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AEA A440 Active Ribbon Microphone

Active Phantom-powered Big Ribbon Microphone with Figure-8 Pickup Pattern
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AEA A440 Active Ribbon Microphone
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Iconic, High-Performance Ribbon Mic

We may all tune to A440, but, with the AEA A440 in your mic locker, you really won’t have to tune your ears or your EQ. The A440 is an extremely quiet ribbon microphone, arguably the quietest ribbon mic ever produced. And, with its extraordinarily natural ribbon response, you get exactly what you hear — which is exactly what you want. What’s more, when you listen to the A440, you’ll instantly understand how it fits right into AEA’s “Big Ribbon” tradition. Yet, it’s like getting the warmth and beauty of the classic RCA 44 only with a robust phantom-powered signal you can send to any preamp. The AEA A440 is truly everything you love about the 44 — warmth, beauty — but upgraded and enhanced with modern features. It’s the ribbon microphone no pro studio should be without.

Robust output you can use with any preamp

Passive ribbon mics are notorious for their low output. Luckily, phantom power and modern microelectronics have addressed this weakness. In the A440, AEA applies the proven JFET amplifier technology used in their TRP preamps to the mechanics of their large-ribbon R44C mic. This results in 18dB of additional output and greater flexibility with different preamps. Indeed, the A440’s sensitivity is higher than most condenser mics — yet it has a whisper-quiet self‑noise floor.

Classic, flattering “Big Ribbon” sound

The AEA A440 serves up the authentic sound, vintage cosmetics, and seven-pound heft of the iconic RCA 44BX manufactured between 1936 and ’38. The A440’s internal head amp requires 48V phantom power, but it’s also designed to protect the ribbon element from phantom power, alleviating a perennial concern of ribbon-mic users. Due to its many advantages, many engineers at Sweetwater Studios actually favor the A440 over the (meticulously maintained) vintage RCA 44s in our mic locker.

Capture any source with excellent results

The AEA A440 honors the classic legacy of all-time great ribbon mics by delivering the rich, characterful sound that made the RCA 44 a recording icon. Gorgeous on a broad range of instruments and voices, the A440’s native figure-8 polar pattern complements the acoustics of any room or hall. Its mellifluous tone reinforces the mids and lows while smoothing abrasive highs to provide a lovely, multidimensional sound that will flatter any source. And, with an impressive maximum SPL rating of 132dB, you can use it on everything from vocals to electric guitars to full orchestras. The A440 is perfect for enhancing any voice or instrument with legendary ribbon character!

AEA A440 Active Ribbon Microphone Features:

  • Classic “Big Ribbon” microphone, phantom powered for robust output
  • Manufactured in the USA, handcrafted to order
  • JFET active electronics in the AEA TRP tradition
  • Exceptionally low equivalent noise level 6dB(A)
  • Authentic RCA New Old Stock ribbon material
  • Investment cast bronze yoke and machined brass parts, no zinc
  • Single diaphragm with well-controlled, native figure-8 polar pattern
  • Consistent horizontal polar response, on and off axis
  • 90-degree null-plane helps reject difficult acoustics
  • High SPL capability: 132dB (1% third harmonic >1kHz)
  • Computer-matched to production reference standards
  • Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz
  • Signal to Noise Ratio: 88dB (A) (94dB SPL minus equivalent noise)
  • Horizontal: Level changes with angle, frequency response is consistent, null at right angles to major axis 90/270 degrees
  • Vertical: Level changes with angle, reduced HF response above and below 0/180 degrees axis, null at right angles to major axis 90/270 degrees
  • Requires +48V phantom power
  • Includes vertical storage case, gray twill bag, user manual, captive 10-foot output cable with XLR-3M connector

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Tech Specs

  • Microphone Type: Ribbon
  • Ribbon Type: 1.8-micron Aluminum (4.7mm x 59.7mm)
  • Polar Pattern: Figure-8
  • Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
  • Max SPL: 132.5dB
  • Output Impedance: 270 ohms
  • Signal to Noise Ratio: 88dB (A weighted)
  • Self Noise: 6dB
  • Connector: XLR
  • Weight: 7.56 lbs.
  • Included Accessories: Stand Adapter, Case
  • Manufacturer Part Number: A440

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 4.5/5

put a smile in my ears

It's such a warm mic, all it picks up is a joy to listen to, as well as being stylish, and it's an investment every studio in this day and age should make.
Music background: Blackflag Studio
Rated 5/5

SILK!

