The AEA R88A is an active stereo ribbon mic in a fixed Blumlein XY and mid-side configuration suitable for recording the subtle nuances of the most demanding acoustic instruments. The microphone can also be used for mid-side (MS) stereo with excellent mono compatibility. The microphone features a Far-field ribbon design which retains the low and top end at distance. AEA describe their Ribbon mics as Far-field or Near-field as a simple way to describe their performance and function characteristics. Far-field designs are ideal to perform as far away as 15 feet from the recording source as they tend to have a very increased proximity effect (which boosts the low end) when used closer than around 16 inches. The R88A due to its active circuitry has an increased 12dB level suitable for use with any preamp and can handle up to 165+ dB SPL. The R88A is almost identical in sound to a R88 but has a custom-made Lehle transformer alongside the active circuitry.
