The Classic Sound of the RCA 44B!
After tracking down the engineers who designed and built the original legendary RCA 44 ribbon microphones, AEA acquired ribbon material, made the tooling, and custom machined all the parts necessary to build the original RCA 44 B/BX design to its original specifications, in their own AEA R44CE design. Built just like they were in the 1930s, the R44CE from AEA flies in the face of every trend in modern ribbon microphone design, and to glorious results. After years of painstaking work, AEA has again begun production of the most important ribbon mic design of all time.
Related Videos: R44CE Ribbon Microphone
Legendary character with more than 80 years of studio history
The RCA 44 has been one of the quintessential recording microphones from the days of big bands to the modern recording practices of today. They've remained an essential part of studio life well after RCA stopped manufacturing them in 1955. The sound and response of the 44 B/BX were unlike anything else available, and was cherished for its smoothness, forgiving nature and unique tonal balance. Collectors began to buy up the supply of RCA 44's quickly. Now you can get one for yourself with the AEA R44CE.
An accurate reproduction of the original RCA 44 Ribbon Mic
The 44 was RCA's best microphone from the 1930s into the '50s. Is AEA's R44CE that good? Both listeners and measurements say that the R44CE is even better, and that AEA has been listening to both users and ex-RCA engineers for over 25 years. AEA used to make all of the replacement parts for the RCA 44s, so they knew the design and workings of those coveted mics intimately. They started the re-creations by using only ribbon material originally manufactured for RCA. This is the best way to ensure that AEA's R44CE ribbon mics are as close as humanly possible to vintage RCA 44s.
The magnificent design flies in the face of modern trends
The R44CE design runs contrary to all current ribbon microphone manufacturing. It is large and heavy when other microphones are smaller and lighter. The internal ribbon element is by far the longest, and its resonance tuning the lowest of today's ribbon microphones. It is a pure undamped ribbon design, an approach that has been out of production for over 50 years while remaining in continuous studio use. It is different, and its sound is unique. As Sweetwater engineers have discovered, the R44CE sounds good on everything. Leave it out and use it whenever you need to do a quick take.
AEA R44CE Features:
- A legenday mic design replicated for today's recording
- Uses the same ribbon material as the original RCA 44
- A single diaphragm Figure 8 ribbon microphone
- Design has been in use for decades
- A very different sound than today's ribbons
- Sounds equal to or better than the original RCA 44
- High SPL capability
- Below 30Hz to above 20kHz
- Polar Pattern: Native bidirectional pattern
- Case, stand adapter, manual, and attached microphone cable included
