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For over 25 years, AEA has been at the forefront of modern ribbon microphone design. Inspired by the iconic RCA 44, AEA has built an entire line of ribbon mics that deliver warm, natural sound with a signature blend of vintage character and modern performance.
While ribbon mics have traditionally been considered a studio staple, AEA has proven they’re equally at home on stage. With rugged construction, innovative designs, and a growing community of live engineers who swear by their sound, AEA ribbons are showing up on more stages than ever before.
We recently spoke with Paul Pegas and Joey Krieger from AEA to get their tips for using ribbon mics for live sound. From the compact KU5A to stereo stage setups, they shared their insight into how to get the most out of AEA ribbon mics in any live environment.
Modern ribbon microphones have come a long way, and AEA's lineup proves just how versatile and robust they can be in live applications. One of the main advantages ribbons offer is their natural, musical response across the frequency spectrum.
“Due to the fast transient response and lack of a boost in the high end, ribbons can accurately translate the whole range of the audio spectrum musically,” says Pegas. “Polar patterns in AEA mics are very well controlled and consistent through the frequency range, which makes them perfect to control bleed and feedback.”
A common myth about ribbon mics is that they’re too fragile for live use. But AEA has gone to great lengths to design microphones that stand up to the demands of the road. Their active models include rugged housings that can take a beating, provided you use them with care.
“With proper use, the ribbons will be just fine on the road, as evidenced by the plethora of real-life examples,” Krieger says. “To keep them in tip-top shape, cover them when not in use and never lay them down on the stage. And the no-brainer tip of the day… don't drop them. The majority of mics we see for repair from the road have been dropped.”
AEA's active ribbon mics bring the best of both worlds to the stage: the vintage tone of a ribbon with the reliability and output needed for live rigs. Leading the charge is the KU5A, which has become a go-to for front-of-house engineers thanks to its focused pickup pattern.
“The KU5A is a great choice for live sound because it’s an active microphone with a supercardioid pattern that handles high SPL easily,” says Pegas. “The active circuitry, a built-in unity-gain buffer amp which requires phantom power to operate, allows for long cable runs without a degradation of signal. The KU5A's supercardioid polar pattern makes it easy to deal with stage monitors and reduce audience noise.”
The KU5A’s end-address design makes it feel familiar to vocalists accustomed to dynamic mics, while the mic's internal acoustic protection shields the ribbon from plosives, allowing vocalists to sing directly into the grille without fear.
AEA’s NUVO series is another top pick for live performance. Designed for versatility and portability, these active ribbon mics offer a variety of options depending on your mic placement needs.
“The NUVO series microphones are an obvious choice due to their small form factor and active circuitry,” added Krieger. “The near-field N22 for close-miked cabs and horns, the mid-field N13 for darker horns and strings, the far-field N8, or the stereo N28 for percussion and drum overheads.”
No matter which model you choose, each of the NUVO series microphones delivers the pure, natural sound AEA mics are known for. Plus, their focused figure 8 polar pattern make them extremely useful in controlling bleed between sources.
“The nulls of figure 8 ribbon mics are very deep, so the easiest way to think about it is just to point the nulls towards sources you don't want to hear,” says Pegas. “If you're using an N22 on an acoustic guitar player who is also singing, point the top of the mic (where the AEA logo is) towards the singer's mouth. This gives incredible separation. You can point the bottom of the mic at a monitor to isolate a horn, or the side of a mic at the drums to cut down bleed.”
Still not convinced? You don’t have to take our word for it. AEA ribbon mics are already being used by top-tier artists and engineers around the world. Check out the list of popular artists using AEA mics on stage:
“Paul Simon is using a KU5A on vocals for his current tour, with about 20 ribbon mics in total onstage.
FOH engineer Chris Mitchell has been using a KU5A for vocals with Sturgill Simpson for a few years now on tour.
Chris Stapleton uses a R92 on his guitar amp, and even used it at Super Bowl LVII for the national anthem.
Anderson Paak has been using N8s on drums for the past few years.
Sean Quackenbush, FOH Engineer for Brandi Carlile tour, just picked up a N28 for percussion and has been loving it.
Jazz saxophonist Ben Wendel tours with an N8 on his tenor for his band and Kneebody.
Jack White did a tour with practically all AEA mics on everything, R44s, multiple KU4s, and N22s.
Lots of artists are also using our active mono and stereo DIs on stage.”
From compact end-address designs like the KU5A to the versatile NUVO series, AEA ribbon mics are proving their power in live sound with stunning clarity, control, and road-ready reliability. Whether you're miking a lead vocalist, horn section, or full stereo drum setup, these ribbons deliver rich tone and deep isolation in even the loudest environments.
Want to hear the difference for yourself? Check out this collection of video tutorials, sound samples, and tutorial blogs to help dial in the sound you’re looking for.
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