They are all handmade in the United States. The mics share identical electronics, but the difference in voicing, and thus placement, is achieved acoustically inside the mics, making for two tonally similar mics for two different applications. Only recently have near-field ribbon microphones become popular, with designs more rugged and compact in size. Did we get anything wrong on this page? Both the N22 and N8 NUVO mics are the same size and offer the same ribbon sound and high-quality components as our other mics. The AEA NUVO Series N22 and N8 Ribbon Mics look very similar on the surface, but their tone and functionality provide a wide spectrum of distinct and different characteristics and applications. The N8 is intended to be used mainly as a far-field mic. Please let us know! Bidirectional Two thin layers of silk wrapped around the N8’s BigRibbon allow it to effortlessly capture a wide open, natural sound that is ideal for capturing any sized room, and can easily handle the dynamics of drum overhead duty, the nuance of string ensembles and the full range frequency response of a grand piano. For a more balanced sound at a distance to capture the natural tonality of your space, the AEA N8 … The N8 shares the N22’s body and grille construction, although it has a black rather than silver finish. From a foot away (0.3 meters), there will not be an overwhelming amount of room tone – just enough to sound different than positioning it right up against the source. Steve Albini loves the N8 on electric guitars while Wilco’s favorite electric guitar mic is the N22. Now that we’ve told you how these two microphones were designed, it should be noted that all rules can – and should – be broken when it’s right for your situation. For the uninitiated — the N8 is the far-field companion to the stellar N22. But these identical ribbons are built into different motor designs. While the N22 used multiple layers of acoustic filter materials to reduce bass response, the N8 has a fuller low frequency response, and appears to have a more traditional ribbon voicing, with a fuller low-frequency response. If you’re looking for a more direct sound with a minimal amount of room tone, the N22 NUVO Near is a great first option because it has less proximity effect so it allows you to get right up against the source while still retaining a balanced sound. The N8 is the second active ribbon mic in AEA’s “Nuvo” series, following the N22. Because the front side of the mic is placed very close to a loud source, the mic does not capture much room tone. The first thing to decide is how much room tone and natural ambience you want in your recordings. This makes it perfect for electric guitar and bass cabinets, kick drum, acoustic guitar and of course, vocals. The ribbon in both Nuvo mics measures roughly 4.7mm x 60mm, and is made from corrugated 1.8-micron aluminum. For the ultimate in flexibility and the widest possible sonic spectrum, try a “mismatched pair – one of each! Its well-received sibling, the N22 active ribbon, was reviewed by Paul White in April last year (www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr14/articles/aea-n22.htm). The N8 was designed to have equal treble and bass from as far 20 feet (6 meters) from the source. (n/a mV/Pa; 20 - 8500 Hz). Unlike the N22, which has several layers of protective material around the ribbon transducer, there are only two thin layers of silk wrapped around the N8 ribbon, allowing it … But even at 200Hz, the N22 is beginning to roll off, while the N8 shows a slight increase in its response. In the end, what matters is the tone each artist is trying to capture. Knowing the difference will change the way you record. Proudly independent, we build all our products by hand in Pasadena, CA, U.S.A. These mics’ electronics operate at unity gain; the output signal from the ribbon is amplified by a Lehle step-up transformer. The best way to find out which microphone works best for you is to try them in your space with your music. AEA Ribbon Mics and Preamps manufactures quality ribbon microphones and preamps that reflect your sound the way you hear it. Fortunately, the N22 NUVO Near and N8 NUVO Far are low enough in cost to make them easy to add to any mic locker. Unfortunately, AEA’s limited test facilities do not show either mic’s low-frequency response, as they are truncated at 200Hz. If less proximity effect is desired when recording at close range, the near-field AEA N22 is an effective ribbon mic to complement the N8’s far-field performance. The N8 also shares the N22’s ribbon dimensions, transformer, and active transformerless electronics. The further from the source you place your mic, the less direct sound and the more room tone will be recorded. The circuitry following the transformer serves to lower the output impedance to 92Ω without applying additional gain. The N8 NUVO Far was designed to have equal amounts of treble and bass from as far 20 feet (6 meters) from the source. Because the midrange and top-end are not obscured by proximity effect, it also alleviates the need to blend an additional dynamic mic to add more bite. Most traditional ribbons were designed for capturing sources from a distance. The N22’s feature set allows it to function as a near-field mic. The more experienced the artist becomes with the special nature of each brush, the more proficient they are at creating increasingly subtle art. In order to expand beyond the decades of ribbon mics’ far-field dominance, AEA introduced a new generation of ribbon mics when it debuted the N22 NUVO Near, which delivers a balanced treble and bass ratio from a much closer working distance and naturally reduces proximity effect while minimizing room tone that can often cause problems in smaller spaces or iso booths.