AEA RPQ Dual Ribbon Pre w/curve shaping

What We Think

this killer TRP style mic pre that is optimized for use with active ribbon mics that require phantom power. It also has the added benefit of an amazing sounding high frequency boost and low frequency roll off.

Reviews

Check out this review from MIX magazine here

The Spiel

The AEA RPQ Ribbon Preamp with Curve-Shaping provides two channels of high-quality, high-gain, low-noise microphone preamplification, and unlike the TRP provides phantom power for active electronics. Particularly well-suited for use with ribbon microphones, it delivers the speed, precision, quietness, and headroom needed for today's high-resolution recordings. The JFET circuit design generates up to 80 dB of clean and quiet gain, with extended bandwidth from below 1 Hz to beyond 200 kHz, for dynamic range and transient response that complements all of your microphones.

The RPQ's Curve-Shaper gives you the tools to control your ribbons. Ribbon mics are capable of delivering strong sub-woofer lows, and can have a significant bass proximity effect. Such strong low-frequency content can mask high-frequency intelligibility, so the tunable LF filter was engineered to tame low-frequency energy to appropriate levels.

The HF filter enables you to extend the high end adding a little extra "presence" or "air" to the pickup. The HF filter compensates for the high-frequency roll-off that is inherent to most ribbon microphones, distant mic placement, or an overly "dry" acoustical environment.

Electronics Specifications

• 80 dB of gain at 1kHz, balanced-in to balanced-out
• Noise figure, rms A-weighted: < 2 dB
• EIN < -128 dBu A-weighted, 150 W resistive source
• Balanced Microphone Input Impedance > 10 kO
• Green, red, and yellow LEDs indicate line level
• XLR output max level into 600O load: +28 dBu, balanced; +22 dBu, unbalanced
• TRS output max level into 100 kO load: +22 dBu, unbalanced

Physical Features

• Grayhill series 71 stepped gain switch
• Rotary potentiometers detented at 12:00 o'clock position
• Metallic blue and steel gray powder-coat finish
• Silkscreened engraved legends and single line schematic
• Detachable rack-ears included

Dimensions

• 1 RU steel and aluminum chassis: 17.25" w, 11" d, 1.7" h (44 cm x 28 cm x 4.3 cm)
• Weight: 6.75 pounds (3.1 Kg)