The walls are old rough cut yellow pine and a bit irregular and I use an absorption panels on either side of the drummer and behind him/her. And top-level audio engineers like Joe Chiccarelli, Chuck Ainlay, and Vance Powell trust the AEA R88 so much that … And there is no other way to get the sound of a ribbon, other than using a ribbon. Just a friendly reminder that political discussion, (including "offhand" and 'sideways' commenting) is. IMHO, having the combination of enough distance between the mic and cymbal is the most important thing (I've found 30 inches give or take is the sweet spot), and no early reflections off of the ceiling (which you have taken care of with foam, which should treat high frequencies, you may want to eventually upgrade to 703 fiberglass in 2 ft x 4ft panels). Like me. What are the main instruments to record? AEA Ribbon Mics & Preamps 3,335 views. I don't think the is particularly fragile. I use to use a cloud, but found I enjoyed not having anything above the drummer - I get more room and I like the way my room sounds. I like what I hear about the AEA R88, and am considering it for a drum overhead. Pair of 4038. It does help with all ribbons to have a good mic pre match- AEA's own are fantastic options. Ribbon or not. Would the R88 be OK in this environment? AEA Ribbon Mics and Preamps manufactures quality ribbon microphones and preamps that reflect your sound the way you hear it. The AEA R88 uses Large Ribbon Geometry (LRG) architecture, that delivers effortless bass down to 20Hz - a feat rarely achieved by mics with a smaller ribbon. My ceilings are unfinished, about 8-10 ft. (a slope) in a great sounding, smallish room in a barn. Not sure why someone would choose anything else honestly, boutique or otherwise. Having two N8's would be a great option also. As a result, this is a seriously large (and heavy) microphone. Thank you Nathan, it' much appreciated. I’m cheating because it is a stereo mic, but I love it on so many sources — drum overheads, rooms, B3/Leslie, piano, plus vocals and guitars through one side of it always sound natural and full of character. Thank you both. You need an account to post a reply. Ribbon microphones - essential facts - Duration: 7:49. I like what I hear about the AEA R88, and am considering it for a drum overhead. AEA R88A stereo active ribbon microphone - Gearslutz @ NAMM … You have to take the back side of the mic into consideration. It's my favorite mic among many and I can't recommend it more. Proudly independent, we build all our products by hand in Pasadena, CA, U.S.A. I would go 4038, my fav mic in the world. We have an RCA 44B which is great but ever since I heard a Coles 4038 I've wanted one. Our studio lacks ribbon mics. I think I've decided on the R88, I want something versatile that will be good on a lot of different acoustic sources and also has the classic natural ribbon sound. If you have absorptive clouds on your ceiling, and the mics aren't nudged right up to the cloud it will be fine in my experience. 4038 have stood the test of time and no other mic can pull off what they do. I don't think the 4038 is particularly fragile. All good things require special attention from time to time. or would N22s be better? I would choose the AEA R92 in that regard. The R88 pairs well with AEA's RPQ preamp [#73], and together they are a staggeringly useful, awesome sounding team. The N22 is definitely a more modern voiced mic. In this review, I'll cover the RPQ500, the single-channel, 500-series module, which shares the same circuit design and features as the original RPQ, including 10 k ohm input impedance, 81 dB of clean gain, switchable mic/line inputs, the unique CurveShaper semi-parametric high-frequency boost, … Looking at getting a new ribbon mic, AEA R88 or Coles 4038? You should check out the Stager SR2N as well. The 4038 is one of my favourite mics so I'm obviously biased. The 4038 is certainly a heavier character sound, and has that bombastic low end response for things like drums etc. The following techniques and videos will show you a range of instruments and ways of recording with the R88 in Blumlein technique. I have no personal experience with the R84, but that said, if el. Click here to login, The ability to reply to and create new discussions, Access to members-only giveaways & competitions, Interact with VIP industry experts in our guest Q&As, Access to members-only sub forum discussions, Get INSTANT ACCESS to the world's best private pro audio, Promote your eBay auctions and Reverb.com listings for free. Both amazing mics and some of my favourites (that I own. Honestly, the Mic is phenomenal anywhere in front as well. 0:34. If one was concerned about maintenance I don't believe one should get involved with ribbons to begin with. The only clear answer is get the R88 first, then get a Coles and finally get a second Coles because you'll want a pair! A fixed Stereo Mic is obviously, more limited. I love both on my last drum recording i used the r88 on the overheads and the N8 on the room mics. When you buy products through links across our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. I use mine in Blumelein for OH and get a nice wide, natural sound and feel. I wouldn’t be without it on a tracking session Joe Chiccarelli (The White Stripes, The Strokes, Morrissey) … Tuneable filters, as in the AEA RPQ preamp, allow retaining useful bass content, while taming intrusive lows. I doubt it is much more sensitive to wind/air than are most other ribbons. We use the 44B like this and don't have an issue so I'd imagine the R88 will be fine. The R88 is a passive ribbon design and the 1:28 transformer between the .2 Ohm ribbon and the mic line is its main electronics component. Geez, what a tough choice. Do yourself a favor and borrow or rent one and try it.