AEA RPQ 2 2-Channel Preamp

The AEA RPQ with Curve Shaping and P48 power puts all the controls for ribbon mics at your fingertips: 80 dB of clean quiet JFET gain, P48 phantom power for active studio ribbons such as AEA’s A440, and LF trim and HF boost contols that are tuneable and defeatable so that you can tame proximity problems and/or add a little more to the top.

The RPQ has the speed, quietness, and headroom needed for high resolution ribbon recordings, and it sounds good with condenser and moving coil mics. AEA’s DC-coupled JFET topology delivers all the dynamics, subwoofer bass and fast transients that your ribbon and other mics are capable of. Its discrete front end and integrated circuit architecture meld the quietness of solid state with an openness reminiscent of tubes.

Live and location recording is another area where the RPQ shines. Its Low-Energy-Storage (LES™) circuitry recovers instantly from overloads, a big advantage with unpredicatable dynamics, and its exceptional No Load™ input impedance of over 10,000 Ω makes it an ideal active mic splitter. Mic splits usually load down, changing a mic’s sound, but not the RPQ.

RPQ Electronics Specifications

• 80 dB of gain at 1 kHz, balanced-in to balanced-out
• Noise figure A-weighted < 2 dB, EIN < 129 dBu Aweighted
• Frequency response -3 dB <1 Hz and >200 kHz
• <.02 % THD at 1 kHz, 22 Hz to 22 kHz bandwidth
• Balanced mic input impedance >10 kΩ
• DC-coupled inputs protected from external P48 DC
• AC-coupled inputs with switchable P48 phantom power
• Twelve position stepped gain control from 7 to 55 dB
• Trim gain continuously adjustable from 0 to +19 dB
• Switched LF trim: -3dB points tuneable from 18 to 350 Hz
• Switched HF boost peak +6 dB at 12 noon, +16 dB max
• HF max boost +3dB points tuneable from 2 to 18 kHz
• XLR out has 6 dB gain, balanced or unbalanced load
• XLR max output+28 balanced, +22 unbalanced, 600 Ω
• ¼” TRS max output unbalanced +22 dBu, 100 kΩ load
• Pin 2 high on XLRs, tip high on ¼” TRS jacks
• Green LED snaps on at ~ -5 dBu, Red at ~ +20 dBu
• Yellow LED brightens from ~ 0 to +20 dBu

RPQ Physical Details

• P48 Phantom & Polarity-Reverse pushbutton switches
• Rotary potentionmeters (pots) detented at 12 noon
• Grayhill series 71 stepped gain switch and trim pot
• LF Cut pushbutton switch and one pot
• HF Boost pushbutton switch and two pots
• Pushbutton power switch, LED power indicator
• Internal torroidal transformer with linear regulators
• Male recessed IEC power plug
• Laser engraved front panel markings
• Metalic blue and steel gray powder coat finish
• Aluminum and steel chassis
• Clear coated polished aluminum end caps
• Detachable polished aluminum rack ears
• Chassis: 17.25” wide, 11” deep, by 1.7” high
• Metric: 44 cm wide, 28 cm deep, by 4.3 high
• Weight: 6.75 pounds, Metric: 3.1 Kg
• Specifications as of Oct. 1, 2008, subject to change

Link: Wes Dooley, founder of AEA, talks about Studio Mic Pre Standards in the 50's