TRP500
500 Series Module
From AEA:
The first product in our 3rd-generation of microphone preamps, the TRP500 leans on the side of neutral but is unlike other "clean" preamps because of its rich and musical tonality. Optimized for ribbon mics, the TRP500 offers up to 85dB of effortless gain for any microphone.
Based on the circuit and topology of the company’s original AEA TRP preamp, the TRP500 has the low noise, musical sonics, and ultra-high gain and impedance (100,000 Ohms) that AEA is renowned for. The TRP500 excels at drawing out the warmth and lush sound of ribbon mics as well as other top-level microphones. With up to 85 dB of quiet DC-coupled gain, minimal path architecture, and a gentle 115 Hz or 230 Hz high pass filter, this preamp puts as little as possible between you and your audience.
Like all AEA products, the TRP500 is handcrafted in Pasadena, California from locally sourced parts. AEA is a family-owned company with a small crew of skilled technicians, many of whom are musicians themselves.
Specs
- Max gain at 1kHz
- 85 dB of gain, balanced-in to balanced-out
- EIN (max gain)
- < –128 dBu (22 Hz to 22 KHz, unweighted, 40 Ohm source), typically -130 dBu
- DC current draw
- from +16/-16V Rails: 130 mA
- Frequency response
- 30 dB gain: (+0/-0.6 dB from <10 Hz to 200kHz), 85 dB gain: (+0/-1 dB <20 Hz to >100kHz) (+0/-2.5 dB <10 Hz to 200kHz)
- THD+N
- 0.0017% (1kHz, 22Hz-22kHz @30 dB Gain +4 dBu output)
- XLR output max level
- +28.5 dBu into 600Ω load (before 1% THD)
- Input impedance
- 11.9kΩ (with Phantom), 100kΩ (no Phantom)
- Output impedance
- 50Ω
- Max input signal level
- 21.5 dBu at minimum gain (before 1% THD)
- Mic gain control
- 12-position switch provides from +7dB to +65dB of gain for the preamplifier circuit, as measured between the input and output when the OUTPUT control is set fully counterclockwise (0 dB)
- Mic output trim
- Output potentiometer provides from 0 dB (unity gain) to +20 dB of gain
- High pass filter frequencies
- 3-position on-off-on switch provides switchable first order passive high pass filter (-6 dB per octave) with cutoff frequencies (-3 dB) at 115 Hz and 230 Hz
- XLR connector polarity
- Pin-1 is ground, pin-2 is high, pin-3 is low
- LED signal level indicators
- The green LED snaps on at -20 dBu to indicate the presence of signal; the yellow LED snaps on at 0 dBu; the red LED snaps on at +20 dBu to warn of approaching signal overload, which is 8 dB prior to clipping
- Front panel
- 0.125” (0.32 cm) anodized aluminum
- Dimensions
- Width 1.5" (3.81 cm), depth 6.8" (17.27 cm), height 5.2" (13.21 cm)
- Weight
- 10.1oz (~0.29 kg)
Source: AEA TRP500 owner's manual (PDF, 2022), Specifications page