AEA N8 Owner's Manual

ribbonmics & preamps

since 1964

www.ribbonmics.com | tel: [phone] | fax: [phone]

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PHANTOM-POWERED RIBBON MICROPHONE

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OWNER’S MANUAL

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aea n8

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WELCOME

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Congratulations on your purchase of the AEA N8 phantom-powered
ribbon microphone and welcome to the AEA family. The AEA N8 was
designed to be the most open and natural sounding ribbon microphone
we could make. Conceived to render acoustic spaces as faithfully as
possible, the new N8 microphone excels in capturing drum overheads,
strings, classical ensembles, orchestras, and rooms. As such, it is the
ideal complement to the N22 microphone. But even when used up
close, such as on guitar and bass amps, the N8 delivers exceptional
clarity and warmth, while also taking EQ extremely well. Additionally,
the N8’s unobtrusive size and black finish is ideal for orchestral and TV
work, where microphones need to be easy to position and more or less
invisible.

Your N8 microphone is 100% handcrafted in Pasadena, CA. AEA is a family
owned company with a small crew of skilled technicians, many being
musicians themselves. Proudly independent, we still manufacture all our
ribbon microphones and preamps by hand from mostly locally sourced
parts.

We hope that the N8 will help you capture many magical performances
that touch the heart. Read this manual thoroughly to make sure that you
get the best sound and longevity from your new microphone. Please
become part of the AEA community by sharing your experiences with the
N8 via e-mail, phone or our social media channels.

Wes Dooley

President of AEA

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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WELCOME 2
INTRODUCTION 4
GENERAL GUIDELINES 4
APPLICATION ADVICE 5

Controlling Leakage 5

Proximity Effect 6
Drums and Percussion 7
Strings, Brass, and Reeds 8
Piano 8
Electric Guitar and Bass 9

PRECAUTIONS 9
Phantom-power 10

Wind Gusts 10
Tramp Iron 10
Microphone Positioning 11
Magnetic Stray Fields 11

SPECIFICATIONS 12
WARRANTY 14
SUPPORT 14

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INTRODUCTION

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The N8 is a side-address, phantom-powered ribbon microphone with a
bidirectional (or figure-of-8) pickup pattern. It was designed for distant
miking applications like drum overheads, rooms, strings, and classical
ensembles, but it is also well suited for up-close use. With phantom­powered JFET electronics and a custom German transformer the N8
achieves optimal performance with a wide range of preamps ranging
from vintage high-end models to USB audio interfaces in home studio
setups. The N8 is the second member of AEA’s NUVO series. Rooted in
the RCA tradition just like other AEA ribbons, all NUVO microphones are
designed to offer a fresh approach to the ribbon transducer; it represents
Wes Dooley’s take on the evolution of the ribbon microphone.

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GENERAL GUIDELINES

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The two sides of the N8 (front and back) are voiced exactly the same.
Keep in mind, however, that the backside has opposite polarity compared
to the front. Positive polarity is achieved by positioning the side with the
“NUVO” logo towards the sound source.

The supplied microphone clip will provide adequate vibration isolation in
most situations.

To maintain the best performance from your new AEA N8 microphone,
take note of these four basic rules:

1) Keep the microphone covered when it is not in use.

2) Always use a sturdy microphone stand.

3) Never expose the microphone to strong air turbulence.

4) Be nice to the microphone, and it will be nice to you.

1) Keeping the microphone covered when it is not in use will reduce the
possibility of damage that might result from a sudden gust of air coming
from air-conditioning or an open door or window. Place the supplied
protective bag (or a standard plastic bag) over the microphone when
it is not in use. For longer-term storage, replace the microphone in its
protective case.

2) While the N8 was designed to work well with all standard microphone
stands, a high-quality boom stand will still make your life a little bit

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easier. If you are using a boom, make sure that it is properly balanced and
that the tripod legs are positioned appropriately to prevent tipping.

3) Ribbon microphones can withstand very high SPL (sound pressure
levels) without difficulty, but can be damaged easily by a sudden, strong
gust of air or high levels of low frequency sound waves (like from a
kick drum or bass cabinet). This can stretch the ribbon, causing the
microphone to lose sensitivity and distort its frequency response. To
avoid possible damage, follow this simple procedure when positioning
the microphone. Put the back of your hand where the mic will be; if you
can feel the motion of air on your hand, place a pop-filter between the
microphone and the source of the air turbulence. When recording kick
drums or bass guitar cabinets, angle the microphone to make sure that
no wind blasts hit the ribbon head-on.

4) Your N8 is a valuable and important investment. Like any piece of
recording equipment or musical instrument, it requires common sense
and good basic care to keep it working properly. Given simple, basic care
as described above, your new microphone will perform admirably for
decades.

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APPLICATION ADVICE

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Controlling Leakage

A significant and ever-present challenge in contemporary studio
recording is minimizing “bleed” (also called “leakage” or “crosstalk”) from
nearby instruments into the various microphones. The deep nulls of
bidirectional ribbon microphones provide good rejection of unwanted
sounds, which also can be beneficial in sound reinforcement situations
where feedback is always a threat. While gobos can be effective in
isolating performers from each other, they introduce their own set of
problems - not the least of which are reflections in close proximity to the
performers and/or microphones that result in comb-filter distortions.
Because gobos usually are bulky and occupy valuable floor space, they
also inhibit the ability of the musicians to hear and see each other easily.
Such a setup requires complex and often cumbersome headphone
monitor mixes for the musicians.

Because the N8 has a bidirectional pattern, it has nulls at 90° / 270° from
the principal (front) axis. Projected in three dimensions, these nulls
produce a “plane of rejection” to the sides of the microphone that can

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