AEA R84 Ribbon Mic

Ribbon mics are always fun to record with, and AEA R84 is no exception. With its cool, vintage look, and pretty darn high max SPL, this mic is definitely one to impress clients with. The first thing i mic'd up was an acoustic guitar, placing the mic a few feet from the source, right around where the neck meets the body of the guitar. There was instantly so much clarity in the low end, it felt like the guitarist was sitting in the control room playing.

The next thing i tried, was recording some drums. I went to the Large room in the Studio of the Woodland Realm, and placed the mic about 9 feet from the front kit, somewhere in between the kick and snare. What i found was a super trashy Rock sound with a very defined kick. The trashiness was in part due to the room itself, but a quality i could see myself seeking out on a number of harder rock songs. Again, very natural sounding, less coloration than i would expect and more realistic.

A day or so later I had vocalist/rapper Raquel Divar come in and lay down a few verses. I know i typically like the way ribbon mics sound on female vocalist for singing, but i wasn't sure how i would feel about the rapping. It took a little play to get Raquel in the right position where her voice sounded just right. Being close up on this mic gets a little boomy, but there is definitely a sweet spot, and a good vocalist can work the mic and get it singing.

Lastly, I mic'd up a few guitar amps, a small 4w Vox Tube, and Mesa Boogie half stack. I ran guitars, and some B3 organ with effects through the amps. Just as i suspected, the mic really shined. The mic itself is a little harder to place than other smaller ribbons (like R121) but the sound is everything i could've hoped for. Handling the high SPL like a champ, this mic sounds incredible even when really cranking up the amps.

Clarity is the word that comes to mind most with this mic, i immediately wish i had a second one so i could use them as a pair. The R84 is the first piece of equipment i have gotten in a while that renewed my excitement to record. i feel like i'm just starting out again using this mic, it makes me almost gitty when i listen back to the takes in the control room. Very rich, and very realistic. I am a big fan.