User`s Manual
Contents
1. Getting the Most Out of Your R92 Preamplifiers Here are a few specs to look for in a mic preamp which will match well with your R92 Abundant gain at least 60dB clean gain Low noise EIN 127dB or better High input impedance we suggest at least 1 5 kOhm for good bass performance Active ribbon mic designs can help alleviate the gain demands on your preamp but this approach results in in creased cost somewhat limited dynamic range and a slight degradation of sound caused by internal electronics Active electronics also remove the variable interaction between the mic element and the preamplifier Several excellent preamplifiers are built with variable input impedance and when coupled with passive designs like the R92 a significant variety of sounds and colors are available to the sonic experimentalist NOTE The fundamental design tradeoff of a dynamic microphone is bandwidth vs output With close micing applications in mind the R92 was engineered with as much bandwidth as we could squeeze out of a large ribbon design The tradeoff then is that a lot of gain may be required for recording low level sources You will need a preamp with 60 65dB of clean gain to get a healthy level on quiet vocal recordings Using the Figure 8 Pattern The bidirectional or figure 8 mic pattern of the R92 is a powerful recording tool The front and rear lobes of the R92 have slightly different sounds We call the front the crisp2. E Audio Engineering EET Associates e MIC POSITIONERS 1029 N Allen Ave Pasadena CA 91104 www ribbonmics com Phone 626 798 9128 Fax 626 798 2378 March 2005 AEA R92 Ribbon Microphone User s Manual The R92 LRG Series Ribbon Microphone is designed for close micing of amplifiers instruments and vocals The mic is optimized for micing distances of 6 12 inches and has an extended high frequency response and reduced bass proximity effect compared to other AEA models Your R92 will sound great on guitar amps acoustic guitar as a room mic for drums and in many creative mic ing applications we haven t even thought of yet We want you to make recordings with your R92 as quickly as possible but please read through this manual carefully Below you will find important information which could help you avoid damage to your new microphone as well as help you quickly get great sounding recordings with the R92 A Few Things to Remember 1 Keep it covered when not in use Since the R92 contains powerful magnets it is possible for tiny pieces of metal to be drawn into the rib bon gap The microphone s protective cloth surround protects the transducer from this so called tramp iron but it is wise to safeguard your investment by keeping the mic covered with its supplied bag when not in use Avoid leaving the microphone sitting out on a table or workbench In our experience this is a likely place where tramp iron may be attract
3. microphone The ribbon is well protected from potentially damaging plosive blasts but to avoid the mechanical noise caused in the mic cavity by a wind blast you will probably want to use an inexpensive pop filter Percussion The R92 also sounds cool micing a conga or hand drum Start with the mic about 6 inches from the head and adjust distance for the bass content desired You should be able to get a good mix of hand slap and a natural reproduction of the tone of the drum as well Try using the R92 as a room mic to 3 to 6 feet in front of a drum kit You can get an ambient drum track by pointing the null plane of the R92 at the kit so virtually all of the sound captured by the mic is indirectly reflect ed from the walls of the recording room The figure 8 polar pattern of the R92 is an extremely powerful tool for isolating the best aspects of your record ing room from those which are less flattering For example if your room has a nasty slap between two parallel walls you can orient your drums and micing setup so that the null plane of the microphone is pointed directly between these two walls thereby nulling the less desirable reflections out of your recording On Axis Frequency Response 1 meter 5 co Z g o0 Ke gt 5 O 10 200 Hz 500 1K 2K 5K 10K 20K Frequency Hz Specifications Operating Principle Pressure Gradient Polar Pattern Native Bi
4. when used to record guitar amplifiers Using the R92 makes it possible to get very solid low end with present yet transparent highs using one easy to position microphone Try starting with the mic at about 6 on axis from your speaker When using the R92 to record small low powered amplifiers try moving in to 4 or closer to get a fuller warmer tone For high powered amps coupled with closed back cabinets and hefty bass output you may need to pull the mic back as far as 8 or more from the speaker grille to get the right balance of treble and bass frequencies Don t place the mic directly on the speaker grille The R92 was not designed to be used that way and it could potentially damage the ribbon in front of a sufficiently powerful amplifier The R92 also sounds very cool on acoustic guitar Place the mic 4 8 inches over the lower bout pointed towards the bridge for a sound with good low end clear midrange and excellent pick articulation Vocals Use the R92 for a warm clear vocal sound The smoothness of the R92 s treble response means that creative vocal EQ is easy on the ears and the vocal sound may be extensively shaped and processed without risk of nasty resonance artifacts As mentioned above you will need a relatively quiet and high gain preamp to make vocal recordings with the R92 See the section above labeled Getting the Most Out of Your R92 for details Start with the singer 4 to 6 inches directly on axis from the
