AEA have announced the launch of the “missing piece” their Nuvo ribbon microphone series in the form of the N13, a new ribbon mic aimed at mid-field capture duties. Aiming to fill the gap between the N22 and N8, which are focused on near- and far-field miking respectively, the latest offering has been designed with applications such as horns, strings, acoustic guitar, drum overheads and percussion recording in mind.
The company say that the N13 offers a brighter tonality than the N22, making it well suited to sources that are in need of some additional clarity in the top end. Although it has been primarily designed for placement at distances between 200 and 900 mm, it is said to still deliver impressive results when used somewhat closer on sources such as horns and vocals, as well as responding well to EQ.
Interestingly, it also becomes the first mic in the company’s range to stray away from the use of the Big Ribbon element, and instead comes fitted with a shorter and narrower version (as well as thinner, at 1.2 microns rather than the usual 1.8). Phantom-powered JFET electronics and a custom transformer help the model to perform well with a wide variety of preamp models, including those built into USB audio interfaces.
Key Specs
- Polar Pattern: Figure of Eight
- Frequency Response: <20 Hz to >20 kHz
- Sensitivity: 11mV/Pa (-3dBV) (at 1kHz, no load)
- Maximum SPL: 13dB (1% third harmonic > 1kHz)
Pricing & Availability
The N13 is available to order now, priced at $1249.