Easily one of the best mics I've ever heard. I usually use a 251 for vocals and wanted to try out this mic so I set it up today and was blown away.

It wasn't unbelievably dark without eq like I was expecting, but man did it take a high end boost well. There was no harshness, just a natural "silky" smooth high end "air" like I've never quite heard before.

This was my first ribbon mic other than a pair of Coles 4038's, so this may be a characteristic of ribbons but it's just SO detailed.

Every nuance of a vocal can be captured, every nuance of a guitar can be heard and felt.

It's not cheap but it'll last you a lifetime. The build quality is unbelievable, and you'll never get rid of it once you hear it. Happy to have added this to my small collection (: can't recommend it enough!
Rated 5/5

An Amazing Microphone...

It's really tough to spend this amount of money on a microphone and during a constant state of lockdown, but... I have to admit it. This microphone sounds amazing. The build quality is top-notch. There is a weight, both literally and figuratively, to this microphone. It gives a very smooth detailed image of the sound source and, in a pinch, you could crush a would-be robber's skull. LOL!

I've used it on vocals, acoustic guitar and drums. Each time I was able to say that it sounded pretty good. In a blind listening test with some "budget" ribbon microphones it was a complete waste of time. Everyone knew instantly which mics were which. Comparing against a matched set of Coles, Royers and other AEA microphones were much more comparable but the A440 just sounded.... bigger and more open?

It's not easy pulling the trigger on this type of expensive purchase, but so far I have no regrets. It's been a gorgeous sounding decision.
Music background: Touring guy & commercial studio owner
Rated 5/5

The best mic ever made:)

I heard that this was not only the most aesthetically pleasing mic ever (the umber, the brass, and the cloth covered cord look even better in person), but that it was also the most musical mic ever. Ladies and gentlemen...it is true. It just doesn't have the problems other mics have.

Harsh highs? Nope. Muddy, flabby, boomy bass? Nope. Empty mids? Nope. Weird bumps/boosts at random places on the frequency spectrum.

I usually wait to review something until I've used it for a while, but this mic was obviously the Rolls Royce of mics when I did three quick takes right out of the box. And folks, I'm comparing it to the following mics I've used/owned: Neumann U87, Neumann TLM 102, Neumann KMS105, Neumann KM184, Lauten Audio Eden, AKG C414, Royer R121, other AEA mics, all of which are really really sweet mics in their own right. But this one is hard to describe. It's just really...creamy and musical. It's translation/representation of the sounds it receives are not only more accurate than many mics but also more pleasing to the ear. It transfers this sort of smoothness and softness to things.

I've heard of many problems in relation to R44 style mics: too much proximity effect or problems with the figure-8 pattern. Maybe I'm naive, but I have not had any problems not only mitigating these supposed issues but also harnessing the strengths of these factors to make better recordings. The figure-8 nulls are really useful to block out unwanted sounds. Also, the bleed into the back is actually fine often because it is recording things with quality. Even many professionals say that: bleed isn't bad, but bleed from crappy mics is bad. This is no crappy mic. It sounds great in a really good room, but you can also use it in a lousy room (like my office:) and still make it work with good placement and EQ. These ribbon mics take EQ much better than condensers and dynamics. It usually still sounds natural when you apply EQ. Because of these factors, I've actually been able to get good tracks using a single R44 that I previously thought I HAD to have 2 or three mics for. If you get a chance, try one of these (yes, just one) on a drum set or grand piano or singer/songwriter or 5-pice rock band. You can actually do it if you know what to do. I thought people used a single mic sometimes in the 1930s only because they had to. This is surely true in part; but another reason may have been because you could actually do it with one of these and get good results. If you don't believe me, go listen to some old recordings or check out AEA's website. There's also a video series called OneMic Series which features recording whole bands with a single R88, an AEA stereo mic similar to the R44 breed.

