AEA N22 Ribbon Microphone

AEA

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Product Code: 9999-14944
$1,099.00
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The AEA N22 Ribbon Microphone is a modern near-field and active ribbon mic with a rugged lightweight design, extended top-end clarity, and reduced proximity effect making it perfect for close miking of instruments.

The AEA N22 Ribbon Microphone is a modern ribbon mic that challenges expectations of traditional ribbon technology and can reframe the way you record with ribbons. It delivers clarity and balance in frequency response, even when positioned just inches from the source, and can stand alone in a mix without the need for the blending additional mic signals due to its extended top-end.

A New Approach
The AEA N22 Ribbon Microphone can be positioned inches away from an instrument and retain a balanced sound with extended top end while avoiding the room tone that can cause problems in smaller spaces or iso booths. This is what makes the AEA N22 special. It exhibits a high-frequency bump at 3kHz making it ideal for recording vocals, electric guitar, bass cabs, kick drum, acoustic guitar, and percussion. It is best to think of the AEA N22’s placement in terms of inches instead of feet. The AEA N22 Ribbon Microphone naturally reduces proximity effect while also avoiding the room tone that can cause problems in smaller spaces or iso booths. Naturally rolling off the low-end before it hits the ribbon creates a much different sound than using electronic equalization to roll off the low-end in post.

AEA N22 Ribbon Microphone Features

  • Extended top end with a ribbon’s classic warmth
  • Near-field ribbon mic with reduced proximity effect
  • Balanced frequency response at 1 to 18 inches from the source
  • Compact, lightweight design with rugged durability
  • Active electronics and custom transformer optimized for all preamps
  • Made in the U.S.A.

AEA N22 Ribbon Microphone Specifications

  • Operating Principle: Pressure Gradient Transducer
  • Directional Pattern: Bidirectional
  • Frequency Range: < 20 Hz to > 20 kHz
  • Maximum SPL: 141 dB SPL (1% Third Harmonic > 1 kHz)
  • Sensitivity: 8.3 mV/Pa (at 1 kHz, No Load)
  • Output Impedance: 92 Ω Broadband
  • Recommended Load Impedance: 1.0 kΩ or Greater
  • Phantom Power: P48 Phantom Power, 7 mA
  • Polarity: Pin 2 High for Positive Pressure at the Front of the Microphone
  • Polar Response: Native Bidirectional, Figure-of-8 Pattern
  • Horizontal: Up to 90 dB Rejection at Right Angles to the Front / Back Axis
  • Vertical: Level Changes with Angle of Incidence, but Frequency Response is Consistent
  • Transducer Element Material: Pure aluminum Corrugated Ribbon
  • Thickness: 1.8 μm
  • Width: 0.185 in (4.7 mm)
  • Length: 2.35 in (59.7 mm)
  • Mic Dimensions:
    • Height: 8.83 in (22.5 cm)
    • Width: 1.62 in (11.7 cm)
    • Depth: 1.62 in (9.5 cm)
  • Weight: 12 oz (335 g)
  • Connector: XLR-3M

AEA N22 Ribbon Microphone Includes

  • N22 Ribbon Microphone
  • Storage Case
  • Microphone Stand Clip
  • Custom Protective Mic Sleeve
  • User Manual
  • Manufacturer Warranty

1 Review Hide Reviews Show Reviews

  • 5
    Great mic!!!
    Benjy Johnson

    Just go buy one already!! They bill this as a project studio mic, but its used everyday in my professional studio. The most "real" sounding mic I have heard. No hype, no craziness, just pure sound. Ever have a vocalist with a spiky mid-range? This fixes them. Go......buy.....now.

What We Think

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The AEA N22 Nuvo addresses exactly what home recordists have wanted for years when searching for a ribbon microphone: warm body (without too much woof) and a smooth yet still clear top-end. The AEA N22 may very well be regarded as a revolutionary reinvention of the ribbon microphone - and I feel that would be an appropriate assessment. There's really no feeling of need to equalize this mic or even that crazy feeling of need to buy a specific preamp - though AEA's RPQ and RPQ500 preamps are the perfect mates for this microphone as their clean, clear gain lets all of the mic's sound through without the mic having to work harder as with lower impedance preamps; it simply 'works' as soon as you plug it in. The phantom powered on-board active preamp works to remove a lot of the impedance relationship concerns present with passive ribbon mics. The bottom end is really interesting with the N22 Nuvo. It is full without being out of control. It has the perfect balance of giving the massive size that AEA's ribbons are famous for. But there's no rumble anywhere. It's as if the perfect roll-off is already applied. These low-frequency characteristics combined with the high-frequency extension makes for one of the most musician-friendly microphones I've ever encountered. But it's not a microphone that is limited in it's usefulness or to one particular group. I wouldn't hesitate to use the N22 Nuvo to record any instrument, honestly - especially if you're after bringing up a perfectly balanced lower-mid and mid-range of that instrument without compromising with adding equalization. It's all about balance and your choices of where something is supposed to sit in the mix anyways. So, the N22 Nuvo offers a slam-dunk tool for featuring a particular source without resorting to double mic'ing and the resulting phase issues. It's just a straight-up great sounding microphone that is perfect for singers, guitarists (killer on amps, too!), string players, and pretty much anything. Don't take my word for it. Try it out for yourself. You'll agree that it's the ribbon mic that you've probably been waiting for.

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