5. directional figure 8 Transducer 2 Aluminum Ribbon 1 8 micron Sensitivity gt 55dBV Pa SPL Handling gt 135dB SPL peak Frequency Response 20 Hz 18 kHz 4 3dB Output Impedance 270 ohms nominal Recommended Reading BASIC STEREO MICROPHONE PERSPECTIVES A REVIEW first published in the AES Journal vol 33 no 7 8 pp 548 586 1985 July August republished in the STEREOPHONIC TECHNIQUES ANTHOLOGY pp 297 305 THE BIDIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE A FORGOTTEN PATRIARCH was first presented at the 113th AES Convention in Los Angeles 2002 October Preprint no 5646 it is scheduled for publication in the AES Journal in the 2003 April issue vol 51 no 4 THE NEW STEREO SOUNDBOOK second edition by Ron Streicher and F Alton Everest published by Audio Engineering Associates 1998 www stereosoundbook com RIBBON MICROPHONE ESSAYS by Wes Dooley Ron Streicher and Philip Merrill published by Audio Engineering Associates June 2003 www wesdooley com NOTE This is a working document For the latest revision of the R92 Users Manual visit http www ribbonmics com Copyright 2005 Audio Engineering Associates Other Products by Audio Engineering Associates TRP The Ribbon Pre AEA Fred Forsell collaboration preamp with no phantom power and 83dB of clean gain RCA Working Reproduction Microphones and replacement parts AEA R44C and CNE Microphone Tribute to the classic RCA 44B using NOS ribbons AEA R44CX Microphone 6db more ou
6. ed to the microphone 2 Store the mic upright Our ribbon transducers are tensioned very lightly for excellent transient response To help ensure a long life and consistent sound keep the microphone stored upright to prevent sagging in the ribbon that may occur during long term horizontal storage Because AEA ribbon mics sound great on a variety of sources many people like to leave their mics set up vertically on a stand in their studio with the protec tive bag on 3 Avoid phantom power Using a correctly wired cable and a properly working phantom power supply there is little danger of damaging the microphone with phantom power However since using phantom power with a faulty or miswired cable or a defective supply can cause severe damage to the transducer we recom mend avoiding the use of phantom power with your R92 as a general rule 4 Protect the microphone from wind blasts The ribbon element in your R92 is well protected from the normal wind blasts that may occur when making amp instrument and vocal recordings but it is still possible to damage the ribbon by careless use and positioning For example the R92 is NOT suitable for use inside a bass drum A simple check is to place your hand where you would like to put the mic Make sure that you can t feel any wind against your palm An inexpensive pop filter can be very helpful to avoid damaging wind blasts and the associated noise that they will produce in the recording
7. is a RS422 controlled Master with most RS422 synchronisers and Console automation systems Our Audio Test Department buys sells trades and rents new and used audio test gear Audio Precision B amp K Hewlett Packard Galaxy Goldline Neutrik and Amber are among the lines we maintain in stock for audio measurements of Level Polarity Phase THD and IMD W amp F SPL and Real Time Analyzers Audio Engineering Associates 1029 N Allen Ave Pasadena CA 91104 USA Phone 626 798 9128 Fax 626 798 2378 Visit us on the web at www ribbonmics com
8. side and the back the smooth side Try recording on the rear side to get a warmer sounding HF response the phase of the recorded signal will be inverted as well Like any bidirectional microphone the bass response of the R92 is very sensitive to micing distance but its excellent horizontal off axis performance makes it easy to find a sweet spot when for exam ple close micing an acoustic guitar It is possible to use the bidirectional pattern to provide excellent isolation between musicians playing in the same room The bidirectional pattern features a null plane which provides more sound rejection than any other microphone pattern Also the excellent off axis response of the R92 means that whatever bleed is left over from nearby instruments will be reproduced with accurate phase information so it won t muddy or distort your mix Here s an illustration of the pickup pattern of your R92 The AEA logo on the front of your R92 points directly towards the principal axis indicated in the diagram The and in this diagram refer to the electrical polarity of sounds arriving at the front and back sides of the microphone respectively Mic Positioning Suggestions Here are a few ideas to get you started learning how best to use your R92 Ribbon Microphone They are just suggestions your creativity and ears will guide you to many uses we haven t listed here Guitars The R92 has a very sweet warm tone
9. tput for critical digital recordings RCA44 and RCA77 microphones Spare parts and prop shells AEA Ribbon Microphones AEA R92 Microphone Large ribbon optimized for guitar and other close micing situations AEA R88 Microphone Large ribbon coincident pair in a sleek black stealth package AEA R84 Microphone That big ribbon sound in a smaller more affordable package Modular Microphone Positioners SMT Stereo Microphone Template for Blumlein and ORTF spacing SMP 17 1M and 1 25M Stereo bars in three lengths for the ultimate in positioning flexibility Decca and Mini Decca Trees For microphone arrays including recording for multichannel Modular Studio Microphone Stands and Booms Flightweight Stands Medium Duty Vertical Stands and Booms Heavy Duty Stands and Booms Crank up Stands Since 1983 we ve been the US agent for Coles Electroacoustics manufacturers of the 4038 studio rib bon microphone and the 4104B lip mic for voice over work in high noise environments We sell and service Coles microphones and genuine Coles parts In North America we represent CB Electronics a leading worldwide supplier of machine control equip ment to the sound for picture industry Their products specialize in professional control of and translation between bi phase 9 pin serial and time code machines Their SR line provides low cost multiple machine remote controls for RS 422 Sony and Tascam DA88 protocol machines The new P2DVD Interface may
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