Ok, first of, I’m not a pro. But in all sincerity not many of you actually are either. So my thoughts and humble opinions in things concerning pro-audio should matter just as much as anyone’s.

This is the first in what I hope will be a series of reviews of products available to us striving audio engineers. This time my ears have found a microphone that created some buzz when it first hit the market. The AEA R84, a cardoid ribbon microphone that according o the paper can handle up to 165db spl.

I’ve been messing around with recording fro a couple of years now. Most of the times I record my own voice. Once a friend of mine came by with his guitar, but frankly that session turned to shit.

However, I received the AEA R84 in its soft and quite strikingly gorgeous case. Custom made.

First I just put it up on a stand and took some polaroids of it. Looked great in my studio. After that I plugged it in and started my new-mic-routine. Singing in to it with my headphones (AKG) blasting.

I began with some classics, Elvis and such. Then moved on to some more contemporary material, I was kind of blue so mostly ballads today.

First impression, VERY little brightness. I was surprised, I mean this is a brand new microphone. This fact made me realise that the microphone is useless for ballads.

So I digged a bit deeper in my repertoir and started to sing more rock stuff. But no. Not for rock either. No way could this mic handle it. Sounded no way near the records I like and are the reason I got into the AE business.

The AEA R84 is not suitable for ballads and not for rock. So what the f**k do I use it for? Jazz fusion? I hate jazz fusion.

I record my own voice almost every day. Never has it sounded as bad as through the AEA R84. And it is actually is the most expensive microphone in my studio.

Conclusion: ribbon microphones is of no use in a modern recording environment. Unless maybe if you like music like Chic Corea.

Here is a short snippet of my day with the AEA R84.

interesting. i found the aea r-84 to work great on several vocal instances of various genres (a little top shelf eq was required in all cases), but i found it to be a very smooth sounding mic that is very useful. however, obviously your mileage has varied. i encourage you to give it another shot and don't be afraid to add a bit of top eq to it.
joshua

a ribbon mic will either work for your voice or it won't - and even then, only on certain tunes where you want that sound. sing what you like, it won't matter.

put it in front of a trumpet - or even better, three horn players - or in front of a drum kit.
good action!

# 1 for micing a Fender amp (or any amp really)... Just throw it up on the speaker and let 'er rip!

For vocals, it can take quite a bit of EQ to make it work.

FWIW, the more I use the R-92 the more I'm starting to like it [on some applications, like "heavy guitar" even more than the R-84... as always YMMV]

No disrespect to you dim light, but you didn't do your research. The AEA R84 is not cardioid, it is a figure 8, as are all single ribbon microphones. In order to obtain a cardioid pattern, you would need to build a microphone using two ribbons, like the Beyer M 160,which uses its second ribbon to cancel out the backside, leaving a Hypercardioid pattern.

Second, where did you hear that the first use of this microphone would be on vocals? Surely it is not the first preferred use listed in any of the manufacturers promotional materials. They do say that it can be used for vocals, and it is based on the designs of RCA ribbon microphones which were used extensively for vocals in the last century, such as in the 1930s and 1940s. And you didn't seem to research the microphone here on Gearslutz either, because you would have gotten a balanced view of its desirabilities as well as its limitations by reading the many threads and posts about that microphone.

We can't know where you got in your head that this was a super vocal microphone that was going to catch your pants on fire, but you got misled.

When condenser microphones were developed they quickly became the microphones of choice for vocalists because of their extended high-end and their extended detailings. Ribbons actually offer more realistic descriptions of sound sources in front of them than condensers, but because of their design they tend to soften and rolloff in the high-end. Perhaps you would have been happier with one of those new Chinese microphones which are branded under many names and which offer a really piercing high-end often verging on and surpassing the adjective harsh. Or then again, maybe you would like to spend $5000 or so and get yourself a world-class vocal microphone. Many of us have done that. But even then, most of us who have done that have first demoed more than 1 high-priced microphone to make sure that it worked for the purposes we were spending our money for. You didn't do that, and now you want to call the kettle black. Sorry that you are unhappy; but lucky you, the microphone you did buy holds its resale value pretty damn well for a new microphone. You should not have any trouble selling it to someone who would appreciate it for its virtues, and if you lose a little money in the process you should consider it well spent for experience, and as a warning.

