Description
AEA R88mk2 Stereo Far-Field Ribbon for Blumlein and Mid-Side recording
The R88 effortlessly records complex sources like drums, strings, piano, and other instruments that produce intricate transients, harsher highs, and bellowing lows. The stereo R88 captures a space as it sounds live and in person, with all the present subtlety and nuance. Its expansive frequency response and balanced low end make it superbly effective when capturing the full breadth of sound from the back of a room or above a drum set.
Alongside the mono AEA N8, it boasts the widest frequency range of any mic in the AEA lineup and effortlessly manages more complex source audio like drums, strings, piano, and other instruments that produce intricate transients, harsher highs, and bellowing lows. The Blumlein configuration of the ribbons allows for a sweeping range of perspective, so an entire ensemble and room can be captured by the R88 alone.
- Features two Big Ribbons™ in a fixed Blumlein and mid-side configuration
- Astonishingly open and natural sound
- Far-field ribbon mic designed to retain low end and top end at a distance
- Stereo version of the AEA N8
- Made in the U.S.A.
History:
The design of the R88mk2 borrows from serious stereo recording tradition. In 1931, EMI engineer Alan Blumlein invented stereo recording by demonstrating the natural reproduction of the soundstage in one of the Abbey Road studios in London.
Today, Blumlein’s XY coincident recording technique lives on in the AEA R88mk2, which uses two figure-of-8 ribbons for producing an authentic representation of a performance. The pair of elements are angled in perfect phase at 90 degrees and mounted in close proximity to each other along the vertical axis of the microphone.
As an alternative to Blumlein’s technique, the microphone can also be used for mid-side (MS) stereo, providing excellent mono compatibility and full control over the width of the stereo image.
Either way, the R88mk2 is so easy to use that any recording novice can do it. Simply choose where to place the mic and hit record. It’s that easy.