I would suggest getting an AEA RPQ2 or RPQ500. This mic doesn't need it. But those preamps were designed to help you get the best from this mic and others like it, so the combo is a knockout made in the most glorious recesses of heaven. When combo'd with one of these pres, you can wave goodbye to any supposed problems you thought you'd have with an R44 model mic (proximity effect, too much bass, not enough highs etc). AEA knows exactly all the strong points and weak spots of the ribbon mics they provide, so their preamps have special low frequency cut and Curve Shaper EQ which is honed in only on those points. That way, instead of you having to sit there incessantly experimenting with a 10-band EQ, you can simply tweak a few knobs that were designed to do exactly what you were hoping for with your ribbon mic. AEA knew you were going to hope for that;) So they went three steps ahead of you with their ribbon preamps!

Don't worry about blowing a ribbon either. These really are as hardy as AEA claims. Good for live as well as studio music. You'll want a good stand though. I choose either a Latch Lake 2200 or an Atlas MS25.

I also love how well this picks up quiet sources. It also picks up sources from afar. So you can record a good vocal from a couple feet away (if you're in a dead room without a ton of slap back). That way the mic isn't right in your face and you don't accidentally ruin your take just because you bored your head a few inches. Another advantage of this is that you don't pick up unwanted sounds (plosives, the smacking of your lips, weird sounds in the back of your throat - lol). This sounds more like what someone hears in real life.

The only thing I would change, which is not enough to take away a star, is I wish the case were a nice wood version of the normal red cloth case it comes with. The red cloth case is actually pretty sweet once you see it in person - looks good and does its job very well. However, since this mic is a good step above all the other AEA mics (and all the other mics in the world, in my humble opinion), it would make more sense to put it in a super special looking wood storage case.

Get this mic if at all possible. If not, get another version of the AEA R44 - they may not be quite as pretty or have quite the same output, but they all have this same kind of performance/sound. The R84 is not bad either. And the R88 and R92 are really useful mics. The N22 is probably the most useful utility mic I've found.

Oh, and by the way, the folks at AEA treat their customers better than most companies out there, in my opinion. They're a great family-owned business who makes all their mics right here in the USA....actually right in Pasadena, California. The parts all come from that area too; not assembling foreign parts on American soil. And the fact that you can get a 3-year warranty by registering your product with them is pretty outstanding.

Lastly, owning this mic is owning a piece of American heritage. I loved the Neumann and AKGs I sold to buy this mic, but this big boy (yes, a foot tall including the cradle mount and 8 pounds) is straight from the American tradition of the RCA 44 from the 1930s.
Music background: Singer/Songwriter, Church musician, recording hobbyist
Rated 5/5

A Classic Reborn

The AEA A440 is a Masterpiece. Simple as that. AEA took the classic design and turbocharged it for today's technical requirements. For me, its been a perfect fit, because I've been using many original vintage ribbon mics for years, with nary two that sound alike. Rather than take a chance on an old microphone with an unknown history, I took a chance on this new one. Since its been in my studio, I've had the opportunity to compare it to several original 44's, and the sound of both old and new are very very similar, with the A440 less than 5% brighter than an original. Plus the added bonus of the A440 being active, which accounts for its 20db more gain than an original mic. Already my recordings have benefited from this mic, and I look forward to many years of service with it. I can't recommend it enough
Music background: Producer/Engineer/Mixer
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