A RIBBON MIC WITH MUSCLE
By Graeme Hague
7 November 2013
AEA has developed a ribbon microphone designed to bridge the gap between the clarity of quality condenser microphones and classic ribbon technology tone, plus you may no longer need to discreetly lock your ribbon mics away before certain people rock into your studio. The AEA N22 is the first of a planned Nuvo series of ribbon mics aimed at home and project studios with regard to pricing – RRP price in Australia is AUS$1162, which for a ribbon mic like this is comparatively inexpensive – and a more tolerant design. The pure aluminium ribbon is highly protected for use in close-miking applications even with high SPL sources such as electric guitars and drums. The N22 electronics require phantom power making it compatible with a wider range of preamps including the kinds of Firewire and USB interfaces commonly used in home studios. The microphone promises less colour and a more faithful, accurate reproduction of the source without needing any EQ, yet still imparts a true ribbon tone. It certainly does sound like the AEA N22 offers the best of both worlds and it’ll be interesting to see what else the impending Nuvo series brings us. More info with videos and feedback from engineers who road-tested the N22 at www.ribbonmics.com
Australian Distributor: Check AEA’s website for the list of Oz resellers
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