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Exclusive Mic Month Special

18 Months Interest Free Financing from AEA!

May is Microphone Month at Sweetwater, and we've partnered with AEA to make it easy to add that coveted AEA mic to your collection. From April 30 through May 31, 2012, use your Sweetwater Musician's All Access Platinum Card to purchase AEA microphones and RPQ preamps, and you'll pay NO INTEREST for 18 months! Minimum payments are required, and some restrictions apply. Click Here for full details.

AEA RPQ Ribbon Pre

Item ID: RPQ

2-channel FET Preamp for Ribbon Microphones with 80dB of Gain, HF Boost, and Curve-Shaper Function

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From Our Research Team:

An Ideal Preamp for Your Ribbon Mic!

The AEA RPQ 2-channel microphone preamp makes ribbon mics (and any other mic in your collection) sound great. Its high headroom, 80dB of clean gain, and ultra-quiet performance make the RPQ a great choice, while a Curve-Shaper function helps you get the best performance possible out of your ribbon mic. This function allows you to minimize proximity effect while enhancing the highs. At a rackmountable 1U, this preamp is as compact as it is versatile and powerful. Features such as JFET circuitry, a wide dynamic range, and road-tough construction help make the RPQ an impressive mic preamp!





AEA RPQ 2-channel Ribbon Microphone Preamp at a Glance:
  • Plenty of clean gain and headroom
  • Ideal for ribbon mics
  • Add some "air" to your ribbon

Plenty of clean gain and headroom
The AEA RPQ Ribbon Preamp with Curve-Shaping provides two channels of high-quality, high-gain, low-noise microphone preamplification, and unlike the TRP provides phantom power for active electronics. Particularly well-suited for use with ribbon microphones, it delivers the speed, precision, quietness, and headroom needed for today's high-resolution recordings. The JFET circuit design generates up to 80dB of clean and quiet gain, with extended bandwidth from below 1Hz to beyond 200kHz, for dynamic range and transient response that complements all of your microphones.

Ideal for ribbon mics
The RPQ's Curve-Shaper gives you the tools to control your ribbons. Ribbon mics are capable of delivering strong sub-woofer lows, and can have a significant bass proximity effect. Such strong low-frequency content can mask high-frequency intelligibility, so the tunable LF filter was engineered to tame low-frequency energy to appropriate levels.

Add some "air" to your ribbon
The HF filter enables you to extend the high end adding a little extra "presence" or "air" to the pickup. The HF filter compensates for the high-frequency roll-off that is inherent to most ribbon microphones, distant mic placement, or an overly "dry" acoustical environment.

AEA RPQ 2-channel Ribbon Microphone Preamp Features:
  • 80dB of gain at 1kHz, balanced-in to balanced-out
  • Noise figure, rms A-weighted: < 2 dB
  • EIN < -128 dBu A-weighted, 150 W resistive source
  • Balanced microphone input impedance > 10 kO
  • Green, red, and yellow LEDs indicate line level
  • XLR output max level into 600O load: +28 dBu, balanced; +22 dBu, unbalanced
  • TRS output max level into 100 kO load: +22 dBu, unbalanced
  • Grayhill series 71 stepped gain switch
  • Rotary potentiometers detented at 12:00 o'clock position
  • Metallic blue and steel gray powder-coat finish
  • Silkscreened engraved legends and single line schematic
  • Detachable rack ears included
  • 1U steel and aluminum chassis
  • Dimensions: 17.25" W, 11" D, 1.7" H
  • Weight: 6.75 lbs.

The AEA RPQ 2-channel microphone preamp works wonders with your ribbon mic!

RPQ Ribbon Pre Image Gallery

Specification Detail
Preamp Type JFET
Number of Channels 2
Frequency Response <1Hz >200kHz (-3dB)
Phantom Power Yes
EQ Yes
Compression No
Analog Inputs 2 x XLR (w/Phantom), 2 x XLR (w/o Phantom)
Analog Outputs 2 x XLR, 2 x 1/4
Digital Inputs No Digtial Inputs
Digital Outputs No Digital Outputs
Other I/O No Other I/O
Computer Connectivity No Computer Connectvity
Rackmount Spaces 1U
Height 1.75"
Depth 11"
Width 17.25" (Chassis), 19" (w/Rack Ears)
Weight 6.75"
Manufacturer Part Number RPQ

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Reviews

inSync Review

by: Brandon Smits
In the field test I conducted with the RPQ, I used a Royer SF-24 ribbon microphone running through both of the RPQ's channels. I was blown away by the high-end fidelity and the pristine air that came ... read more

Sweetwater Advice

Simon Picazo
The RPQ is a great solution for people who are using a combination of ribbon and condenser mics in their studio but want to have a 2-channel, 1-unit interface to do both. The LF filter deals expertly with low-end proximity effect issues inherent with condensers and ribbons alike. The HF filter provides some nice "air" on the high end in a very musical way. In the RPQ you get a clean pre amp with plenty of gain that can accommodate ribbon and condenser mics and give you a very clean sound or a nice flavored sound at will.

Also popular

See Also: Dual Channel Preamps , AEA , AEA Dual-Channel Preamps

AEA RPQ Ribbon Pre

Today's Payment: $520.00
Includes $10 processing fee
Payment 2: $510.00
In approx. 30 days
Payment 3: $510.00
In approx. 60 days

Buy Today, Make

Sweetwater's Flexible Payment Plan is a convenient, interest-free way to buy gear now and stretch your purchase across three budget-friendly payments. Simply choose the "3 Easy Payments" option in your cart, and we'll divide your purchase amount into three convenient payments, billed to your current MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or American Express card. There is a $10 processing fee for using this service, and your billing address must be in the United States to be eligible. It's just another way we make shopping at Sweetwater easy and convenient!

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Our Customers Say...

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