU5A will do just that. While the N8, or better yer a pair of N8s in Blumlein, will put the listener directly into the hall that the performance takes place. Either way, a gorgeous sounding recording is guaranteed.
AEA TRP2 Microphone Preamp Review
A black canvas for your acoustic paintings.
AEA designed "The Ribbon Preamp" to guarantee the best operation for their ribbon microphones. Equipped with +48 phantom, the TRP2 can power condenser and active ribbon microphones.
Built for the desk and the road
A simple but effective layout.
With retro looks and an elegant grey finish, I think it looks great on a rack or a desktop. Housed in a lightweight half-rack aluminium chassis, the TRP2 is fairly portable though, perfectly fitting on a remote recording session.
The TRP2 has two-channels with 85dB gain for stereo capture. Each one is equipped with a stepped gain stage (+7dB to +63dB) and variable output control (+22dB) for fine-tuning. Push buttons for phase reverse, a low-cut filter (12dB per octave from 100Hz) and +48 phantom, as well as 3 led level indicators per channel, are located in the front panel.
The preamp is powered by an external PSU that is connected to the rear panel where four XLRs are located as well. Two for the microphone inputs and two for the line outputs. No quarter-inch outputs for unbalanced connections, neither a DI input are available. AEA built a high-quality microphone preamp equipped with only the absolute essentials.
Fade to black
Huge amounts of clean gain.
The sound of the preamp is remarkably transparent and natural, with a very fast transient response for excellent dynamics. With ease, the TPR2 manages to pick up unsurpassed detail out of my classical guitar, while allowing a full-bodied portrayal, with a beautiful midrange, pleasing highs and controlled low-end.
One of the most alluring characteristics of the TRP2 is the incredibly quiet operation. The classical guitar, being a soft and subtle instrument, presents a challenge to record properly. The signal path, designed by Fred Forsell, is evident, the TRP2 maintains every detail and lets the notes fade out to total silence.
The operation of the TRP2 is straight forward and a neatly written manual includes plenty of useful information. The level indicator LED are sufficient for discerning that the levels are healthy. I think that the low-cut filters are set a little too high for my uses, but other than I have no complaints.
Can you handle the truth?
Precise control.
AEA's preamps don't try to complement the source. The true strength of the TRP2 lies in allowing the microphones to capture an honest image with exceptional precision. With an impressive 85dB of absolute clean gain, the preamp ensures outstanding performance and can capture even the quietest sounds.
Alternatives
Priced a little lower, the DAV BG1 is an acclaimed preamp with a similar feature-set, low noise and high quality. In comparison, its sound is somewhat coloured, but that is neither good or bad. Lake people's MPA RS 01 is a straight-wire preamp in a similar form and function, worthy of consideration.
Cons
Low-cut filters are set a little too high for some uses
Pros
Beautiful sound, from top to bottom
Detailed, transparent, and natural sounding
Impressive amounts of gain
Very low noise
Lightweight and portable Sturdy construction
Some classical guitar recordings made with the AEA TRP2: