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AEA N28 Nuvo
Compact Active Stereo Ribbon Microphone
By Barry Rudolph
Audio Engineering Associates was founded in 1964 by Wes Dooley. In the 1970s, it was a repair shop for the RCA 44 ribbon microphones. AEA is based in Pasadena, CA. and they continue servicing vintage RCA and Coles ribbon mics. In 1998, the AEA R44C, a replica of the RCA 44BX, was made using RCA's original methods and techniques. It uses newly manufactured and interchangeable parts from the original mic. The first original designed microphone was the R84 in 2003. Currently, AEA makes ten different ribbon mics that are individually voiced by way of their motor design (transducer), grille, and the various acoustic materials surrounding it. Some mics are flatter, some have a pronounced high-frequency roll-off, and others more/less proximity effect and character/color. Most use AEA's standard Big Ribbon transducer, it measures 2.35-inches long with a 1.8-micron thick ribbon.
The Nuvo Line The AEA Nuvo active ribbon microphone line debuted in 2013 with the N22 that was soon followed by the N8 in 2014 and N13 in 2024. All Nuvo mics use 99.95% pure aluminum leaf ribbons that vary in the way they are voiced to support their recommended applications including the ideal distance from a source. Compared to the other AEA ribbon mics, these are smaller and lighter weight, allowing them to easily fit into any setup. The Nuvo line has sufficient gain to work well with a console's pre-amp without using an inline booster, which blocks phantom powering. The Nuvo N22 is designed for near-field applications--1 to 18-inches away and can take high SPL levels. Its ribbon has minimal proximity and works well for close-miking instruments and vocals by naturally rolling off the low frequencies. This is a different sound than using a high-pass filter. The Nuvo N8 uses the same ribbon but is a far-field microphone for distant miking at least 12-inches or further away. It is similar in characteristics to AEA's full-size R88 stereo ribbon mic. The Nuvo N13 is a mid-field (8 to 36-inches) ribbon mic. It has a new motor design and a 1.2-microns thick ribbon which is only 1.3-inches long. The N13 uses the thinnest ribbon of all the AEA mics. Thin, corrugated aluminum ribbons capture high frequencies better but are more fragile and easily damaged. Fourth in the line is the newly-designed Nuvo N28. It is a side-address, stereo ribbon microphone with two (carefully) matched, bi-directional (figure-of-8) ribbon transducers in Blumlein configuration. It is not a pair of N22s or other AEA ribbon in one mic. The Nuvo mics are of a different design than the other AEA mics starting with the signal chain used inside. The voltage coming from the motors goes through a Lehle toroidal transformer--two for the N28. These transformers each have a 1:89 (turns) ratio. (Burkhard Lehle is based in Germany). A J-FET buffer amp circuit, designed by Fred Forsell, follows the transformer to work as an impedance converter. The broadband output impedance is 92-ohms. A variation of this circuit is used in all AEA active ribbon mics; the company avoids using any internal electronics that would boost gain and/or add noise. N28 Mid-Field Stereo Ribbon Microphone The two ribbon transducers in the N28 are positioned vertically, one above the other and set in a fixed Blumlein configuration that cannot be changed. The ribbon transducers measure 1.31-inches long and are 1.8-microns thick. Blumlein stereo requires that the two figure-of-eight pattern lobes be rotated 90-degrees from each other. The two ribbons measure three-inches (center-to-center), apart to provide better phase coherency and time accuracy than when using two individual microphones. To assist in aiming the N28 at the source, there is a white "aiming dot" engraved at the top and front of the mic's black body. A great feature but I'd like to see this dot duplicated on the very top of the mic along with the large AEA log so when standing over it, I could aim it. The N28 measures 270mm tall (10.66-inches), 41.1mm diameter (1.62-inches). It has a 20Hz to over 20kHz response and a max SPL rating of 135dB. The ribbons are each protected by an elaborate screening mesh material in a frame that locks into a groove within the mic's body; these screens provide another layer of protection for the ribbon. The kit comes with a foam windscreen, basic shock-mount clip, soft cloth storage bag, foam-line storage carrying case and a 15-foot XLR break out cable.
In The Studio I used a Trident 88 console for recording drums in a live room measuring 26-feet long by 22-feet wide with a 12-foot ceiling. I set up the N28 in front of a Ludwig Legacy mahogany drum kit with the bottom of the N28 measured (on my laser measure) 1.3m above the hardwood floor. I aimed it at the snare drum that was about 2.1m away. I record and mix mostly Pop/R&B music and for all these tests, I used a separate kick drum mic for more presence, control and additional low frequencies (if required). Back in the control room, the stereo imaging using only the N28 was intense; it accurately portrayed the panoramic locations, left to across the kit audience's perspective. The snare, toms and cymbals and kick copied the balance I heard out in the room. Mic positioning is critical since, using this mid-field recording technique, you'll clearly hear any drum tuning problems, buzzes, rattles, resonances, and overly bright cymbals. Using just the N28, I had enough kick drum level in the stereo drum mix but it was roomy-sounding for my tastes and adding the closer kick drum mic fixed that. I tried using the same mic floor height but closer at 1-meter and (proximity) picked up more low frequencies and sharper drum attacks and presence. By angling the N28 upwards 10-degrees relative to the floor, I picked up a more cymbals. I've started to record drums more often this way especially, and most importantly, if I'm working in a good-sounding room. Mid-Side The N28 will work as a Mid/Side pair by aiming the top transducer straight on to the source, not at 90-degrees. The aiming dot would "look" at 45-degrees to the left of the direction to the source. That would make the top mic transducer the Mid and the bottom one the Side mic. With the N28 in the same as it was in the Blumlein position, it produced a narrower stereo image but now the stereo width is adjustable post recording. Different Signal Chain For the rest of the tests, I used Blumlein stereo and changed over to a Millennia Media HV-37 pre-amp going into a Manley NuMu stereo compressor/limiter. The NuMu was for extra gain or slight compression (when needed) during the recording session I was doing. The HV-37 is stable at all gain settings with no increase in noise. For the most part when recording very quiet instruments, the HV-37 was at, or nearly max gain. The N28's sensitivity is measured at 6.10 mV/Pa (-44.3dBV). Acoustic Guitar For recording acoustic guitar, I started by aiming the N28 at where the neck joins the body. I had the N28 at 0.8 meters above the carpeted floor and 1 meter away from player's Breedlove 12-string. The N28 is a very warm and thick sounding mic that is ideal for smoothing bright acoustics and for getting fat tones on single-string picking arpeggios and melodies. The N28 has a powerful lower register at this mic position for loud rhythm acoustics, I would have to use a high-pass filter or move the mic further away. Again, mic positioning and distance are more critical. Further away at 1.5 or even 2 meters the stereo imaging was there but, in this small dry room, the ambience was boxy.
Electric Guitar For recording electric guitar, I had the N28 placed at 0.4 meters away and directly pointing in between the center and surround suspension of my 30-watt Hellatone, 12-inch speaker mounted in an Avatar open-back cabinet. The overall warm tone helped to smooth out the guitar sound's harsh high-frequencies. The guitar track sounded better in the control room than out in the studio! Compressing with the NuMu sounded excellent to dynamically-flatten out the guitar part--this was a good sound.Solo Violin The best sound/performance of the day came from a solo violinist! This mic seems made for this instrument used in this way. Again, setting up on the carpet, I place the N28 1.86 meters above the violinist's head with the aiming dot "looking" down at the instrument. This setup produced a fantastic "picture" of the instrument fully-balanced and with enough ambient space around it. Moving the mic higher would get more room in the picture. Useful Microphone The N28 is special and offers a different universe of sonic possibilities for the recording engineer/producer. I loved the way it captures source's sound and the room's ambience/tone as it actually exists. I believe making recordings this way is the best use for a stereo ribbon mic. The Nuvo microphones are winners because they are designed to be used like any other studio microphone on any instrument or voice. It is fantastic for treating overly shrill-sounding sources and capturing the whole space around it.
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