AEA R84 Versitile Large Ribbon Mic
“The Big Ribbon sound in a smaller package”
The R84 is different from other microphones. A listen informs you how different it is: quick natural transients, articulate midrange, and effortless bass. It’s an excellent digital recording tool, as digital processing has different limitations than analog. Classic condenser mics sound great with analog partially because of their aggressive highs and the “tizz” they contribute. This resonant high end is then mellowed by the generational loss inherent to analog post-production.
The digital recording process is more exacting. It’s capable of preserving razor sharp details for generations. So it makes sense to use microphones that fit well into the final mix. Thus studio ribbon mics with their smooth, natural, and easyto-EQ sound have enjoyed a rebirth as digital recording has blossomed.
The R84 delivers a sound that is big and clean. 20 years of ribbon mic service taught us about what users liked, and they like the big ribbon sound of the 44.
Preserving and reintroducing that sound became an AEA mission. Our robust, heavy, and expensive to manufacture 44 series are now in daily use worldwide.
Could we preserve and update this big ribbon sound in a more affordable package? Using new technologies, how much could we simplify? The R84 uses the same big ribbon as the 44, is 5 pounds lighter, and less bulky. Designed for accent and solo work, its bass proximity effect is less pronounced and the upper 10K to 20 KHz octave is stronger than with the 44.
Output sensitivity is good, being +2 dB to a Shure SM57. The R84 is now a standard in large and small studios around the world. An added pleasure for us is how much everyone loves the retro art deco styling.
AEA R84 Product Features
- Wide-band response from 20Hz to 20 KHz
- Effortless lows and smooth natural highs
- Low self noise and high SPL capabilities
- Handles 165dB SPL above 1 kHz
- Native-mode single-diaphragm figure-eight
- High null-axis rejection and gain before feedback
- Natural sounding reproduction
- Same Big Ribbon™, tuning, and transformer as the R44 series
- Classic look, but with milder proximity effect than the R44
- Easy to use and affordable
- Versatile for close-up and ambient mic applications
Why does the AEA R84 sound so different when compared to a condenser microphone?
Classic condenser diaphragms are radially stretched. They typically have sharp, narrow resonances in the 8 to 12 kHz range, the sound quality we refer to as “tizz”. The R84 and 44 use a long rectangular diaphragm that is clamped at the ends and tensioned lightly with a fundamental resonance below 20 Hz. Less than 80 millionths of an inch thick, this ultra low mass transducer has an excellent transient response with few resonances. It’s one of the most sensitive and accurate transducers possible. Many have commented that the R84 records what your ear hears in the studio.
Extreme high frequency headroom and low distortion allows close micing with an AEA R84 without it sounding brittle. Additionally the smooth, non resonant high end provides engineers considerable EQ flexibility. Try it, you’ll enjoy it.
AEA R84 The Workhorse
The R84 is a passive ribbon microphone that shares many of the unique sound characteristics with its historic predecessor, the R44. Using everything Wes Dooley and the team here at AEA had learned by re-creating the RCA 44, we went back to the drawing board to create something completely new. Call it a Swiss army knife, your “desert island mic”, or simply “The Workhorse” – the R84 was designed to be flexible and practical in a myriad of recording settings. With the improvements in technology and manufacturing since the thirties and forties, we decided to re-engineer the entire package to be more efficient, lighter and less expensive, inspiring Wes to affectionately call the R84 the “R44 for us married guys”. The result is a new microphone with a classic sound. The R84 produces rich and full low-mids, a smooth top end, and has a well-behaved bidirectional pickup pattern. These aspects, combined with the reduced proximity effect, make the R84 incredibly well-suited for both close-up and ambient mic applications in medium sized rooms. It’s just as versatile as an R44, flattering voice, strings, brass and drums alike.
AEA R84 An Award-Winning Microphone
Since its launch in 2001, the R84 has not only been nominated for several awards, but has also helped engineers and producers around the world make influential records. The R84 is so multi-faceted, that it has become a studio standard, having been used on the following award-winning projects: Turtle Island String Quartet, A Love Supreme (Best Classical Crossover Grammy, 2008); Los Tigres Del Norte, MTV Unplugged (Best Regional Mexican Grammy and Best Norteno Latin Grammy, 2011); Juanes, MTV Unplugged (Best Latin Pop Album Grammy, 2012); The Zac Brown Band, Uncaged (Best Country Album Grammy, 2012). It has become a go-to microphone at world-class studios such as Blackbird Studios in Nashville and Sear Sound in New York City.
A Big Ribbon for a Big Sound with the AEA R84
The AEA R84 uses a big, 2.35″ by 0.185″ by 2 micron pure aluminum low-tension ribbon element just like the classic R44. Many ribbon mic manufacturers choose shorter ribbons that are easier to install, but AEA’s Large Ribbon Geometry TM design offers important advantages. Ribbon microphones operate linearly above their resonant frequency, unlike condenser or moving-coil transducers, so the resonant frequency of a good microphone design should be as low as possible. The longer the ribbon, the lower the resonant frequency will be. The ribbon has to move twice as far for every drop in octave as it vibrates within the magnetic gap, thus a longer ribbon will allow for further movement back and forth. This results in the ribbon handling louder sound sources and more sound pressure level (SPL). Most AEA ribbons are tuned to 16.5 Hz, and because the R84 shares the same Big Ribbon™ as the rest of AEA’s product line, you will achieve a sound that is smooth, natural and free from any of the uncomfortable resonances that shorter ribbons and condensers can exhibit. The result is a sound that many engineers say is astonishingly close to what their ears hear when you’re actually standing in the studio.
Can be factory matched paired as required.
Specifications
Physical:
- Weight: 3 pounds in storage case with cable
- Length: 11.6″
- Width: 3.9″
- Depth: 2.5″
Operating Principle (Velocity 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
Accessories:
- Included: Custom soft storage / shipping case, and manual.
- Optional: Any length cable, inquire for price and delivery.
Limited Warranty:
- One year parts and labor, shipping not included.