The AEA R84A and RPQ500 Package ties together two of AEA's fantastically complimentary offerings together in a great sounding, cost-saving bundle. This bundle includes a R84A, RPQ500 an Bento 2, a Front End Audio exclusive!
The AEA R84A / RPQ500 Package brings the tone-shaping flexibility of the RPQ500 to the home/project studio user. And since the A840 is such a versatile microphone enhanced by the sensitivity of it's superb on-board phantom-powered preamplifier designed by Fred Forssell, this bundle represents a total-package that is perfect for someone looking for one microphone that will work to record many different sources. It's particularly good for acoustic stringed instruments and vocals. This package contains what we like to call "gear for life" - you're getting a set of indispensable studio tools that you'll treasure for years to come.
AEA R84A Active Ribbon Microphone
The R84A was built on the success of the R84 and the legacy of the RCA designs. Incorporating the same Big Ribbon, modern JFET electronics, and high performance transformer as used in AEA's flagship active microphone, the A440, it is optimal for soft sound sources and classical recording. The A840 has an additional 12 dB of gain. The sensitivity with immunity to impedance
loading offers more flexibility in the choice of pre-amps, and eludes noise problems in low signal level applications.
AEA RPQ 500 Ribbon Mic Pre / EQ
The RPQ500 module, designed after the successful RPQ preamp, provides the same ultra-clean, high-gain signal path that has earned AEA preamps their great reputation, but in a 500 series package. JFET circuit topology provides all the dynamics, subwoofer bass, and fast transients that your microphones can record. The NoLoad input impedance above 10 kΩ means the RPQ won't load down a mic and change its sound. The RPQ's CurveShaper EQ gives you the tools to control your ribbons right at the start of the signal path. The Line/Mic switch bypasses the microphone gain stage and allows the EQ to be used for tracking with other preamps or during mixdown. Add the output level control, and the RPQ500 becomes a high-quality processing tool that can be used for mixing and mastering when combined with summing racks and mixers.
Fredenstein Bento 2 500-Series Power Supply Rack
The Fredenstein Bento 2 is a high performance two module carrier for API-500 compatible plug-in cards or Fredenstein Series 600 modules or API-500 compatible plug-in cards. The unit can accept a maximum of 2 modules. The Bento 2 features several important upgrades compared with third party products:
- Universal power supply: Mains voltages range from 90V AC to 240V AC, 50 to 60 Hz.
- Increased output currents: +/-16V DC 0.9A and +48V DC 0.033A
- Additional I/O: TRS inputs and outputs, parallel to the XLR connectors.
- Slot 1 can be daisy-chained to slot 2 by simply flipping a switch on the back-panel.
- Compressor buss linking: Compressor modules can be linked by engaging a switch on the back-panel as well.
- Secondary power-switch and voltage indicators are on the front-panel.
AEA R84A and RPQ500 Package Features
- A complete turnkey solution for the incredible ribbon microphone sound that only AEA can deliver
- An expandable 2 space 500-series PSU allows for you to start now with one mic and one module, and eventually add a second A840 and RPQ... or just mix it up. Whatever you want!
AEA R84A and RPQ500 Package Specifications
- AEA R84A Specifications
- AEA RPQ500 Specifications
- Electronic
- 81 dB of gain at 1kHz, balanced-in to balanced-out in Microphone Input Mode
- Noise figure, rms A-weighted: < 2 dB
- Noise figure, rms unweighted: < 3 dB, 20 kHz LPF bandwidth
- EIN < -130 dBu A-weighted, 150 Ohm resistive source
- Frequency response: -3dB < 1Hz and > 100 kHz
- THD: < 0.02% at 1 kHz
- Balanced Microphone Input Impedance: 10k Ohms
- Balanced Line Input Impedance: 33k Ohms
- Input Gain control: twelve-position switch provides from +7 dB to +56 dB of gain for the preamplifier circuit, as measured between the input and the before the output line driver.
- Output Gain control: continuously variable from -64 dB to + 19 dB of additional output gain, following the CurveShaper circuitry
- Switched LF Shelving filter: -3 dB break-frequency tunable from 18 Hz to 360 Hz; maximum reduction -20 dB
- Switched CurveShaper EQ: +3dB break-frequency tunable from 2.1 kHz to 26 kHz; HF gain adjustable from +0 dB to +18 dB; the slope of the HF filter varies interactively and directly with the CurveShaper frequency and gain settings
- XLR output maximum level into 600 Ohm load: +28 dBu, balanced; 0 dBu = 0.7746 V rms
- XLR connectors polarity: pin-1 is ground, pin-2 is high, pin-3 is low
- LED signal level indicators: green snaps on at -6 dBu, red snaps on at +23 dBu, and yellow varies in
- brightness with level from -3 dBu to +20 dBu.
- Physical
- Zinc-plated steel chassis with 0.125” anodized aluminum front panel (measured without knobs and switches): 1.488” w, 6.033” d, 5.247” h (3.78 cm x 15.32 cm x 13.32 cm)
- Weight: 14.5 oz (411 g)
- Laser engraved front panel markings
- Grayhill series 71 stepped gain switch
- Electronic
- Fredenstein Bento 2 Rack Specifications
- Input Voltage: 90V AC to 240V AC, 50 to 60 Hz
- Output Voltages:
- +16V DC 0.9A
- -16V DC 0.9A
- +48V DC 0.033A
- Power Consumption: max 35W
- Dimension (LxHxD): 480mm x 50mm x 190mm / 19 in x 2 in x 7.5 in
- Weight: 2.0kg(NW)
AEA R84A and RPQ500 Package Includes
- AEA A840 Ribbon Microphone
- AEA RPQ500 500-Series Ribbon Microphone Preamplifier w/ Tone Shaping Equalizer
- Fredenstein Bento 2 500-Series Power Supply Rack (2-slot)
- Mogami Gold Studio Microphone Cable (15 Foot)