
N13
Ribbon Microphone
From AEA:
The AEA N13 is designed to be natural and open at a mid-field distance, with a particularly strong ability to pick up fast transients. Relatively bright for a ribbon mic, the N13 microphone excels in capturing drum overheads, strings, acoustic guitars, and piano.
With phantom-powered JFET electronics and a custom German transformer, the N13 performs equally well with a wide range of preamps ranging from vintage high-end models to USB audio interfaces common in home studio setups. The full potential of the N13 is perhaps best realized when configured in the NUVO Stereo Kit, as it draws on the same successful sonic concepts as the AEA R88 stereo mic.
Enter the N13, an equally sleek active ribbon designed with some distinctly different considerations in mind. At once open and natural, the N13 excels at medium-distance miking applications while demonstrating an impressive transient response. The N13 features a new motor design as well as a thinner, smaller ribbon (1.2 microns, rather than our standard 1.8), making it our first non-Big Ribbon™ bidirectional mic.
Tightly match mic sensitivity and frequency response within .5 dB available for any pair of like mics except KU4s, KU5As, R88s & R88As.
Specs
- Type
- Pressure gradient transducer
- Pattern
- Bidirectional
- Frequency response
- <20 Hz to >20 kHz
- Sensitivity
- 11.48 mV/Pa (-38.8 dBV) (at 1 kHz, no load)
- Output impedance
- 92 Ω broadband
- Recommended load impedance
- 1.0 kΩ or greater
- Maximum SPL
- 139 dB SPL (1% third harmonic > 1 kHz)
- Power
- P48 phantom power, 7 mA
- Polarity
- Pin-2 high for positive pressure at the front of the microphone.
- Off-axis response, horizontal
- Up to 90 dB rejection at right angles to the front/back axis.
- Off-axis response, vertical
- Level changes with angle of incidence, but frequency response is consistent.
- Ribbon
- Pure aluminum corrugated ribbon, thickness 1.2 µm, width 0.113 in (2.87 mm), length 1.30 in (33.0 mm)
- Connector
- XLR-3M
- Dimensions
- Height 8.83 in (22.5 cm), width 1.62 in (11.7 cm), depth 1.62 in (9.5 cm)
- Weight
- 12 oz (335 g)
- Shipping weight
- 1 lb 13 oz (810 g)
- Included
- Storage/shipping case, mic stand clip, soft cloth bag, user manual.
Source: AEA N13 spec sheet (PDF, 2024), Specifications page