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- AEA R88 MK2 Stereo Ribbon
Product Description
R88 mk2
Passive stereo ribbon mic for XY and MS
- Big Ribbon™ Blumlein (XY) and MS stereo ribbon mic
- Pure Ribbon™ design with open and natural sound
- Used in many Grammy Award winning projects
- Great foundation for main or sectional pickup
"The R88 is beyond belief! It makes every room in my house like a perfect room...A really joyous mike!"
– Pete Townshend, The Who, London
Being There in Stereo
In the 1930s, EMI engineer Alan Blumlein invented stereo recording by demonstrating the natural reproduction of the soundstage at one of the Abbey Road studios in London, UK. Still today, his coincident recording technique using two figure-of-8 ribbons is the benchmark for producing an authentic representation of a performance in a room. The R88 mk2 stereo microphone is a true Blumlein recording system optimized for recording instruments and ensembles in stereo. It utilizes two of AEA’s signature Big RibbonTM elements angled at 90 degrees and mounted in close proximity to each other along the vertical axis of the microphone. The natural soundstage and character of the R88’s Blumlein stereo make it a great main mic. As an alternative to the Blumlein (XY) technique, the microphone can also be used for MS stereo, providing excellent mono compatibility and full control over the width of the stereo image. An excellent orchestral and choral recording microphone, it also shines on applications such as horn sections and drum overheads, thanks to the pure sound of two undamped long ribbons and the passive circuit without the headroom limitations of active electronics. The R88 accurately records complex tones such as woodwinds, strings and cymbals.Whether it’s at Abbey Road or in your home studio, the R88 mk2 puts the listener right there with the performers in the recording room.
The Grammy-Winning Package
The list of Grammy and Academy Award winning projects recorded with the help of the R88 mk2 microphone is long and keeps growing: Turtle Island String Quartet, Los Tigres Del Norte, Juanes MTV Unplugged, Life Of Pi soundtrack to name but a few. The matched Blumlein pair of ribbons packaged in a sleek black shell designed for quick setup delivers a great sound right off the bat, making it an excellent choice for remote recording setups. As a drum overhead or room pick-up microphone, it instantly captures a punchy, “larger than life” image that is particularly well suited for rock, roots, Americana, and jazz genres. Seasoned engineers like Joe Chiccarelli, Chuck Ainlay or Vance Powell trust the AEA R88 mk2 so much that Nashville’s world-class Blackbird Studios now has an R88 available for every single room in their facility.
A Big Ribbon for a Big Sound
At the heart of the AEA R88 are two big, 2.35" by 0.185" by 2 micron pure aluminum low-tension ribbon elements just like the one used in 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 ribbon 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 just 16.5 Hz, and because the R88 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 they are actually standing in the studio.
Product Videos
For more information and AEA Session videos, please visit: http://www.AEAsessions.com "The Architect" performed by Josh Nelson Piano is a Yamaha S-400B. Hand built in Japan, 1985 Videography and audio by Alex Chaloff (http://www.bucketsmovingcompany.com) FEATURED PRODUCTS: R88 INPUT LIST: Piano - R88 - DAV BG1 Preamp Converters: RME Fireface UFX DAW: Nuendo 4 @ 96k/24bit Watch this video on it's AEA Sessions page: http://www.aeasessions.com/the-architect ✅ Subscribe To My Channel For More Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@Ribbonmics/?... ✅ Important Links: ? Website: https://aearibbonmics.com/ ============================== ✅ About AEA Ribbon Mics & Preamps: AEA Ribbon Mics and Preamps is family owned and operated in beautiful Pasadena, California. Proudly independent, we still manufacture all our microphones by hand right here in the United States. Since the creation of the R44C in 1998, AEA has expanded into designing and building new ribbon microphones, each with a unique application and function, using the same RCA traditions. Over the years, AEA has advanced ribbon technology, using new materials, updated manufacturing techniques. The company now makes a whole line of ribbon mics that can be configured to give a group of musicians a unique sonic signature. For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below: ? Email: info@ribbonmics.com ? Subscribe to my channel for more videos: https://www.youtube.com/@Ribbonmics/?... ===================== #aea #aearibbonmics #r88 #Joshnelson #ribbonmic #RibbonMics #AEASessions Disclaimer: We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage which is incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of reading any of our publications. You acknowledge that you use the information we provide at your own risk. Do your own research. Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use © AEA Ribbon Mics & Preamps
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Josh Nelson | ...For more information and AEA Session videos, please visit: htt...
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Warranty Information
Limited Warranty:
One year parts and labor, shipping not included.
Three year extended warranty if the product is registered.