Now playing: Jonathan Stout - "Shivers" - AEA R84A Ribbon Mic - 1937 Gibson ES-150 and 1939 EH-185 amp. by campusfive. Paused, Muted
Jonathan Stout - "Shivers" - AEA R84A Ribbon Mic - 1937 Gibson ES-150 and 1939 EH-185 amp.
Testing the AEA R84 and R84A Ribbon Mics in a Home Studio
I recently had the chance to test out both the AEA R84 ribbon mic, and its active counterpart, the R84A. While I've worked with vintage RCA ribbon mics as well as AEA's vintage-style ribbon mics for our studio recordings, using one in a home setup never seemed practical.
However, after visiting my friend Tim Ferguson (@thefoxtooth), I realized that an option like the R84 could work even without acoustic treatment. What surprised me was how great they sounded on my guitars with just a HPF to eliminate low-end rumble.
I also discovered the flexibility of controlling ambient levels, even when using a figure 8 mic in an untreated room.
- The first electric guitar amp tone I captured with the R84A was with my 1937 ES-150 and 1939 EH-185 amp, aiming for the Charlie Christian style. Watch the full performance on livestream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV35k453CLE
- Full disclosure: AEA provided both mics for testing, and I ended up purchasing an R84A at artist pricing.