AEA R84 - Application Examples; Vocals

the input impedance of the microphone’s output impedance. However,
a low or very high input impedance on a preamp will not hurt a ribbon
microphone. We recommend clean, high impedance preamps with a
minimum input impedance of 1.2K Ω and at least 65dB of gain.
It is recommended to make a habit of disengaging phantom power a
minute or two before plugging in your R84.
To unleash the full potential from your R84, AEA manufactures
high-quality, high-gain, low-noise preamps with a very high input
impedance designed to bring out the full frequency response of ribbon
microphones. Visit our preamplifier page (www.ribbonmics.com/
preamps) to view our line of exceptional preamps.
Application Examples
Your ears are obviously the best judge of microphone choice and
placement, but AEA has garnered a great deal of experience testing the
R84 in a variety of recording settings and from talking to experienced
musicians and engineers. As a result we suggest the following
guidelines to help you to achieve optimum results when using the R84.
Watch the videos on our website (www.ribbonmics.com, www.
AEAsessions.com) and on our YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/
AEAribbonmics) for more tips and tricks for our microphones and
preamps.
Vocals
Our experience with the R84 is that it sounds best on vocals when used
at a distance of 6 to 24 inches (15-60 cm). However, you may find that
positioning the microphone closer or further away from the singer yields
better results depending on the voice, the room or the musical style.
When recording at 6 inches (15 cm) or closer, it is advisable to have
a pop filter handy. The ribbon is well protected from damaging plosive
blasts, but to avoid noises from wind blasts, we recommend using a pop
filter.
If you are recording a musician who sings and plays an instrument at the
same time, you can make use of the exceptional rejection offered by the
90º null planes of the bidirectional pickup pattern to reduce the pickup
of the instrument in the vocal microphone.
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