Don't buy high ticket items without trying them first.

Best regards,
rlnyc

I shouldnt let this one get to me but.. oh well:

Dont tell us what we are thanks matey. I would take a stab that in the forum called 'high-end' a fair few of us probably are 'pros', just guessing. Of course your opinions should matter if they are informed.
This is possibly the worst review of a mic I have ever read. For that reason it does have the amusement factor I suppose.
Need I say more.....
No way??! A couple of years? My friend you truly are a fast learner...
I always find that the photogenic ones sound better too...Im especially fond of my Coles 4040 with its velvet bag draped seductively over its golden body heh
A ribbon mic with a rolled off top end? You're pulling me leg mister
This gets my vote for the dumbest statement of the week.

Theres always a lot of talk about what should be considered high end discussion and what should not and this is a prime example of what should not.

The original poster obviously had absolutely no idea of what a ribbon mic is, how they work and what they are 'generally' used for but yet he felt the need to inform us all of his ill conceived and ill informed opinions. What a load of bollocks...

BTW, for serious folk, I did find the AEA to be a little 'light' compared to the Coles 4040. If I had the choice I would have both but the Coles got my vote as a result of the sheer size and thickness of the sound.

Mosrite.

Man you make my day!

what a voice!

sexy as hell

I'm not gay but I'd like to give you a call i'm so horny.

very uncouth

Dim..you're on crackheh [just kidding ]
the 84's are very EQ friendly..
The 84 does great vox with the right comp/ eq.
any cleanish pre[Martech,etc] with a Pultec sounds amazing..
Great on Drums,guitars,etc..
I kinda wish I didn't sell mine.

yes sir but not as offensive as the lyrics in question.

Is this a cover of a famous song or original material?

Can i use it as my answer machine message?

Good joke though dim light thumbsup

Holy shit, dude! That's gotta be one of the funniest dammed mp3's I've heard in YEARS!!! I just about pissed myself from laghing so hard. Almost makes it worth the effort of reading your sorry-ass excuse for a microphone review.

If this isn't a joke, then keep your day-job at the local Waffle House.

Oh, and I LOVED the 6-digit phone number at the end!

BRILLIANT!!!!!!

I thought it sounded good on your voice. The top end sounded nice and true to my ears. You could always add a little sparkle with a good eq.

There was way too much room sound, you need to work the mic a little closer. Try 6-10 inches away. This microphone is figure 8, so that means the back side of the mic is live. Find an absorbent surface and face the back of the mic towards it.

Now, the lyrical content left much to be desired.

"Do you wanna make out? My number is 555-8821"

Where's my gun.



Mark

FWIW, the singer in my band can sound pretty aggressive in the upper mids & high end, and the R84 works beautifully on him. We bought it specifically for his vocals, but it's now my first choice for guitar amps, violin, harmonica. It's not for everyone though.

Currently wiping coffee off my computer keyboard having listened to the MP3...



Frank

Only just listened to the MP3. Oh man now im really confused!

Dim Light if you're a wind up merchant then Ive gotta hand it to you. Your 'review' along with that MP3 are a classic example of straight faced hilariousness. Your a funny guy and you should write a skit.

On the other hand if you are for real then I still stand by my critique of your text. As for the MP3, (dare I say it) I kinda like the sound you got. Always a bit disturbing to hear a vocal laid bare like that (excuse the pun!). I reckon your voice with the AEA sounded kinda good (if there had been a band behind it of course and if the lyrics had been different). In my limited experience ribbons on vox have a fantastic sound (not for all I guess).

Im going away now more confused than ever...

