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AEA R44CX Legacy Ribbon Microphone
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AEA R44CX Legacy Ribbon Microphone
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Gold Coverage goes above and beyond the manufacturer's warranty to protect your gear from unexpected breakdowns, accidental damage from handling and failures. This plan covers your product for one, two, three or up to five years from your date of purchase, costs just pennies per day and gives you a complete "no-worry" solution for protecting your investment.
Gold Coverage Includes:
- Unexpected and unintentional spills, drops and cracks
- Normal wear and tear
- Power surges
- Dust, internal heat and humidity
Other plan features include:
- For products over $200, No Lemon Policy applies. If it fails for the same defect 3 times, it is replaced on the 4th breakdown. (Does not apply to failures due to drops, spills, and cracks)
- For products under $200 experiencing the above failures, a Musician's Friend gift card will be issued for the full price of the product + tax.
- Shipping fees covered if required for repair or replacement
- Plans are transferable in the event merchandise is sold
- Plans are renewable on new gear
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Term for New Gear begins on date of purchase but does not replace the store return policy or manufacturer coverage.
A revisitation of the best ribbon mic from the 30s and 40s.
Wes Dooley, a specialist in ribbon mics of all kinds, began a project to restore availability of the RCA 44 to its rightful position in the studio. After tracking down the folks who built and designed the original RCA 44, Wes’ company, Audio Engineering Associates, acquired the ribbon material, made the tooling and custom machined the parts necessary to build the original RCA 44 B/BX design as it was in the 1930s. After years of painstaking work, AEA has again begun production of the most important ribbon mic of all time: the AEA R44C.
How is the R44 different from other ribbon microphones?
The 44 was RCA’s best microphone from the 1930s into the ‘50s. Is AEA’s R44 that good? Both listeners and measurements say that the R44 is better. Why would that be? Using original ribbon material with modern high-strength magnets helps. Com- bining the original American undamped ribbon design with British RCA 44 innovations that lower the weight and hum sensitivity contributes to further improvement. Listening to comments from both users and ex-RCA engineers for over 20 years has also had a lot to do with how good AEA’s R44 has become.
The R44 design runs contrary to all current ribbon microphone manufacturing. It is large and heavy when other microphones are smaller and lighter. The internal ribbon element is by far the longest and its resonance tuning the lowest of today’s rib- bon microphones. It is a pure undamped ribbon design, an approach that has been out of production for over 50 years while remaining in continuous studio use. It is different, and its sound is unique.
The R44 sounds good on everything. Leave it out and use it whenever you need to do a quick take. Bruce Swedien particularly likes them on vocals, Joe Chicarelli on sax, Allen Sides on electric guitar. Everyone has a favorite use and everyone finds they sound good anywhere: brass, woodwinds, percussion, strings or voice work.
AEA developed a modified R44 transducer, called the X-Motor, that includes two additional magnets that provide an extra 6db of output. With a sound identical to the original 44, the X-Motor ‘hot rod’ mod is useful for scoring and classical sessions and other applications demanding a wide dynamic range with the classic 44 sound. Available as an upgrade in R44C and CE models, the X-Motor version of the R44 bears a red-badge on the outside instead of the standard black badge.
Features
Audio- Analog or digital: Analog
- Frequency response: 30Hz to 20kHz
- Max SPL: 140 dB
- Connectivity: XLR
- Capsule: Velocity ribbon
- Polar pattern: Figure 8
- Type: Mounted
- Applications: Studio, stage
- Diaphragm size: 3/4 in.
- Switches: Pads tp -20dB, LP, HP
- Phantom power required: Yes
- Case: Custom case
- Clip: Yes
- Shockmount: No
- Power supply: No
- Size and weight
- Width: 4.62 in.
- Length: 12.25 in.
- Depth: 3.25 in.
- Weight: 7 lb. 9 oz.
A ribbon unlike any other. Order soon.
Questions & Answers
Do you have questions about this product?
- Free Standard Ground shipping (48 contiguous states, some overweight and Used/Vintage items excluded).
- Orders placed before 3 p.m. ET usually ship the same business day.
Every guitar or bass you purchase from Musician's Friend (electric or acoustic, New or Open Box) includes two years of protection from manufacturer defects.
Our Gear Advisers are available to guide you through your entire shopping experience. Call or Chat for expert advice and to hear the latest deals.