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Ribbon microphones are fundamentally prone to picking up
strong external magnetic fields caused by light dimmers or nearby
MICROPHONE POSITIONING
WHICH PREAMP SHOULD I USE?
Always use a sturdy microphone stand.
Mounting the microphone
on a strong, sturdy microphone stand with a heavy base (or tripod)
is essential. If you are using a boom, make sure that it is properly
balanced and that the tripod legs are positioned appropriately
to prevent tipping. The R88mk2 uses a weighted, integrated
shock mount and is supplied with an swivel mount adapter which
allows for easy positioning. Please ensure that the swivel mount is
properly tightened during use.
In the case of the passive R88, the preamp is critical for optimum
performance. Passive ribbon microphones generally have low
output level and require preamps that supply a high level of
gain. If the preamp you use doesn’t have enough gain, the signal
might seem too soft or noisy. We recommend using a high-input
impedance preamp with gain at least +60dB or higher.
To guarantee consistent, full-range ribbon sound, we recommend
AEA’s RPQ2, RPQ500 and TRP2 preamps, which were specially
designed for ribbon microphones. On quiet sound sources or for
distance recording, an AEA preamp is highly recommended.
power transformers. Guitar players will know this phenomenon
from single-coil pickups. Even though much attention was paid
to suppressing such sensitivity to external magnetic fields in
the design of your microphone, it is still possible that you might
encounter this problem. If you should pick up a hum, try rotating or
moving the microphone to find a spot where the hum disappears,
and try eliminating potential sources of stray magnetic fields. You
can use the microphone to find where hum is originating. Rotate
the mic for maximum interference and move it back and forth to
sense its direction.
The high-performance magnets used in AEA microphones are
incredibly strong, and a significant amount of stray magnetic field
lines surround the microphone. Avoid placing the microphone in
close proximity to hard drives, credit cards, analog tape, or any
other magnetically sensitive items to prevent any data loss.