On a more serious note: Im sure that the AEA has been optimised for close miking situations. Whereby other ribbons can struggle at close miking with extreme proximity effect the AEA is supposed to fair better. Having said that in the tests I carried out a while back I still preferred the new Coles for all situations: elec guitar, tambourine, acoustic guitar, vox, drums. Very seductive sound. I remember first hearing the Coles on a tambourine part through a 1073 pre and it blew me away. The only thing it really failed on is shaker/maracas...

........panting and wiping tears from eyes......................Gotta hope that mp3 is a great joke!! Certainly did split my sides!

........and I like the R84 on your voice!

I keep mine plugged into an OSA L-3 and love it on mid-rangey vocalists. Love it even more on horns thumbsup

Stephen

hahahaha!

hilarious!

Love the R84 btw.

Actually the R92 was designed with close micing in mind..less proximity etc.

Funniest stuff ever!!!

My R84 suggestions:

1) Bass roll off for voice. I'm getting so that I don't actually do this. I'd rather get as much as I can and remove it later depending on the circumstance. But if you want it to sound that way right off, you will be suprised at what a bass roll off can do, even up to 250Hz, with you all hiked up for proximity.

2) Simultaneously record with a bright, smooth sounding large diaphram condenser (properly phased, of course). Mixing both together will give you the best of both worlds, the meaty stuff and the detail. And you will find you may not need as much bright detail as you think.

3) Use the back. Its like a different mic...not like an R84 twin, more like a cousin. It seems to have some of that bass rolloff built in.

If you want more, send a $100 bill in an envelope to my address.....

Regards,
Jonathan

Wow... freakin hilarious mp3 - I never would have suspected after reading through the thread. Thanks, cheered up my day a little.

BTW, sounds brighter than I thought it would have on the voice

Why would you buy the R84 to record your voice?


Obviously you've bought it for the wrong reason. This mic including other ribbons such as the R121's are one of the TOP TEN list of essential mics for "modern rock recording"

They are just as important as the SM57 IMO.

IF you're a modern recording studio and you don't own a ribbon mic, than I'd say you're missing something!

I'm sorry that you're not diggin this mic but I'm not diggin your review. I find it is inaccurate.

Ps: stick it on electric guitars, acoustic instruments... then re-write your review.

vocals, come on!

Jason

hahah


Ok I listened to your mp3.


Is this a joke?




Hey! Can you please post the music that goes along to that???


pretty please???




Jason

i can't get over how many of you think it's not a vocal mic...
it sounds amazing on vocals, well, at least people who have real good voices

i have this singer, who sings jazzy blues music, in the likes of ella and billie, her voice is incredible, and the AEA 84 is the best mic i've heard on her, and a few other singers who are as equally talented

Oh hell yeah,it's a great vocal mic!put the right comp/EQ in there and its pure sex.
heh

Those of us who spend time on the mp3 upload forum know Dim Light to be a good citizen of the forum. He is a participant with perspectives that are forever interesting and unpredictable, and always expressed in a supportive tone. The interest he shows in others' work is enthusiastic and expressed with proliferation. In short he is a rare, if nontradiitonal, find. That I can know associate a voice (This Voice!) with his name is for me, a success. The attached mp3 is, without doubt, remarkable.

Like several of you I found Dim Light's mp3 a nice and believeable recording that would stand well as is, or respond well to a bit of eq. The performance is certainly empassioned.

I'm guessing all of the above is Dim's (sophisticated) humor and ability of to observe the seldom observed. In writing this I'm not intending to come to his aid as it's clear he needs no help from me, and that Dim is very comfortable holding a divergent opinion. My intent is just to share the perspective that I and others on the mp3 forum value Dim's involvement here at GS.

Best to Dim; best to all on the forum devoted to song and expression,

John-

You have now entered the twilight zone... This is the same guy who put a personal ad on GS for a gay emo bassist right?

Sophisticated, observant... I dunno. Divergent, that's a little closer. How about out of his freaking gourd.

I don't think we're dealing with a Walter's here folks, I think it's more like a Dahmer.

Yep, same guy. https://www.gearslutz.com/board/showthrea...hlight=gay+emo


That MP3 is classic... Someone needs to do a cartoon to it.