The AEA Ribbon Mic Preamplifier is an ultra high-gain and impedance, minimal-path FET mic pre designed by Fred Forssell. This low-noise two-channel preamp is for ribbon, moving coil, and tube microphones that do not use or want phantom power. This allows for improvements in minimal path circuitry and also rids the unit of phantom-power blocking capacitors. Zener diodes on the input protect the input stage if external phantom power is applied.
First stage gain is set from +6 to +63 dB by a 12 position Grayhill switch. Another 20dB of gain is available after the output level potentiometer. Polarity reversal and high pass switches on the two channels are complimented by operating and overload LED metering.
AEA TRP Details Specifications
83 dB of gain
-130 EIN noise figure
-3 dB at 300 kH
No phantom power, 18,000 ohms input impedance
Green and Red LEDs indicates channel level
Balanced XLR +4, and Unbalanced ¼ inch -10 outputs
AEA TRP Details Features
Switched Gain and Continuous Level Controls
Phase reverse and high-pass switches
Anodized gray and black matte finished aluminum
Laser engraved legends and single line schematic
External power supply for minimum noise
AEA TRP Details Dimensions
Half-rack wide, one rack unit high (8.5" x 8.5" x 1.7")
Weight: Two pounds, plus power supply is (1.5 lbs.)
It rocks! Does everything they say it will. Tons of clean gain without all the noise. Worth every penny for the studio using ribbon mics on all sources, but particularly quiet and detailed sources where you don't want to raise noise levels to crazy hiss. It's nice to finally be able to use a pre with a ribbon mic and not wish I had more gain!